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Men and Matters by Kautilya Justice Milap Chand Jain took many years to produce his report on the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister, the grandson of Pandit Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi. He was killed when he was addressing an election rally in Tamil Nadu. His assassin was a suicide-bomber, a young Sri Lankan Tamil woman. The LTTE press offered a motive — the assassin a victim of rape when the IPKF was in charge of the northern peninsula. The IPKF took charge of the north, and north-east after the wily Junius Richard had trapped Rajiv Gandhi to send an army, a peace-keeping force (IPKF) to wipe out the Tamil militants, trained and armed to de-stabilise the regime of Junius Richard Jayawardene. He was known to the political establishment and the press as 'Yankee Dicky', for his pronounced pro-American views at a time when Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike were staunch supporters of Non-allignment. Regular readers of this column will recall that we did comment on the Jain Commission report many months ago when excerpts of the tome appeared in the Indian press. This was the para I quoted: "The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi would not have been possible the way it materialised without the deep nexus of LTTE operatives with the Tamils of Tamilnadu and the tacit support of the state authorities and the law enforcement agencies." Nexus is a nice, neutral word, high-class too. What it does not say is that the LTTE could rely on the support of the main party in a south Indian state comparable to any large E.U. member and only 20 miles from the northern coast of Sri Lanka, the LTTE's Eelam or part thereof. Looking back, the Jain Commission had the impact of one of those missiles that have become part of the South Asian discourse — foreign and defence ministries, think-tanks, area specialists. The Jain report was a 'misguided' missile. It wrecked poor I. K. Gujral's coalition when the D.M.K. pulled out. Yours Truly How does he interest us? Well, if the truth be told, he is a Gandhian, and Convenor of the Non-Violence Commission of the International Peace Research Institute... a pal of Dr. Kumar Rupesinghem, I guess, now that Comrade Kumar has left London town and moved to the US of A. He may have teamed up with Prof. True. It was at P. R. I. O, the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, that I met Kumar for the first time after he had left his traditional homeland. I was not surprised when P.R.I.O organised a talk-cum-discussion on 'the Tamil problem' which some of the P.R.I.O staff members chose to describe as 'Sri Lanka's Tamil problem' and others as 'ethnic conflict'. Not surprisingly 'conflict resolution' (C.R) was soon a fellow-traveller. But I wasn't offered a C.R. toolkit. That came later, "It is a myth that the world has become a safer place after the Cold War," Dr. True warns us. Conflict Resolution The armed conflict which concerns the Chittagong Hill tracts (13,231 sq. kilometres) has a longer history (20 yrs) than the separatist rebellion in our country. "The Peace Accord', it is hoped will at least stop the 'slash-and-burn' operations which remain the principal rebel tactic. Hidden killers on our highways With the on-set of monsoons and also whenever a depression in the Bay of Bengal causes gales with rain to hit, particularly the city of Colombo, it is common now to see and hear of the "old Green Giants" that line the city streets crashing down even in broad day light. The sad death on July 24 of another "youth" (24 years) in a van, once again in Colombo 7, the area now notorious for such dreadful happenings, is just instance in a series of tragic killings by these "Mahamaga Maruwan", that very many in our society, perhaps due to ignorance, still hardly take any significant notice of, without realising the awaiting hidden dangers and the pathetic flights that follow. They forget that anyone of them could easily be the next victim at any time. Greater losses Root causes The plight Responsibilities One of the main functions of this council, as correctly stated by its Clause 13(g), is to "Identify principal causes of disablement and promote effective measure for their prevention and control". Unfortunately, no effective assertive steps are yet to be taken by them and/or by various other responsible officials for there effective implementation, even after 20 long months. Looking at from our wheel chairs, it is also heartbreaking to note that nothing effective had also been done on the most vital and extremely crucial few other areas related to us, very specially 13(p) — making the physical environment wheel chair accessible and 13(r) — making the public aware of the conditions and needs of such, through appropriate programs as well as 13 (t) — to assist the disabled whereever possible, to generate steady source of income. This act also indicates under Clause (5.4) that it is the duty of such appointed member(s) to inform the President in writing, if they are unable to perform expected duties, so that another could be appointed by the President, in their places. The vital needs Overall handing and attention one would receive at the scene of an accident itself, shall determine the future and fate of victims, to a greater extent. It is thus another crucial, yet fully neglected aspect, unknown to the general public. If such deliberately planned activities aimed towards prevention are performed systematically with determination on action oriented basis, except for lunatics, no one else in the society would ever await ineptly any longer, but would voluntarily take the much needed initiative without any hesitation to wear seat-belts and press for further improvements in the design of crash helmets, etc. There would soon then be situations where the public would even force all those inept officials responsible for such tragic losses on our highways, serving in respective provincial and town council, Departments of Highways and Social Services. Is it not really sad to note that, inspite of all these tragic happenings and their consequences on young shattered lives being periodically highlighted so prominently by TV — radio and press, they continue to give a Nelsonian Eye and remain stone deaf. Whom do we fool at the end, in passing over the responsibility from one to another, as if its no body’s child? Let us wake up at least now Between the lines By Kuldip
