Modern Sri Lanka Studies
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- ItemElephants beyond the boundaries: A geographical assessment of elephants’ movements outside the Udawalawe national park(University of Peradeniya, 2021) Isthikar, M. A. M.Udawalawe National Park (UNP) in the Southern Wildlife Region (SWR) is not only very famous for its biodiversity and its elephants (Elephas maximus maximus) but also for the unfavourable Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) prevalent around the park. Entry of elephants into the farming fields, damaging the crops and property, occasional injuries and death to both humans and elephants are common features beyond the UNP. The objective of this research is to identify how the push and pull factors contribute to elephants' invasion of villages, farmlands and HEC beyond the Eastern boundary of the UNP. UNP and the Eastern Udawalawe National Park (EUNP) have been selected as the study site for this research. Purposive sampling has been employed as one of the main techniques to collect data from targeted respondents. Particularly, a questionnaire survey, in depth interviews with farmers using semi-structured questions, key informant interviews with park officers and with Safari Jeep drivers were conducted. Collected data were analyzed using Content Analyzing Methods, Microsoft MS Excel and GIS. High concentrated human activities (17%) play a major role as major push factors for elephants' entry into the farming fields. Besides, lack of carrying capacity inside the park (05%), the attraction of crops beyond the EUNP (28%), restriction of elephants' home range (30%), dangerous chasing techniques followed by the people beyond the EUNP (11%) and management related issues of the UNP (09%) acts as significant roles in pushing the elephants from the park beyond the EUNP and for HEC.
- ItemPost conflict reconstruction: Resettlement issues and challenges in the peace-building process in Sri Lanka(University of Peradeniya, 2021) Wanninayake, S.The protracted armed conflict in Sri Lanka between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) ended in May 2009. The three-decades-old conflict displaced over half a million people and devastated their lives; particularly during its final stage (2006–2009). Post-conflict resettlement initiatives are hardly considered the permanent resettlements of these displaced people in their traditional villages. This study sets out to explore the resettlement issues and challenges to the post-conflict reconstruction and peace-building process in Sri Lanka. The process of reconstruction and peace building has come under several programs and projects. Nevertheless, the internal displacement has become a dreadful outcome of armed conflict in Sri Lanka and resettling IDPs in their places of origin became a prime task under the reconstruction programs to rebuild the peaceful life of the people. The study focuses on understanding the role of the various factors that negatively affected the resettlement of people in their original places of residence. The study has revealed a mixture of factors that have negatively influenced the entire process of return, resettlement, reconstruction and peace-building in conflict affected areas. As a result, multiple factors need to be understood about the rebuilding of their normal lives in the respective areas. Fieldwork was carried out in villages in the district of Vavuniya. The paper is based on qualitative methods. Long interviews and key informant interviews were mainly used for the qualitative data.
- ItemTeenage pregnancy in Sri Lanka: Trends and causes(University of Peradeniya, 2021) Thoradeniya, K.The main aim of this paper is to examine the trends and factors affecting teenage pregnancies in Sri Lanka. This paper draws mainly upon secondary data, reviewing the available research findings to describe the patterns, trends and causes for teenage pregnancies in Sri Lanka. When taking into account the trends of teenage pregnancies in Sri Lanka, the percentage of teenage mothers is lower than the other countries in South Asia. However, on the island, the percentage of teenage pregnancy varies from district to district and the prevalence of teenage mothers in certain areas is high. Social factors such as sexual violence, extreme poverty, the impact of war, lack of social opportunities and family conflicts could be identified as the main factors associated with teenage pregnancies. However, patriarchal culture, negative attitudes on poverty, social pressure and misuse of technology or social media as identified in this paper are the root causes for the teenage pregnancies in the country. In order to eliminate the problem of teenage pregnancy, short term and long-term solutions need to be planned. Taking strong actions against gender-based violence, expanding educational opportunities, eradicating poverty and also rehabilitating social systems devastated by the effects of the long-drawn civil war, motivating children and families for engaging with institutions such as schools and religious institutions will be helpful to solve this problem up to some extent. The engagement with the institutions of the health sector should also be implemented in providing sex education, family counselling, and educating parents on alternative income schemes. Awareness programmes in the areas where teenage pregnancies are high also can be implemented and human resources available in the particular area can be utilized for this purpose.
- ItemThe effectiveness of pre-marital program “PREP” in the relationships of undergraduate couples in Sri Lanka(University of Peradeniya, 2021) Rathnayaka, R. M.Pre-marital counselling is designed to enhance premarital relationships as leading to more satisfactory and stable marriages with the intended consequence of preventing divorce. Pre-marital education programs are knowledge and skills-based training applications. The Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) is an empirical intervention program to support the prevention of marital distress and divorce with short and long term effectiveness. PPEP is one of the intervention programs that promote pre-marriage counselling. The literature review shows that little is known about pre-marital counselling and no prior research in Sri Lanka has evaluated the effectiveness of PREP on the relationships of undergraduate couples. The data were collected using the mixed method approach comprising of pre-test and post-test quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. This research selected 15 undergraduate heterosexual couples (15females and 15male) from the University of Peradeniya for the quantitative analysis and 3 couples were selected for the qualitative analysis. The T-Test and thematic analysis were adopted as the data analysis method. The research findings indicated that the T-Test was significant at <0.05 level indicating the program was successful. Moreover, there was a significant difference between before and after PREP (t=15.040, p<0.00025) in lessening vulnerability and risk in marriage by strengthening protective factors among the couples. The mean score of the 15 university undergraduate couples for the test was 146.13 (SD=14.738) before the PREP program and it increased to a mean of 176.47(SD=6.892) after they had participated in the PREP program. Couples stated that premarital programs are necessary for their lives and they recommended the PREP program for both married and unmarried couples.
- ItemDimensions of preparedness for countering violent extremism: Methods, approaches and operations(University of Peradeniya, 2021) Chandran, S.Terrorists and extremists who travel worldwide to carry out attacks are not a new notion, and they have become more common since global travel became more accessible during the twenty-first century. In response to their violent acts, several governments of the world have endeavoured to take several anti terrorist and anti-extremist measures. This study focuses on extremism and its many manifestations, including violent extremism (VE) and counter-violent extremism (CVE), as well as related ideas, programs, processes, and tools. Moreover, it investigates the basic principles of extremism and violent extremism, and various aspects of the domain, such as the factors that contribute to extremism and violent extremism. It also discusses how to tackle violent extremism and defend both internal and external threats, by the development of multifaceted approaches to combating violent extremism on international, regional and multilateral, and domestic levels. Extensive literature reviews, both electronic and written, allowing the exploration of knowledge unique to the research area and offering a system of references for successful subject evaluation.