Case of Nethmi

"The majority community of Sri Lanka are also known for their all embracing inclusiveness of other ethnic and religious minorities. They are well known for their hospitality and warm welcome even to strangers. Discrimination in the manner that the Ministry of Education has done it, is the very antithesis of "Sinhalaness" and the Buddhist way of life. " Image: R N Amarasinghe the Principal of the Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo.
_____________________________

by N. Amarasekera

( February 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The news that a girl who qualified to enter Visakha Vidyalaya (VV), Colombo. 05, after the grade V scholarship examination, has been denied entry to VV simply because she happened to be a Tamil (though a Buddhist), is sure to cause much resentment, anger and disillusionment in the minds of all right thinking citizens of this country.

The student named Nethmi is the daughter of Mr. Yogendran who is an old Anandian and a Buddhist who has studied in the Sinhala medium. Nethmi too has studied in the Sinhala medium and has a legitimate claim to enter VV based on her performance at the Grade V examination.

At a time when the Sinhalese should go out of their way to prevent injustice to the minorities it is this type of outrageous and myopic actions of the bureaucracy that promote further alienation, bitterness and a feeling of being 'second class citizens' among the minorities. The reason attributed by the Minister of Education in defence of the Ministry adds further insult to injury! He says that "the admission could be a problem in view of the prevailing situation in the country". On the contrary, he completely ignores the great positive impact the admission would cause to the image of the country, by displaying a 'non racist' practice as the state policy.

Already this action would have caused an erosion of the vast fund of goodwill that the Sinhalese have been developing over the years and also betrayed the trust and confidence placed by the minorities in the GOSL. I wonder how many parents having children at VV would approve of this course of action of the Ministry of Education against Nethmi. In my opinion, the admission of Nethmi can only add lustre and sparkle to VV, the school named after the great Visakha, who in her lifetime would have embraced her with open arms!

The majority community of Sri Lanka are also known for their all embracing inclusiveness of other ethnic and religious minorities. They are well known for their hospitality and warm welcome even to strangers. Discrimination in the manner that the Ministry of Education has done it, is the very antithesis of "Sinhalaness" and the Buddhist way of life. I sincerely hope that saner counsel will prevail and that justice and fairplay will allow Nethmi a place in the precincts of hallowed Visakha.