We are all responsible for the sorry state we are in

Sri Lanka has now experienced youth uprisings of the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities. One can analyse the particular political, social, cultural, economic and environmental contexts that bred these rebellions and try to understand the dynamics behind them. Obviously different groups of people will have different analyses and conclusions.

Besides the very specific, immediate and medium term factors that propelled each uprising, there must be some basic, fundamental and serious flaws, lacunae and anti-human vestiges in our society that give rise to injustice, inequality, discrimination and no faith at all in our justice system, political and administrative systems (corruption, abuse, nepotism, stealing and mismanagement of public funds). Young people, in particular, have lost all hope - some leave the country and many others can turn violent (disrespect for others, for laws, lack of courtesy, impatience and tendency to violence). Demographics and high density too is a contributory factor.

Unless our politicians and public servants do their jobs efficiently, competently and honestly, this situation in our country can never be improved.

Having identified the bad and the ugly at the country level, macro level, we also have to look at the micro level. The Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and others have to analyse at the family and community levels what happened to their children - they were born innocent, they were nurtured and supported to attain adulthood. Then where did we go wrong so that our children become suicide bombers killing others and themselves? Who is responsible for this transformation? It is no use pointing the finger at IS, Syria or US. We have to find reasons/causes in our families, schools and in our communities. Finally, we are all responsible for this sorry state.