Activities of SAPRI and FDJ

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SAPRI BULLETIN September 2014

Activities of SAPRI and FDJ

South Asia Policy and Research Institute

South Asia Policy and Research Institute [SAPRI] is a project of the CBK Foundation for Democracy and

Justice – FDJ which is a UK, registered charity.

SAPRI is a not for profit, non-partisan ‘Think Tank’ whose focus is the study of issues relating to Economic

Development, Poverty Alleviation, Woman Empowerment, Good Governance, Inclusive Development,

Conflict Resolution through mutual understanding, Social Cohesion and building Shared Societies in South

Asia.

South Asia one of the world’s most populous regions remains poor, divided and conflict ridden. Trade,

cultural and human exchanges within the region are low. South Asian intellectual discourse is sporadic and

limited in scope. South Asian policy appears to lack reform dynamism. There appears to be a lack on the part

of governments to reform inherited colonial systems to attain modernization.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND COLLOQUIA

SAPRI Inaugural Conference in New Delhi on ‘Inclusive Development’

April 2012

A two day conference on the theme ‘Delivering Inclusive and

Sustainable Development’ was held on the 9th and 10th of April. The

event was organized by SAPRI in partnership with the Centre for Policy

Research in New Delhi, and the Club de Madrid.

Twenty three academics from the region and beyond made

presentations at the symposium at New Delhi’s Taj Mahal Hotel. Among

them were four -former Presidents HE Andrés Pastrana Arango -

Colombia, HE President Cassam Uteem-Mauritius and HE Luis Alberto

Lacalle – Uruguay. The former Sri Lankan President HE Chandrika

Kumaratunga delivered the inaugural address.

The objective of the Conference was to address the challenges of

ensuring equitable development for all Peoples living within a country,

through inclusive growth.

The colloquium addressed subjects such as;

· Recent Global Economic Developments – Impact on South Asia

· Sustainable Development, Identity and Inclusion

Drs. Zoya Hassan, Kamal Hossain, Rajesh

Venugopal & P. Saravanamuttu

Mme Kumaratunga makes the keynote ad-

dress

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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND COLLOQUIA CONT...

· Horizontal Inequalities and Conflict

· Education and Health Services for All

· Identity and Exclusion

· The State and Inclusivity

· Education-Key to Promote Respect for Diversity

Colloquium on “Challenges to Pluralism in South Asia”

January 2014

A colloquium on “Challenges to Pluralism in South Asia” was conducted by SAPRI in January 2014 with the

participation of eminent scholars from South Asia and beyond, at the BMICH in Colombo. The Club de

Madrid collaborated with SAPRI in this event.

The Colloquium was an activity coming under SAPRI’s project on Building Religious Harmony and an

Inclusive Society, and was held with the objective of raising awareness of the importance of respecting

diverse religions, in order to create a truly inclusive society.

At the colloquium the four member panel of scholars of international addressed the issues of religious

tolerance, peaceful coexistence, secularism and pluralism in South Asia.

The sessions were moderated by Dr. Deepika Udagama and Prof. Savithri Goonesekere renowned academics

from Sri Lanka. ‘

The sessions focused on the sub-themes ‘Religion & Politics in South Asia’ and ‘Secularism on Trial in

South Asia’. Two speakers in each session articulated their views initially on an individual basis and then

entered into a dialogue between them, before an interaction with the audience.

The Colloquium ended with concluding remarks from the Club de Madrid’s Advisor on Shared Societies, Dr.

Clem McCartney, who summed up the outcome of the event and focused on the way forward.

The local media gave the event extensive coverage, the transcripts of all presentations are in SAPRI’s latest

publication viz ALOKA volume 3

Panelists from left to right: Prof. Savithri Goonesekere (Moderator), Dr. Christophe Jaffrelot (France) Prof. Rajeev

Bhargava (India), Asma Jahangir (Pakistan), Radhika Coomaraswamy (Sri Lanka), Dr. Deepika Udagama

(Moderator), Dr. Clem McCartney (CdeM)

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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND COLLOQUIA CONT

A Seminar on Social Business ‘Be the Change’

Keynote Speaker, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad

Yunus.

Colombo, December 2011.

‘Be the Change’ was the theme of the first seminar organized by

SAPRI in Colombo on 9th December 2011. The keynote speech was made by the world renowned economist

and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Professor Yunus spoke about his new concept which is

gathering momentum around the world viz ‘Social Business’.

The well attended event at Colombo’s Galle Face Hotel focused on ‘The role of the corporate sector and non-

governmental agencies in poverty alleviation’

The Chairperson of the SAPRI, Mme Chandrika Kumaratunga in her opening remarks said “the Vision of

SAPRI is to gather together thinkers from South Asia and elsewhere to study the major challenges our

region faces today, make policy recommendations, promote dialogue about these among policy makers from

the public and private sectors, as well as leaders of non-governmental organizations and academics”

“It has been affirmed that Poverty, Injustice and their relationship to conflict may be measured by the

difference in opportunity structures for the excluded groups” Ms Kumaratunga said the private sector must

contribute to the task of poverty alleviation. The private sector she said can and should assist the State

sector by addressing poverty via their CSR programmes.

