Youth orgs come forward to strengthen communal harmony

• Calls for a thorough investigation into anti-communal violence
• Wants more space for youth in policy making
• Working with Muslim communities to eradicate extremism
• Says change needs to come from the people

By Ruwandi Gamage

Thirty youth organisations came together yesterday to call for the Government to conduct an impartial investigation into recent anti-communal violence, and appealed for more inclusion in policy making.

Attorney-at-law Jayantha Dehiaththage - Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

Close to 30 youth organisations, representing all communities from around the country, spoke to media and expressed their opinions regarding the events that followed after the Easter Sunday attacks. Attorney-at-law Jayantha Dehiaththage expressed concerns regarding the level of organisation in the mob attacks, where it was carried out on the same day in different locations.

“The anti-communal violence that took place between the Muslim and Sinhala communities on the 13 May must be investigated thoroughly. It is questionable how well-planned they were to have carried them out on the same day in many locations,” Dehiaththage said.

Representing the Elpitiya Saviya Youth Organisation from Galle, K. W. Praneeth Hasanka expressed how politics and democracy is not doing what it is supposed to do, and thus not contributing for the country to move forward.

“Every time a new President and a new Government is elected, all they care about is bringing in new economic policies forward. They do not care about carrying forth the policies already brought in by the former Government and seeing fruitful results. Jana Saviya, Gama Neguma, Navodaya, and ‘Langama Pasala Hondama Pasala’ are some of the projects that only was active while the respective Presidents were in power,” he stated.

Addressing the media, a representative from the Afriel Youth Network Ravindra De Silva assured that the youth representation in the North are determined to ensure that a war will never commence.

“There are many organisations that are present here from the North, and none of them are willing to aid in any way for a war. This is the youth that are refusing to encourage war,” he added.