Letters to the Editor

• Child abuse: more state action is needed 
• Hypnotism: the danger persists
• Corrupt politicos: what action?
• Where did all this money come from?
• State media not for one party
• Poll time is also pollution time
• Monks and slaughter ban
• Paddy vultures
• Teachers on letter hunt

Child abuse: more state action is needed 

Though it is not an official view, the fact that a state counsel was impelled to make his personal views known through the media is highly commendable. Such welcome contributions lend considerable strength to the campaign carried out by NGOs whose voice, though more strident, does not carry the same weight as that of an official. Sajeeva Samaranayake, a lawyer with forensic experience, is in the forefront of the AG's Department team on child-related prosecutions.

What is significant about the views expressed by him is that for the first time some statistical data are being divulged by an authoritative source. The campaign against exploitation of children has long been handicapped by the lack of such data. The official response has been generally one of cynicism and disbelief. I would therefore thank and congratulate Mr. Samaranayake for his plea and the statistics he has provided.

His point that the increase in child abuse cases cannot be controlled by the passage of legislation but by enforcing the law, despite all its shortcomings, cannot be over-emphasised. Though he goes to the core of the problem that 'the fault lies with official attitudes which regard the passing of the Act as an end in itself', he does not go far enough. Perhaps as a public servant he is constrained from going the whole hog. 

What is equally, if not more important is that the State is not providing the resources - manpower, material and money - to make the system work. If, as he says, traditional 'care systems' have to be revived or reinforced, then who is to do it? Can the administration define its priorities? Does it put a handful of MPs and provincial councillors above millions of children? How can it justify vast expenditure of public resources on 'protecting' politicians from real or imaginary enemies? The entire administration seems geared to provide care and support for the Executive and the protagonists cavorting on the political stage.

Where indeed is the will to provide for the largest section of the population of this country? I understand that there are more than four million children of schoolgoing age and they are all potential victims of abuse. A bewildered people have also witnessed, on occasion, a whimsical and reckless indulgence in parading uniformed children as part of the political showboat. Who is to answer for the loss of a little life when a calamity occurs? Who cares for the children or is it that children are legitimate buffers against suicide bombers? 

Mr. Samaranayake refers to the so-called women and children's 'desks' at some 34 police stations. He has overlooked the National Bureau of Protection of Women & Children at Castle Street, Borella. How effective is this bureau? He has also not touched on the high-powered National Child Protection Authority in which the AG's Dept is represented. These are the only two initiatives of the present administration outside of law reforms. It is to be hoped that the NCPA will fulfil its role as a coordinator of the fragmented and often contradictory approaches to child care and protection. As regards the agenda, to which Mr. Samaranayake refers, it is not well known that the Government has indeed published an elaborate 'National Plan of Action'. This goes back more than five years and is still gathering dust in some ministry.

Mr Samaranayake calls for joint action by state agencies (whose job it is to serve the nation - children included) and NGOs which are mere volunteer groups. NGOs have only persuasive power and no real authority to take preventive or corrective action. More often than not, officialdom is an impenetrable wall that comes in the way of the child and its best interests. It is as well that the AG's Dept. has taken a fresh view of its role. What remains to be seen is how far the other agencies of the state will re-orientate themselves in like manner.

Arun Tampoe
Kotugoda

Hypnotism: the danger persists

Hypnotism has fascinated me in the past 50 years. I have read much on the subject and seen many hypnotists in action. I too have performed hypnosis on two occasions and faced the problem of getting the subject back to normal smoothly. Thereafter, I gave up such performances as the person under hypnosis could be harmed. 

I have never seen or heard of a person who floated in air under hypnosis. It is impossible under the laws of gravitation. However, there is an explanation. In the demonstration mentioned by Ms. de Zoysa, it was not only the major who was hypnotised but also the onlookers. And under hypnosis, it may have appeared to them that the major was floating. That would be believable. I would also like to give some advice — never allow yourself to be hypnotised by stage hypnotists. 

