My name is Maumika Kawshani, I am 21 years old, and I was the Team Leader of a Social Action Project (SAP) conducted in the Kottalbedda village[1] in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka as part of SEDR[2]. Our SAP, entitled ‘Unification of a Divided Community', has focused on bringing together the Tamil Hindu population from three local communities—Valluvapuram, Bharatipuram, and Ammanpuram—in the Swinton Tea Estate.
The main issue in our community stemmed from the exclusive use of the Swinton Kovil[3] by Valluvapuram inhabitants, which denied equal access to the other two communities to participate in religious activities. This led to tensions and even physical violence during a festival five years ago, after which relations between the group deteriorated.
As part of the SEDR Active Citizens programme, we underwent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) training which taught us to first identify the root cause of a dispute, as part of the larger problem-solving process. With this in mind, our SEDR Active Citizens team visited the three villages separately, discussing the root causes of these conflicts and our plan to resolve them with local communities. We spoke to the kovil priest (also known as the ‘aiyyar’) and the Grama Niladhari[4], informing them about our initiative. We then invited key stakeholders, including the police, the aiyyar, and other villagers, to an orientation session where we explained the objectives of our SEDR Active Citizens social action project.
We discussed with the kovil committee members to establish a roster that allowed equal access for all three villages to participate in religious activities. This led to a successful shramadana[5] campaign to clean the kovil, followed by a large Hindu prayer ritual of devotional worship with participation from all three villages, fostering a sense of harmony.
Additionally, we conducted a small workshop on ADR for community members and youth to raise awareness about its importance. We also discussed and formed a Youth Society representing youth from all three villages, which now oversees the social, cultural, and sports activities conducted in the area. For instance, we organised two tournaments, one for all youth and a separate one for girls from all three villages. The girls’ tournament was a particularly rare and successful event, which further built community cohesion.
Through these interventions, we have seen positive changes. A Hindu religious school for children has resumed at the kovil and now operates weekly with enthusiastic participation from all three communities. From the ADR training I received through the SEDR Active Citizens programme, I learned that relying on the police to solve conflicts, are not the only solutions to disputes. I also gained skills in holistic problem-solving and project management. And as a Sinhalese woman working with Tamil communities, I have built valuable networks and learned to better navigate cultural differences. Initially, there was scepticism about our project and low participation from older tea estate workers and local government officials. However, with perseverance and the support of the Uva Shakthi Foundation and SEDR , we gained their participation and cooperation.
Personally, I have grown in my ability to connect with society and work in a multi-ethnic environment. As a group, we were happy to see that Tamil youth in our team now have greater recognition in their villages and confidently participate in social activities.
Looking ahead, I am dedicated to continuing this work in my community. I continue to lead the youth society we formed as part of implementing this SAP and I aim to further improve my social leadership skills to make a lasting impact.
[1] A locality in the Lunugala Divisional Secretariat Division in the Badulla district of the Uva Province.
[2] Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) is an alternative dispute resolution project funded by the European Union and implemented by British Council.
[3] A Tamil Hindu temple.
[4] A ‘Grama Niladhari’ is the grassroots level administrator in the Sri Lankan state, responsible for a demarcated area.
[5] Shramadana directly translated means “gift of labour” and in the Sri Lankan context refers to an event or project where volunteers provide support or services to a local community.
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