Letters to the Editor

7th October 2001
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Let there be uniformity in fight against terrorism

American Ambassador Ashley Wills has been vociferous in trying to educate the majority Sinhala population on how to manage their affairs and behave as proper citizens of the world. Sometime ago at a private party given by him to some leading citizens of Sri Lanka, he had been highly critical of the Maha Sangha, particularly the Mahanayakas. 

He is reported to have said that the Mahanayakas did not want peace and were unfair by the minorities. Then a guest had reportedly replied that nobody took the Mahanayakas seriously. Obviously these upper middle class Sinhalese are virtual flunkies and in any case had to please their host, who after all was entertaining them.

Recently, at meetings with senior officers in the military and civil administration in Trincomalee, the Ambassador had reportedly said the majority community was not for peace and not prepared to study Tamil. 

Whatever America's stand may be, it appears that Mr. Wills does not believe that we have a terrorist problem _ at least not until now. Otherwise, he should have refrained from making such remarks. 

We have read the book the "Ugly American" and also seen the film based on it. After the US conceded that the LTTE was a terrorist organisation, most of us presumed that Americans, particularly those who came to Sri Lanka to represent their country, would have studied their briefs. Apparently, Mr. Wills has not. We hoped that the recent tragedy in the US would have made Mr. Wills and his fellow officials saner and wiser men. Apparently not. The US Embassy in Sri Lanka seems to be at odds not only with world opinion but even with the policy of the US government as proclaimed by President George Bush and senior state officials. Two examples are: 

Stephen Holgate, described as the US Embassy spokesman, has tried to draw a distinction between the LTTE and other terrorist organisations. The Sunday Times on September 23 in its editorial commented on this position clearly and lucidly. 

To make confusion worse confounded, US Embassy officials took part prominently in the 'Sri Lanka First' peace campaign calling for talks with the LTTE. Perhaps, as a response to The Sunday Times comments, US Charge d' Affaires Lewis Amselem has tried to clarify the US position and we are indeed encouraged by his statement that their commitment to assist Sri Lanka in its own fight against terrorism was undiminished and would continue. 

One can only surmise that this confusion in the minds of the US Embassy officials is an outcome of the nebulous and even contradictory stand of our government which is blowing hot and cold at the same time with regard to the LTTE. 

Most Sri Lankans are aware that ours is a one-woman government, the distinct feature of which is the lack of any coherent policy. But it behoves US diplomats in Sri Lanka to state the policy of their government loud and clear that the US is totally opposed to all types of terrorism including that of the LTTE. It is incumbent on Mr. Wills to make a pronouncement on this issue. 

Mr. Wills should understand that as far as the Sinhala Buddhists are concerned, the Mahanayakas are our accepted leaders. We abide by their advice. In fact, even other communities do so. Recent pronouncements by the Mahanayakas have shown that they have a high degree of sagacity and profound knowledge compared to the politicians who want to mislead rather than lead this country. Their only shortcoming is that they have not been active enough to lead the Sinhala population on the proper path when choosing their leaders. It is our fervent hope that the Mahanayakas and other leading Buddhist monks will come forward and guide the population in selecting honest, efficient and incorruptible leaders for the country in this hour of need. 

We hope that Mr. Wills, after the recent tragedy in the US, has become a wiser and saner man and would accept the fact echoed throughout the world that terrorism has to be rooted-out come what may. To quote from the September 11 'Time' special issue: "The worst times, as we see, separate the civilized of the world from the uncivilized. This is the moment of clarity. Let the civilized toughen up, and let the uncivilized take their chances in the game they started." 

Chandra Gunasekera
Deputy President 
Sinhala Jathika Sangamaya


Dunkalawatta Canal not cleaned for 53 years

The Dunkalawatta canal which falls to the Bentota river at Pahurumulla is full of silt. The banks of this canal which starts from Dedduwa Lake in Dope are also covered with wild plants. It has not been dredged since the British left the country.

The British colonial government had employed four people to keep the canal clean. However, their services were discontinued when Sri Lanka gained independence. 

The two sluice-gates at Dope's Kurumitigoda bridge and the small bridge at Obadawatta are not operated to stop the tidal-flow of salt water to about 2000 acres of paddy in Varahena, Bentota. As a result, these fields cannot be cultivated.

Meanwhile, the railings of the Obadawatta bridge are broken, posing a danger to cyclists and pedestrians when big vehicles cross the bridge. Appeals to the authorities to repair it have fallen on deaf ears.

Those days only vehicles of a specified tonnage were allowed to go over the bridge. But not anymore and cracks have appeared on the bridge.