S. Wanniatchi
Colombo 5

Corrupt politicos: what action?

Many politicians and top officials in our country openly take bribes and commissions, while thousands of Sri Lankans are struggling to survive. 

Most people have just one meal a day and children go to school only after a cup of tea. 

Yet there are scores of uneducated politicians who get free land, luxury vehicles, handsome salaries and collect huge commissions. A few years ago they had no houses but today they own three-storey houses. How did they make all this money? 

Will any sincere and honest political party declare in its election manifesto what action it would take against people who accept bribes and commissions?

Piyadasa Waduge
Watugedera

Where did all this money come from?

I understand that orders are now being placed for vehicles at prices ranging from Rs 2 million to Rs 8 million or more. It is also said that these permits are being sold for Rs 2 million.

Should not some principled political parties, principled lawyers or principled citizens' groups file a petition to prevent this abuse of parliamentary privilege or a writ application against the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue and the Director General of Customs to compel them to carry out their duties in an impartial manner. 

They should inquire as to how an MP on a salary of Rs 40,000 or so is able to maintain himself and still has sufficient funds to make this purchase. No ordinary citizen earning only a salary would be able to spend such a sum on a vehicle. 

Sometimes citizens buying vehicles are asked to explain how the purchase is funded. Shouldn't the MPs be asked to explain in like manner? Over to you the principled politician, principled lawyer or civil rights watchdogs. 

A heavily-taxed citizen

State media not for one party

Parliament has been dissolved and polls have been fixed for October 10. Therefore, what is fair is that every political party should be permitted to air its views. 

But, what we see today is the worst form of abuse of the media to character assassinate political opponents. 

The UNP regime used the same tactic in 1994, but failed to impress the public. 

It is the voter who will decide which party is good to govern next. The state media should stop this immediately and allocate media time to all parties. 

M.M. Furkhan
Kalutara

Poll time is also pollution time

Daily we hear pleas on the radio and TV not to use polythene or minimise its use. Newspapers also carry articles on this crucial issue. 

Often, the ordinary people are blamed for the indiscriminate use of polythene. But it is shameful that our leaders and their supporters are telling us what 'right' thing we should do, while indiscriminately using polythene to promote their parties. The other forms of pollution during the election would be air pollution due to the lighting of crackers and sound pollution due to the use of loudspeakers. 

Jayantha Sirisena
Maharagama

Monks and slaughter ban

It will be more heart warming and all the Buddhists in the country will be grateful, if the monks come forward to prevent the brutal slaughter of cattle. If this is not possible, they should at least campaign for a ban on slaughter and sale of beef in areas where Buddhists are in a majority. 

A large number of animals are slaughtered and the beef exported to several South East Asian countries. As a result some blame Buddhists for large-scale slaughter of cattle for consumption.

Ranjan Goonetillake
Panadura

Paddy vultures

These farmers who have laboured in sun and rain are living in abject poverty and debt, as they cannot sell their paddy. 

Although the government has promised to purchase paddy through the CWE, these efforts are being allegedly thwarted by certain influential elements in these areas, forcing the farmers to sell their produce at lower rates. 

R.K. Perera
Panadura

Teachers on letter hunt

The Education Department, too, has adhered to this regulation and most teachers have this letter. Now suddenly the authorities have declared that this letter is not valid. Teachers have to send in applications, in triplicate, to obtain new valid letters. For this, they have to go back to their first service stations and meet the present principals to get their approval. 

So, some 200,000 teachers have been running helter-skelter to get these applications filled. Some had to travel hundreds of miles, wasting time and money. Some teachers were on the verge of retiring. 

Most of the teachers began their careers in remote schools, some of which are not functioning now. Some have no proper records of past teachers. Even if the records are available, principals hesitate to approve the work of strangers. Can someone suggest an easy way out? 

H.M.P. Wickramarathne
Kengalla

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