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Petty officer Bandara should be honoured well and truly for his act
of bravery to avert a disaster and saving hundreds of lives risking of
his own.
At the time of his heroic act, his children were attending a Daham
Pasela and in a matter of seconds they would have lost both parents.
Bandara is not only a hero, he is a role model to all of us.
That appears to me, he is not just a sailor, his respect for
religious values and bringing up his children in religious environment
is most adorable.
As an honour to his bravery, it is appropriate to set up a trust fund
for his children's education.
RANJITH CHANDRASEKERA,
Australia
All public events must be 'banned' until the terror threat is
diffused while diffusing a bomb here and spotting a claymore there may
not be the solution.
The terrorists will try their best to do something very, very big and
let's not have anything that 'big', whether a religious ceremony, school
event or another.
And let's go after the bad guys in a very calm and collected way, if
they come to 'public places' as transport centres, schools or any other
public place with the 'Security Committees'!
LALITH WEERASEKERA
We don't need to pray to heaven for saviours to be present in our
daily human life, as they are around.
Our tribute to you for being a saviour for thousands of human beings
and their family members all over Sri Lanka, who could have perished in
a possible catastrophe at the sacred city of Anuradhapura.
VEN. DEDUNUPITIYE UPANANDA
The recently abrogated Ceasefire Agreement was signed at two
different locations by the two parties on February 22, 2002. The then
Prime Minister signed the document in Colombo and sent it to
Killinochchi for the signature of the Tiger leader Prabhakaran. Soon
after the signing of agreement, the UNF Government removed all barriers
and checkpoints in Colombo (except two) and suburbs.
The LTTE instructed the Government troops not to carry firearms to
the uncleared areas confining them to barracks. Due to the removal of
barriers and checkpoints, the LTTE Tigers were able to roam in the
capital city and operate their war machinery efficiently.
Prabhakaran began his mission to strengthen his manpower by
recruiting child soldiers and fire-power by smuggling shiploads of
warlike stores including weapons, ammunition, claymore mines and bombs.
The LTTE never kept promises and honour the CFA. No bodies were flown
from Jaffna to Colombo because they were authorised to visit Colombo,
kill whoever they want and get back to Vanni peacefully.
After 16 months, since the date of the CFA, the LTTE Tigers commenced
their barbaric task killing I.P. Sunil Thabrew at the Dehiwala Police
station on June 3, 2003. They exploded a bomb killing four policemen at
Kollupitiya police station on July 13, 2004.
State security informant K. Yogarajan was shot dead at Kollupitiya on
July 30, 2004 and media spokesman of EPDP I. Balanawarajah and senior
member of the EPDP S. Warnakulasinham were killed at Wellawatta on July
16, 2004.
The murderous Tigers took the life of the commander of the Sri Lanka
Army Intelligence Unit Major T. Muthaliff in Colombo on May 31, 2005 and
former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar in Colombo on
August 12, 2005.
T.R. Meedin of the Army Intelligence Unit was killed at Kiribathgoda
on October 30, 2005. On July 24, 2006 at Wellawatta, Minister Douglas
Devananda's clerk was shot dead.
The Minister's Public Relation Officer Peiris was killed at his
office on November 28, 2007.
The murderous 'freedom' fighters deployed a woman suicide bomber to
take the life of the Commander of the Army Lt. General Sarath Fonseka on
April 26, 2006 at the Army Headquarters, but failed.
The attempt on the life of the former Pakistan High Commissioner on
August 14, 2006 at Colombo also failed.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, miraculously escaped the bomb
explosion on December 1, 2006 Colombo.
The attacks on the Colombo harbour on July 15, 2006 and the Kolonnawa
oil installation on April 28, 2007 also failed. The bomb explosion at
Nugegoda killed 19 civilians including women and schoolchildren on
November 28, 2007.
A suicide bomber took the life of the Deputy Chief of Staff Major
General Parami Kulatunge and Parliamentarian N. Raviraj was shot dead.