A.D. Jayaweera
Bentota


LTTE link to world terror

I cannot help but see a similarity between the attacks by the LTTE and the attack on the United States targets by terrorists.

Prabhakaran and his cadres are well organized, professional and ruthless, and would be the ideal consultants for other terrorists.

Prabhakaran needs money and weaponry and would have done a deal with these terrorists to obtain them in return for LTTE expertise.

The US and the west should investigate the LTTE, especially its London and Toronto operations. They may well find that the LTTE has masterminded this attack.

The West should be wary, for it may have to pay the price for harbouring such ruthless terrorists who will train others in their devastating methodology. The West by providing sanctuary and legitimising such terrorism has swallowed a pill deadlier than cyanide.

K.S. Fernando
Kandana


Question over exam results

The G.C.E Advanced Level results have not been released yet, but the Examinations Department has announced that the next A/L examination will be conducted in April 2002. 

This is unfair. If the department delays in releasing the results, the students who fail have no time to prepare for it. 

Therefore, the Commissioner General of Examinations should take action to release the results as soon as possible. 

Zaneeta Cassim
Addalaichenai


Bush must talk to bin Laden

US President George W. Bush has vowed to strike back at terrorists and named Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect. 

This is the first time the US has got the bitter taste of terrorism, whereas we in Sri Lanka have faced many sad moments due to terrorist activity in the past 20 years.

When we requested the US to crack down on the activities of LTTE terrorists there, US diplomats in Sri Lanka said that terrorism gave rise to more terrorism and therefore a solution should be found through a peaceful dialogue.

What President Bush wants to do now is take revenge from the terrorists. Taking revenge is not similar to fighting a war. Bush should be cautious. He should take a lesson from the experiences of India, which trained and armed the Tigers and sent them back to Sri Lanka to destabilise our country. For this, India had to pay a high price, too.

Now the US fears that bin Laden may use chemical weapons which were probably given to him by the US itself. The best that President Bush could do now is to negotiate for a peaceful solution, as his diplomats told Sri Lanka to do.

P. A. Binduhewa
Panadura


Check these NGOs

With reference to the letter 'Take action against the NGOs' (The Sunday Times September 9), I agree that newspapers should not allow writers to hide behind noms de guerre, but there could be exceptions.

Very rightly, as Mr. Olupeliyawa says societies functioning under Buddhist temples, if and when they venture into collecting funds, should also be registered under the Public Trustee. It is time for legislation to be introduced for this purpose. 

It is no secret that though many of the powerful NGOs functioning in this country claim they are alleviating poverty, they are covertly engaged in converting the poor. Statistics show that a large number of these NGOs function only in poverty-stricken areas such as the plantation sector, Uva, Bintenna, Moneragala, the North Central Province and the North. 

We also know how these western-backed NGOs over the years, destabilised the economic and religious fabrics of many Latin American countries. Nepal is an example in the Asian region, not second to Bangladesh. 

Sri Lanka has more than 54 NGOs, some of which openly flout and dodge immigration control, exchange control and sometimes even the laws of the land. While India has rightly regulated the functioning of NGOs in various ways, we are frightened to do so because we fear criticism from powerful international organisations such as Amnesty International. Today, some NGOs are eating into the political fabric as well.

It is time the government seriously considered appointing a commission to go into the functioning of NGOs and regulate them. 

Mahinda Ranaweera
Diyatalawa


Kandy-Colombo shuttle for Intercity refund

I bought two tickets (Nos. B 55 and B 56) to Colombo at the Kandy Railway Station on September 10 for the Intercity leaving Kandy at 3 p.m. on the 12th.

As there was a strike by Station Masters on September 12, railway officials in Kandy told me that the Intercity would not operate and they could not vouch for any other train that day. When I asked for a refund, they told me to get it at the Fort Railway Station as SMs were on strike in Kandy.

On September 14, when I went to the Fort Station, officials there told me that the refund should be obtained from Kandy. When I explained the circumstances, an SM rudely asked me whether I expected him to travel to Kandy to get me the refund. When I told him that I would have to report the incident to higher authorities, I was issued a form to claim the refund and directed to the SM (Accounts). I was promised a voucher in three weeks, to obtain the refund.

After handing over the form, I telephoned the Commercial Superintendent whose response was no better than what I had already been told.

Why is it that return tickets can be bought at either end but there is no procedure for refunds? The railway authorities had powers to permit the public to travel without tickets with impunity when the strike was on, but no authority to decide on a bona-fide case when a refund is sought.

Will I have to pay a further Rs. 2 as stamp duty at the end of three weeks?

M.T.M. de Silva
Moratuwa

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