Opinion

Rape is Rape!

Published

2 years ago

2022/11/20

After much consideration, I decided to write this as it pains me to disagree with a very senior journalist commanding my respect; namely, the editor of this newspaper. It is about a recent unfortunate incident which has evoked a lot of correspondence, many shades of opinion being expressed.The editorial in the Sunday Island on 13 November titled “Danushka: price that must be paid” states:

“But one thing is clear and needs to be said in Gunathilaka’s defence. He did not repeat not (emphasis added) seize the victim, thrust her forcibly into a shrub jungle or wherever and commit an offence. He accompanied her to her home, presumably by invitation, where the alleged acts of sexual intercourse without consent were committed. This after meeting through a dating device, drinks at a public bar and a restaurant meal.”

Though I agree with the theme of the editorial, where the editor in no uncertain terms states that the errant cricketer must pay the price for his actions; on reading this paragraph, more so because of the added emphasis, I began wondering whether there were different types of rape; gentlemanly rape, the variety supposed to be committed by this cricketer and Damarika or criminal rape where the victim is seized and pushed into a jungle. Of course, one must not forget that there is yet another type of rape which is deadly; murdered after rape or raped after murder. In the event, of course, the perpetrator would be charged with murder too.

Further, this statement unfortunately gives the impression of supporting the silly excuses doled out by some ageing politicians with uncontrollable sons: “Boys will be boys!” That era of harassment of women, especially young girls, should be in the past. Rape is a world-wide problem and statistics, where available, are staggering. It is said that, one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.

Since reading this editorial I have been trying to find a good definition of rape, not necessary a legal one, as the legal definition seems to vary from country to country. According to the US Department of Justice, the definition of rape which has remained unchanged since 1927, was revised in January 2012 and is as follows:

“The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”

However, ‘Rape’ is best explained in Wikipedia as follows:

“Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability, or is below the legal age of consent.”

So, Rape is rape! In most countries, the bar for conviction of rape seems to have been lowered and Australia is no exception, much to the misfortune of our cricketer; provided, of course, what is reported in the media is true. Though initially I was hesitant go into details, as Australian courts have released a lot of information since, it seems to fair to comment that he is far from what the editorial portrayed. Apparently, he had strangled the victim on more than one occasion making her lose consciousness and needing a CT scan subsequently.

Even if you go by the explanation given by his supporters that this was an attempt at extortion and is found not guilty of rape by the Australian courts, he is guilty of bringing the country and the game of cricket to disrepute. In fact, this is what I wrote in a piece titled “What our unofficial ambassadors do reflects on us!” (The Island, November 11):

“Sri Lanka had to bow out of the Cricket World Cup in shame, not so much due to bad play (after all not every team can win), but due to the extra-curricular activities of one player; so much so that the Minister-in-charge had to make an open apology to all concerned. As court actions are pending, it unfair to go into details but what is intriguing is the decision by the Cricket Board to bear the legal expenses. There is no doubt whatsoever that he should be provided with consular support but using tax-payers money, especially at a time when we have no money to import even essentials, for an act committed totally outside play is wholly indefensible. I greatly doubt Sri Lanka Cricket contracts cover sexual adventures. Maybe, our selectors are offering incentives; after all, there is nothing impossible in the land like no other. This is not the first offence either and as Rex Clementine has meticulously analysed “VVIPs still backing Danushka” (The Island, November 8).

What is wrong is that by these actions we are sending a wrong signal to our children. Though mentioned in reference to a separate incident, I totally agree with the editorial comment “The process of coaching children in lying and flouting rules and regulations commences at a tender age.” (A shocking incident, The Island November 10). At this rate, is there any hope for Sri Lanka?”

Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

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Opinion

What is in a title?

Published

1 day ago

2024/12/13

Upali Newspaper Admin

by Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

Conductor of the affairs of the supreme legislative chamber, the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka which guarantees the supremacy of the people, seems to be in trouble regarding his claimed educational qualifications! When challenged, among others, by the much respected and vociferous former elections chief, though the entry in the official parliamentary website has dropped ‘Dr’ title and there had been a dramatic rewrite of his profile in the much-used people’s encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, he is yet to respond. His NPP colleague, the Cabinet spokesman has declared that he would respond at the right time. What is the right time? One wonders. Is it not the present, if he has nothing to hide? A cynic may comment that he is looking for the misplaced certificates or even looking for an online institution that may grant him a quick doctorate!

