It is reported that the Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda is proposing that the Government introduce conscription, irrespective of whether there is war or peace. The possible use of a legislation introduced during the initial stages of an 18 year long civil war, for this purpose during peace time, is a matter of grave concern. Some good reasons why this is undesirable are given below.


The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Sri Lanka is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children. The Article 18 states that parties shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the principle that ‘both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child. The best interests of the child will be their basic concern’. Sri Lanka continues to violate the rights of the parents for the upbringing and development of the child by restricting their right to choose the medium of instruction. The Constitution has been drafted with clauses which restrict the right of the parents to decide on the medium of instruction of their children. Over one hundred and twenty five thousand people educated in Sinhala and Tamil medium leave the country every year to work as domestic servants under modern conditions of slavery, as a result of their inability to secure better jobs without fluency in English. Conscription of dependent children is another contravention of the right of the parents to choose a career path best suited for their children. The only justification for a restriction of this Human Right is an external threat to the security of a country.


Inhuman ragging. The murder of a youth who tried to minimise inhuman ragging in the Sri Jayewardenepura University is fresh in our minds. In the Akbar Hall of the Peradeniya University, the Warden and his assistants were held hostage by Engineering students who consider it their right to subject freshers to inhuman torture. The death of an Engineering student subject to inhuman torture does not appear to have made a dent in their warped minds. It was reported that a large number of Army officers who received promotions were subject to severe ragging, resulting in a number of them being admitted to a hospital with severe injuries. How many parents want their children to be subjected to this type of torture? May I suggest to the Minister concerned that as a first step he carries out a survey among the UNP members of parliament with sons below 18 years, whether they wish to send their sons to be conscripted. The answers to the questionnaire are needed from both parents, as both are responsible for the upbringing of their children. It is highly unlikely that the colleagues of the Minister and their spouses will want any interference by the Government in the upbringing of their children.


Economic consequences. A study of the investors in the stock market will show that a small number of local investors control over 80 percent of the local investment. They are welcomed with open arms by most countries. A survey among a sample of these high net-worth individuals will reveal that most of them with sons under eighteen will emigrate for the sake of their children, rather than allow them to be tortured in conscription camps. This will result in a flight of capital and control of the economy by non-citizens.


Double standards. The non-contributory pension rights of those who join the Public Service in the future were removed at the last budget. The pension rights of new members of parliament or their kith and kin who serve as their private secretaries and co-ordinating secretaries were not removed, as it would be considered political suicide. This is just one example of the double standards which prevail between the politicians and the people. The people do not believe that sons of politicians will be subject to conscription, just as much as their sons were sheltered from joining the armed forces during the long civil war. If our politicians continue to act in this manner, another youth insurrection is inevitable.