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Since the Tiger Terrorist propaganda was launched in the 80s and also
during the last Presidential elections, some of the Church organisations
were promoting the idea that the Sinhalese Buddhists and President
Rajapaksa were anti-Christian.
In the election campaign President Rajapaksa and his electoral
alliance was dubbed as 'hardliners' to give the impression that the
minority communities and the religious groups are under threat.
However, Sri Lanka being primarily a Buddhist country is a good
example where there is religious tolerance as well as religious
co-existence. This is the opinion of the unbiased as against the agents
of misinformation.
The banning of the film 'Da Vinci Code' in deference to the wishes of
the Church representatives, when the majority of the Christian nations
have allowed the screening is a very good opportunity for the
anti-Buddhist elements to speak through the main churches to the West
about the ground realities in Sri Lanka.
As a member of a Sri Lankan organisation in Australia which met the
members of the Christian churches and members of the Parliament to
clarify the situation in Sri Lanka when some of the churches in
Australia were spreading a story that in Sri Lanka 'the Christians were
persecuted and the churches were burnt', I can confirm that there is
belief among some of the Christians in the West that Sri Lanka is
anti-Christ. As many informed readers would agree, the LTTE
disinformation machinery along with some of the Christians have been
spreading lies in the West to woo the church goers so as to support
LTTE's terrorism.
The World Council of Churches, a number of Christian NGOs and Human
Rights groups regularly lobby members of the UN and other world bodies
covertly and overtly to support the LTTE struggle and also to raise
monies for 'charities' in the North.
In short, the Church in the West is one of the most formidable
platforms for the Terrorist LTTE to spread its gospel and also to
tarnish the name especially of Sinhala Buddhists and Sri Lankans
generally. Some even are of the view that the interested groups in the
Church are providing the space for the LTTE to gain the support of the
West to balkanize Sri Lanka.
Now that the President Rajapaksa has reconfirmed the Buddhist way of
understanding the concerns of religious groups, one would like the
Church to respond positively taking also into consideration the
generosity of the Sri Lankan Buddhists towards the Christian religion.
The Church should look into following aspects to get back the 'Lost
Paradise' on account of disinformation campaigns.
1. The just struggle of the Buddhists to restore their religion after
four centuries of rule by the Christians.
2. The determination of the Buddhists to protect their fellow men
from unethical conversions practised by some of the church groups.
3. The desire of the Buddhists to join hands with all others to
defeat terrorism and racist Tamil agenda.
The Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka awaits the Church to help win the
propaganda war against the Tiger Terrorists who are nurtured by the
church organisations in the West. I am of the view that if the church
decides to help Mother Lanka it will be a decisive step and the tide
will begin to turn.
The Western nations who create and manage the 'world opinion' need
the guidance of the church to comprehend the brutalities of the LTTE
terrorists in Sri Lanka. We hope that the Sri Lankan Christian Church
will act as a catalyst to bring about the desired change in the quest
for peace in Lanka.
RANJITH SOYSA,
Melbourne
The recent killings of nearly 64 bus commuters in Kebitigollewa in
Anuradhapura District and injuring of an equal number clearly shows that
the security arrangements for residents in vulnerable villages are
woefully inadequate. Perhaps, the setting up of what are called
'stationary pickets' by the security forces and Police cannot be done
due to lack of Security Personnel for deployment in strategic areas.
However, the paradox is that Government VVIPs, VIPs and many Senior
Government Officials tie up thousands of Police and Armed Services
personnel for their personal security in the 'south' of the country.
In these modern times, it is well known that security of VVIPs, VIPs
and others can be ensured more effectively with a lesser number of
personnel using 'state of the art' technology and improving the
'qualitative' component of the personnel rather than relying on safety
in numbers.
Therefore, if the politicians are genuinely concerned in the speedy
and effective protection of the vulnerable villages in the North Central
Province, they could for a start release the thousands of Security
Personnel that they tie up for quick deployment in the so called 'border
villages' of the country.