‘Dr’ Ranwala may produce proof, though unlikely, that he could justify the claims or, if he cannot, resign. Whatever may be the outcome, a good deal of damage has already been done to a government that came to power with the promise of ‘system change’. NPP supporters may think otherwise. It is apparent from the bombardments in social media, whilst some claim that this a minor issue that should not cloud all the massive achievements of the NPP government in such a short period, others have adopted the attitude that the best form of defence is offence. They point out, in the most offensive manner, to numerous false claims of members of the past governments. They seem to be oblivious to the fact that committing the same sin is no justification and that the NPP was voted to power with a massive mandate as they promised to be just the opposite.

The claim that, even if the Speaker is guilty, it is a minor matter rings hollow as it is far from that. It is a very serious matter that questions the probity of the individual who holds the third highest position in the country’s hierarchy. Not being a constitutional expert, I cannot vouch that the constitution stipulates as such but the very fact that the US ‘Viceroy’ attempted to persuade the last Speaker to take over when Gota was made to flee due to their machinations, makes it pretty obvious the importance the international community too attach to the position of the Speaker. Further, it is not the case of a simple misused title. Comparing the two Wikipedia entries, before and after, it is obvious that there had been a deliberate attempt at academic enhancement. Though earlier versions of Wikipedia credited him with a degree from Moratuwa University, revised version states that he only holds a ‘National Diploma’ from an affiliated institution! ‘He has also completed his PhD in Biochemistry from Waseda University, Japan’ is deleted in the revised profile. According to Opposition spokespersons, inquiries from Waseda University have revealed that he was never a student there.

According to a report in Fact Crescendo Sri Lanka, the Speaker has admitted that he does not have a degree from Moratuwa University but maintains that he has a PhD from Waseda University. This raises the question whether a person can earn a PhD degree without a basic university qualification like BSc. Though not impossible, it is extremely rare and would likely be limited to someone with extensive research on a specific subject. Unfortunately, no search reveals any publications by Ashoka Ranwala. I will apologise to him if I have missed his valued publications deserving of a PhD. However, if he cannot produce proof of his qualifications, the honourable thing to do is to leave the parliament to prevent further damage to the party he had served for so long.

There are questions raised about the educational qualifications of another Minister in the NPP government as well and if this too proves correct, then the new government is serious trouble. The new dawn they promised may turn out to be a mirage!

‘Dr’ is a much-misused term, often purposely. In Sri Lanka as well as in UK a ‘Dr’ refers to a qualified medical practitioner with a difference. In UK, those medical practitioners who specialise in any branch of surgery, use the title Mr or Ms, perhaps, in recognition of their descent from barbers! Strictly speaking only someone who holds a doctorate can use the title Dr as there is no alternate term in English whereas in Sinhala, a more descriptive language, we have ‘Vaidaya’ for medical practitioners and ‘Acharya’ for those with a PhD or DSc.

Coming to medicine, unfortunately, degrees awarded vary widely across the world. The basic degree in UK, Sri Lanka and most Commonwealth countries is MBBS, MD being a postgraduate degree. However, in most European countries MD is the basic medical qualification and they use the title ‘Dr’ before the name, as we do. In USA too, the basic medical degree is MD but instead of using ‘Dr’, they use MD as a title after their name.

Opinion

In memory of Prof. Padmasiri de Silva (1933–2024)

Published

1 day ago

2024/12/13

Thilina Walpola

The year 2024 is rapidly drawing to a close. This year marks the personal losses of many helpful academics, monks, family members, and friends.

I place this brief note of appreciation here to pay tribute to the late Professor Padmasiri de Silva (1933–2024), one of my teachers at the University of Peradeniya in the 1980s, who was just about to celebrate his 92nd birthday on 18th January 2025 with the publication of his most recent contribution The Moral Psychology of Buddhism, which is currently under preparation for publication posthumously in Melbourne. Professor de Silva passed away peacefully in the presence of his three sons—Maneesh, Adeesha and Chandeesha—in Melbourne, Australia on 21st November 2024. We just missed the festive opportunity to celebrate his legacy in the areas related to Buddhist Psychology. Most recently, he was engaged in the composition of creative poetry—Emotional Rhythms of Our Lives (2023)—inspired by years of intense meditation practice of Vipassanā (Insight).

Professor de Silva had a meaningful and highly fruitful academic career in Sri Lanka (University of Peradeniya), Singapore (National University of Singapore) and Australia (Monash University). Political turmoil in the island of his birth was not favourable for his family; circumstances forced him to become another member of the rapidly growing Sri Lankan diaspora when he was closer to retirement age (just 56 years).

Prof. de Silva

In William James’ analytical psychological typology, he remained a “healthy soul”. In adversity, Professor de Silva never lost hope or direction. He was always deeply engaged in multi-faceted research trajectories treading fascinating new pastures. After leaving Sri Lanka, his research developed into Environmental Philosophy and Ethics in Buddhism (1998), The Psychology of Buddhism in Conflict Studies (2017), An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology and Counselling (2014) and Emotions and The Body in Buddhist Contemplative Practice and Mindfulness-Based Therapy (2017).

