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I refer to the letter by Tim Parritt, the Deputy Director, AI Asia
Pacific Programme published in the daily news on April 19. (Tim Parritt
of Amnesty International play by the rules call).
He is trying to defend the AI's attempt to politicise Cricket and
cause mental agony to the Sri Lankan cricketers by their 'Play by the
rules' cricket ball signing campaign at the World Cup.
I ask Tim Parritt to carry out a survey after April 28 from our World
Cup delegation to determine the impact of their campaign on the morale
of our team and consequently their performance.
AI should play by the rules and pay compensation, if their action has
caused mental anguish and damaged the morale of the team. Golf is
acknowledged as a one hundred per cent mental game. International
Cricket is no different and this accounts for nearly three thousand
cricket fans signing an online petition condemning the AI action.
AI acknowledges the following actions taken by the Government.
. To appoint Mahinda Samarasinghe, an efficient Minister with many
years of experience at ILO, in charge of Human Rights.
. Appoint a Human Rights Commission.
. Appoint an Independent International Group of eminent persons to
observe the working of the Human Rights Commission, I believe the
Government of Sri Lanka has gone further than the Governments of any
other country to play by the rules.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been a champion of Human Rights
throughout his political career and has the services of a Foreign
Secretary and Head of the Peace Secretariat with many years of
experience in international organisations to advise him.
AI should focus on maintaining close relations with the Minister in
charge of Human Rights and the Head of the Peace Secretariat, without
taking the ball into its own hand and trying this type of campaign with
an ulterior motive.
The Government of Sri Lanka is defeating the LTTE terrorists
(residents of Northern Province of Sri Lanka) to restore Democracy and
the Human Rights of the people of the Eastern Province.
Fighting the most ruthless and best-organised terrorist group in the
world is a difficult task, playing by the rules meant for democratic
countries. More people die in one month in Iraq or Afghanistan than in
one year in Sri Lanka, partly because of the limited experience of US
and British Forces in dealing with terrorist organisations.
The Government is restoring the infrastructure and re-settling the
people displaced because of the action taken to clear the Eastern
Province from the LTTE terrorists who treated their abducted teenage
Eastern cadres as cannon fodder.
Cricket is a uniting force in Sri Lanka, as evident from the
composition of the Cricket team. The Cricket loving public has lost all
respect for AI.
They will not allow AI to station even one observer in Sri Lanka
until they forget this attempt by AI to spoil our chances of winning the
World Cup.
LAL DE Mel,
via email
----
Since of late the Daily News commenced publishing in its front page
the photo feature Lassana Sri Lanka, spotlighting rare scenic facets of
little known places and fascinating pictures of our beautiful island
home.
The Daily News is to be congratulated on this innovative feature and
one hopes that many more captivating bright scenic pictures will
continue to follow, since a kind nature has been lavish in bestowing
these free gifts to us. A glance at these pictures in the morning serves
as an invigorating tonic to frayed nerves and also result in less stress
in one's life.
If these are portrayed in a larger format they will certainly enhance
their value. Living in the midst of brutal murders committed day in day
out and the heinous crimes of unspeakable horror that seem to be the
order of the day. One needs solace and comfort in whatever form to
lessen the impact they have on our lives. These serene pictures perform
an admirable service in this regard.
The picture that appeared on July 25 - Friendly Sambur at Horton
Plains, captured by A. J. W. Gunaratne's camera is a classic picture,
clearly showing the close affinity between a denizen of the forest and a
lover of animals, as it is seen that the Sambur is fearlessly tip-toeing
to snatch the morsel of food field out for it, it's a picture that
should occupy a prominent place in the picture galaxy of Lassana Sri
Lanka.
BEN COREA.
Wattala
---
This is a wonderful start that you have taken in arranging the
beautiful places to be seen and to be available to the people who are
awaiting to see the beauty of Sri Lanka.
Please let me know also a way of capturing these pictures or photos
of your collection.
I thank you once again for this wonderful opportunity given to
everybody.
M. A. AMARASENA,
via email
----
I read the Daily News daily during my lunch break and after you
started this feature I always save the 'photograph at my desk top.
Though I am physically in US with my family, my heart is in Sri Lanka.
Seeing these pictures in the morning when I start my computer makes
me feel a little closer to my Lassana country, which will always be my
home.
MALKANTHI SILVA,
via email
----
I love this. Doing a great job. Well written and the pictures are
amazing. Makes me want to go home and find all my old pictures when I
was there. I love it and looking forward to the next one.
AMALI FERDINAND,
via email
----
At a time when public criticism is rampant about the lethargy and
indifference of the public service to problems of the general public, I
wish to bring to your notice the exceptional manner in which the present
Director of Pensions gave me relief.
The revision of my pension in terms of the recent circular was messed
up by the relevant Divisional Secretariat.
I appealed to the Director of Pensions regarding this matter. He
rectified the error within a matter of three weeks and informed me
accordingly. I would have lost nearly Rs. 300 monthly by way of pension,
if not for the timely intervention of Mr. Thilakarathna, Director of
Pensions.
I am grateful to him for the timely and expeditious action taken to
rectify my pension anomaly, and on behalf of the thousands of pensioners
who have slaved for the country for periods of 3 to 4 decades I thank
him profusely.
He is a model public servant and is the ideal person for the post of
Director of Pensions.
G. WEERAKOON,
Rajagiriya
----
I think the blame should lie with the people who design our roads!
When a road is constructed, they should divide the road putting a
barrier in the middle like some (not like Colombo Airport Road) parts of
Galle Road. Then no head on collision can happen! (Reference DN April
17)
So I think who ever gets affected by a head on the collision on road
must make a criminal prosecution against the Minister-in-charge of roads
and highways, respective departments and the local authorities in that
areas for neglecting proper due care and attention to the road users!
DONALD FERNANDO,
UK, via email
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Constructing an expressway through the heart of the Kandyan territory
for the benefit of a few affluent people (as they would be the ones
capable of paying a toll and going at break neck speed) would have a
disastrous effect on the natural environment, whilst robbing the poor
Kandyan villager of his precious ancestral lands.
They are already reeling under the adverse effects of the Waste Lands
Ordinance enacted during colonial times.
It has to be borne in mind that while the population increases, the
land does not correspondingly increase in size. Consequently we cannot
waste lands on expressways for the benefit of the 'stressed up affluent'
which would be hardly of any use to the less prosperous majority.
Can the ordinary man, who comprises the majority, expect to use these
highways with high speeding luxury vehicles paying a toll?
The destruction of temples, virgin forests, the streams and
waterways, the traditional villages, coupled with the air pollution
caused by vehicular traffic will only add more problems. At this crucial
hour, there is so much concern about global warming and alarm bells are
being sounded even in industrialised Western countries.
In addition, it should be noted that this sort of activity would be
politically unwise, as it would aggravate the landlessness of the
Kandyan peasantry causing dissatisfaction among a sizeable section of
the population, whose votes do certainly matter.
J. C. BOANGE,
Rajagiriya |
