Sri Lanka:

[Harold Schiffman]

Why Tri-lingualism is needed in Sri Lanka today
Answers to the questions of Identity, aspirations and opportunities
by Arjuna Hulugalle


"Language policy my main concern" said Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan,
A.K.A. Karuna Amman MP when he assumed office as Minister of
Constitutional Affairs and National Integration. He also maintained
that the Tamils should learn Sinhala and the Sinhalese learn Tamil for
communal amity and national integrity to build up. At last someone was
talking with a lot of commonsense on a issue which needed attention
and which would make a difference to the country. Karuna having faced
death on so many occasions and finally deciding to turn his back to a
senseless war realizes more than any one else the importance of the
communities living together in harmony. One milestone in that path is
certainly communication and that can only be effective if people are
able to understand each other.

We have come a long way since Dr Colvin R de Silva said "One language
two nations; two languages one nation". The traumas of the last few
years have made us realize the validity of that statement. The nation
has now taken ownership of those wise words. But two languages however
important, is not enough. A knowledge based society needs to have
access to the enormous reservoir of international literature without
which we will remain restricted in our development. That access in our
case will be possible only with English. We have to be in this
instance honest to ourselves and not prevaricate and shun that need.
That does not mean that English has to be the primary language and
perfection of pronunciation, syntax and grammar of foremost
importance.


Problem of identity

Today’s imbroglio termed the ethnic conflict has a deep seated
emotional dimension. This is where imagined and perceived wrongs
originate. This is the problem of identity. Identity and language are
closely intertwined.  One’s innermost emotions can best be articulated
in one’s mother tongue, even if in later years one masters a different
language and acquires in that language a much larger vocabulary and
even a better command of expression.

Home, family and one’s own native environment gives a good feel factor
and one’s own language reinforces in most cases that mental state.
Tarzie Vittachi used to say "People don’t live in the world. They live
in their villages and in their streets". This is why the vernacular is
important in the education of small children in primary education. Yet
these same children as they grow up have to relate to their
counterparts in other communities. This is essential in a multi-racial
society and here the second language is important. Later he or she
needs an international language to get to the reservoir of human
knowledge and human wisdom.

Once this process of language learning is set in motion, where every
student is introduced to the second Sri Lankan language and to
English, over time a national identity and a national allegiance will
emerge. President Rajapakse’s example of speaking in three languages
at public occasions is an encouraging and positive development in our
political culture. Language will play an important role in the process
of reconciliation and uniting the nation. Getting a population to
learn the language of others is not easy unless there are incentives
and the facilities for learning and teaching is made available. The
reality based on researched literature on languages shows that it is
rare for a majority of speakers to learn other communal languages.

However, there are some exceptions. Switzerland is one of them but
this is because its location in Europe is such that it borders France,
Germany and Italy, all three very powerful economic and cultural
entities and the people of Switzerland have one of these languages as
their mother tongue. What is however, very interesting is the
importance of English in Switzerland. This is because most Swiss have
reached an economic level where the use of English is of great help.
The maintenance of stability in a multi-racial society which
Switzerland is, can be attributed to the fact that it is a polyglot
society, that is one where several languages are spoken.

In Finland the two state languages are Finnish and Swedish. The Swedes
form 5.5 per cent of the country and live in areas close to Sweden.
Bilingualism is promoted in that country, by compelling government
servants to pass a competency language test in both languages before
they can be appointed. Though the Swedish population is small, the
fact that Swedish is an official language binds the communities.
Similarly in Canada, public servants must have acceptable levels of
competence in French and English.

In Nigeria, however, (and this is also the case in India) although
people may be able to use a number of languages, language competency
is mainly for specific purposes such as entrance into administration,
higher education, business or trade. An example is the mother tongue
of Nigerians is Arabic among rural Muslims, English is used for
administrative work and Swahili for trading with other African
countries. However, a Hausa speaker would rarely be competent in
speaking the Yoruba language.