The seminar was chaired by senior Indian economist Dr Shankar Acharya a member of the Board of

Directors of SAPRI and Honorary Professor at the ICRIER.

Roundtable Discussion “Inclusive

Development & Growth”

This event was held at the Kadirgamar Institute at 24 Horton

Place, Colombo on August 1st 2012 and was well attended by

a distinguished audience of invitees comprising

parliamentarians, the media, scholars, senior public servants,

diplomats and business leaders. Left to right; Dr. Coomaraswamy, Lord Desai - Dr.Hossain, Dr

Acharya

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The principal speakers and moderator were all members of the Board of Directors of SAPRI

· Lord Meghnad Desai - former Director of Studies at the London School of Economics & Labour Party

member of the House of Lords.

· Dr. Shankar Acharya – former Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian Govt. till 2003 &

Honorary Professor of ICRIER.

· Dr. Kamal Hossain - Former Minister of Law and of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh & co-author of the

Constitution of Bangladesh.

· Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy – Former Head of the Economics Unit of the Commonwealth

Secretariat.

Development Prospects for middle-income Sri Lanka:

Opportunities and Challenges’

A lecture by Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy on the theme ‘Development Prospects for

middle-income Sri Lanka: Opportunities and Challenges’ and held at the BMICH,

Colombo in July 2013 was attended by Members of Parliament, eminent economists,

academics and civil society members.

'The Many Faces of the Kandyan Kingdom: Cosmopolitanism &

Diversity; 1591-1765, Lessons for Today’

Prof Gananath Obeyasekera on 'The Many Faces of the Kandyan Kingdom:

Cosmopolitanism & Diversity; 1591-1765, Lessons for Today’ was held on 23rd April

2014. He is Professor (Emeritus) in Anthropology at Princeton University and is Sri

Lanka's most eminent anthropologist.

What next after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015

CEPA the Colombo-based Centre for Policy Analysis in collaboration with SAPRI and the

Club de Madrid held a symposium in Nov 2013. It was attended by scholars, intellectuals

and researchers from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UK.

Two former Presidents – Chandrika Kumaratunga and Cassam Uteem of Mauritius

gathered for two days of intense discussions on the issue: “What next after the UN-backed

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era ends in 2015

The two day event focused on inclusive development and called for the eradication of

extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender

equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality rates; improving maternal health; combating

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HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global

partnership for development.

Project on Women and Politics in Sri Lanka: Challenges to

Meaningful Participation

Focusing on the necessity to empower women politically, SAPRI is collaborating

with International Alert on a project on Women and Politics in Sri Lanka:

Challenges to Meaningful Participation. Workshops were held with political

leaders at the Parliamentary, Provincial Council and Local Govt. levels and civil society members’

participating.

Discourse on Restoring Religious Harmony in Sri Lanka:

Religious Harmony Project

The recent incidents of religious intolerance and violence perpetrated on minority religious communities

motivated SAPRI to begin a study to restore religious harmony by setting up a Forum for Inter-faith

Dialogue FIFAD, to discuss the reasons that caused religious intolerance and propose remedial measures.

The dialogue progressed for a six month period and produced recommendations for religious harmony.

The FIFAD comprises religious leaders, private sector professionals and civil society leaders from all

religions in Sri Lanka. FIFAD produced a series of recommendations to restore religious harmony.

Religious leaders of all faiths on stage: Moulavi M.R. Maheer, Vidyanithi Brahmasri S.Kuhananda Sharma

Swamy, Most Ven. Pannila Ananda Nayaka Thero Mahanayake Attanagalle Rajamaha Viharaya, Most Ven.

Hureekaduwe Pawarasiri Nayake Thero, Most Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Anunayake Thero Amarapura

Chapter, Most Ven. Niyangoda Vijithasiri Anunayake Thero Malwatte Chapter, His Grace Dr.Oswald Gomis,

Archbishop Emeritus, Moulavi Mohamed Aslaam Ansareen, Rev. Father Adrian Aron.

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As a follow-up, an advocacy process led by Chair/SAPRI, former President Kumaratunga has met with

political party leaders and professional groups to discuss and advocate SAPRI’s recommendations for

religious harmony. The next step is to take this message to the grassroots through an awareness creating

district/divisional programme

District workshops on Capacity Building towards Religious Harmony

The first District Workshop was held in Nittambuwa on 2nd August 2014 and was attended by local leaders

of the four major religions, doctors, lawyers, school principals and teachers.

The Venerable Madampagama Assaji Thero in his introduction explained the objectives of these district level

workshops around the country, and said it aims to create new groups

in every district to train professionals and young citizens on co-

existence and importance of the participation of all religious faiths,

rather than individual religious representation. All religions teach one

common thing - to maintain co-existence.

The chief resource person at the seminar was renowned sociologist

and a University Professor of Political Philosophy Dr. Jayantha

Seneviratne. He explained the meaning of violence, categories of

violence and the root causes of violence.

