Telephone blues
The Deputy General Manager, Mahaweli Complex,
is wondering whether he should rewrite the popular view on modern communications.
When he was residing at Trincomalee Street, Kandy, he had his authorised,
official telephone. While he is also served with official telephones at
his office in Ampitiya, the home 'phone is very essential. The DGM looks
after the power stations at Victoria, Bowatenna, Rantambe, Kotmale and
Randenigala. He needs to stay on top of things at all hours and calls home
are vital in case of breakdown or other emergencies.
Our DGM moved residence to a house close to the Odeon Cinema. Not far
away from his old home. That was almost a year ago, and despite letters
sent by him for the past nine months, his official home 'phone stays at
Trincomalee Street. Mind, the CEB pays the bill for this official 'phone.
Now, our power boss says, he is kept in the dark. He cannot be contacted
by any of the power stations after hours. Does it really take up to a year
to transfer a 'phone in this country?
Peace, and meditation
The Kandy Buddhist Organization is trying
to complete the building of an Aramaya and wishes to enclose ten acres
of land at Ambekotte on the Digana Road, which is a peaceful and serene
meditation centre. As KBO President Dr. Nihal Karunaratne said, this place
of meditation is unique since it now serves 110 Buddhist families in the
immediate vicinity. The Dhamma School that functions there is for both
Buddhist and Tamil children. No distinctions exist whatsoever. Sinhalese
and Tamil children learn together and, so far, nine Tamil boys have earned
Merit Certificates in the practice of meditation.
KBO Treasurer, V. Rajapakse, said that what pervades is the atmosphere
of harmony and loving kindness to all, while Secretary P.G. Amarasena,
on a more practical note said that the ten acres need to be fenced if only
to preserve the peaceful atmosphere of the place. The Ambekotte Meditation
Centre has, as its patron, Ven. Rahula of the Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya,
and it is a branch of the University Forest Hermitage and Meditation Centre
at Bowalawatte at the crest of the Heerassagalla Road, Kandy.
Dr. Nihal appeals to all generous people to help in the completion of
the Ambekotte Aramaya and in the wire fencing of the area. We need up to
eight lakhs to complete the Aramaya and up to Rs. 110,000 for the wire
fencing. This is a very important work that the KBO is doing and we rely
on the help we receive."
May I exhort readers to contribute. Cheques can be made out to either
the President, Secretary or Treasurer, the Kandy Buddhist Organization,
and addressed to the Kandy Buddhist International Meditation Centre, Heerassagalla
Road, Bowalawatte, Kandy.
Enforced Closure
Traders and shopkeepers in Kandy are alarmed
at the way things are shaping up, when they can be ordered to close their
premises at short interval and for reasons they find wholly unrealistic
and unreasonable.
On Monday, January 25, vehicles carrying loudspeakers simply cruised
the streets. Orders were given that all shops must close at 1 p.m. Reason?
It was the one-year anniversary of the Maligawa bombing. I was a witness
to the enforcement of this order:
"Meka vahanta oney!" This was said as if as a threat, and
especially outside Muslim and Hindu establishments. At the Municipal Junction,
one shopkeeper said he had to wait till his daughter returned from school.
The reaction was an angry, "Vahanavada? Nethnam api vahantada?"
The thing is, who gave licence to enforce such orders? Was it the Police...
or the Municipality.... or the Mayor.... or the Chief Minister?
what was intended was a 'sathyakriya', an assembly of monks and citizens
who would mark the anniversary with religious observances. It plunged Kandy
into chaos. Every shop was asked to fly a Buddhist flag or a yellow flag,
while very evident were the posters purportedly issued by an organisation
styling itself the Sinhala Veera Vidhana. The posters read: "Deya
Vadamu, Sinhalayini Ekamuthu Venu."
One would think that the day would have been marked by (a) religious
observances and (b) ceremonies of thanksgiving that, despite the LTTE,
the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha remains miraculously unharmed.
Why was this reduced to a carnival of sorts? And what did it profit
the very image of Buddhism to bombard the town with loudspeakers playing
ghastly music, pollute the streets with jingoistic posters and make the
occasion some sort of lever for bigoted groups to flex their muscles? And
what was the reason for the demand to close shops.
On "Rupavahini" in coverage of the event, it was said that
all shops closed as a mark of respect. But was this voluntary? Ay, there's
the rub!
Also, from what we have so far seen, this "Ekamuthu" business
is far from ever happening.
Nothing is more painful than to realise that all over, the "Sinhalayini"
are locking horns, fighting each other while Prabhakaran is doubtless laughing
his silly head off!
January 25, 1998 was a black day for Kandy. A day of shame. Is this
a day to be celebrated or a day to be marked by prayer.
All these public pyrotechnics makes one wonder what possesses our people
at times!
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