|
It was reported that the LTTE is to remain on the EU blacklist (25
member block unanimously agreed) and that they are given 30 days to
appeal.
Coming orders direct from his majesty Prabhakaran on behalf of the
LTTE, I earnestly make this appeal to EU to reconsider their decision
for blacklisting the LTTE as a terrorist outfit considering our criminal
achievements (only 1 per cent is quoted here) since the ban of the LTTE
in EU countries.
Since the ban in the EU, we (the LTTE) committed:
- Bombing a civilian bus killing 68 people and maiming another
hundred (Kebithigollewa massacre);
- Bombing another convoy carrying unarmed navy personnel killing 100
and maiming many (Habarana massacre);
- Attempt on Army Commander Sarath Fonseka's life by using a pregnant
Tamil suicide bomber. We managed to kill many civilians;
- Attempt on Pakistani High Commissiner's life but missed the target
but killed many civilians;
- Attempt on Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's life again
missing the target and killing civilians;
- Closing the Mavil Aru anicut depriving water flowing to the 16,000
families;
- Attacked Muttur, a predominantly a Muslim area and ethnic cleansing
the Muslim population;
- Bombed two buses in Nittambuwa and another one in the Hikkaduwa
area killing hundreds of bus commuters;
- Bombing a bus and killing 16 civilians including women and children
and injuring 25 others in Amparai.
- Claymoremining a bus (24/4/07) carrying civilians from Mannar to
Colombo killing four and injuring 35 innocent civilians;
- Continuing our child conscription regardless;
- Killed our Tamil enemies including Kethiswera Loganathan;
- Killed a couple of our own Hindu clergy for supporting the
Government;
- Credit Card Scam both in UK and in Norway which have been one of
our main sources of income to buy weapons over the years but got caught
only last week;
- We have been successful in a scam selling fake passports to the
Norwegians and Australians;
- We nearly missed the ambassadors of USA, Spain, Italy and many VIPs
when we targeted their aircraft;
- We kill at least ten civilians and about twenty Army/Navy men
everyday;
Considering the above mentioned atrocities committed (only 1 per cent
of many) by the LTTE since it was banned in the EU, we believe that we
are more than qualified to appeal to you to reconsider taking the LTTE's
name from the EU terrorist list which we believe. (Special attention: EU
Embassies)
TIGER (KOTIYA)
----
I was quite saddened to read that the film Nidhanaya is gone forever.
It was an inspiration to me when I was preparing for my University
entrance examination offering Sinhala as a subject and was the subject
of many a robust intellectual tutorial in class. I have no doubt that it
enriched the minds of many of my generation who delved deep into English
and Sinhala literature as part of our academic courses.
Does this mean that other greats which were screened before Nidhanaya,
such as Rekhawa, Sandesaya and Parasathumal have also been destroyed?
The medium of cinema, like fine literature, is a mirror that reflects
cultural heritage. Having to let go Nidhanaya is like the United States
film industry having to destroy the only version of "To Kill a
Mockingbird".
These works are the legacy that we leave our children.
I am sure we are all confident that President Rajapaksa will take
action, as he usually does on important issues.
DR. RUWANTISSA ABEYRATNE,
via email
----
The Mass Media and Information Minister should have said most
appropriately that; no need of arresting Ranil Wickremesinghe as we are
destroying his main political ally Prabhakaran and its organisation the
LTTE who is engaged in terrorising the country for more than two decades
who kept the UNP in power! (Reference DN April 21) So, there is
absolutely no necessity to arrest jokers and traitors.
Once the LTTE is annihilated Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP will
have a natural death.
Nicky Karunaratne,
Australia, via email
---
According to the Budget proposals for the year 2007 supply of
electricity was exempted from VAT with effect from 1.1.2007.
This proposal was implemented and bills for the month of January 2007
was issued without the VAT which was a great relief specially to the
domestic consumers and it helped them to some extend to lessen the Cost
of Living. However, the Lanka Electricity Co., (Private) Ltd., has
announced the revised electricity tariffs effective from 1.2.2007 and
consumers using more than 60 units of electricity have to pay more as
the unit rate has been increased as follows:
1) 61 units to 90 units from Rs. 5.10 to Rs. 7.50 per unit
2) between 91 and 180 units from Rs. 12.10 to Rs. 14 per unit
More than 180 units from Rs. 17.30 to Rs. 19.80 per unit
Further the total electricity units are subjected to a 20 per cent
Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC) if the monthly consumption exceeds 90 kwh
whereas industrial consumers are exempted from this charge as well with
no revision of the unit rate as in the case of domestic consumers.
As a result of the above revision of the unit rate, the bills of most
domestic consumers in the above category will be more or less the same
as in December, 2006 or even more depending on the consumption as a part
of the VAT component has been indirectly added to the unit rate.
I therefore wish to request the Ceylon Electricity Board and other
authorities concerned to restore the unit rate which was in force in
January, 2007 without the VAT, so that all consumers get the full
benefit of the exemption of the VAT as assured in the Budget and thus
enabling a reduction of the electricity bills.
H. W. GOONESEKERA,
Panadura
----
Bobby Pereira (DN April 25) must be referring to Tuan Rasool's
misleading letter under the same heading on the March 29.
Tuan is claiming that Buddhism does not prohibit meat eating by
unfairly quoting from a beautiful article on Vinaya (Bhikku discipline)
written by Ajahn Brahmavamso, titled "What Buddha say about eating
meat".
I fully agree with Bobby that if a lay person considers himself a
Buddhist and if he is truly observing the first precept, he should
refrain from eating meat or fish. Meat and fish eaters may not be
killing the animals or fish by themselves but obviously they are aiding
and abetting the killer. Simply, it is like paying a contract killer to
do the dirty job for you.
So lay Buddhists should not try to hide behind a Vinaya rule the
Buddha laid down for monks and keep eating flesh. They should not offer
flesh to monks as Dana too.
Theoretically, it may be okay to eat the flesh of an animal which
died of natural causes or due to an accident. As you cannot know for
sure whether the animal died due to natural causes or due to sickness,
nobody will like to eat the flesh of such an animal. If the animal died
due to an accident, most probably you will not be able to eat its flesh
too as you will feel so sorry for the poor creature.
More than anything, purely for the sake of animals we all should stop
eating flesh. After all, Sri Lanka is full of various fresh vegetables,
legumes and grains.
We all will surely be able to survive without killing and eating poor
animals. Islam may be prohibiting pre-marital love affairs according to
Marina Reffai. (DN Feb. 27).
But in the modern world, how can a young person find a suitable life
partner without first getting to know that partner for some time?
Nowadays, the majority of young people do not like (quite correctly) to
spend the rest of their lives with 'strangers' found or arranged by
parents or elders.
So I don't see anything wrong in a love affair between two young
responsible adults. (Haven't you heard Netha Lowe An Rasanduna, Aadare
Men Suwa Dena - There is no more-comforting thing in the world than
LOVE.)
Of course pre-marital sex may still be a big No No.
Callista Perera,
via email |
