Now places of worship will be safe
Being a Buddhist, it makes me happy to hear of moves to bring about peace
in our country. Peace is important to us because if we have peace, we do
not have to live in fear of further attacks on our precious places of worship
such as the Sacred Temple of the Tooth or the Holy Bodhi Tree.
We would also not have to trudge long distances to reach these places
which are now protected by scores of armed security personnel - quite an
unholy sight at places of religious worship!
Peace would also mean that we will be able to visit Naga Dvipa in Jaffna
as Christians have been able, for some time now, to visit the Madhu Church.
Palita P.S.
Kelaniya
Beauty spots, a sight for sore eyes
Whatever one may say, former Minister Mangala Samaraweera has contributed
to the betterment of the environment by giving new life to the Beira Lake
and Galle Face Green.
Many attempts have been made in the past by the UDA to bring Galle Face
Green and Beira Lake to their former glory. Unfortunately, none of these
attempts succeeded and in the case of the Green the grass perished before
it was even fully turfed. All previous attempts to keep the Beira clean
and fresh were of no avail. When one waste pipe was sealed-off, another
two outlets appeared discharging their muck into the lake. The constructions
along the bank contribute to environmental degradation. None of these constructions
should have been permitted in the first place.
There is some more work which needs to be done to complete the two jobs.
Colombo citizens must surely be happy about these two isolated beauty spots
in the city.
The architects and planners of the UDA who would have provided the expertise,
should be congratulated, not forgetting the Director in charge of these
two schemes.
Channa Wijayapala
Architects Associated
Colombo 5
Say 'No' to 'big match' begging
The school big match season is on. Fun, frolic and preparation are in the
air, with the cricketers of the respective schools practising hard for
their annual encounter.
There is, however, an undesirable phenomenon.
During the match season, students and youth even a little older, cen
be seen carrying caps and cloth hats, soliciting money from passers-by.
Cars stopped at traffic lights are targeted, as are pedestrians, especially
young women. They even tend to walk alongside their victims for considerable
distances, pestering them for money.
This is done on public roads by young men who are obviously from well-to-do
families. It is unfortunate that these youth beg while actual beggars,
some of whom are even crippled, look on.
It is worse that quite a number of those whom they accost, quickly part
with money, sometimes even notes, and then walk past a crippled beggar
without a second glance. And this money is for indulgence, sometimes on
liquor and pornography.
The school authorities should look into this matter immediately. Parents
should teach values to their children. As for the public, they should learn
to say a firm, "No!"
F.N. Samuel
Colombo
Repeal the unfair clause
The Ministry of Public Administration maintains a list of retired government
servants who have been appointed as disciplinary inquiry officers.
Recently this list was revised eliminating a large number of efficient
officers.
The names had been deleted in terms of an amendment to the Establishment
Code that requires 10 years of experience to be qualified as a disciplinary
inquiry officer.
However, this amendment has penalised some retired officers. The circular
had been released on December 3, 2001, just two days before the election.
Meanwhile, the new Public Administration Minister, Vajira Abeywardena
has stated that a pensioners' pool would be set up to obtain their services
whenever there is a requirement.
In the circumstances, Mr. Abeywardena should intervene in the matter
and repeal the clause in the Establishment Code to provide redress to those
unfortunate souls victimized by the circular of December 3.
A Pensioner
Keselwatte
Forgotten promises and dark days
Now that power cuts have become a permanent feature, it is time to think
of the promises of politicians about the extra energy that the hydro projects
would generate.
Alas, we are now worse off than we were. Before these projects were
implemented we never had such power cuts even during the worst drought.
Inspite of all these trials, the common man also has to stomach the
unpalatable jokes of modern 'Andares' who employed someone to chant manthrams
at the tax payers' expense.
He was provided five star facilities to appease the Gods, with the hope
that we may thereafter have rain. Didn't these pundits know that nature
has no religion or beliefs in mystic powers? Hope at least now they have
realised their stupidity.
Meanwhile, a CEB big- wig has the audacity to impose a massive fuel
surcharge in our bills, without concern for the extra money the consumer
has to spend on kerosene, candles and lamps to light up during power cuts?
Shouldn't the CEB give us a rebate on our electricity bills?
Clarance V.F. De Silva
Yatawatte
Should rapists have rights?
Every day newspapers have stories of rape. These are the cases which are
reported, but there may be many which go unreported.
The rapists, more often than not, are sent back to society after serving
a jail sentence, while the victim has to go through the trauma all her
life.
There may be an excuse, though wrong it may be, to carry out a murder
– such as losing one's self-control. There may be a reason to steal — greed
maybe one, to feed one's family another.
But rape has no reason or excuse. Recently, when I asked a rapist why
he did it, he said with a blank expression that he and his friend saw the
girl and felt like doing it. When asked whether he would do a thing like
this again, he said, "No".
Perhaps, he doesn't want to go to jail again, or he knew what the answer
should be. In some western countries, paedophiles are 'successfully integrated'
into society. These people who have committed an act against humanity are
allowed to mingle in society again.
What about the victims? Most of them will not be able to forget the
crime committed against them.
This is where human rights activists step in and start shouting against
the death penalty. What I suggest is that such convicts should not be allowed
to come into society again.
They should spend the rest of their lives in jail, without the chance
of parole, performing hard labour. The life that they have to lead in prison
should be publicized, with pictures, so that it would act as a deterrent
for would-be rapists and paedophiles.
A word of advice to human rights activists - those who do not respect
the rights of others, should not have any rights.
Mahisha Warusavitharana
Colombo
Beware of the Tiger
I have left my castle in Frankfurt, Germany, and taken up residence in
this beautiful isle of Sri Lanka during the past four years. I love the
country and the people very dearly. I have travelled extensively to all
parts of Sri Lanka and spoken with all segments of society, from the humble
villager to the more affluent classes.
All of them hail the UNP victory as a significant milestone in the development
of the nation.
But, they have grave misgivings and a deep-rooted fear about the truce
with the LTTE and Velupillai Prabhakaran. Prabhakaran has reneged on all
his agreements in the past and the Sinhala people are intelligent enough
to know that those unilateral cease-fire declarations are only a ploy to
gain some breathing space to consolidate and build up the LTTE army.
An unlimited flow of arms, ammunition and men from Tamil Nadu is on
the cards, with the Navy looking on helplessly. So, there appears to be
some justification for the opposition of the J.V.P. and Sihala Urumaya
to any peace agreement with the LTTE.
The euphoria will be shortlived. Within one year Prabhakaran will unleash
his brute forces against a hapless Sinhala nation taken completely off-guard.
America will not come to Sri Lanka's rescue.
Even if the LTTE agrees to lay down arms for a negotiated settlement,
it will be a sham, as they will stockpile arms and ammunition for a well-planned
attack on the Sinhala nation. They will then demand concessions which no
self-respecting nation can give. So beware.
Joseph Wagner
Uda Pussellawa |
