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I am checking all the newspapers, and websites on the Buttala cold
blooded Tiger terrorist attack and the massacre of innocent farmers in
Buttala and Thanamalwila.
I have discovered that the Peace Corporations who run to file FR
petitions have been deaf and mute and they have failed to condemn these
specific LTTE terrorists’ attack.
I have not seen the Royal Norwegian Embassy condemning and calling
the LTTE terrorists to desist from violating human rights. I have not
seen the local Colombo Seven English educated, English speaking
Norwegian and other foreign funded civil rights spokesmen condemning
these attacks or making an effort to visit these poor, impoverished
villagers or file FRs against Velupillai Prabhakaran yet demanding that
people have a right to secure and safe conduct of their lives without
being harmed by terrorist bombs.
R. G. GUNASEKERA – Mihirigama
I am often compelled by force of circumstances to travel to Colombo
and back using public transport. As complained by many of your readers,
travelling in private buses, particularly as a standing passenger, is
hazardous and time consuming. One ends up with a frozen shoulder long
before the expected arrival time.
The plea made by bus owners to raise the bus fares needs to be
carefully studied for the cost profile in the light of the manner of
issuing of tickets or as often happens in the non-issue of tickets, by
bus conductors.
Those private bus conductors who issue tickets do so by issuing
tickets haphazardly irrespective of the fare tendered, often issuing
tickets of face value exceeding the fare paid, thus making the exercise
a complete farce.
Many others do not issue tickets. This goes to show that the bus crew
pockets the money collected after giving back to the bus owner a fixed
sum agreed between the two parties.
This means that the fares collected could be far in excess of actual
costs and the profit margin as the bus owners would not put the buses on
the road unless it is highly profitable.
DR. LEO FERNANDO – Pelawatte
What on earth was the purpose of the programme on ‘animal
slaughtering’ aired on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 night over a private
TV channel? This question becomes more relevant especially because it
was televised at a time when the country is bleeding due to the
devastating ethnic conflict which has brought nothing but misery to
people from every community.
It is common knowledge that animal slaughtering, especially
slaughtering cows, remains a very sensitive issue among certain sections
of the Sinhalese Buddhist community. This issue is bound to generate
hatred within communities.
Thus the inevitable question is why a television network would raise
such an issue which could put Sinhalese against Muslims. The need of the
hour is for TV stations to use their powerful medium of communication to
bring about peace and harmony in the country.
A Muslim was asked during this programme for his comments on animal
slaughtering as if only they slaughter animals. No such question was
posed to any non-Muslim who too slaughter not only cows but goats, sheep
and pigs.
Immediately after a Muslim explained on the phone what the Holy Quran
stated about the treatment of animals slaughter came a gory video film
showing the extremely cruel manner a cow was slaughtered.
Deliberately or otherwise this video clip, appeared to have been
produced especially for the programme, indirectly implied that that this
is the manner the Muslims slaughter animals and thus conveyed a
distorted and dangerous image to the non-Muslim viewers. Contrary to the
cruel images depicted on this private TV channel, Muslims do not
slaughter animals in such a manner.
Instead Islam has clearly and specifically stated the method to be
adopted and the type of knives to be used in slaughtering animals
causing the minimum possible pain.
The severing of the carotid artery which the method involves causes
the animal to die a rather painless death as this particular artery
supplies blood to the brain and its severing causes a natural
anesthesia.
It has been proved time and again that the Islamic method of
slaughter is the most humane method of slaughtering compared to other
methods such as stun gun for cattle commonly followed in the so-called
civilized west.
Also slaughtering animals for food is not something done by all and
sundry as only Muslims who have been trained in the field and strictly
abide by the rules laid down in Islam when taking the lives of animal
for food, are permitted to carry out the slaughter.
Every time the topic of animal slaughtering crops up, the spotlight
is turned on the Muslims who are projected as villains as if the entire
non Muslim population in the country and the world were harmless pure
vegetarians.
There are around 55 Muslim countries in the world and all of them
slaughter animals for the consumption of their people. No Muslim country
slaughters animal as an industry for exports unlike the so-called
civilized west that kills them for controlling market prices and for
pleasure. Like Muslims, Jews also slaughter animals for consumption.
The entire Christian world eats meat and some of these special meat
items constitute an extremely indispensable part of their special
traditional Christmas dish. The Christian world starting from United
States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Holland, Scandinavian and other
countries in Europe, from Australia to New Zealand slaughters millions
of cows, goats and pigs year in and year out for export and domestic
consumption.
To these countries meat industries and meat exports which provide
jobs for millions constitute an extremely important part of their
national economies involving billions in export earnings.
