Promoting Social Responsibility in the University Community

A project to link universities across Sri Lanka's ethno-linguistic divisions and create a core of sensitised, well-informed intellectuals as a tool for peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Description

Because universities function as one of the main breeding grounds for ideology that can have a powerful impact on state politics, this initiative focuses on Sri Lanka's university community. CPBR conduct workshops, dialogues, peace camps, etc. regarding conflict transformation, inter-ethnic understanding and peacebuilding. These programmes enable students from the North, East and South to meet and discuss their perspective on the conflict, possible solutions and their role in the process.

These programmes produced the inter-university peace movement Susipra/Kootu, which is presently working to set up further programmes linking universities together. This increases cooperation between universities and facilitates the voice of the silent majority in universities who support non-violent conflict transformation. 

Aims / Objectives

The initiative seeks to create a strong multi-ethnic group of intellectuals who are sensitive to the ethnic conflict in the country and who will use their power and knowledge to contribute to the positive transformation of the ethnic conflict.

CPBR perceives this as important since conflict transformation leadership by young intellectuals is rarely seen in Sri Lanka. Such a group would have the authority to easily mobilise people for a cause, and CPBR believes the initiative will contribute to the conflict in a long lasting manner.

The university students come from different areas of the country and their educated status means that their communities are more likely to trust their judgement. Therefore conducting awareness raising programmes for the students on the ethnic conflict will be a way to reach a larger audience that lives in different areas of the country. Through the programmes conducted in the universities, CPBR expects to increase the sensitivity of these communities as well.

Academics work as consultants to policy makers in all conflicting parties. Therefore enhancing communication between universities contributes to inter-ethnic understanding and cooperation at the policy level, and accordingly furthers the process of conflict transformation.

How it is Articulated

The pilot project involved awareness raising workshops and following that, the participants formed groups in their universities to conduct activities promoting awareness on the ethnic conflict and non-violent conflict transformation methods. They organised film screenings, discussions, public lectures, dialogues and other programmes through which they discussed issues related to the ethnic conflict.

These groups, united under the name Susipra/Koottu, toured all the universities in the country, regardless of ethnicity, to introduce their initiative and to invite students to join the peace movement.

As well as strengthening the groups through capacity building programmes, CPBR encourages and supports the students' self-initiated peace activities, thus gradually transforming the ownership of the project to the participants.

Achievements / Learning Points

Violent conflict is seen in all Sri Lankan universities, and has even led to student fatalities. CPBR aims to approach the university community through these conflicts, which are already present in their lives, and gradually bring its members into the country's conflict transformation process. The university community is a civil society group which has the capacity and the ability to be a major actor in Sri Lanka's future.

CPBR has noted the high level of frustration among students due to unemployment, and considers this a factor that heightens internal conflict. In order to lessen it and to build their capacities, CPBR provides the students with skills needed in the job market such as English and computer literacy along with awareness of the ethnic conflict and their social responsibility towards conflict transformation in the country.  

Furthermore, CPBR has been able to create links between universities that had been divided along ethnic and linguistic lines. As a result of CPBR programmes, there is currently an inter-university student peace movement linking Sri Lankan universities across ethnic, language, geographical and disciplinary boundaries. This is the only such movement within the universities, and it contributed members to the civil society representative which attended the peace talks between the government and LTTE at Geneva in 2006. 

From the initiative of the Executive Director of CPBR, Prof. Jayantha Senevirathne, the first degree programme for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Sri Lanka started in the University of Kelaniya in 2003. Today nearly 200 students are studying in this programme as future peace activists. 

Geographical Area of Operation

Island-wide.

Funding Resources

CIDA, USAID.

Associated Organisations

Susipra / Koottu inter-university multi-ethnic student organisation.