Even if St. Valentine turns up ….

15 February 2012 07:06 pm - 1 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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However, St Valentine would definitely regret his name being used in certain manoeuvres. Roman emperor Claudius II had banned youths from getting married so that he could strengthen his army. His invention was that a married man could never be a good soldier. As St. Valentine clandestinely created opportunities for these youths to get married he was assassinated. According to fables this happened on a 14th February. His mediation in good faith has been so commercialized and interpreted in various ways today that it is better he does not exist to see his day.
‘Valentine’s Day’ becomes a subject for discussion within the Sri Lankan society with the direct influence of globalization after open economy was introduced to Sri Lanka. In addition to business establishments and the media the influence of the social-economic- political environment was responsible for making this day one to celebrate. The existing capitalist socio-economic system creates dreams and encourages people to pursue such dreams. This is common to youth as well. He is pressurized to find a ‘good’ job and earn a ‘good’ salary. Next step is to buy a vehicle, build a house and after achieving all this, to commence family life with his or her lover.
The targets provided for him could end up in dreams only due to the unjust, unfair society in which inequality has been legalized. Except for a few the taboo enacted by Claudius II is valid for greater majority of youth in our country today. Many have been denied or delayed marriage or the opportunity of commencing a married life with the man or the woman one is in love with. Finding a ‘good’ job is difficult. For, it is necessary to go behind politicians or else various ‘gifts’ and presents have to be offered. They have to enter the struggle of piling up ‘qualifications (many are given this impression at interviews for jobs). As a last resort they have to go abroad looking for any kind of job whatever the qualifications they possess to pursue their dreams. Occasionally they return to the Motherland in a coffin.
Every year more than 300,000 youth with O/L, A/L and degree qualifications walk into the society looking for jobs. However, most of them do not get a job that would let their dreams come true. In a situation where the government does not have a proper programme to absorb into the economy of the country graduates for which a vast amount of public money is spent for their education, the destiny of others who seek jobs is appalling.
More than 40,000 graduates have taken to the streets agitating for jobs. It is more than two years since the government threw them a canard stating 15,000 of them would be recruited as ‘Jana Sabha secretaries.’ Thousands of youth filled forms to get employment in Hambantota harbour before the elections to the Southern Provincial Council. The number of occasions is numerous when youth who had paid thousands to go abroad in fishing trawlers to look for employment were apprehended. Rizana went abroad for employment giving a false date of birth not for pleasure. Those who go abroad for employment, despite being deprived of fundamental rights or getting nailed and come back crippled do so not because they enjoy the ordeal. The large number of youth who created chaos when collecting application forms for Korean language examination represents the belief that living in this country has no future. The crave for employment reflects the bankruptcy of the socio-economic system followed by the rulers and it is not a thing to be proud of.
Hence, ‘Valentine’s Day’ is a consolation for the youth who have been compelled to be under the sinister taboos of the existing socio-economic system. They may be thinking that having even a day to be free of the arduous taboos they are daunted by is something to be satisfied. However, despite commemorating St. Valentine, even if he comes here the taboos laid down for the youth would never be lifted and they would never be allowed to be violated in secret either. For, taboos laid down for the youth would not be abolished despite having a ‘Tomorrow for the youth.’ They could be abolished only by consciously mediating to change the cursed socio-economic-political system and abolish it forever.

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Comments - 1

PKR Thursday, 16 February 2012 03:36 AM

Private sector do not like to recruit JVP cultured union minded graduates from our universitites. In fact there are opportunities in Sri Lanka's employment sectory especially in private firms. But companies prefer to recruit good A/L pass student than JVP union minded graduates. This is the truth. In fact JVP is predominantly responsible for depriving graduates from employment in private firms. That is why most of these graduates demand and fight with government for jobs. Only exception is graduates from Katubedda uniersity where JVP is not strong and relatively having good attitude towards life. Sadly Vijitha Herath and his team is the main cause of graduate and youth unemployment in the country.

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Even if St. Valentine turns up ….

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