Letters to the Editor

 

Peace at the cost of the silent majority
President Chandrika Kumaratunga aptly summarized the present position in the peace process, when she commented that although there was no war, neither was there peace.

Events after the signing of the ceasefire agreement suggest a "no-war-no-peace" situation. The silent majority looks on with trepidation, while the NGOs, the west and the spin-doctors of the UNF government are maintaining that peace should prevail at any cost, even at the cost of paving the way for the establishment of Eelam at a future date. It is with this motive that unnecessary powers for the periphery are being suggested for implementation to weaken the centre, to the chagrin of the silent majority of Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims.

In the last couple of weeks, a new light has appeared from senior members of the UNF government, initiated by former speaker M.H. Mohamed. He has said that for Muslims to demand a Muslim unit in the east would cause problems to the 70 percent of Muslims living outside the Eastern Province and requested that a Muslim minister be included in the peace negotiations. Mr. Mohamed's demand is justifiable, because an overwhelming majority of Muslim votes were cast for the UNP at the last general election.

There are also moves to create public opinion for the delinking of the north and the east. The latest reports reveal that Minister Rauff Hakeem has complained that the establishment of police stations by the LTTE in the east violates the ceasefire agreement and Muslims in the east continue to be harassed by Tiger cadres.

It should be remembered that the UNP government in 1987 did not want the merger of the two provinces. The merger was a result of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement and a referendum was to be held within a year to decide whether it should continue. President J.R. Jayewardene said publicly that he would canvass against the merger at the referendum. President R. Premadasa, too, expressed his opposition to the merger.

The UNP was against the merger. It is the same with the SLFP, the MEP and the JVP. Even some Tamil parties do not favour a merger.

The Muslims have been against the merger and their demand for a separate unit is conditional. They do not want a separate zone, if the north and the east are not merged.

One cannot understand why the present government is taking the merger for granted and bending backwards to please the LTTE. It is clear that the western powers are partisan to the Tamil Tigers and are imposing peace on the majority Sinhalese.
Saybhan Samat
Enderamulla


Red tape at Citizenship Division
My daughter, son-in-law and their three children domiciled abroad applied for dual citizenship and they were advised in writing by the Assistant Secretary of the Citizenship Division to pay Rs. 400,000 in cash or bank draft to the Controller, Immigration and Emigration and forward the original receipt to him.

On November 5, I came to Colombo from Matara with the cash and deposited the money in the account of the Controller of Immigration and Emigration at the Bambalapitiya branch of the Bank of Ceylon.

Then I walked to the Citizenship Division a few yards away and produced the copy of the paying- in slip certified and signed by the bank official.

The Assistant Secretary curtly refused to accept it as I had not seen her prior to payment. When I pleaded with her to cross check with the bank, she informed me that she was not there to do so.

Even after I pleaded with her to go through the letter sent by her office, a receipt acknowledging payment was not issued to me.

In desperation I presented my grievance to the Controller, Mervyn Wijesekera himself. Having listened to me and gone through the photocopy of the paying- in slip which I produced, he promptly ordered the Assistant Secretary to accept payment and issue me with the official acknowledgment.

I write this in appreciation of the cordiality displayed by this top bureaucrat in my moment of distress.

Officers such as the Assistant Secretary should remember that those who seek dual citizenship bring in the much sought after foreign exchange to swell government coffers.
Nanda Nanayakkara
Matara


Raisin bun, raisin' funds
A supermarket in Mount Lavinia has become quite famous for its high quality bread and pastries. A few days ago I bought three 'raisin buns' (as they are called) from this outlet.

I sliced one to butter but could not spot any raisins in it at all. I thereupon dissected the bun with meticulous care and discovered one small raisin embedded majestically in the middle of the bun - just one - no more, no less.

It sparkled with the brilliance of the Kohinoor in the British crown! A similar careful examination of the other two buns revealed the same result - one raisin in solitary splendour in each.

One could not help but wonder what loving, tender care the master-baker would have taken in carefully positioning this jewel of a raisin right in the centre of the bun with such perfect precision!

There is of course, no law prescribing the minimum number of raisins that should go into a 'raisin bun' - it could be one or 20 or more.

I am not, therefore, thinking of raisin' a hornet's nest by raisin' this issue, but I do believe that marketing such 'raisin buns' is only a subtle way of raisin' funds!
Dr. Riley Fernando
Mount Lavinia


CoL problem not a priority
What is the government doing to bring down the cost of living? One of the main promises of the UNF Govt. was that it will bring the CoL to manageable levels.

But what is the reality? The prices of rice, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, milk powder, sugar, dhal and garlic have skyrocketed. Even big onions - though millions of tons are thrown away for want of marketing facilities - are now beyond the reach of the average man.

Electricity bills have doubled while water and phone bills have trebled.

Medical bills too are unbearable.

Where are we heading? Where are we being led by this government and its highly paid officials?

This government's only interest seems to be to criticise the President and bring about legislation to curb her powers rather than diverting its energies and time to tackling the CoL.

