Letters to the Editor

We have to give Geneva peace talks a chance
Although we will not be able to gain significant long-term results from the Geneva peace talks, we should be able to get some short-term benefits, and for the time being, we must be satisfied with them. Whoever boycotts peace talks or delays them shoots his own feet before the world, being guilty of not co-operating.

What the delegation should aim at are: (1) continuity of the cease-fire (2) isolating terrorism as an unacceptable method in conflict resolution (3) assurance of 'Sri Lankan' identity and equal rights of all its citizens in accessing resources (4) return to democracy in the north and east and (5) a united Sri Lanka with a Federal and State government system.

These principles are universally accepted, and will counteract the LTTE's global propaganda of discrimination. The majority needs to show goodwill in some aspects, such as Tamils in governance responsibilities and anti-discrimination acts.

If the LTTE remains stubborn, they will be isolated by the international community, within the Tamil Diaspora, and the local Tamil community. The main achievement of the last series of talks was the globalisation of the ethnic conflict, which made the LTTE boycott aid meetings. As Erik Solheim had indicated, Sri Lanka's ethnic problem will not be solved in a short time.

It is also obvious that the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka cannot be solved without the intervention of a global power. This is the emerging 'real' scenario. However, there are intellectuals who confuse the perceivable 'reality' in language with speculative reality in philosophy, and mislead people to lose their focus on the main issue. They confound the ethnic issue by dragging religion into it, identifying western states and western facilitators with Christianity, when in fact they are fundamentally secular.

The reasons why peace cannot be achieved in the short-term are: (1) the animosity in the south towards LTTE after 20 years of fighting (2) Prabhakaran's unflinching aim of Eelam (3) LTTE's significant skills in terrorism and global mobilization (4) paucity of holistic and strategic negotiation skills of State delegations (5) lack of clear objectives (6) the Tamil Nadu factor and the rise of Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism that makes the international community suspect the sincerity in granting equal rights to all Sri Lankan citizens.

Nab these pickpocket villains on the buses
I lost my handbag last year while boarding a Panadura bus. Since the bus was speeding I was helpless when a pickpocket kept tugging at my handbag on the foot-board until it gave way and fell out. I alerted the driver immediately.
When the bus stopped a few yards away, I was shocked that a three-wheeler following the bus had taken the bag. The pickpocket had got off the bus too. I lost my identity card and many important documents.

Recently again while on my way to St. Anthony's Church, Kochchikade something inspired me to check my bag and I was shocked to see my handbag strap slit. I have spent sleepless nights worrying that a gang is following my movements. Had I not checked my bag this pickpocket would have tried the same tugging game.

It is high time these thieves targeting people's hard earned money are nabbed. I have been alert yet helpless when the bus is packed. Many pockets have been picked and the wallet quickly passed on since there are three to four people working together.

On many occasions I have heard the conductor screaming ‘there is a pickpocket in the bus, watch your belongings'. The conductor knows the faces of the so-called thieves. I hope my letter catches the eye of the Police since this is a torment.

Messy, muddy roads and misery of the masses
The roads within the Kandy Municipality are an utter mess. One has to only go towards Mapanawathura, Dodanwala, Watapuluwa to name a few places to see the state of these roads.

Potholes decorate the roads throughout and especially on a rainy day, which is quite often in Kandy, the potholes are covered with water and what a dilemma one has to face when driving.

I have been walking past the Dalada Maligawa for the past six months to board a bus plying to Kundasale and the by-way opposite the Dalada Maligawa just past the Police Station is in a total mess. This by-way is covered by concrete slabs only halfway and the rest is a muddy mess. I suppose the Mayor does not see what the masses have to undergo. What may I ask has the Mayor done from the time he was appointed up to now?

Come the next municipality elections and we will elect a candidate worthy of this post.

Spiralling cost of living and unsolved pension anomalies
The pension increases given so far have not benefited the majority of pensioners because of the anomalies, though perhaps a few categories have been helped. With the spiralling cost of living and price hikes in medicine, pensioners are unable to pay the required sum even for a home for the aged or pay a private hospital even for a few days. They are in dire circumstances.

One such example is where Lecturers of Teacher Training Colleges who have retired are paid a pension less than that of those whom they have trained and who retired later. The anomaly is glaring. It is reported that the starting salary of a government servant is to be over Rs. 11,000. A pensioner with a post-graduate or equivalent qualification in the lecturer grade after 30 to 35 years of service gets very much less as pension. Is this fair and democratic?

The Pensioners' Associations have failed so far to bring redress. Most pensioners are ailing and not fit enough to actively fight for their rights like other categories or join the Associations.

What is needed is a Committee/Commission to be appointed to look into the pension anomalies and correct them satisfactorily. It should be publicized so that any pensioner could write within a limited period and seek redress. The process should not drag on too.

Pensioners have been a neglected lot for a long time and what I have highlighted is the result. It is up to the Minister of Finance to act so that even in the last stage pensioners could heave a sigh of relief that at last justice has been done.

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