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Pioneer
Social Assessment Studies
Our local partners wish to start some social assessment projects
immediately so that many discussions were conducted about this during my
stay in Sri Lanka. As a result of our discussion, the following studies
have been planned:
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The Puttalam IDPs Study
This study was proposed by Mr. Ahamed, a senior assistant secretary of
the Ministry Assisting Vanni Rehabilitation, who is also one of the 31
trainees.
In October 1990, about 72 thousand Muslims were relocated from the
Northern districts of Jaffna, Killinochi, Mullaitivu and Mannar to the
Puttalam city, which produced huge social impacts on the Puttalam
community in the last 13 years. A study of this displaced Muslims group
in Puttalam will help to learn the past lessons and to assess the future
impacts of current policies of assisting these Muslim relocates.
In order to get this study started, on July 25, I made a field trip to
Puttalam. During the trip, I visited three communities – a good one,
middle level one and a poor camp. Also, I met with a few government
officials and a few NGOs in order to gather some initial data.
I will cooperate with Mr. Ahamed and Dr. Gamage to complete this study
with the hope to provide a good example of social assessment in Sri
Lanka.
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A social assessment of the national development policy
During the
training, I made comments on the past development experience of Sri
Lanka and how it may relate to social assessment as tool in helping
sustainable development. As we all know, an unbalanced development
policy in early 1980s was at least partially responsible to Sri
Lanka’s war and its severe consequences. I suggested that a careful
social assessment of a country’s national development policy could
help avoiding disastrous consequences. Some trainees agreed with me and
think social assessment should be done for the current Sri Lanka
national development policies to ensure what happened in early 1980s
would not repeat again.
MPDI’s
additional secretary S. Rahubadda echoed my view and also proposed this
study. Specifically, he thinks we should carefully evaluate who
benefited and who did not benefited from the 5.5% economic growth that
Sri Lanka is experiencing now.
To get this
started, Dr. Gamage plans to write an initial proposal by the end of
August.
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Other proposed studies
A few other
research topics were proposed during the discussions that include a SA
on the southern highway project and a SA on the current educational
system in Sri Lanka.
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