University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Journals & Proceedings
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THE SYNERGY OF SHARED RELIGIOUS ETHICS MORALITY AND VIRTUE FOR SOCIAL HEALING IN SRI LANKA
Get PDFSri Lanka is a pluralistic society with identifications of multiple ethnicities and religions. Exploring the cause of the ethnic conflicts inSri Lankan religion has been a seed for this presenting disharmony. This is not adequate for an ideology, in action, this has led to a thirty-year civil war and conflict between minorities. Therefore, the reconciliation process of Sri Lanka's religion plays a major role. Sri Lanka's community is representing the major religions faith of Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam. The teachings of each religious tradition represent several distinct features, but examining the teachings related to the ethics, morals, and virtue of each religious tradition presents a similarity of teachings. Considering this significance, this study has formulated a shared value framework based on the ethical teachings of Sri Lankan religious traditions of Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. The foundation of this framework was free will and the second layer was formulated with the common values of each religion which contributed towards peace and harmony. In the final stage, the individual is empowered to utilize the shared values of religion for reconciliation as their religious virtue. This framework reaches individuals with peace education and later it can be implemented in society. Thus, religion has a greater influence on the formation of individual personality, through this approach the individuals in Sri Lanka are able to reform their personalities to tolerate the diversity of their society within a viewpoint of the shared religious values system in Sri Lanka's major religious doctrines
LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL RECONCILIATION
Get PDFThis paper focuses on the role language has in social reconciliation, making the point that it is perhaps the most crucial element in the process. Language can create reality, as early linguists like Saussure has shown us, often naturalizing ideology-filled cultural constructs, so that words are often misrecognized as being neutral. This paper shows how language affects the progress towards war and the possibility of violence itself. It uses the example of gender to show how a quieter, more systemic violence that can be unleashed towards a group of people through language use. The modern world uses language very effectively to get people in agreement or to mobilize them towards a goal desired by a powerful few. For this, language works not as a means for clear communication, but as something that can be used as a smokescreen to obfuscate issues, something that will be clarified in this paper by using an example from Sinhala literature. The conclusions drawn in this paper are that words and their use play a crucial role in life and in social processes and dynamics, and that it is very important that people realize this if we are to move towards any kind of long-lasting social reconciliation.  
ROLE OF MICROCREDIT PROGRAMS IN SOCIAL RECONCILIATION: A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT
No full textAmidst the challenges faced by women in today's society, it is crucial to focus on their development. Since 1976, microcredit programs have been introduced as a tool for poverty alleviation, primarily targeting the poor and women, aiming to promote their development. Social reconciliation is also considered within this scope of development. The study focuses on the Mavadivembu 02 GN division, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In 2019, women beneficiaries of microcredit were selected as samples for data collection. Ten institutions, including LOLC Development Finance (BRAC), LOLC, HNB Grameen Finance Ltd, Commercial Credit & Finance PLC, Berendina, YMCA, RDB, People’s Bank, BOC, and Samurdhi, provided 591 microloans. From these, 50 women who received microloans were selected as samples based on simple random sampling using purposive sampling, and data was collected through questionnaires. Individual case studies, interviews, and focus group discussions were also conducted. The study found that the microcredit program has contributed to social harmony in women's development to a very low extent. On the contrary, it has caused many negative social and economic effects, leading to social discord rather than harmony. The study suggests that these outcomes are due to weaknesses in the implementation of the microcredit program and among the women beneficiaries, as well as a lack of adherence to the theoretical framework of community-based development (Community-Based Development theory: 1995)
Treatments of Plant Diseases and Pests According to Vrikshayurveda Classics: A Review
Get PDFAyurveda was theorized more than 5000 years back and is practiced unto this day by more than 50% of the rural population. Like the medical science for humans (Ayurveda) similar science Vrikshayurveda was also developed for plants. Vrikshayurveda mainly deals with various aspects of plants. This paper mainly focusses on the treatments of plant diseases and pests according to the Vrikshayurveda classics. An effort is made here to review several ancient literature and current journal articles on Vrikshayurveda and to extract information on treatments of plant diseases and pests as it is necessary to disseminate this valuable knowledge on ancient practices in the organic production and managing of agricultural crops and medicinal plant diseases. According to the findings, Vrikshayurveda classifies the plant diseases as Nija and Aganthu. Nija disorders are caused by the imbalance of the Tridosha namely vata, pitta and kapha. Whereas Aganthuja disorders are due to external factors as pests and natural disasters, lightning etc. In diseases due to vata origin, plants become slender, occurrence of knots in trunk and leaves, and hard fruits with less juice and flavor. Such diseases can be treated by using flesh, fat, and ghee. Kapha illnesses develop when trees are overwatered with sweet, oily, sour or cold substances in the winter and spring. Plants affected by Kapha disorders, show symptoms such as deformed plant leaves, prolonged bearing of fruits, pale fruits, dwarfed, tasteless, premature, slow ripening of fruits and loss of natural taste. These plants should be treated by using decoctions of bitter, strong and astringent ingredients like the Panchamoola decoction. Pitta dosha related diseases show symptoms like leaves turning yellow, paleness of leaves, flowers and fruits, premature fruit drops, ripening of fruits rotting. As a treatment make a decoction of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and bark of Indian butter tress and let it cool down. Then mix it with milk and honey and pour it down at the bottom of the tree. For diseases due to aganthu, treat by watering the tree with cold water for 7 days, sprinkling a mixture of water and oil cake on affected creepers, sprinkling ash and brick dust powder on invading insects. Therefore, these findings on ancient wisdom coupled with modern technologies will benefit the mankind