The participants were fully engrossed and were encouraged to contribute their own views by the resource

persons. Dr Seneviratne adopted the meta-analysis method to summarize and integrate results from a

number of individual ideas

The next such event was held in the town of Negombo on Saturday 13th September, with the same resource

persons

Study Group on Education A committee was established by SAPRI in early 2013, comprising an eminent group University Dons, senior

State education officials and school principals. The group was tasked with formulating a working Paper on

Education. The group will review the current issues and formulate recommendations to

improve the Education Sector.

An informal survey of Primary schools has been completed. The study group of eminent

educationists met on several occasions.

The Paper is now in the process of being developed and will be published in due course.

SAPRI’s recommendations for religious harmony were launched at a unique event on Reli-

gious Harmony held on 28 January 2014. At this event leaders of the four major religions

came together and spoke publicly, on the need for religious and ethnic harmony, and co-

existence.

Dr Jayantha Seneviratne

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Activities of the Foundation for Democracy & Justice

FDJ Projects

Solar Domestic Lighting Systems

4th September 2012

Mme Chandrika Kumaratunga made an impromptu inspection tour to the Jaffna Peninsula on Monday [3rd

September]. The Foundation for Justice and Democracy [FDJ] of which she is

Chairperson recently completed a pilot project in Nallur, Kopai and

Eluvantivu an islet in the West of Jaffna. One hundred families, who have

returned from IDP camps, were provided with solar PV lighting systems.

These systems were installed by competent technicians in consultation with

FDJ’s partners the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies [CHA]

The former Head of State went into the small tin-roofed homes of householders and chatted with them

freely. They welcomed her warmly with beaming eyes and said ‘Chandrika Amma we did not know you were

coming’ when asked about the benefits of the lighting provided they said their children were the main

beneficiaries. They are now able to study better with the lights

and had improved in their grades in school. The other benefits

mentioned were that they feel more secure after dark because of

the lights.

Most recipients Kumaratunga met were women whose husbands

had either died or disappeared during the war years. In a few

cases the men of the house were in custody and are permitted to

meet the families on certain days of the month, a few the

husbands were employed as

labourers. Most families were

comprised of mother and three

to five children.

Mme Kumaratunga says she was able to identify other needs of the

community in Kopai and Nallur during her inspection tour. Her Foundation

will make an assessment of the community’s immediate requirements such

as fresh water and attempt to provide them relief.

Smiles of satisfaction

Mme Kumaratunga with some resettled Jaffna resi-

dents

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Provision of Domestic Water Through Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Embilipitiya Sabaragamuwa Province

The Project was launched in Ranchamadama, Embilipitiya a remote village situated in a dry zone

pocket in the South. Fifty seven [57] Rainwater harvesting tanks were provided in two phases. A needs survey done in the village in December 2009 indicated that the immediate need of the 600 families

in the area was water for drinking and cooking purposes.

The tank, when full can hold up to 6500 liters of water, which is sufficient to meet the needs of a family of 05

persons for a period of 04 / 05 months with no rain. The first phase of the project was completed with assistance from technical experts in December 2009.

Construction of a further twenty six [26] tanks was completed in June 2014

New employment opportunities

It was heartening to note that as a result of our water project several small cottage

industries have sprung up. Others pride themselves on of thriving vegetable plots around

their humble homes. One innovative farmer, 51 year old Edwin Omalpage bought himself a 1000 liter plastic

tank. Edwin has hitched the tank to his hand tractor and supplies water to the brick

makers and gardeners. He collects water from a tributary to the Chandrika Weva [river]

nearby and supplies the extra water they need. The engine of his tractor doubles up as a

pump to draw water from the stream and also to pump it up to conservation tanks, Edwin charges Rs 350/=

for each load of water and makes around five trips to the stream each day. D.Dharmananda's small clay brick industry has doubled its manufacturing capacity after he acquired a rain

water conservation unit. One year ago he was selling raw bricks to building material supplier. Now with

sales improving Dharmananda is building his own brick furnace, the sale of

baked bricks will earn him a much better rate he says. W Shirani Pathmalatha – is now a happy housewife her conservation tank keeps

her 'home garden' well irrigated, she grows winged beans, betel leaves, pepper

corns and raddish. Benefits for the economically disadvantaged families:

· Regular supply of clean water during dry seasons

· In an environmentally friendly manner

· Health benefits derived from elimination of high calcium content in water due to the filtration

system in Urns.

· Promotion of community organization and participation

· Transfer of technology to the poorest deciles of the village.

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mutual respect living as individuals and

communities in a free and democratic

society. The trainees were persons

between the ages of 17-30 years who

have completed their secondary

education .One group of a maximum of

50 students will be given a 3 months

training.

This academy caters to the

personal and professional

development of Young Leaders. It

seeks to inculcate knowledge,

attitudes and skills required for

efficient management as leaders in

their respective fields, be it in the

public, private or NGO sectors, to

live in peace, harmony and with

THE ACADEMY OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Academy for Personal and Professional Development

2/10 Thalakotuwa

Gardens,

Colombo 05

Sri Lanka

Phone:

94 11 2515998, 94 11

2515998

Email:

[email protected]

S O U T H A S I A

P O L I C Y &

R E S E A R C H

I N S T I T U T E

www.thesapri.org

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Activities of SAPRI and FDJ