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Jaffna Public Library rejuvenated

The news that the internationally renowned Jaffna Public Library has been re-opened will be joyously welcomed by all those who value peace and the noble achievements of the human spirit - prime among these being knowledge and wisdom.

For long years, the charred remains of the library bore silent testimony to the destructiveness and brutality of the North-East war, along with the racial hatred and bigotry which accompanied it. The news of its rejuvenation should stir in many a mind the legend of the Phoenix which triumphantly rises from the ashes.

It is our hope that the Jaffna Public Library would achieve its pristine glory once again and be the beacon of knowledge and enlightenment it once was.

Accordingly, we call on all men and women of goodwill in this country and the world over, to give of their best to help put the Library firmly back on its feet. It would be relevant to remember that it was President Kumaratunga's perspicacity to rebuild the Jaffna Public Library, when the PA was first elected to office in 1994. It was one of the most wonderful gestures a Head of State could extend to the Tamil people. We are happy that this noble initiative is now beginning to bear fruit.

However, the events that led to the destruction of the Library also need to be recollected for the lessons it offers Sri Lanka. It may be remembered that it was political hooliganism and thuggery, arising from the election malpractices of the District Development Council elections in Jaffna in 1981, which initially triggered the flames which consumed the Jaffna Public Library.

In fact that marked the beginning - among other events - of the brutalization of Lankan politics, under a UNP administration. The North-East war and the political decay of Southern Sri Lanka are, however, two sides of the same coin. The forces of repression which touched the national heritage which was the Jaffna Public Library, also set in motion a train of events which brought monumental tragedy and sadness to Sri Lanka on a number of fronts.

Those dark days are by no means behind us. It is left to us to pick-up the pieces left behind by war and destruction and re-build Sri Lanka on the lines of a truly multiethnic, multilingual and multireligious polity, where peace would reign supreme. Let intolerance and racial hatred be a thing of the past.

Ending hunger in Asia

Asia has to wage a momentous battle against hunger and poverty. The latest surveys reveal that one in six Asians is under-nourished and that the region is heading for failure in its battle to halve the number of people living in poverty by 2015.

More than 500 million Asians still do not get enough food to meet basic nutritional requirements and to allow them to fulfil their economic potential, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

'Three square meals a day' remains a distant dream for most impoverished families in the region.

Asia, unlike Africa, has never seen mass-scale starvation. But such a disaster could engulf much of Asia in a few decades unless urgent steps are taken to guarantee food security. Although the proportion of hungry Asians fell from 20 per cent in 1990 to 16 per cent in 1995, there has been no improvement since then. This is not a good omen for Asians.

Asian governments must resolve to address this problem, taking advantage of the declaration of 2004 as the International Year of Rice by the UN. Food authorities must encourage research that leads to higher-yielding varieties of rice, Asia's staple food, and other crops. All citizens must have access to agricultural produce at affordable prices. Special programmes could be formulated to ensure that the poorest citizens do not go hungry.

Asia has also suffered a major blow as a result of the bird flu epidemic which saw the culling of poultry stocks in a number of countries. It has threatened the region's efforts to eradicate hunger, the Food and Agriculture Organisation has said. Improved international collaboration is vital to curb the outbreak.

Such cooperation is also needed to combat hunger and poverty. These issues are likely to figure prominently at today's G15 Summit in Caracas. Sri Lanka and the 18 other countries in the group, and indeed the entire developing world, must also urge developed countries to increase food assistance and to make global trade fair.

Poverty and hunger go together. Malnutrition is a silent killer. These are stark truths that Asia must grapple with. Now is the time to take up the challenge in order to ensure food for all.

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