Application of Geospatial Technology to Assess Pressures and Threats to Nature Related to Human Activities in Wilpattu National Park
Get PDFExpanding agricultural land is one of the humanities largest and most considerable environmental impacts. It has transformed habitats and is one of the greatest pressures and threats to biodiversity. By 2020, with an estimated population of 22 million, the per capita arable land is about 0.158 hectares. This indicates heavy pressure on agricultural land use. This agricultural land use causes deforestation. Illegal deforestation results in the destruction of habitat and the restriction of wildlife movements. Apart from the direct destruction of habitats of flora and fauna that provide humans with valuable resources, removing forest cover puts many essential natural functions out of order, which may lead to a range of severe consequences. There have been many attempts at human encroachment at Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka, and its Forest Reserves; however, it has never been done at this scale with the awareness of the Government Authorities, who failed to act. The Easter end of the Wilpattu National Park lies between the divisional secretariat of Mahaviachchi, Karuwalagasweva, Nochchiyagama, and Rajanganaya. The buffer zone of 1.6km has been marked from the Wilpattu reserve boundary. This study uses the integrated land use assessment by applying a land use evaluation model that evaluates biophysical and human-related data in eight GN Divisions (Hunuvilagama, Kuda Vilachchiya, Track 13, Matha Kiramam, Palaikuli, Pahalapuliyankulam, Parana Eluwankulam, and Andiyapuliyankulam) in buffer zone in Wilpattu National Park. Environmental impact has been assessed based on image classification and area calculations. According to the analysis done in the human settlement, it indicates encroachment of the restricted zone for human settlement. The area of this buffer zone is approximately 33,147 ha. About 9,190 ha of this buffer zone area has been utilized by humans in various ways. Spatial- temporal data in 2003-2019 satellite image classification identified permanent building/housing units within the 1.6 km restricted zone, which has been increased in marginal villages. Mullikulam and Eluwankulam GN Divisions are the most critical and rapidly encroached areas in the forest village in the Wilpattu National Park. According to the GIS-based maps, cultivation, road construction, and residence are significant factors influencing the major ecosystems in the eastern part of the Wilpattu Park Boundary. Mahavilachchi and Nochchiyagama can be identified as the villages where elephants roam more and the areas where elephant-human conflict occurs regularly. Paddy and hay farming are primarily practiced in the areas close to the Wilpattu reserve zone. Additionally, coconut, banana, mango, and cashew crops are cultivated.
Keywords: Wilpattu, Agriculture, Deforestation, Buffer zone, Huma
Wetland Degradation and Impacts on Ecosystem Services: A Case Study from Bellanwila- Attidiya Wetland and Boralesgamuwa Lake in Colombo District
Get PDFWetlands are productive ecosystems and provide valuable Ecosystem services (ES) to society. They provide fresh water, flowers, fisheries, fuel, educational value, recreational value, tourism, and mental relaxation. Urban wetlands are increasingly threatened by human activities impacting their quality and quantity. Alterations in the structure and function of wetlands can affect their ability to provide ecosystem services. Against this background, the current study investigated the effects of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes on ESs in the Bellanwila-Attidiya (BA) wetland and Boralesgamuwa Lake, two significant ecosystems of the Colombo wetland network. This study examined the LULC of BA wetland and Boralesgamuwa Lake and their surroundings over two decades, from 2000 to 2020, using remote sensing and the Geographical Information System (GIS). Questionnaire surveys with 100 local residents and six national experts with research experiences with regard to wetlands were performed to asses ESs, which were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis. The results revealed the drastic transformation of natural areas into other land uses in the wetlands. In BA wetland and surroundings, settlements have expanded by 3.73% at the expense of paddy fields and open areas that have reduced by 3.94% and 0.65% respectively. Similarly, the provision of ESs has been changed, which was identified through statistically analyzed communities‘ perceptions of ESs of wetlands. The results indicated that provisioning services (freshwater, fisheries, fiber, and medicine) and cultural services (aesthetic, recreational, and religious values) have significantly changed over time. Clear trends of changes in LULC could be observed within the Boralesgamuwa Lake and its surroundings as well, where the extent of water bodies and open areas has increased by 22.41% and 5.51%, respectively, at the expense of vegetation and paddy fields, which have decreased by 27.18% and 1.05%, respectively. Similarly, the delivery of ESs has been affected over the years in response to public perception. Statistical analysis of public responses indicated that the provisioning of food, fresh water, fiber, fisheries, and aesthetic and historical values have significantly changed in Boralesagmuwa Lake over time. This study, where public perception was a major concern, clarifies the relationship between land use and ESs and emphasizes the importance of getting community input for wetland conservation and management initiatives.