The last academic post that Professor de Silva held in Sri Lanka was the prestigious Professorship in Philosophy at the University of Peradeniya succeeding the late Professor K.N. Jayatilleke (1920–1970). He served as the Head of the Department of Philosophy for many years (1980–1989). During his tenure, he introduced a novel MA programme in Comparative Religion (1985); he also supported the development of the subject area of Psychology, which eventually became a fully grown separate academic discipline as a Department within the university.

More than during my student days at Peradeniya, during the last decades I noted more and more that Professor de Silva was exceedingly driven with scholarly and academic pursuits. Even in his advanced years, putting most of us, the young, to shame, he travelled tirelessly to distant lands such as Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam to contribute to international scholarly assemblies. Very modestly, he shared his words of wisdom with others with a great sense of humour and fun. I still have vivid memories of his exceptional talent in singing songs of the vocalist Sunil Shanta (1915–1981) and narratng stories of his life journeys at the evening reception in Thailand a few years ago. His mission in all of those events was always educational and transformative. Though I was much junior, I was privileged and honoured to associate with two of his publications: The Psychology of Emotions and Humour in Buddhism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) and Mindfulness-based Emotion Focused Counselling (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020). Since the 2018 publication contains a complete list of his monographs (“Foreword”, p. x), I do not repeat them here. His distinctive scholarly contribution, nevertheless, remains Buddhist and Freudian Psychology (1973).

May Professor Padmasiri de Silva find peace and happiness in attaining Nirvana!

Venerable Professor Mahinda Deegalle
SOAS University of London, UK

Opinion

The day I first met Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike

Published

2 days ago

2024/12/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS)

by Prof. Gamini Keerawella
(From the publication The BCIS At Fifty –A Journey of Learning and Dialogue)

I can still vividly recall the striking image of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), deeply engraved in my memory from the very first day I laid eyes on it. It was in 1976, a few months after the historic Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit had been held there. As I was walking along Bauddhaloka Mawatha from the Kanatte Junction towards Thummulla, it suddenly appeared on my left. Though I had glimpsed its image in newspapers covering the NAM Summit, nothing could have prepared me for the breathtaking reality. There it stood—a pristine white colossus, gleaming in the sun—an architectural marvel that commanded both reverence and awe.

In that moment, a surge of emotion swept over me; reminiscent of how I felt when I first set foot on the University of Peradeniya as a novice undergraduate in 1968. The memory remains just as vivid—the way I stood, mesmerised by the grandeur of the university’s sprawling complexes, each a testament to human ingenuity and vision, seamlessly intertwined with the natural splendour of the Hantane mountain range and the winding beauty of the Mahaweli River valley. Both moments—Peradeniya and the BMICH—have left an indelible imprint on my life. When I was recruited to the academic staff of the University of Peradeniya in 1975, the environment of the university became an inseparable part of my life, shaping my experiences and outlook. I found myself deeply immersed in the beauty of the campus—where nature and architecture engage in a timeless, harmonious dialogue. In a similar vein, the octagonal BMICH stands as a true architectural marvel, unique in its form and scale within the country. The design is a masterpiece of modern Chinese architecture, its imposing pillars embracing the octagonal structure in a style reminiscent of a Roman Acropolis—where the ancient and the modern converge in breathtaking fusion.

In 1976, as I stood before the BCIS, it never crossed my mind that one day I would become the Executive Director of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), the educational arm of the Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation (BMNF). Nor could I have imagined becoming a member of its Council of Management and Academic Affairs Board of BMICH.

In 1980, I took study leave and left Peradeniya for Canada to pursue my postgraduate studies. After earning my MA at the University of Windsor in 1982, I moved to the University of British Columbia (UBC) to pursue my doctorate. Having completed all the required coursework and on the verge of submitting my doctoral dissertation, I was called back to Peradeniya in May 1985 as my study leave had come to an end. Since I deeply loved my work at Peradeniya, I returned with the firm confidence that I would soon be able to return to UBC during one of the long vacations to defend my Ph.D. dissertation.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike

In 1986, while I was putting the final touches on my doctoral dissertation, I received an unexpected invitation to a regional conference at the BMICH, organised by BCIS. By then, several of my senior colleagues from the University of Peradeniya, such as Profs. S.U. Kodikara, Birty Gajameragedara, Vishwa Warnapala, K.H. Jayasinghe, P.V.J. Jayasekera, and Mahinda Werake, were already involved in BCIS’s academic programmes. I was both surprised and deeply honoured by the invitation. As a junior academic, it was an extraordinary privilege for me to engage with distinguished scholars from South Asia, including K. Subrahmanyam, K.P. Misra, K.R. Singh, and S.D. Muni from India, as well as Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema and Rasul Rais from Pakistan. I also noticed the presence of prominent journalists like Mervyn Silva and Gamini Weerakoon among the panelists, further underscoring the significance of the event. Participating in this seminar with such renowned scholars was a defining moment in my academic journey, and I believed that my senior colleagues played a role in arranging an invitation to me.