They say peace will be established and everything will be rosy thereafter.
Over to the government.
V.K.B. Ramanayake
Maharagama


Zheng He, the Three-Jewelled Eunuch and Sri Lanka
I write regarding the book by Gavin Menzies entitled "1421: The Year China Discovered the World".

I have for some time been interested in Chinese Grand Admiral Zheng He, whose voyages form the subject of the book and thought I would write to fill in some details which may be of interest to Sri Lankan readers.

Zheng He (otherwise known as Cheng Ho, Ching Ho or Ma San-Pao) visited Sri Lanka on possibly three occasions between 1405 and 1415. On his first visit he had requested the Tooth Relic for the Chinese Emperor but was refused and barely escaped from an attempt to waylay him.

He returned in 1408 and led an invasion as far as Kandy and captured King Vira Wijaya Bahu VI and several of his court and held them hostage in China for five years before returning them. (It is interesting that while King Vira Wijaya Bahu survived five years as a hostage in China, he was murdered in his capital on the night of his return by his Sri Lankan Chief Minister!)

Following his 1408 visit, Zheng He left a tablet inscribed in Persian (some say Arabic) and Tamil respectively praising Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. This was found in 1911 near Cripps Road in Galle.

Interestingly, Zheng He, who had been castrated as a 10-year-old boy to serve in the court and was known variously as "the Three-Jewel Eunuch" and "the Eunuch of the Three Treasures" is suggested in the book as having circumnavigated the world in 1421 (i.e. before Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan), reached America before Christopher Columbus and Australia before Captain Cook. (It is said that his first fleet included 317 vessels and 28,000 men and that his flagship "Treasure Ship" was four hundred feet long compared to Columbus's "St. Maria" which measured eighty five feet.)

He died in 1435 and being a Muslim, the top of his tomb near Nanjing bears the words "Allah is great". Further information regarding Zheng He's travels may be found in Richard Hall's "Empires of the Monsoon" and Hulugalle's "Ceylon of the Early Travellers".
Dr. Rohan H. Wickramasinghe
Colombo 7


Appoint diplomats with trade background
In the past, diplomats to missions abroad were members of the Foreign Service or retired public servants who had performed distinguished service.

Our diplomats in their own way maintained friendly relations with the host countries. Trade was not of much concern and it was left to business leaders and trade chambers. Today, diplomatic missions have a greater role to play. The people who lead them must have experience in the world of commerce and trade.

The general thinking is that if trade and economic development are improved, political relationships will automatically fall into place. Therefore, those who have business and commercial experience should be given preference in these appointments.
D. Wijesundera
Colombo 5


Example from Puwakpitiya youth
We were returning from Watawala on November 5 at 5.45 p.m. and on approaching Puwakpitiya town, in the midst of a thunderstorm, we saw a single orderly line of vehicles ahead. We too took our place in the line.

As we inched our way towards the Puwakpitiya railway station, we saw several people, some with umbrellas, some without, running hither and thither in the rain, speaking to their leader and to the drivers. They were asking where each driver was going and giving short but clear directions on alternative routes as floods were affecting Puwakpitiya. No outstretched hand for "something", only quick instructions, a salute and the words, "Devi pihitai". Service with a smile. Such a refreshing change when normally those duty bound to serve go scampering for material gain and more perks. A big thank you to the Puwakpitiya youth.

May these youth be an example to the nation.
James Perera
Moratuwa


Clemency not amnesty
The LTTE admits that it was a "rebel" group defying lawful authority. In the absence of a declared war, a rebellion was led by a group of people to create a state within a state, which idea they have now given up. They have come to the negotiating table that was open to them from almost the inception of the conflict.

The rebels have committed heinous crimes, surpassing any war crime.

Hence, with an end in sight to the law of the jungle, the law of the land must prevail. The rebels should plead for clemency and not for an amnesty.
C. L. Terence Fernando
Moratuwa


The bank and the bangle blunder
I pawned a pair of 22-carat gold bangles for Rs. 7,000 at the Bank of Ceylon branch in the Panadura bazaar and was sent the usual two reminders that a year had lapsed. But the registered letter which should have been sent before pawned articles are auctioned was not sent to me.

Though the bank authorities verbally and by letter insisted that the registered notice had been sent, inquiries at the Panadura and Moratuwa Post Offices revealed that no such letter was sent. I had been given false postal registration numbers by the bank authorities.

The bank now says that according to their regulations nothing can be done as I have acknowledged receipt of the two reminders sent by ordinary mail.

Obviously, the pawned bangles have been auctioned by the bank without informing me.

Who is responsible for this? Can the bank auction pledged articles without informing the customer?

How many people would have been victimised in this manner?

Over to you General Manager.
W.A. G. de Silva
Moratuwa


'Letters to the Editor' should be brief and to the point.
Address them to:
'Letters to the Editor,
The Sunday Times,
P.O.Box 1136, Colombo.
Or e-mail to
steditor@wijeya.lk or
stfeat@wijeya.lk
Please note that letters cannot be acknowledged or returned.

Back to Top  Back to Plus  

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Webmaster