Apart from those heinous killings and barbaric attacks in Colombo and
the suburbs, the LTTE violated the CFA more than 3,000 times in the
North, East and South as well, leaving the three Armed Forces to obey
and honour the CFA.
Since the day that the President assumed duties, he reiterates that
the Government will go all out to seek a political solution through
negotiations, and eliminate the Tiger terror completely. The Government
did not declare a war against the LTTE and one cannot blame the
Government for the ongoing military operations because it is the supreme
duty of the Government to liberate the peace loving innocent Tamil
population from the clutches of LTTE terror. Well disciplined valient
soldiers, sailors and airmen do not kill innocent Tamils.
They advance towards the identified targets and destroy LTTE bases
and military stations killing the LTTE terrorists. The deadliest Tigers
operate a different pattern of warfare killing unarmed civilians.
Prabhakaran is a killer who does not realise the value of human life,
but the TNA introduced him as their 'National Leader' and 'Freedom
Fighter'. All peace loving Tamils are aware that they cannot expect a
well bred Tamil society within an insane leadership.
The TNA does not condemn the barbaric terror due to the fear of death
and they have not yet realised that the dream Eelam cannot be achieved
during the tenure of Mahinda Rajapaksa's Presidency.
The entire region of the East has now been captured by the Government
troops and launching a methodically planned intelligent war machinery
under the leadership of three brave commanders, Army, Navy and Air Force
to capture the Jaffna peninsula and hoist the Sri Lankan National Flag.
It is the prime duty of Sri Lankans to commend and thank our war
heroes.
The day that Velupillai Prabhakaran commits suicide is not too far
away.
MAHINDA NIHAL PERERA,
Moratuwa
Garbage collected in the Panadura Urban Council area has been dumped
in the centre of the town on a land belonging to the Council situated
opposite the railway station for a long time in spite of a notice
published by the Council that dumping of garbage at this place is
prohibited.
Moreover, garbage was brought to this place in vehicles belonging to
the Council. The unpleasant smell emanating from the heap of garbage
with mosquitoes and flies around the place is also polluting the air
causing much inconvenience and a health hazard to the residents as well
as to train commuters and those who come to the commercial area in the
town.
Although persistent representations have been made in this regard to
the relevant authorities, so far no action has been taken to dispose the
accumulated garbage which is now a mountain.
Apart from a health hazard, in considering the current security
situation in the country, the heap of garbage also poses a security
threat as a person could even hide explosives in this place and explode
them later which may result in loss of life and immense damage to
property.
I wish to draw the attention of the Chief Minister of the Western
Provincial Council, Chairman, Central Environmental Authority and the
Divisional Secretary, Panadura appointed to administer the affairs of
the Urban Council consequent to the dissolution of the Council recently
to the situation that has arisen and request that steps be taken very
early to cause the disposal of the garbage and thus avert a possible
calamity.
H.W. GOONESEKERA,
Panadura
We have been hearing some bizzare news recently - like the woman
marrying her dog saying dogs are better than people, and the person who
left her entire estate to pets etc.
While counselling, I come across many people who complain that no one
loves them. This usually brings a story to my mind, which my father used
to tell us when we were small.
Once an old man was seated at the boutique at the edge of our
village, when a man from another village came by, with bags and baggage.
The newcomer asked the old man "How are the people of the village?
For I am hoping to settle down here."
The old man in turn asked him "How were the people in the village
from where you are coming?" He replied, "They were corrupt quarrelers
and cheats." The old man said, "So you will find people of this village
too." The man went off.
A little while later another man came by, with bag and baggage and
asked the old man the same question and the old man asked him too about
his villagers.
The newcomer replied, "They were very friendly, trustworthy and kind.
I loved them very much." The old man then replied, "So are the people of
this village too."
There was a small boy seated next to him who was watching all this
and was astounded. He asked, "Seeya, how come you say two entirely
opposing versions about our village people? - after all you are talking
about the same people." The wise man replied, "Puthey, that is the
truth. How others are, depend on how you are and how you expect them to
be.
A man who finds a village full of unfriendly people will never find a
friendly village and vice versa."
DR. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI,
Dehiwela
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