Once divided, two Sri Lankan alumni make peace

By Dan Nixon
Rotary International News - 11 October 2007

Raveendra Pathiranage (kneeling, left) and Thevananth Thevanayagam

The first encounters between two classmates in the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies program were anything but cordial.

From July through September 2006, Raveendra Pathiranage and Thevananth Thevanayagam participated in the program’s inaugural session at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. For weeks, they argued about the long-standing conflict in their native Sri Lanka.

“But we talked about our problems and gradually understood each other,” says Thevanayagam, program manager for the Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation Organization in Sri Lanka, who was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Jaffna, Northern Province. The agency provides food, shelter, rehabilitation, and other assistance to displaced Tamil refugees.

“We erased the hard feelings and went on to What can we do to solve the problem? What can we contribute?” says Pathiranage, senior state counsel in the attorney general’s office in Sri Lanka, who was sponsored by District 3220.

He was especially moved by Thevanayagam’s stories of children who had been orphaned or couldn’t go to school. In November, when conflict forced the main road into the Jaffna peninsula to close, Pathiranage asked, “Theva, can I do anything?”

Thevanayagam explained that the region was barely surviving on twice-monthly dry rations and many people, including his two young children and the rest of his family, were suffering from Chikungunya, a disease that causes high fevers, rashes, and joint pain. Pathiranage used some of his personal connections to get a month’s supply of dry milk and medicine to Thevanayagam for his family.

In June, the two men traveled together to the first Rotary World Peace Symposium in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, held just before the 2007 RI Convention, to see their former classmates.

“The link between myself and Theva will be very important in the future to discuss the peace-related issues [in Sri Lanka],” says Pathiranage, who sees a direct connection between what he learned in the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies program and his work.

10 Comments:

At 11:06AM on 27 November 2007, paskaran wrote: i am also real victim of this war .my home village also occupied by srilankan army as high security zone.i have to go back to my home village before i die,that,s why we are working for peace i srilanka.i hope this study shuld help me to get back my home village

At 11:25AM on 20 November 2007, Chris Benjamin wrote: It will always be the personal one to one interactions and connections that would help an individual to change a life long perspective that was held closely to an entirely different one as you start looking, feeling and living the life of another... that is the magical moment of transformation of perspectives, attitudes and beliefs... To bring peace to our world, we need to have more and more interaction between the differnt groups of people ..

At 4:04PM on 23 October 2007, Rtn. Ram wrote: selfish & racist political leaders get opportunities to rule the country.They fuel the conflicts to keep the country unstable.When the victims of this raise their voice they are being labelled as terrorist>The poor innocent public believes this. But we have to understand that denying the rights of any indivituals will fuel the terrorisim.As a result of this we could not enjoy a peaceful life forever.So leaving behind all the differences we should learn to respect all mankind.

At 11:43AM on 22 October 2007, Richard A. Lacquement wrote: This is an example ofthe lack of justification for so many of the wars of the world. Kudos to RI for the Peace and Conflict Studies programs which help participants to better understand the views and needs of both sides to a conflict. When they can fully comprehend all factors there is a much better chance for real peace to be developed and exist.

At 8:40AM on 18 October 2007, Nancy Stall wrote: I was an AFS exchange student to Sri Lanka in 1974. It was one of the last years AFS sent high school students to this resplendent island. During my stay, there was talk of inevitable civil war. That was 34 years ago. The war still goes on, with thousands of lives lost and more lives ruined to the spoils of war. No one wins in war. The "causes" are ages old. They prevent the society from moving forward. This can be seen in the trouble spots across the world. I pray peace comes to this beautiful place. I agree with Sunil R. de Silva that the absence of law and justice is the root cause. Temporary third party intervention, perhaps the UN, could bring law and order to the country.

At 11:42PM on 16 October 2007, Narada Fernando wrote: The people have waited for too long for the government to do something. I am afraid it will not happen. It is the individual relationships like these make the peace last long. Congratulations!

At 10:57PM on 15 October 2007, Andres F. Ardila wrote: hi, i'm andres ardila a rotary exchange student from colombia in the united states of america, i'm only 16 but i can give my opinion and i think this is so embarrasing for this two guys and for rotary international , because the idea of rotary is put the people together and fight together for the peace in the world , for build a better world for live and for give of the next generations a better world. this fight was a bad image for R.I. but i know no all the people in there is like this. thanks to rotary for think and help the people in the world . and for this two guys: "dont be a stupids, only the animals ending theyr problems fighting" good bye!! Andres F. Ardila colombia-usa

At 12:15PM on 13 October 2007, SOBANARAJAH wrote: i am also like ti study pece and conflicet resolucation. can you help me?

At 10:06AM on 13 October 2007, walter cyril pinto wrote: I fully endorse the view expressed by Sunil R desilva, not only in Srilanka, in India too, the individualistic selfish political leadership has destroyed the rule of law and justice. Rotary peace and conflict resolving studies should include rule of law and justice, equitable distribution of national resources and respect for life.

At 11:46AM on 11 October 2007, Sunil R. de Silva wrote: In my opinion, the conflict situation in Sri Lanka is due to the absence of rule of law and justice in the country for the last 60 years. Westminister model of democracy has failed to deliver goods. It is the party-based political activities which has destroyed the once resplendent isle. There is a way out, That is by re-estiblishing the rule of law and justice in place of rule of individuals. Peace and conflict studies should focus on the rule of law which promotes the equitable distribution of resources. With a few dedicated hearts and heads the way ahead for Sri Lanka can be rosy.

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