Nayar It is an Indian sort of cliffhanger. Be fore the Parliament session, it seemed that the BJP led coalition would fall any day. AIADMK chief Jayalalitha was too threatening and too impatient. Frayed tempers in the two houses underlined the raw tension. There is no basic change even now except for the realisation by political parties of the bind which they are in. Non-BJP groups in the opposition would like the government to go. But none of them has adequate strength to take the initiative. Congress, which can, prefers the government to collapse under its own weight. It does not want to earn the odium of pulling down the coalition. It feels when pieces are falling into slots on their own why should it hasten the process? If forced to quit, the BJP may go to town as an aggrieved party. Congress has yet another problem: Who should lead the government? Party president Sonia Gandhi is not sure whether it is politic for her to be Prime Minister, still wondering how her Italian back ground would go down with the nation. She does not find Congress Lok Sabha leader Sharad Pawar suitable because of the parallel political clout he has been building for some time. But he is no pushover. He may be in the doghouse. Still he cannot be ignored for the tremendous job he has done to retrieve Congress in Maharashtra. Can she ask Dr. Manmohan Singh to head the government in his place, ignoring the stalwarts in the party? Apparently, she does not want to cross the bridge before she reaches it. A dramatic situation like Jayalalitha's withdrawal of the support to the government can hasten her decision. The opposition parties are looking towards her. The communists are the last one to offer her their support, although they have not said that Sonia should lead the government. The case of others is different. Laloo Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party had no qualms in specifically mentioning Sonia's name. Their consideration is that Congress alone can oust what they describe as "a communal set up." Their motive, however, is not altruistic because they expect to share power if a non-BJP coalition is formed. In fact, this possibility may have weighed most with Sonia in tarrying behind. How does she assemble a majority with the motley crowd that the opposition has in its midst? Manmohan Singh is anathema to the communists, while Mulayam Singh Yadav and Laloo Yadav are not the best of allies to have. They scare away the intelligentsia because of the rough and tough methods they have used to come up in politics. But then the two Yadavs are fixtures in Indian politics. There is no escape from them so long as the nation remains mired in caste and creed. Congress does not have even a modicum of following either in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, the two states commanding 139 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha. The party has no option except to have an alliance with them before or after election. The communists, whatever their faults, are far better because they carry no taint of communalism or casteism. But they don't have the required strength. In any case, they are not acceptable to Congress for their anti-economic reform stand. The party is, however, living in a fool's paradise if it imagines getting a majority of its own at the next polls. Politics of coalition is a reality in India and it may continue for years. Why doesn't Congress face the fact? It has no go from the Laloos and Mulayams if it wants power at the Centre. True, the party is gaining ground. It looks like wresting Rajasthan and Delhi from the BJP in elections in November. But UP and Bihar are a different kettle of fish from the rest of the country. The combination of other backward classes and minorities has entrenched Laloo Yadav and Mulayam Singh in the two states. The continuation of the BJP-led coalition is, no doubt, helping Congress. At east one quarter of people, who voted for the BJP in the last election, have begun saying that misperformance of Congress is far better than non-performance of the BJP. But this is out of disgust, a negative feeling. Congress has yet to build a positive image. The damaging part is the infiltration that is taking place in the administration. Apart from the RSS-minded governors, vice-chancellors and historians the government has appointed, the two positions given to Balbir Punj and Guruswami have raised eyebrows. The first, an innocuous journalist, has been made the chairman of the prestigious Institute of Mass Communications and the second, a new ideologue of the RSS, advisor to the Finance Ministry. "There is infiltration at every level of government," admit the Congress leaders. "But the alternative we build will not be lasting. Now you have one woman (meaning Jayalalitha) to placate; then you will have two more (meaning Mamta Banerjee and Mayawati)." The party feels that it has only to wait