Keywords: Urban wetlands, Land use and land cover change, Ecosystem services, GIS, Public perception 
Habitat Use by Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Lunugamwehera, Sri Lanka
Get PDFIn Sri Lanka, the home ranges of many elephants extend outside protected areas. Hence understanding patterns of habitat use in human-dominated landscapes is crucial for their conservation. Tracking data from GPS collars provide valuable insight into elephant movement, habitat use, and behavioural adaptations. In this study, two female elephants from two different family groups, which frequented areas outside Lunugamvehera National Park (Southern Sri Lanka), were fitted with GPS collars and monitored for 14 months. The GPS collars provided six position fixes per day (i.e.,four hourly). A total of 3,160 points from these two individuals were visited to record habitat types, crop types, and prevailing mitigatory measures. The results indicate that in both groups the diurnal patterns of habitat use were markedly different to the nocturnal habitat use. During the day (0600 to 1800 hrs.) the elephants predominantly used forest habitats and mature scrubs whereas at night (1900–0500 hrs.) the elephants used human-dominated habitats and returned to the forests early morning. The elephants did not frequent the actively cultivated areas (corn, sugarcane, millet, banana, and paddy), but primarily used abandoned crop fields and scrub habitats. This was most likely due to the presence of deterring mechanisms such as electric fences, crop guarding, and hanging fences in actively cultivated fields also due to direct threats such as shooting by farmers. This study indicates that female elephant groups do not risk raiding more nourishing and perhaps more palatable crops when there is the availability of forage elsewhere and where deterrents are in place. Harvested and off-season crop fields, especially sugarcane and paddies, were used opportunistically because they were not guarded. These findings may support the idea that habitat selection of female elephant groups which typically comprise adult females and young of both sexes are driven by a trade-off between food availability and anthropogenic risks. Another important observation was that, although located in close proximity to the Lunugamvehera National Park, none of the recordings over the 14 months were within the protected area, suggesting that the habitat ranges of these two groups are entirely outside the protected area network. The findings of the present study show the importance of maintaining a mosaic of habitats including forest and scrub patches within human-dominated landscapes and the need for using deterrent mechanisms for protecting cultivations, both of which would be crucial to sustained coexistence between people and elephants outside protected areas.
Keywords: Female elephants, Habitat use, Risk-benefits, Human-elephant conflict, GPS tracking 
eDNA Metabarcoding: Gaps of Publicly Available Reference Databases of Freshwater Vertebrates in Sri Lanka
Get PDFEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) has become a rapidly emerging technology during the last decade. Although eDNA applications are used worldwide, none of the eDNA metabarcoding studies have been conducted solely in Sri Lanka yet. Detection rate of species through DNA metabarcoding technique varies with the availability of gene sequences in reference databases. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the data gaps of local species in two selected reference databases (the NCBI database and the BOLD database). Local freshwater vertebrates were considered for this analysis by dividing them into three major categories as freshwater fish (97 species), freshwater amphibians (40 species) and freshwater reptiles (7 species). The availability of COI gene sequence and CytB gene sequence of each species were recorded. In the NCBI database, reference gene sequences were available only for 17.53% (17 species) of freshwater fish, 7.50% (3 species) of freshwater amphibians and 14.29% (1 species) of freshwater reptiles. In the BOLD database, reference gene sequences were available for 52.58% (51 species) of freshwater fish, 17.50% (7 species) of freshwater amphibians and 42.86% (3 species) of freshwater reptiles. Endemic species were analyzed separately. This revealed the availability of reference gene sequences for 4.92% (3 species) of endemic freshwater fish in the NCBI database. However, none of the reference gene sequence was found for endemic freshwater amphibians and reptiles. In the BOLD database, reference gene sequences were available for 36.07% (22 species) of endemic freshwater fish and 33.33% (1 species) of endemic freshwater reptiles but none for endemic freshwater amphibians. According to the results, large gaps of publicly available reference CO1 gene sequences were observed in both NCBI and BOLD databases. Not only the availability of reference gene sequences, but also the submitted countries of those sequences were also analyzed as a part of this study. Asia has contributed the most according to the country-vice analysis. Among them, many are in the South Asian region. Therefore, this study highlights the need of expanding reference databases for greater local representation as well as the importance of forging collaborations with the developed countries in the same region in order to increase international cooperation and funding to carry on further studies on neglected taxa and under‐represented taxa in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: eDNA (environmental DNA), Metabarcoding, Reference databases, Reference gene sequences 
