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Media reports stated that the Chinese President Hu Jintao has said
that China wants Sri Lanka to remain a unitary nation and will act
strongly against the separatist LTTE.
That indeed is the best shot in the arm given to us in public by the
closest and the most powerful nation in this part of the world.
It is a pity that the Government has not made any attempt to
cultivate the friendship of Russia. This is the International Community
that we the national patriots of this country define. They are China,
Pakistan, Iran, Russia and all our neighbouring countries except India.
It is only traitors in the pay of the local NGOs sponsored by the
anti-national political parties, and or in the pay of INGOs and even
some foreign Governments that say we have an ethnic problem.
Those who are not traitors but keep repeating that we have an ethnic
problem are people who have heard those words repeated so many times
that they have now come to believe in them. They are mere simpletons of
no value.
It is evident to the whole world that our President has conquered the
hearts and minds of the Tamils and Muslims who have been liberated from
the LTTE. It will be a much simpler task to liberate those in the
Northern Province. None of these people want devolution.
We can confirm that when local elections are held in the two
provinces after the remnants of the LTTE are driven out and are welcomed
by the International Community as defined by the NGOs and the likes but
not the US that is sharp enough not to admit allies of Al-Queda and add
more problems to their national security.
The above is the reasoning to show that that there is only one
solution and that solution is the military solution. Let those who
disagree give their reasons so that we could have a meaningful
discussion.
L. JAYASOORIYA,
via email
This morning, I read an article online the Daily News site on Dr.
Pathiraja's film 'In search of a road. (Reference DN Feb. 27) It has
left me incredibly sad that a work of beauty, gentle questioning and
sorrow could be interpreted with such rancorous intent. The review
skewed the film so much that I almost didn't recognise it.
I attended the showing of the film in Carlton, Melbourne on February
14. The film was a humanistic view of the conflict through an artist's
lenses.
The film opened with a question taken from Gramsci: "Who are the
people?" This is what this film set out to do; it examined the stories
of the people who live day to day through conflict, the stories we don't
hear or see when we are constantly trying to argue about who is right
and who is wrong. It sought to humanise what is a deeply dehumanised
conflict.
Perhaps making the film was a political act. But the reviewer argues
that Pathiraja is a political film maker producing a 'Tamil' propaganda
film. Yet, the film included the violence created by both sides - for
example, Pathiraja featured the LTTE suicide bombings of the Sri Dalada
Maligawa and the Central Bank.
As a Sinhalese person, I did not feel that the Sinhalese were
demonised in the film. Others with whom I discussed the film did not
report feeling demonised. Rather, they reported that it was balanced and
moving. Tamil people who attended also expressed this sentiment. If this
is troubling to the reviewer then he really needs to look deep within
his soul to understand why it troubles him so.
Most disturbingly, the reviewer accuses anyone who dares to have an
alternative voice or viewpoint as being a 'brown sahib' or a traitor to
the Sinhalese nation. The problem is, that he does not take a moment to
listen to those view points.
If he did, he would know that these voices do not in anyway claim
that "the Sinhala majority had no right to upset the privileged colonial
way of life by demanding that they be given a place." This was an absurd
assertion and in no way reflected the content of the film.
After complaining about the Tamil people who have migrated (what this
has to do with the film I am not sure) and gladly take up other
languages while complaining about Sri Lanka, the review then becomes an
all out denunciation of Pathiraja, who is attributed with sentiments
that are simply false.
I did not perceive any endorsement of "..the Orwellian concept that
guaranteed Only to the Tamils a right to be more equal than others." Nor
does this film "present only the Tamil man as the victim." And the film
certainly is not pro-Tamil propaganda.
The film, as I and many others saw it, was an artist's sorrow about
the trauma, violence and grief plaguing a beloved country. He wanted to
look at the stories of people and connections between them.
Maybe this is a political act to even talk about these deeply human
themes. In his talk at the end of the movie screening, the gentle
Pathiraja refused to comment on politics, mentioning that was not his
interest or his intent. He said he was an artist. And what he presented
was an artist's rendering of a sorrow that is lodged deep within us all.
