Legalise abortions

For the past many years, terrorism, politics and cricket have diverted public opinion from vital issues of national interest. During the past few weeks the attention of the nation has been focused on the Battle of Wayamba and the Battle of Adelaide. The only consolation during this period has been that terrorism has taken a backseat.

A matter of vital interest which most Sri Lankans, particularly politicians like to sweep under the mat, abortion, was re-surfaced last week by the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Leading professionals in this field called for amendment to existing legislation relating to abortion. Under this archaic law enacted by the British rulers which was based on Victorian morality, abortion, even if the child to be born was to have definite abnormalities, is not permitted. According to Sri Lankan gynecologists, the number of criminal abortions performed in this country for a year is estimated to be between 500 to 750. Of 250 annual maternal deaths recorded, 25 percent are said to be caused by illegal abortions.

The existing laws were enacted over 100 years ago when social conditions were obviously vastly different to what they are today. Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim girls a century ago, married at a young age. Christian girls would have been under the strict watchful eye of their parents till marriage. Till the sixties, Sri Lankan girls behaved as girls were expected to do by the elders but since then girls have thrown-off inhibitions that restricted their grandmothers and mothers as well. Modern day moralists would like to attribute reasons couched in puritanical lingo such as 'western permissiveness', the 'sexual revolution of the sixties', moral nihilism' etc. Whether it was moral decadence or sheer economic reasons, the reality is that girls who were practically kept under lock and key till the fifties and sixties are out of their homes and every evening their is hardly a rock not occupied by a courting couple on the beach stretching from Galle Face to Panadura!

Most of these girls are from the low income strata and when they get pregnant they are in grave difficulties. This could be one of the main reasons for the high suicide rate in this country. With abortions being made illegal, they seek out quacks, placing themselves in even more precarious positions. Considering this state of affairs much more liberal laws should be considered. Sri Lanka should consider legalising abortions.

Of course this will be stoutly resisted by pious hypocrites like those who speak out against the use of condoms to prevent the risk of spreading AIDS. According to UNFPA estimates AIDS could result in the population of the sub-Saharan region in 2025 being reduced by some 100 million below what has been expected a few years ago. Kenya which was projected to pass 60 million by 2025 may see its potential future population size reduced by nearly half, according to UNFPA projections. These statistics do not move anti- abortionists who want to 'protect life'.

In Sri Lanka at least two of the three youth insurrections could be directly attributed to the baby boom of the fifties. Improved health facilities such as near eradication of malaria resulted in this baby boom. Economic progress did not match the population expansion and thus we had unemployed youth taking to arms to overthrow the government in 1971. It happened gain in the 1989-90 insurrection and it will happen again if our economic advancement cannot keep pace with the number of babies being born. A baby being born every one and a half minutes means that in another 25 years a job has to be created in this space of time in 25 years. The demand for housing has resulted in the stripping of coconut plantations not only in the suburbs of Colombo but in the Coconut Triangle itself. Now plantations around Kurunegala are being slaughtered.

These are realties which the fundamentalists of all religions opposing family planning and abortions should consider. The gynecologists and obstetricians have spoken only of abortions where deformities and life of the mother is concerned but the reform of the abortion law should be viewed in wider perspective.