Letters
View(s):The Govt. must act resolutely against law-breaking political mobs
When university students with grievances resort to peaceful demonstrations after their attempts to discuss with the unreasonably stubborn university authorities fail, the state without hesitation uses tear gas, batons, water cannon and even real bullets.
But when politicians, including ex-Cabinet ministers, protest in the most unbecoming rowdy fashion, even in blatant defiance of judicial orders, there is no police riot truck to be seen!
In a lighter vein, it could be said that the police missed a golden opportunity to provide this entertainment-starved nation with some rare comic relief. Had one canister of tear gas been fired, the loud mouthed, pot bellied cardboard heroes running helter skelter with tucked up national suits, would certainly have been a comical episode on national television.
Criminal acts and the breach of civil and statutory laws are common occurrences in many societies. However, open defiance of the law with a culture of impunity is rare in developed states. Mob behaviour of this nature is nothing short of rebellion.
What the country witnessed near the Bribery Commission premises recently was the government’s reluctance to act firmly and resolutely utilising its powers within the law. Needless to say, such inaction can have disastrous effects on the country’s law-and-order situation.
This Government came to power, defeating a corrupt and ruthless regime and stirring hopes for peace, freedom and plenty. It will not be able to deliver its promises, if hooligans — whether they be politicians, criminals, drug peddlers or acolytes and worshippers of political rejects — are allowed to fearlessly and with arrogant impunity disregard the authority of law enforcement agencies and the courts of law.
Good governance or yahapalanaya certainly does not mean turning a blind eye to violations of the law. Rather than ‘good governance’ or ‘saintly governance’ what the nation desperately needs at the moment is effective governance that will check the ballooning of this growing indiscipline to unmanageable proportions.
Edward Gunawardena
Battaramulla
Let’s not pass on germs from mouth-to-mouth or hand-to-hand
The western way of shaking hands and hugging and placing cheek to cheek as forms of greeting is becoming trendy.
Also at wedding ceremonies and birthday parties, the practice of passing a piece of cake from mouth to mouth of the guests by the bride or birthday girl/boy is becoming fashionable! Each guest then takes a bite of it!
No amount of washing your hands using Lifeboy soap as advised by Kumar Sangakkara in a TV advertisement will prevent the spread of infection if these practices are adhered to.
Our way of greeting is to place our palms together and say ‘Ayubowan’ – an absolutely infection-free method!
Sharing a piece of cake /or kiribath with the guests as above is also alien to our culture.
Reader, you choose, it is your body, your life. That is if you are the recipient of germs. But if you are a carrier of germs, and are the donor, it is somebody else’s body and life you are playing with! So, please be considerate!
Dr. Swarnamali Welagedara
Via email
Why guns at the Mahanayake’s funeral?
The late Asgiriya Mahanayake’s funeral took place on Sunday April 12. The local TV news showed the Mahanayake lying in state with four sailors standing at the four corners of his coffin in the mourning position with their rifles pointing down. This is a normal procedure for the funeral of a head of state.
However, I think bringing weapons to a place of the highest Buddhist veneration was inappropriate. To cap it all, there was a 17 gun salute at the funeral.
Quite clearly, the Government was making political capital out of the situation, but all these practices should be reviewed and amended as befitting a religious leader.
G. Amarasekere
London
Let us say no to road through Udawattakele
It is with dismay that the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS) learned from a recent news report that a road is being proposed, yet again, through a wildlife sanctuary of not only environmental and conservation value to this country, but also of great historical importance.
Udawattakele, or what is left of it, was the protected forest of the Kings of Kandy at a time when the rulers of this nation understood the values of the protection of the wild places and wild creatures of Sri Lanka. It was hoped that the policy of planning roads through protected areas, for their further exploitation, had been abandoned with the lessons learnt in the past. Sadly, this does not seem to be the case as the natural wonders of this nation are sacrificed for the cause of political expediency.
A similar proposal for a road through Udawattakele was made during the previous regimes too, but it was abandoned after public protests. This was largely due to the efforts of one of the WNPS’s illustrious members, the late Dr. Nihal Karunaratne, who spread the message of the importance of this ancient forest to the people, culture and good health of the people of Kandy.
Thousands of schoolchildren from the Kandy region expressed their opposition to the proposed road in postcards to the President. Those same children will now have children of their own and will have to face a spectre, once more, that they helped defeat when they were young. For this is a cause for the future health of this nation, and of the Kandy region in particular, so that generations to come may enjoy the benefits of Udawattakele, and other forests like it, if they are preserved intact. Alternatives do exist that will benefit the cause of many, rather than preserve the privileges of a few. That is the choice facing the policy makers.
The WNPS strongly urges the relevant departments – Forests/Wildlife/Environment – to investigate this matter and ensure the future protection of this historical forest that plays an important role in the daily life of the people.
Prof. Lakdas D. Fernando
(President – Wildlife and Nature Protection Society)