THEMIYA L. B. HURULLE,
Anuradhapura
Mr. President - No more concessions to LTTE barbarians, get tough
once and for all! They have done it again! Barbarians crying
discrimination. The Government should not be bending backwards any more.
Now it is the time to bomb them out of shape.
We should ignore international opinion because being 'nice' to these
animals is not paying off either way. They lie to the world and collect
money and destroy our country. All the barbarians should be finished
off. They got the Army Commander, now we lost one of our best and most
decorated Army Officers who was in line to be Commander-General Parami
Kulatunga. We will support you to finish them with all the fire power
you can get.
Get the help of Israel. If the Muslim community of Sri Lanka gets
agitated, remind them that we cannot shed any more blood to protect them
too. We like to remind the Muslim community that they too are suffering
ethnic cleansing in the hands of these animals. So, let the Government
deal with Israel and get their help. Enough is enough.
We should not look on any more. Why are the Tamils so silent! Only a
few speak up. Others suffer in silence and get the bullet in their back.
The Tamil community is suffering the most - innocent victims of deceit,
extortion and child conscription. To the politicians - shed your
differences and save our country.
Look ahead, we have children who wish to call Sri Lanka home. Don't
think of only yourselves, forget differences and unite against these
barbarians. Your next win at the elections will then be assured if that
is your main concern. Finally to all those traitors in the pay of the
LTTE. You should be facing a firing squad in public. How could you
betray your country for LTTE blood money!
A. D. S.,
USA
The people of this nation is in a helpless situation as far as the
prices of food items and other goods are concerned.
I say helpless, because while paying the increased prices that are
being introduced every now and then for various reasons what we receive
are smaller in sizes, specially in regard to 'eatables'. When the price
of the flour or fuel goes up hoteliers increase the prices of hoppers,
string hoppers, rotti', etc. and we buy them cursing to ourselves. But,
such items become thinner in sizes or rather lesser in weight than they
usually are.
In 'thosa' boutiques, all sorts of 'wades' 'thosai' then the 'bonda'
and string hoppers too are reduced in sizes.
Those days a big fried chicken was between Rs. 150 or Rs. 200. Now
the price has been gradually raised upto 100 or 150 per cent and the
size of the chicken decreases to the size of a pigeon. Even the bakers
reduce the sizes of the bread, bun, cakes and other pastries while
increasing the prices. This system is just continuing with no authority
to question such unscrupulous businessmen.
One can imagine how angry a customer will be to receive a low weight
item having paid a high price?
It is time for the authorities to make it a law for all the items
mentioned above to have a standard weight. In the case of a fried
chicken too, it should be sold according to the weight of it. If
traders, bakers and hoteliers are not kept under control, it is the
Government of the day that would be hated by the citizens. If
businessmen can demand more by the 'blessings' of the Government why
cannot the latter command that every item should have the stipulated
weight?
Raids should be done continuously to nab such blood suckers with a
warning of cancelling the business licence if caught for the forth time.
NAZLY CASSIM,
Colombo 13
The collision of the Matara bound train with the power set was a
blatant violation of safety rules. According to a statement made by the
General Manager Railways, this practice of taking the second train to
the occupied line has been done in the past. Railway safety rules cover
normal working as well as abnormal working.
The Locomotive driver of the second train should have being advised
of his been admitted to a occupied line at the previous station. The
home signal at Kalutara South should have been at danger.
After the train stopped, it should have been hand signalled. A
flagman with a red flag should have protected the train on the platform.
An accident of this nature happened at Kurunegala some years back. The
Batticaloa mail train was occupying the platform line.
Talaimannar mail which was following came against signal and
collided. There were over twenty deaths.
Investigations revealed that the driver had fallen asleep. Station
Master Wellawa at the previous station was also at fault for giving the
tablet without ascertaining from Kurunegala whether the platform line
was free.
B. B. PERERA,
Ratmalana |