Examination of Neediness of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures in Conservation of Threatened Migrant Birds and Breeding Residents in Sri Lanka
Get PDFSri Lanka offers habitats to 522 avifauna species at present, including 278 migrant species. Many migrant species are waterbirds and 75% of migrants depend on Sri Lankan w Sri Lanka is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and has legal obligations to conserve biodiversity. Except for the migratory avifauna, the bird species in schedule IV of the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance receive legal protection outside PAs. Sri Lanka is also a party to the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) which holds states responsible for the protection of migrant species, however, according to the National Report–2019, No arrangements and agreements affecting migratory species changed recently, and no waterbirds are included in Appendix I. Against this backdrop, the objective of the study was to examine the appropriate and effective conservation approach. Gangewadiya area in the Lower Kala Oya Basin in Puttalam is one of the four richest waterbird regions in Sri Lanka having ideal habitat for migratory waterbirds, was selected as the study area to examine the neediness for other area-based conservation measures. The study was limited to the threatened, migratory avifauna species, and desk review, conceptual modeling, and Pressure-State-Response methods were chosen to identify and analyze threats and responses. The Biodiversity Baseline Survey Report, 2017; reported 39 Migratory Birds (M) and 142 Breeding Residents (BR) including 03 Critically Endangered (CR), 01 Endangered (EN), and 02 Vulnerable (VU) species in the study area. Sterna Nilotic Gmelin, 1,789, Sterna albifrons Pallas, 1,764, and Merops philippinus Linnaeus, 1,766 are BR & M, CR species, not found in Appendix II of CMS. Falco tinnunculus is an Uncertain M, EN found in schedule IV of FFPO, while mentioned in Appendix II of CMS. Charadrius dubius and Charadrius alexandrines are BR & M, VU is identified as the Appendix II taxa for which Sri Lanka is a Range State that demands international cooperation for conservation. These threatened, migratory/breeding residents range not managed as PAs and are adversely impacted due to conversion of land uses, changes in salinity, hydrology, water pollution, and expansion of prawn and salt production. This poses threat to species already nationally threatened, and species called for international obligation for conservation; since disturbances in strategic points along the flyways, breeding, and wintering grounds can badly affect them. Therefore, Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures are required to minimize the key threat to ranges of migratory birds and breeding residents of Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Threatened migratory waterbirds, Obligation for conservation, Range, Protected areas, Other effective area-based conservation measures 
Eichhornia crassipes Leaves as a Waste-derived Bio-Sorbent to Remove Organics and Nutrients from Rice Mill Wastewater
Get PDFThe increased rate of population growth resulted in the increased number of rice mill industries to fulfill the demand for rice. The rice mill wastewater contains a high load of organics and nutrients. Therefore, the direct discharge of wastewater into the environment may degrade the quality of the environment as well as causes adverse effects on human health. Among various methods to treat waste effluent, bio-sorption is a cheap and environmentally sound approach. Eichhornia crassipes is a noxious weed that spreads rapidly. Most of the tanks in Vavuniya are polluted by E. crassipes and it needs a sustainable solution. This study uses the leaves of E. crassipes to produce waste-derived bio-sorbent to treat rice mill wastewater. The wastewater was collected from one of the rice mills in the Vavuniya town area. The adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics experiments were conducted to find out the removal efficiencies of COD, nitrate, and phosphate from wastewater. The effect of the dosage of bio-sorbent (1-6 g/L) and the contact time (30-180 min) with the wastewater was studied to determine the optimum dosage and optimum contact time. The bio-sorbent showed maximum removal efficiencies of COD (54.5%), nitrates (58.1%), and phosphates (29.5%) at the optimum dosage of 4 g/L at 120 min. Based on the t-test, E. crassipes leaves significantly reduce COD, nitrate, and phosphate (p-value<0.05). However, COD and nitrate showed higher removal rates than phosphate. Further, long-term column studies should be conducted to apply the above technique in wastewater treatment plants in treating the rice mill wastewater in the real world. This study emphasizes that E. crassipes leaves have the potential to remove contaminants from wastewater as well as this would also help to minimize the spread of the weed to safeguard the environment.
Keywords: Eichhornia crassipes, Bio-sorption, Vavuniya tank, Water quality