By that time, a new wing had been annexed to the main BMICH hall, and the conference was held in the adjoining building. To my surprise, Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Chairperson of the BMNF and a keen supporter of BCIS, was present and actively engaged in the proceedings, adding even more significance to the event. It was the first time I found myself in close proximity to the remarkable figure of Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female Prime Minister. I was instantly struck by her commanding presence—an undeniable aura of magnanimity and charisma that left a lasting impression. Her dignified posture and quiet strength embodied the true essence of leadership and grace.

During the tea break after the inaugural session, refreshments were served in the adjoining vestibule. In one corner, a settee had been arranged, where Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike sat, choosing to remain with the conference participants rather than retreat to a private space. Senior academics and foreign delegates naturally gravitated toward her, drawn by her presence. It was then that Mr. Ray Forbes, then the Director of BCIS, approached me, his usual stern tone breaking through the crowd as he informed me that Madam Bandaranaike wished to speak with me. When Mr. Forbes introduced me, she indicated that she wished to speak with me privately. As I stood before her, I experienced both awe and anxiety. She gestured for me to sit across from her, and in her deep, resonant voice, inquired about my studies. There was motherly warmth in her tone, yet it was coupled with an unmistakable air of authority that commanded respect. As we conversed, my fears slowly subsided. To my surprise, she knew much about my background, and it was clear this was the reason she had sought me out.

In April 1971, while still in my third year of university, I was arrested by the security forces for my involvement in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the 1971 uprising. After nearly three years of incarceration, I was released at the end of 1973 and returned to university at the beginning of 1974. Despite the interruption to my studies, I excelled in my final examinations in 1975, which led to my recruitment to the academic staff of the Department of History—initially on a temporary basis, and later as a probationary lecturer. On the verge of completing my doctorate at one of the world’s leading universities, I shared this journey with Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike during our conversation. She was genuinely pleased to hear about my academic progress and showed great interest in my doctoral dissertation, titled Superpower Naval Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Since 1945 and Sri Lanka’s Response. She encouraged me to actively engage in the academic programmes at BCIS. Her words of both support and expectation inspired me to contribute to the institution’s intellectual landscape.

In our brief conversation, she spoke with clarity and purpose, exhibiting the vision and decisiveness of a true leader and accomplished stateswoman. She sought to engage individuals like us in BCIS initiatives, determined to break the exclusivity surrounding the study of international affairs, which had long been confined to a small, elitist segment of society. As a public educational institution, the BCIS aspired to democratise the systematic study of International Relations, making it accessible to a broader audience. Sri Lanka, she noted, was in dire need of scholarly contributions to inform its policy-making process, particularly given the chaotic state of the country’s foreign policy at the time, with decisions being made in a haphazard manner. Recognizing the scarcity of academic research in International Relations, the BCIS aimed to become a hub for policy research, especially in areas relevant to Sri Lanka’s foreign policy. She concluded by emphasiaing the critical role the BCIS could play in fostering dialogue among scholars from across South Asia, addressing regional issues through collaboration and mutual understanding. I was deeply impressed by her vision for the BCIS, which was rooted in a spirit of social democracy, seeking to bridge divides and serve the public good.

My meeting with Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike that day remains one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The clarity with which she articulated the vision and mission of BCIS left a lasting impression on me. She spoke with conviction about the Centre’s purpose—not just as an academic institution but also as a beacon of public education, aimed at shaping informed citizens and influencing policy. Her emphasis on the core values of the BCIS struck a chord with me. She envisioned the BCIS as a platform where scholars, policymakers, and the public could engage in meaningful discourse on international relations and diplomacy, with a focus on Sri Lanka’s unique position in the global arena. These values were not abstract ideals but guiding principles that shaped the institution’s commitment to inclusivity, accessibility, and public service.

Madam Bandaranaike’s words still resonate in my mind, reminding me of the responsibility we have to promote these social democratic principles. Her vision for the BCIS was clear: it was to be a place where the study of international relations would be democratised, where knowledge would not be the privilege of the few but a resource for the many. She understood the power of education as a tool for both social and political transformation, and her leadership reflected a deep commitment to creating a more equitable and just society. Inspired by this vision, I was determined to support and uphold the values on which the BCIS was founded.