for "the apple" to ripen and fall in its lap. In whoever's lap it falls, the general impression, even in the BJP circles, is that the present coalition cannot last long. What happens if Jayalalitha withdraws her support all of a sudden is the question that is debated in Parliament's central hall, which MPs of all parties visit to exchange views? She has the support of 27 MPs while the BJP-led coalition survived the no confidence motion early this year only by seven votes. Unpredictability of Jayalalitha may well be the reason why Sonia is entertaining the idea of a non-Congress government, which her party could support from outside. The names floating in this connection are those of Jyoti Basu, Deve Gowda and Inder Gujral. Basu may not be willing to take the onerous responsibility when he is not well, even if his party withdraws the earlier objection to his leading a coalition at the Centre. The name of Gowda does not seem to evoke response among Congressmen. He probably rubbed them on the wrong side. They may be willing to accept Gujral who, they believe, is "a Congressman at heart." He has already met Sonia. When a journalist asked her a few days ago about the possibility of Gujral becoming Prime Minister, she just smiled. The significant part is that she did not say ‘no’ to his name. Sitaram Kesri has, already asked Gujral to be prepared for the responsibility once again. Gujral's sworn enemies are CPM secretary-general Harkishen Singh Surjeet and Mulayam Singh Yadav. But they may come round when the alternative is a mid-term poll, which no MP wants to face immediately. It is, however, clear that all political parties except elections to take place in the winter of next year. Even the BJP does not believe that its coalition can last that long. It is possible that there may be another non-Congress coalition at the Centre before the polls. Congress wants to come to power after election because it thinks that the climate would have become more favourable to it by then than it is now. In any case, fresh elections cannot be put off beyond the end of 1999. Congress would not like to stay in the wilderness beyond that. And within a year, so many contradictions and crevices would have developed in the new coalition that it would fall on its own. In the meanwhile, the BJP would continue to rule by default. Even it might try to pick up non-Congress groups for support from outside to counter the Congress plans. But that is another story. WASHINGTON — Under the diversity visa (DV) program, 50,000 permanent immigrant visas are made available each year to lottery participants. In 1997 about 3.4 million qualified entries were received during the one-month application period. Persons chosen through the lottery's random selection process do not obtain a visa automatically, only the right to apply for one. The number of applicants selected is greater than the number of visas available, so those selected will need to act on their applications quickly. Once the total 50,000 visas have been issued, the DV program for fiscal year 2000 will end. Although the 1990 legislation establishing the DV program provides for the granting of 55,000 visas annually, the 1997 Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) stipulates that 5,000 of the 55,000 diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program each year. Following is the text of the press release: Section 203(c) of the Immigration Act of 1990 makes available 55,000 permanent (immigrant) resident visas each year by random selection through a diversity visa lottery (DV-2000). The DV-2000 registration mail-in period will be held from noon on Thursday, October 1, 1998, through noon on Saturday, October 31, 1998. The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program each year. For 2000, "high admission" countries are: China (mainland and Taiwan), India, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Poland, United Kingdom and dependent territories, Canada, Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica, El Salvador, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR and Northern Ireland are eligible to apply for the DV-2000 lottery. How are the visas being
apportioned? Information about the visa allotments for each region is unavailable at the present time. Who is not eligible? What are the requirements? There is no initial application fee or special application form to enter. The entry must be typed or clearly printed in the English alphabet on a sheet of plain paper and must include the applicant's full name; date and place of birth for both the applicant and for the spouse or any minor children who might also wish to immigrate; the applicant's mailing address and, if possible, a telephone number; the applicant's native country if it differs from the country of birth; a recent (preferably less than 6 months old) photograph (1-1/2 inches by 1-1/2 inches) of the principal applicant with the applicant's name printed across the back of the photograph. (The photograph should be taped to the application with clear tape, not attached by staples or paper clips which can jam the mail processing equipment.) The applicant must also sign the entry using his or her normal signature, regardless of whether the entry is prepared and submitted by the applicant or someone else. (Only the principal applicant, not the spouse and children, needs to submit a signature and photograph.) This information must be sent by regular mail or air mail to one of six postal addresses in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Applicants must use the correct postal zip code designated for their native region (see addresses below). Entries must be mailed in a standard