I read with much interest the feature article 'Whither education?,
'Small rural schools neglected' (Thoughtful glimpses) published
recently.
I sincerely believe that the proposal is very practical, will lead to
a viable solution and hence should attract the immediate attention of
the relevant authorities.
A couple of weeks ago, soon when I read the report about the survey
results of rural schools conducted by the Ministry of Education, I
visited the website of the Ministry and sent emails to three top
officials, inquiring of how and where we can get a copy of the full
report. Unfortunately, I haven't received any reply to these inquiries
so far.
My purpose was to get an idea of the geopgraphical areas scattered
with such neglected schools and call for project propsals to develop, at
least, several selected schools.
Everytime when I hear about meaningless and time-wasting students'
struggles spread all over university campuses in Sri Lanka, I think why
we cannot encourage our university students to engage themselves in more
meaningful activities by which a vast amount of junior students in rural
areas will be benefited.
As a whole, Sri Lanka lacks the much needed level of civic
participation in nation-building activities.
The DN feature article boldly addresses this question by stating "Let
us not leave it just only to the Government of the day. All of us as
responsible citizens must play a significant role in this most important
aspect of our national development".
As an expatriate Sri Lankan engaged in education field, I would like
to be personally involved in such a project and share my ideas and
experience with fellow Sri Lankans.
Japan has a lot of experience in civic participation in school
development. As a faculty member of a university and also working as the
Head of Students' Affairs, I can bring not only my experience but also
some Japanese students or citizens to any rural school in Sri Lanka if
it contributes to the revitalisation of such a village even in a small
way.
However, the most important is the proactive involvement of parents,
teachers, provintial secretaries and volunteers as the article mentions.
I further suggest that your newspaper take the initiative to spread
the concept introdced by the writer of this article and to contribute to
the nation building process in a new way.
DR. DILEEP CHANDRALAL, Japan
The recent statement issued to the press by Rt. Rev. Duleep de
Chickera, Bishop of Colombo, on account of the events connected with the
liberation of the Eastern Province from the LTTE is punctuated by subtle
comments and statements that could be construed to question the present
Government's current drive to free the country from the scourge of
terrorism.
At the very outset, the statement maintains that the 'Recent
escalation of the war agenda and the war euphoria through special
commemorative events is cause for concern'. It must be pointed out that
the use of terminology in this statement by the respected Bishop of
Colombo is quite out of context to the actual situation in Sri Lanka.
The term war is generally used to describe a situation where two
countries are fighting each other. This normally happens due to the
avarice or vanity of the rulers of two subject countries and therefore
the civilised world always look down upon war as an unnecessary and a
costly aberration or a tantrum which should well be avoided.
War begets misery and as the Rev. has pointed out, there are no
winners in a 'war'. But the question is do we really have 'war' in the
correct sense of the word in Sri Lanka?
In Sri Lanka, the Security Forces are only striving to free part of
its territory usurped by a despot and his gang labeled the world over as
the most ruthless terror group.
This is nothing but the legitimate job of the Security Forces of any
State to maintain peace and order.
The use of the term 'war' to describe the Sri Lankan scenario was
introduced to the media and eventually to the household through the
propaganda of the pro-LTTE NGOs in this country to indirectly condemn
every move made by the country's Security Forces to weaken and contain
the LTTE military power. The factual position is that Sri Lanka is not
even having a civil war where two communities, or two denominations, as
in the case of Northern Ireland, are constantly at each others throat.
The palpable reality in Sri Lanka, devoid of all that rhetoric, is
that this terrorist outfit called the LTTE has been holding part of the
country and its people to ransom during the past 30 plus years, while
creating much mayhem and untold misery to the country at large and to
the subject community in particular. This terror group has prevented the
writ of the democratically elected Government being administered in that
part of the country considered to be under 'LTTE control'.
However, strangely enough some sections of the media and also certain
NGOs funded by powerful Christian countries, pontificating 'peace' have
justified the activities, covertly and overtly, of this terror group on
the grounds of perceived historical grievances.
This has been happening for the past 30 years despite the fact that
the world community has reiterated again and again that no cause,
however holy, could be espoused by the use of violent means in its
pursuance.
This subtle justification lead to a prolonged conflict situation
inflicting economic and human casualties that a little country like Sri
Lanka could ill-afford. Hence after 30 years of this so called
liberation armed struggle, we find that the very community in whose name
the struggle was launched stand asunder and the country at large in
peril.
