Letters to the Editor
View(s):Bi-lingual National Anthem would promote harmony and allegiance to Motherland
In 2010, under the directions of the President, Minister W. J. M. Seneviratne presented a Cabinet paper outlining proposals for hoisting the National Flag and singing the National Anthem. The paper presented recommended the abolition of the Tamil version; it said that Tamils who do not speak Sinhala should write down the words in their language or in English. It proposed that the Tamil version be not used in any part of the island.
A past Independence Day celebration: Singing the National Anthem as the National flag is hoisted. (file pic)
The “Namo Namo Maatha”, written and composed by Ananda Samarakoon in 1940, was selected by a committee appointed by D. S. Senanayake in 1951 to recommend a song to be adopted as the National Anthem. The words were slightly changed to read “Sri Lanka Maatha” in 1961. The Tamil translation was done by a scholar, Pundit M. Nallathamby. Both versions were used by the Tamil community in the North and the East, as well as in Tamil schools in other parts of the country. In 1974, when Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike visited Jaffna, both versions were sung by schoolchildren.
Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the veteran leftist and Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, vehemently opposed the move when it was presented two years ago. He made a thoughtful proposal – to include a few Tamil lines in the anthem. Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s proposals should be welcomed by all peace-loving citizens. Clause No. 7 in our Constitution says, “The National Anthem of the Republic of Sri Lanka shall be ‘Sri L anka Maatha …”, the words and music of the song as per schedule 3.”
A national anthem asserts citizens’ loyalty to the nation. The language used in a national anthem does not have to strictly be limited to the national language or language spoken by the majority. Usually, the anthem is written in the language used by the majority. Notable exceptions are multi-ethnic nations such as India, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Switzerland and Singapore. Ours is a multi-lingual, multi-religious society.
The South African Anthem, created by Nelson Mandela to promote national identity, is sung in five languages – Xhosa, Sesotho, Zulu, English and Afrikaans. The anthem contains a few lines or verses in each of the five languages.
The National Anthem of the Republic of India is sung in Bengali, not in Hindi, as many mistakenly believe. The New Zealand national anthem is sung in Maori and English. In Singapore, where 70 per cent of the population is Chinese and there are five official languages, the national anthem is sung in Malay. The ideal model for Sri Lanka is South Africa. We could sing our national anthem partly in Sinhala and partly in Tamil. Extremist leanings are detrimental to our unity and the reconciliation process. We need to learn lessons from our gruesome past.
Let us make our National Anthem extra attractive, unique and soothing to the ear, with enhanced listening pleasure. Let us sing a National Anthem that promotes harmony and allegiance to the motherland.
K. K. S. Perera, Panadura
Hoodlums hiding in ‘jungle’ beside Millennium Drive
Millennium Drive, also known as C.K.B. Mawatha, in Malabe, is picturesque. People, young and old, walk there every morning, especially after the adjacent waterway was dredged and cleaned. The flooding that was a regular occurrence has been greatly reduced. We are grateful to Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa for beautifying this area.
Unfortunately, the dredged debris and material was not removed. It is now overgrown with vegetation and a veritable jungle exists on both sides of the road. This overgrown area dangerous, especially for female pedestrians, as undesirables hide in the undergrowth and cast vulgar remarks at women as they pass by. I fear that worse may happen if the problem remains unresolved. It will be a great service to the people if the Minister would order the clearing of both sides of the road.
Concerned Citizen
Jak-ass justice
A 50-year-old man and his 42-year-old sister have been charged for “stealing” two jak fruit. This is hilarious, at a time when the Rule of Law has broken down completely.
The New Year message was commitment, and to care and share with our less privileged brothers and sisters so as to promote togetherness – “Api bedda, hadda ganna jaathiyak – “We are a caring, sharing people.”
Well, to share and care, we should practise forgiveness. Loving your neighbour shows you love God. The jak fruit should be tokens of love rather than productions in the pursuit of “justice.”
The two accused have our sympathies. Meanwhile, let’s meditate on Josh Billings’ famous quotation: “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Ivor Hapuarachchi
Billions dumped on Mihin Lanka, while our railways are totally neglected
At the World Travel Market in London, Philippe Rossiter, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said that “the railways in Sri Lanka are wonderful … but the locomotive and the carriages are obsolete or too old … [the] authorities should take immediate steps to improve the rolling stock and change the archaic operations … if Sri Lanka improves its railways … the country could rake in millions of dollars.”
The Sri Lanka Railway is completely neglected, while millions are dumped into the billion-rupee-loss-making airline Mihin Lanka. What are we to make of this ridiculous state of affairs?
W. R. de Silva, Dehiwala
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