Language and national reconciliation

Encouraging the learning of 3 languages in Sri Lankan schools has to
be looked at also as a part of the gigantic task of healing the wounds
and salving the suspicions of the communities. Communication and
dialogue is the most potent instrument to help in this process. This
commitment will bring with it equality. Naturally like water finding
its own level, certain languages will gain priority and preference in
certain areas and under certain circumstances. This would be a natural
process and would not be resented. If the process of encouraging the
learning of languages at an early age is pursued, greater success will
be ensured as children acquire languages with great ease. This will
also lead to early contacts and the gelling of friendships at
childhood. India’s importance as a global player in the 21st century
and our expanding interaction with South Asia will make the learning
of Tamil particularly and other South Asian languages imperative.


The window of opportunity

The knowledge of English will give us access to the window of
opportunity which the modern world is opening up. IT enables
connectivity even with the remotest of places. Education will be
enhanced with Cyber-libraries, which are replacing the conventional
libraries. CDROM is supplementing books for academic work. Internet is
becoming the main source of commercial and government information.
With all these rapid changes, the pace at which we can adjust our
minds to this change will dictate the time frames of our own
development. English will be an important factor in this growth.

Practical steps

Here is a picture of a practical plan of action for immediate implementation.

1.         From 1 January 2010, a pilot trilingual literacy program is
started in 20 schools in each district with special financial
incentives to those participating and wishing to participate in this
scheme. If this can be shown to work, it can then go island-wide by
2015 with national policy.

2.         Government policy to lay down a time frame that all new
recruits to the public service must be fluent in written and spoken
Sinhala and Tamil with a competency to conduct all business in the
three languages. A date should be set for all public servants
including teachers to be fluent in written and spoken Sinhala and
Tamil and English. This will enable the public to conduct government
business in any of the three languages.

3.         All university students to follow a one year immersion
language course in English and their second language before commencing
their degree courses. Question arises whether one would be able to get
highly competent teachers at University salaries. Indian assistance
can be got for a programme to teach English and Tamil. This will be a
leap forward to making Sri Lanka, the gateway to India.

4.                  English language academies will be encouraged to
set-up in the principal towns in every district for evening courses
and holiday courses. Relevant in this program should be the question
of ensuring quality of education and the numbers in each district. A
special teacher trainee programme has to be initiated for this.

The dynamics of the Peace Process will change dramatically if the
Government and the Opposition accept a Tri-lingual formula. This must
have the endorsement of the JVP and the JHU and the Tamil parties.

Buddhist priests reaching Tamil students

Apart from the practical measures tabulated above, government
educational policy should make the learning of the three languages
compulsory in all schools, starting immediately from the Kindergarten
and working upwards. This will also mean the employment of thousands
of Tamil teachers to the Sinhala schools and Sinhala Teachers to the
Tamil schools.  The Tamil speaking areas could revert to having
Buddhist priests in their schools to take the Sinhala classes as was
the case prior to the tensions. This will result in Buddhist priests
learning Tamil and being able to preach in Tamil, and Tamil will be
introduced to study the Buddhist precepts. Both these developments
will make a gigantic difference to the psyche of the nation.

Ethnic quotas in public service

Another important measure should be 25 per cent of the recruitment to
all public services from the minorities. This should be followed with
a similar proportion for all higher level public appointments.

The country belongs to all

These steps will underline President Rajapakse’s constant declaration
that this country belongs to all Sri Lankans. The international
community and the minorities will be reassured that this is actually
the case. Far more Tamils and Muslims live in areas where the Sinhala
population is in the majority.  The communities have to live in peace
and harmony and begin to share their destinies.   That is not possible
if there is no language communication between them and no fairness by
the biggest employer - the State.

Speaking the language of the other community is the greatest respect
you can show. Respect for the other is the beginning of Peace in the
country.

The two vernacular languages and English will have to be the
cornerstones to achieve this. We have to give it high priority.
Imagine every notice board of the government and the private sector in
three languages. Such an action will transform the psyche of the
nation. Imagine every child in the country being able to read those
boards in all three languages and talk about them. We are talking not
of perfection but effective use of each language. At the start of this
process, there will be lethargy, inertia and resistance. However, it
is of such great importance that large budgets have to be allocated to
realise this objective

http://www.island.lk/2009/04/16/features4.html

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