Did this TV channel ever produce a programme on this meat industry in
the non Muslim countries? No! Did any animal lover in this country
object to the large scale slaughter of animals in these meat exporting
countries? No! Did any of them write to these countries asking them not
to slaughter but be kind to animals? No! Did any of them raise this
issue with diplomatic missions of these countries? They restrict their
compassion only to local animals and that too only to cows as if other
animals such as goats and pigs were without life. Once again it is the
conditioned mindset moulded against Muslims who are easy prey in the
local media, especially in the absence of an organised Muslim media that
might put across their views to educate the masses on the Muslim bashing
that we see too often in the media.
It is therefore not unreasonable when Muslims suspect that
unnecessary programmes on animal slaughtering are nothing but an
extension of the Jewish engineered Anglo-American media campaign against
Islam and Muslims. The pressing need of the island today is to seek
means to end the ethnic war and stop the slaughter of human beings
before we think of animals.
LATHEEF FAROOK
A conference note issued by the Public Adm. Ministry dated May 07,
2007 confirms that :-
1) The Minister stated that pension receipts hitherto issued to
pensioners together with their pension payments should be restored
forthwith;
2) Issue of pension receipts was stopped as a measure to save
Government expenditure and extra work involved;
3) Accordingly, the Director of Pensions was directed by the
Minister, that the issue of pension receipets be made compulsory. FR.
Appln, No. 352/2006 filed by Kesbewa Government Pensioners’ Association
was settled by the Supreme Court on the understanding given by the
authorities, that the pension receipts issue will be restored forthwith.
The Director of Pensions by his circular No. 10/2006 (II) of May 07,
2007 instructed Divisional Secretaries to commence the issue of
pensioners’ receipts to all pensioners in deference to request made by
pensioners’ associations and senior citizens.
This decision is implemented faithfully by the Colombo Kachcheri
Divisional Secretariat without a breach for we know from those who draw
pensions from that office.
However, it is not the case with the Maharagama Divisional
Secretariat. Their convenient interpretation is that in cases where
variations occur only, they would issue receipts. For instance my net
pension credited to Bank varies from month to month due to substantial
deductions made on account of PSMPA and GOBA. But I am not posted with
receipts for me to ensure that no over recoveries are made by these
lending institutions. What is in practice is in affront to S.C.
settlement. It appears that hapless pensioners are taken for a ride.
Will the Minister look into this travesty of his authority
undermining the undertaking to Pensioners’ Associations and directive
given to officials?
W. SAMARANAYAKE - Maharagama Government
Pensioners’ Assn.
I watched the TV programme on Rupavahini recently where ambassador
Warnakulasuriya appeared in, with great enthusiasm. What the learned
ambassador had achieved in a short period of two months in Italy, as our
Ambassador is remarkable indeed. I can appreciate it as I have lived in
Western countries for many years.
Due to inefficiency, lack of self-confidence and lethargy of some of
our diplomats, our adversaries and enemies took advantage and
established themselves in foreign countries to work against us.
President Rajapaksa made the right choice by appointing
Warnakulasuriya to this challenging and prestigious position, even
though he was not a career diplomat. Mr. President, we need more people
like him to lead Sri Lankan missions overseas in this crucial time for
the country. I am happy that he is going to be like a ‘father’ to Sri
Lankans in Italy. His ‘road shows’ will give them an opportunity to meet
him personally. I am sure it will be an opportunity for us to realise
how valuable their(expatriate community) contributions to our country.
We want you to promote investments, tourism, cultural and sports
activities and friendly relations between Italy and Sri Lanka.
KIRTHI HEWAMANNE
An article in The Telegraph Group London 2008, by Patrick Hennessy
and Laura Donnelly says “Gordon Brown (Prime Minister of Britain) has
thrown his weight behind a move to allow hospitals to take organs from
dead patients without explicit consent.... that such a facility would
save thousands of lives and that he hopes such a system can start this
year”. This approach is modelled on that of Spain which has the highest
proportion of organ donors in the world.
It is earnestly hoped that this decision will catch up the world over
and give hopes to sufferers who could be cured without prolonging their
agony, if this is legalised. Sri Lanka too should consider passing such
legislation and could be assured that the people will endorse such a
move as ours is a Buddhist country where such donations are considered
meritorious.
This could be proved by the large number who have donated their eye
cornias and blood donations. There would be of course objections from
those of other faiths who cling on to religious myths that on the
judgement day, the dead will rise in his original form as he was in
earth at the time of death.
Those of the Islamic faith, as we know they resist postmortem
examinations and so are Christians, specially the Catholics, who are not
allowed to cremate the dead, unless permission is obtained from the
Vatican, as in the case of C.V. Gooneratne, who died at the hands of the
LTTE as reported.
It is hoped that Minister of Healthcare Siripala de Silva, takes up
this question and get Cabinet approval, legalising it.
G. A. D. SIRIMAL - Boralesgamuwa
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