letter or business-size envelope with the applicant's native country, full name, and complete mailing address typed or clearly printed in the English alphabet in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Postcards are not acceptable. Only one entry for each applicant may be submitted during the registration period. Entries sent by express or priority mail, fax, hand, messenger, or any means requiring receipts or special handling will not be processed. Duplicate or multiple entries will disqualify individuals from registration for this program. Entries received before or after the specified registration dates regardless of when they are postmarked and entries sent to an address other than one of those indicated below are void. All qualified mail received during the registration period will be individually numbered and entries will be selected at random by computer regardless of time of receipt during the mail-in period. Where should entries be
sent? The zip codes are as follows: Asia: 00210; South America/Central America/Caribbean: 00211; Europe: 00212; Africa: 00213; Oceania: 00214; and North America: 00215. Why are you holding the registration for the DV lottery in October? The national visa center typically receives between 6 to 7 million qualified entries during the registration mail-in period. The massive amount of entries creates an enormous amount of work in processing and selecting successful registrants. Holding the registration period in the fall ensures successful registrants are notified in a timely manner. This gives both them and our embassies and consulates overseas a full fiscal year in which to process the necessary immigrant visas. Is it necessary to use an
outside attorney or consultant? Persons who think they have been cheated by a U.S. company or consultant in connection with the diversity visa lottery may wish to contact their local consumer affairs office or the National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday through Friday, or (202) 835-0159; Internet address: http://www/fraud.org. (These numbers are only to report fraud and not to obtain information about application procedures for the DV lottery.) The U.S. Department of State has no authority to investigate complaints against businesses. How will winners be
notified? Being selected as a winner in the DV lottery does not automatically guarantee being issued a visa because the number of applicants selected is greater than the number of immigrant visas available. Those selected will therefore need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Once the total 50,000 visas have been issued, the DV program for fiscal year 2000 will end. In any event, all DV-2000 visas must, by law, be issued by September 30, 2000. Where can one receive
instructions to enter the lottery? - Wireless File - USIS Religion There is an idefinable mysterious Power that pervades everything. It transcends the senses. This living Power is changeless. This living Power is God. Dharma makes you divine. Be good and do good and this is the essence of Dharma. The rules of good conduct are: charity, purity of moral conduct, service to others with courtesy and politeness, and nursing the sick and elders. A life of purity, virtue, goodness, self-control, selflessness and humility forms the common basis of all Yogas, all spiritual attainments and all practical religions. The cardinal principal of Hindu ethical teachings is universal love, on which is built the magnificent edifice of humanism, Benevolence and humanitarianism are the keynotes of all religious movements of the world. That man who practises the religion of universal compassion achieves his highest good. By removing pride, one becomes happy. By abandoning anger, one overcomes sorrow, by overcoming passion, one becomes peaceful and prosperous. By removing greed, one becomes joyful. Every temptation that is resisted, every sinful thought that is repressed, every harsh word that is withheld, every noble aspiration that is encouraged, helps your will-power and takes you nearer and nearer to the goal. The weak and the lazy have no place in the spiritual path. Yoga is the art of right living. Yoga is a way of life that is dedicated to truth, love, purity, self-discipline, selfless service, and meditation and devotion to the Lord, to inner englightenment and realisation of the presence of the Divine in the entire creation. Karma Yoga or the path of selfless action, Bhakti Yoga or the path of devotion, Raja Yoga or the path of mind-control, Jnana Yoga or the path of enquiry into the nature of Truth and Self-awareness, are all inter-related. The Yogi who has learnt the art of right living is happy, harmonious and peaceful. He is free from tension. This, in brief, is the spiritual treasure bestowed on mankind by his Holiness Swami Sivananda Saraswathi, the founder of the Divine Life Society. Sketch of the Life of Swami Sivananda He went over, in 1911, to the Federated Malay States (Malaya) and had a successful medical practice at Singapore and Sempilan and other places there. His passion for service drew him to the medical career. After serving the people for a number of years, he lost interest in his medical practice and felt an intense urge to fulfill the needs of his soul. It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind, that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation, to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage and Jivanmukta. In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born the Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy was organised. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament of Religions.' On 14th of July, 1963 he reached the end of his life and entered Mahasamadhi. Hinduism - the Eternal Religion Swami Sivananda has set down the various subdivisions that Hinduism has within its fold, such as Vedanta, Saivism, Saktism, Vaishnavism and so on. It has various cults and creeds. It is more a league of religions than a single religion with a definite creed. Hinduism pays respect to all these religions. Rig Veda declares "Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti," that is, truth is one; sages call it by various names. The Upanishads declare that all spiritual paths lead to the same goal, just as cows of variegated colours yield the same white milk. Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavat Gita, 'However men approach me, even so do I welcome them; for the paths that men take from every side are mine.' Schopenhaur studied the Upanishads and meditated on the thoughts of the Upanishads. He said that "the Upanishads are the solace of my life and they will be solace to me after my death also." Religion is the practical aspect of philosophy. Philosophy is the rational aspect of religion. Hindu philosophy is a way of life. Religion is spiritualisation of human life for a Hindu. The religious history of the world tells us that from time immemorial, India has been the home of great sages and rishis. England is famous for industry; America for commerce; Italy for sculptural works; but India is famous for its religious devotion, yogis and saints. The goal of a religious Indian is self-realisation, or attainment of God-consciousness through renunciation. The Hindu Scriptures The Puranas consist of anecdotes, stories and allegories. They are meant for the masses, or the common people who are not able to study and understand the abstruse Vedas. They contain the essence of the Vedas in a simple form. There are eighteen Puranas. They were written by the great sage, Veda Viyasa. The Itihasas comprise of two great poems or epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata. The lofty discources of Bhisma on Dharma and the Bhagavat Gita are contained in the Mahabharata. The Upanishads, the Vedants Sutras and the Bhagavat Gita are regarded as the most authoritative scriptures of Hinduism, Each system of philosophy treats of three main problems, namely, the God, the world and the soul. School of Metaphysical Thought The Vedas The Upanishads The most important Upanishads are Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mundukiya, Aitereya, Taithireya, Chandogya, Brihad Araniyake and Swetaswatara. These are supremely authoritative. The subject matter of the Vedas is divided into (1) Karma Kanda or ritualistic section; it deals with the various sacrifices and rituals; (2) Upasana Kanda or worship section; it deals with the various kinds of worship or meditation; and (3) Gnana Kanda or knowledge section; it deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Manthras and Brahmana constitute the Karma Kanda; the Araniyaka, the Upasa Kanda; and the Upanishads the Gnana Kanda. The Law of Karma The Law of Karma is one of the fundamental doctrines of not only of Hinduism, but also of Buddhism and Jainism. As a man sows so shall he reap. This is the Law of Karma. If you do an evil action, you must suffer for it. If you do a good action, you must get happiness. You are the master of your own fate, you are the architect of your own fortune. You are responsible for what you suffer. You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. Three kinds of Karma It can be greatly modified, by entertaining lofty, divine thoughts and doing virtuous actions. Agami Karma can be destroyed by expiatory rites or Prayachita, and by removing the idea of agency through Nimitta Bhav (the attitude of being an instrument in the hands of God), or Sakshi Bhav (the attitude of a silent witness of the actions of the senses and the mind). Hindu Ethics Varnashrama Dharma The underlying principle in the caste system is division of labour. There is no question of higher or lower division. There are three Gunas namely. Satva (purity), Rajas (extrovers tendency) and Tamas (inertia). Satva predominates in Brahmanas. They are wise persons or thinkers. In some Rajas is predominant. These are Kshatrias. They are warriors and the ruling class. In some Tamas is predominant. They are Vaishias or traders. Sudras are servants. They serve the other three castes. Varnashrama Dharma is a characteristic feature of Hinduism. The caste system has degenerated into Adharma during the past centuries. A Brahmin is not a Brahmin, if he is not endowed with purity and good character. A Sudra is a Brahmin, if he leads a pious and virtuous life. Caste is a question of conduct and character. Ashrama Dharma The four paths for God-realisation The selfless worker is called the Karma Yogin. Bhakti Yoga is the path of exclusive devotion to God. He who seeks the union through love or devotion is called the Bhakti Yogin. Raja Yoga is the way of self-restraint. He who seeks to have union with the Lord through mysticism is called a Raja Yogin. Gnana Yoga is the path of wisdom. He who seeks to unite himself with the Supreme Self through philosophy and inquiry, is called the Ganan Yogin. The Yoga of synthesis is the most suitable and potent form of Sadhana. In the mind there are three defects, namely Mala or impurity, Vikshepa or tossing, and Averana or veil. The impurity should be removed by worship or Upasana. The veil should be torn asunder by the practice of Gnana Yoga. Vikshepa or tossing of the mind should be controlled by the practice of Raja Yoga. It is only then that self-realisation is possible. Only the Yoga of synthesis can bring about an integral development. The Yoga of synthesis