International Human Solidarity Day falls today (20), at a time when the world is in desperate need of unity among the people in order to face increasing poverty and the seemingly endless Covid-19 pandemic. The world does not have a shortage of people who can help. However, there is definitely a shortage of people who actually help.
Solidarity is one of the most discussed topics in Sri Lanka but it has long been limited to a concept and has never truly been implemented. One of the issues that hinder Sri Lankans from striving to achieve true solidarity is that most people’s idea of solidarity is conditional or self-centred. Most of the time, the solidarity we talk about is confined to specific ethnicities, religious groups, or other forms of communities that share the same interests. Despite many examples from history that emphasise the need for inter-ethnic and religious solidarity, the enthusiasm people show after events, such as the Easter Sunday attack, ebbs away within a few months, and the great promises we make about raising the Sri Lankan identity above every other identity has not received the attention it requires.
Another reason is that we continue to think that our, or our community’s wellbeing, is the only wellbeing that matters, and that it is us who should always benefit. That is in part the fault of how we discuss and teach solidarity. We have failed to acknowledge the most basic part of the concept of solidarity, i.e. solidarity is not only about being supported, it is also about extending our support.
Sri Lankans have lived with the aforementioned attitudes so far. Times have, however, changed. Even though we are living in an era where physical distance is of utmost importance due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also high time for the people to care for each other, or in more informal terms, to have each other’s backs.
It is this solidarity that helped countless people during the first lockdown, when hundreds, if not thousands, were stuck in the homes and boarding places with no way of going out or getting food and other essentials. Owing to a few selfless people who did not hesitate to share what they had, many were prevented from starving. Sri Lanka saw similar solidarity in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which took over 30,000 lives in Sri Lanka, when people from all walks of life came out to support those affected with clothing, food, and shelter.
Now, in addition to a health crisis, Sri Lanka has to deal with an economic crisis for which the Government does not seem to have an effective plan. While it may be comforting to think that the economy has hit rock bottom, the scary truth is that it can get much worse. Already, many people in the lower-middle income level and those dealing with real poverty are finding it a challenge to simply make ends meet and put food on the table. There are numerous complaints about the unavailability of essentials, instead of a shortage of the same. However, the people cannot give in merely because they cannot count on the Government. It is time to have each other’s backs again, and simply do what we can to help those who are less fortunate.
In fact, history bears witness to the fact that true unity can come in crisis situations. In the 1970s, when the people were going through a much, much worse scarcity of essentials, it was the people who saw to it that their neighbours, relatives, and friends had something to quell their hunger with. The present is not that bad; however, the fact that there is a scarcity of food in the country and that the economy has rendered many unable to buy even what is available is undeniable, and sharing is definitely a need of the hour.
However, solidarity should not be limited to helping each other only during this trying time; it should go beyond and be a part of Sri Lankans lives. As was mentioned above, we have vowed to uphold solidarity many times. However, because Sri Lanka is a nation driven by promises, rather than actions, we have also seen how the failure to live up to our promises has taken its toll.
The best example is the political culture everyone feels is wrong. When we see the state of our economy, and when we know that we are running out of options to survive it, we know that the country needs to be run in a different manner. However, we cannot change a political system when everyone remains divided despite knowing fully well that it is not working.
There are a plethora of other social, economic, and cultural issues that have gone unaddressed because the people do not see the importance of solidarity, and at some point, the people will have to acknowledge that too. However, it has to happen before those issues reach the point of no return. Solidarity amidst crisis
20 Dec 2021
Solidarity amidst crisis
20 Dec 2021
International Human Solidarity Day falls today (20), at a time when the world is in desperate need of unity among the people in order to face increasing poverty and the seemingly endless Covid-19 pandemic. The world does not have a shortage of people who can help. However, there is definitely a shortage of people who actually help.
Solidarity is one of the most discussed topics in Sri Lanka but it has long been limited to a concept and has never truly been implemented. One of the issues that hinder Sri Lankans from striving to achieve true solidarity is that most people’s idea of solidarity is conditional or self-centred. Most of the time, the solidarity we talk about is confined to specific ethnicities, religious groups, or other forms of communities that share the same interests. Despite many examples from history that emphasise the need for inter-ethnic and religious solidarity, the enthusiasm people show after events, such as the Easter Sunday attack, ebbs away within a few months, and the great promises we make about raising the Sri Lankan identity above every other identity has not received the attention it requires.
Another reason is that we continue to think that our, or our community’s wellbeing, is the only wellbeing that matters, and that it is us who should always benefit. That is in part the fault of how we discuss and teach solidarity. We have failed to acknowledge the most basic part of the concept of solidarity, i.e. solidarity is not only about being supported, it is also about extending our support.
Sri Lankans have lived with the aforementioned attitudes so far. Times have, however, changed. Even though we are living in an era where physical distance is of utmost importance due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also high time for the people to care for each other, or in more informal terms, to have each other’s backs.
It is this solidarity that helped countless people during the first lockdown, when hundreds, if not thousands, were stuck in the homes and boarding places with no way of going out or getting food and other essentials. Owing to a few selfless people who did not hesitate to share what they had, many were prevented from starving. Sri Lanka saw similar solidarity in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which took over 30,000 lives in Sri Lanka, when people from all walks of life came out to support those affected with clothing, food, and shelter.
Now, in addition to a health crisis, Sri Lanka has to deal with an economic crisis for which the Government does not seem to have an effective plan. While it may be comforting to think that the economy has hit rock bottom, the scary truth is that it can get much worse. Already, many people in the lower-middle income level and those dealing with real poverty are finding it a challenge to simply make ends meet and put food on the table. There are numerous complaints about the unavailability of essentials, instead of a shortage of the same. However, the people cannot give in merely because they cannot count on the Government. It is time to have each other’s backs again, and simply do what we can to help those who are less fortunate.
In fact, history bears witness to the fact that true unity can come in crisis situations. In the 1970s, when the people were going through a much, much worse scarcity of essentials, it was the people who saw to it that their neighbours, relatives, and friends had something to quell their hunger with. The present is not that bad; however, the fact that there is a scarcity of food in the country and that the economy has rendered many unable to buy even what is available is undeniable, and sharing is definitely a need of the hour.
However, solidarity should not be limited to helping each other only during this trying time; it should go beyond and be a part of Sri Lankans lives. As was mentioned above, we have vowed to uphold solidarity many times. However, because Sri Lanka is a nation driven by promises, rather than actions, we have also seen how the failure to live up to our promises has taken its toll.
The best example is the political culture everyone feels is wrong. When we see the state of our economy, and when we know that we are running out of options to survive it, we know that the country needs to be run in a different manner. However, we cannot change a political system when everyone remains divided despite knowing fully well that it is not working.
There are a plethora of other social, economic, and cultural issues that have gone unaddressed because the people do not see the importance of solidarity, and at some point, the people will have to acknowledge that too. However, it has to happen before those issues reach the point of no return. Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!