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crops are cultivated on unused gov–
ernment-owned land close to the
villages. Volunteers also show how
advanced techniques can be intro–
duced to enhance existing cottage
industries using local raw materi–
als.
Many of Sri Lanka's rural villag–
ers sutfer poor health that is direct–
ly traceable to unsanitary living
conditions. Large numbers have no
toilet facilities and use the nearby
jungle with little knowledge or
regard for the resulting health
problems. Volunteers teach villag–
ers how to construct a proper toilet
with a septic tank. Wells are sunk
to provide each home witb clean,
fresh water.
So successful has the program
been that in June of last year the
Prime Minister launched a new
program to build an additional
one
mil/ion
bornes following the princi–
pies of self-help and participation
by the people. The success of these
two programs demonstrates once
again that the best way to build a
nation is through education and
encouragement, rather than intimi–
dation and force.
But the news from Sri Lanka is
not all good. In recent months, the
calm of this beautifulland has been
shattered. Tensions between rival
elements of the Tamil and Sinha–
lese populations have erupted in
tension and civil strife.
For centuries the Sinhalese and
Tamils have coexisted side by side
reasonably peacefully. However, a
group claiming to represent the
Tamil minority has stepped up a
political campaign of terrorism to
attract world attention to its claim
for a separate Tamil state in nortb–
ern Sri Lanka. In July 1983, follow–
ing a terrorist attack in which 13
government soldiers lost their lives,
crowds of Sinhalese lost control of
their tempers and vented their wrath
and frustration on those Tamils liv–
ing among them. Although official
figures are lower, sorne estímate that
more than l ,000 people lost their
lives. Property damage reached
US$150 million! During the follow–
ing five months, revenue from tour–
ism fell by 80 percent.
The breakdown of relations
between the Sinhalese and T ami l
populations is a matter of great
concern to the government as con-
tinuing violence fu r ther erodes
trust between the two groups.
Moral Uplittment
Both President J ayewardene and
Prime Mininster Premadasa are also
concerned about the increasing
decay of moral values among the
people of Sri Lanka. Addiction to
materialism, a result of tbe impact of
Western media, is spreading to the
countryside, undermining the moral
and cultural values that bave formed
the foundation of the borne and fam–
ily. That is why a major- and per–
haps the most important- goal of
Sri Lanka's human development
programs is that of moral uplift–
ment.
Speaking of the goals of their
human development programs,
Prime Minister Premadasa ex–
plains: "We have attempted to re–
introduce to these villages sorne of
our long-cherished spiritual and
moral values. Also, the time-tested
cultural traditions are being resus–
citated to combat the degeneration
of society through purely material–
istic pursuits."
Sri Lanka' s leaders are frank in
admitting that the real problems
they face are not the physical prob–
lems of ·providing housing, income
and sanitation , but problems that are
more intangible-teaching people
with opposing views to resolve their
difficulties and learn to live together
in self-control and peace.
Opening up new lands does not
automatically usher in a new era of
cooperation and tolerance.
Damming a major river is easy
compared to the problems of stem–
ming the tide of anger, rivalry and
frustratioo that flows so easily from
the human heart.
Unless and until man has learned
how to control
himself.
his remark–
able progress in shaping his envi–
ronment will always be in danger of
being thwarted. Everywhere one
finds signs of progress and reason
for hope in this world today, it
seems that there must also lurk fear
and contention, threatening to undo
what has been accomplished. This
is the paradox that frustrates even
the best intentioned and most
visionary of today's world leaders.
May the Creator God help them to
find the way out.
Only he can.
o
The PLAIN TRUTH