Is this so bad, so dangerous to the thinking patterns of people like
the reviewer? If so, we must truly question what we have become. As a
young woman of the Sri Lankan diaspora, it saddens me and scares me
deeply that these are the times we live in.
SAMANTHI,
via email
I wish to reply to Lalith Dharmasekera, President of the
Three-Wheeler Drivers' Association. I refer to his letter titled 'Attack
on Three-Wheeler Drivers baseless (DN April 6) in reply to mine (DN
26.12.2006) titled 'Three-Wheel mafia'.
It is the bad eggs in any profession who provide the stench. Likewise
bad eggs operating three-wheelers are causing the stench which
regretfully the Association has opted to apply a generous dab of scent
known as 'Angels Perfume' to ward off the stench that is spreading far
and wide.
Comparison is odious no doubt. Yet when I warned against the
possibility of the rise of another mafia, I did not mean the Association
headed by Mr. Dharmasekera was a mafia organisation.
When the private bus owners formed their Association, it was set up
with a host of good intentions and goodwill. Today it stands discredited
as an Association hijacked by the crew operating its buses. It is crew
indiscipline, thuggery and dishonesty that has made a mess of the
goodwill and good intentions envisaged by the bus owners.
My observations were made in good faith as it was my unfortunate
experiences with these drivers that I was articulating. And there are
hundreds who share my views and who have had frightful experiences at
the hands of these thugs.
Is it baseless or misleading to write of extortion, of down right
fleecing and humiliations one has to undergo at the hands of these
'Three-Wheeler Angels'? It is something that should be experienced
rather than brushed off as baseless or misleading.
The Association has still failed to inform the public the fare
payable for a kilometre, or is it with the approval of the Association
that we are compelled to pay Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 for a kilometre?
The logic of it is that three-wheelers fitted with Fare Meters charge
Rs. 30 per kilometre. Those operating without meters have the licence to
operate under the laws of the jungle. Is it the latter that the
Association is so keenly defending?
If the Association could educate its members that decency and
civilized conduct is a better option than extortion, indiscipline and
thuggery then we believe that the credibility of the Association will be
enhanced further. Otherwise its good intentions will be confined to four
walls and an air-conditioner. And the Three-Wheeler mafia will come to
stay.
It is not out of malice that prompts me to reply you Mr. Dharmasekera.
I respect your views though I can hardly agree with them, and I respect
what your Association is striving to do.
As a citizen I applaud your efforts, yet do not dismiss views of
others as baseless or misleading. May I conclude with the hope that all
your good intentions will not find a niche in the history of our
Nation's transport as yet another atrociously failed transport
Association.
N. D. CHANDRASEKERA,
Nugegoda
Were we at the same film Mr. Mahindapala?
Mr. Mahindapala has misrepresented the film grossly and has made a
baseless attack on a worthy Sri Lankan film maker. (Reference DN Feb.
27)
How sad that Mahindapala sits in his comfortable home in Melbourne,
Australia and spreads such propaganda about a man who has dedicated his
whole life to Sri Lanka and who lives and works there.
I hope Mr Mahindapala is willing to accept responsibility for any
harm done to Dr. Pathiraja. I was at the screening in Melbourne city
where Pathiraja explicitly stated that his was not a political film.
In fact, as a Sinhalese, I can tell you that this film was not
biased. Sentimental perhaps but not biased.
Mr. Mahindapala uses this film to promote his special brand of
nationalism that is not constructive in any way. Give it a rest Mr.
Mahindapala.
KAMALA,
via email
I certainly agree with the article on the lack of facilities.
(Reference DN March 5) even if I wanted to get to a cricket ground given
my medical condition, because there are no facilities (especially
toilet) for disabled people, I would rather stay at home and watch a
movie or DVD than actually seeing a good product on display live.
True, Clubs must make a profit, but that is not all.
RAJAN JEBAMONEY,
Australia, via email |