The only persons who have benefited from this exercise are the LTTE
terror leaders and the NGO activists who have promoted this conflict in
thae name of 'peace'.
In such a context, when the Government is doing its utmost to rid
this country of this unfortunate situation, it would be incomprehenisble
of the Bishop of Colombo to issue statements condemning what the Forces
are engaged in at the cost of their very lives just as 'war agenda'.
It should be borne in mind that it is because of what the Forces have
been able to accomplish during the past so many years despite 'LTTE
strengthening agendas', that we in this part of the country are able to
live in comparative peace.
Another ruse adopted by pro-LTTE propagandists is to propagate that
it is not a 'military solution' but a 'political solution' that will
finally solve this vexed issue.
Problems or issues in this world could not be separated as those
requiring military solutions and those requiring political solutions. In
the current Sri Lankan context, the people in this country can enjoy
political freedom only if the Forces are able to guard against military
incursions within and without the country and also only if the Police
are able to maintain the law and order.
If the Forces and the Police are thwarted, physically or morally, in
the discharge of their duties, anarchy would set in, and that precisely
is what has happened in Sri Lanka. The paradox however is that anarchy
is promoted in the name of 'peace'.
To believe that Prabhakaran could be sorted out with a political
solution is to be unrealistically optimistic bordering on naivety. A man
who has been used, all his life, to brute force and terror means to
accomplish his ends would be a fish out of water in a democratic set up.
This type of demogogues are just used to having their own way and then
dying also their own way. Hitler is a good example.
The Armed Forces were on the verge of thrashing Prabha and his gang
at Vedamarachchi in 1986. Only about 200 people had died then. However
since then we have had a number of international and national 'Peace
agreements' and 'political solutions' over the years but more people
have died and the country had been rocked almost off its balance.
The death toll today stands at 70,000 and the more powerful the LTTE
becomes, the more the number of deaths would be due to this conflict.
The liberalist can indulge in their own political ideologies as a past
time but we can no longer allow them to experiment their political
theories at such prohibitive cost to this country and its people in the
name of 'political' or even 'divine' solutions.
What was the 'political solution' that brought the JVP and its gun
totting band of youth to the mainstream politics?
Worst still is when those who die happens to be the poor youth of
this country while the English educated elite could try one political
theory after another for the consumption of their international masters.
Hence this appeal is made in earnest to the NGO community and the
Church not to align legitimate Security Forces action with 'war' and
ruthless terror with 'peace'.
PALITHA SENANAYAKE
Dr. D. S. A. Wijesundara's interesting article (DN July 16) about the
Botanic Gardens of Sri Lanka has revealed a hitherto unknown aspect, to
us laymen, at least, of their valuable contribution to the progress of
our nation.
The role played by the gardens in the development of the plantation
industry, the research in conservation and bio-diversity and in various
other fields must surely be among the greatest contributions for the
enrichment of our lives.
The National Herbarium with a collection of some 132,000 specimens at
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya speaks volumes of its excellence.
I remembered reading somewhere, that of some two thousand odd botanic
gardens in the world, fewer than ten are named as 'Classic Botanic
Gardens' and the Peradeniya Garden is one of them. I am unaware what
this signified, though. The vision to make the Royal Botanic Gardens the
finest in the tropics by 2015 is no mere pipe dream. This would happen -
that's for sure.
ASOKA WEERAKOON, Kandy
The bus service under the above route no. which was operated by the
Ratmalana and Talangama Depots of the SLCTB from Mount Lavinia to
Rajagiriya via Galle Road, Dickman Road (now Lester James Peiries
Mawatha) and Kirula Road was abandoned several years ago with the
so-called peopllisation programme of the previous regime.
Although representations have been made after the SLTB was
re-established to restore the above service, no action has so far been
taken in this regard. If this service is resumed, it will be of immense
benefit especially to office workers travelling from Galle Road to
Narahenpita as far as Nawala and those visiting Asiri and Appalo
Hospitals as well as children attending St. Paul's Milagiriya and
Isipathana Vidaylaya.
There are not even private buses operating on this route.
Narahenpita and its adjoining areas have developed during the last
decade and several new offices have been established. However, the bus
service to Narahenpita is far from adequate.
As the SLTB fleet has now been strengthened with the addition of many
new buses, I trust this matter will receive due consideration of the
Minister of Transport and the SLTB.
H. W. GOONESEKERA, Panadura
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