will develop the human personality in the most appropriate manner, and lead the aspirant towards the goal of perfection. To become harmonimously balanced in all aspects is the ideal of religion. This can be achieved by the practice of the Yoga of synthesis. The four paths are in fact one, in which the four temperaments emphasise one or the other of its inseparable constitutents. Yoga is the method by which the self can be seen, loved and served. The foundation of Hinduism has been laid on the pivot of spiritual truths. The entire structure of Hindu life is built on eternal truths, which were discovered by the Hindu rishis or seers. That is the reason why the structure has lasted through scores of centuries. Few religions are so very elastic and tolerant like Hinduism. Hinduism is very stern and rigid regarding the fundamentals. But it is very elastic in readjusting to the external formalities and the non-essentials. That is the reason why it has succeeded in living through millenia, that is thousands of years. Hinduism is a world religion. The Hindus live in perfect harmony, peace and friendship with the followers of other faiths. Their tolerance and fellow feeling towards other religions are remarkable. I conclude by quoting key-words of Swami Sivanandaji’s teachings: Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise, Be good; do good; be kind; be compassionate. Enquire "Who am I?", know the self and be free. A breakthrough in the battle against
malnutrition Studies made by both government and independent organisations have revealed that malnutrition among infants and children between the age of six months and five years has increased in serious proportions in Sri Lanka during the past decade. The rural areas of the country have been vulnerable and the Hambantota district has been identified as one of the worst affected. Dr. Jaanaki Gooneratne, Senior Research Officer of the Ceylon Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISIR), had been conducting research with the objective of finding a nutritional supplement which could be manufactured by a simple process, using 100% of local raw materials and is adequately cheap to suit the pocket of the rural poor. "Positha", which is an outcome of her research, is a simple complete nutritional food which is most suitable for children within the age group of six months to five years. A 50g packet is priced at Rs. 10. The average monthly requirement of the food supplement for the child is 400g, costing a sum of Rs. 80 per month which could be borne even by the poorest mother. The first centre in the island to manufacture "Positha" infant food and sell the product then onwards will be ceremonially opened at Siribopura in Hamban-tota on July 9, 1998. The centre will be operated by the Hambantota Women’s Development Federation. The project is funded by the National Development Trust Fund (NDTF), with the assistance of the World Bank. The survey undertaken in 1995, by the Ministry of Plan Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs, revealed that 35.5% of the child population between the age group of six months and five years in Sri Lanka suffered from malnutrition. In respect of the Southern Province, the survey disclosed that 15.7% suffered from chronic under nutrition, 28.9% from underweight and 11.6% from acute under nutrition. It was recognized that both local planners and international advisors that immediate and drastic measures were necessary to control the situation. Soon after the present Government came to power, President Chandrika Kumaratunga who was deeply concerned about this matter, personally instructed all relevant agencies to formulate and implement effective strategies with the aim of reducing and eradicating child malnutrition in the country. It was in the light of this background that the CISIR initiated the implementation of this project. In 1997, the funds were approved by the World Bank to implement the project through three selected NGOs in areas where child malnutrition was highly prevalent. The NGOs concerned are, namely, Women’s Development Federation, Hambantota, Kantha Ithurum Parishramaya, Wilpotha, Puttalam District and Human and Community Youth Organisation and Labunoruwa in the Anuradhapura District. The first project to be practically implemented is the Hamban-tota project to be opened on July 9, 1998. The Women’s Development Federation (WDF) will operate and sell "Positha" infant food using their nutritional network spread within the district. This organisation has born 20% of the total cost of the project to provide infrastructural facilities while the cost for equipment, working capital and consultancy was a grant from the World Bank. The raw materials for the manufacture of "Positha", namely, rice, mungbean and groundnut are purchased from farmers in the area itself, who will thus be indirect beneficiaries. "Positha" is manufactured in a modest rural factory under strict hygienic conditions with excellent quality control. The factory has the initial capacity to manufacture 3000/50g packets per day. The product contains, 406 keal, 15.5% protein and 7% fat. Concurrently with the "Positha" project, the WDF will conduct nutritional awareness programmes throughout the district. The project will be inaugurated at Siribopura, Hambantota by the Minister of Science and Technology, Batty Weerakoon, with the participation of Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mahinda Rajapakse. The project can be considered the most effective breakthrough so far attempted to combat malnutrition — the vital problem existing in the child population in the Hambantota district. |
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