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June 2003
Vol. IX, No. 4
Major Initiative in South Asia
The Institute launched a major initiative in South Asia last month with a workshop on the role of media and education in ethnic and religious conflicts in southern Asia. The "Workshop on the Role of Education and the Media in Managing Ethnic and Religious Conflict in Southern Asia" took place in Ahungala, Sri Lanka, on May 9–11. It was organized by the Institute's Education Program, led by director Pamela Aall, in conjunction with Deepa Ollapally of the Special Initiative on the Muslim World, and the Center for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
For the past 50 years, the countries of southern Asia have developed ways to manage ethnic and religious diversity, some of which have been successful, and some not. Today, it is apparent that the region is in the midst of re-negotiating some of the existing state-society compacts on ethnic and religious relations, participants noted. In India, the former consensus about secularism is under strain. In Bangladesh, there is tension between the interpretation of Islam and the rights of various groups, including women. In Pakistan, the state's search for national security confronts both religious and democratic forces. In Sri Lanka, the ethnic conflict has brought issues of federalism and autonomy to the forefront. Afghanistan is faced with finding a common principle of governance that would be acceptable to its diverse populations.
In all these countries, education and media are powerful institutions that can play important roles in promoting ethnic and religious tolerance. But they can also fan the flames of ethnic distrust and hostility.
Executive vice president Harriet Hentges opened the workshop, which brought together scholar-practitioners, senior media personnel, leaders of the non-profit sector, and conflict resolution experts from all over the region. Senior fellow Dipankar Banerjee also participated in the workshop. Over the next days, participants examined the experiences of education and the media in the conflicts in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The participants identified some of the common challenges and lessons of responding to ethnic and religious tensions and discussed ways of enhancing the positive roles that education and the media can play in this response.
Several themes emerged from the workshop.
- More collaboration across the region is needed.
- Media is undergoing a period of transition. There is growth, as well as liberalization and privatization of media, throughout much of the region.
- How to shape curriculum in the context of conflict is an area requiring further attention.
- Adding to the complexity is the issue of the use of English versus the use of the vernacular, or local, languages in media and education.
The highlight of the workshop was a proposal to set up a regional initiative (with Institute collaboration) for developing cross-border research projects, student exchange, and regionally focused curriculum.
Before the conference, Institute staff, including fellows program officer John Crist, met in Colombo with Bradman Weerakoon, the principal secretary to the prime minister of Sri Lanka to discuss ways to reduce conflict in the region. They also met with Neela Marikkar, founder of Sri Lanka First, an influential group of business leaders advocating peace and regional stability through a negotiated settlement to the civil war.
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