Sri Lanka –  The youth community should master political literacy

To mark the “International Day of Democracy” today, the “Democratic Youth Congress” launched a youth awareness program in Kandy. This year’s theme for the “International Day of Democracy” is “Empowering the Next Generation”. However ‘underprivileged people’ claim that there is no real democratic governance in Sri Lanka.

Jagath Liyanarachchi, a lawyer and a social activist, created awareness about the “value of public vote” by interpreting the “International Day of Democracy”.

1. Arjun the Coordinator of  “The Democratic Youth Congress” in Sri Lanka, said that to mark the International Day of Democracy, they started this campaign of awareness and a model election in the Kandy district based on “whether the people wanted to vote or not.”

He further said that several important awareness sessions were held regarding “election and voting rights” and in the future, the Youth Congress will implement the same awareness regarding people’s right to vote throughout Sri Lanka.

“Although the public is very disappointed with the politicians with the recent events in Sri Lanka, the ‘right to vote’ is a very important issue. The right to vote is very important to protect ‘democracy’. Although democracy is not the best form of governance in the world, we have to accept democracy as ‘a good form of governance’ among the alternatives we have. Among the various forms of government that have been tried in human history, democracy is the best that we currently accept.” Jagath Liyanarachchi explained.

“We do not accept dictatorship and military rule. Therefore, the best form of governance left to us is democracy. Democratic governance is completely based on the right to vote. It is very important that the young people living in Sri Lanka today use their right to vote correctly.,” he said.

Jagath Liyanarachchi who has worked as an election observer for 15 years said that according to his experience, the number of voters who do not use their vote is larger, but the most important thing is to use their vote or their will in the right way.

Lawyer Liyanarachchi, who stated that a country like Sri Lanka, which is ahead in terms of literacy, has very little chance of making a mistake while reading the ballot paper, said that the big problem in using the vote is that they use their valuable vote for the right candidate, accurately.

Lawyer Liyanarachchi said that it has become a passion in Sri Lanka to call politicians in different names like thieves and crooks after using their votes for an incorrect candidate, but said that the youth community should master the political literacy of choosing the right candidate.

He said that “it would help a lot to decide the Future than today. If we use our votes correctly, we will get good rulers. Our country will develop. If we elect the wrong people, our country will fall into the abyss.”

He pointed out that the country cannot be developed when the educated people leave the country and the resource persons who can work for the development of the country leave the country. Also, he said that should select a candidate who has a lot of ability to fulfill what is expected from the candidates for the sake of the people for the sake of the country, he said.

Also, why did you or your parents cast the vote for the candidate last time? He also invited the youth to recall in every election whether the things they expected have been achieved in the country in the local council the municipal council in the provincial council.

Also, he emphasized that the youth should think more critically about the policies of political parties, and after an election, they should investigate whether the politicians in power are fulfilling their promises, if not, they should actively contribute to fulfill those promises strategically.

END.