Letters to the Editor

• Need for a world war on terrorism
• Whatever is administered best is the best
• Awake America!
• The twin terrors
• Terrorists we harbour
• Impose ban on GM foods
• The train that derailed in 1964
• Move to destroy Buddhism

Need for a world war on terrorism

I am sure the American people will ask why this happened to their country. After all, the US is the most powerful country in the world. It is supposed to have sophisticated technology to tackle terrorism along with highly trained personnel. It could never happen in the US. However, it did, and there is no guarantee that it will not happen again. Every time an American steps into an aeroplane, he will never be sure of reaching his destination. Every time an American walks into a high-rise building he will be fearful whether he will walk out.

What America must remember is that Sir Lankans have lived through such fears for two decades. And the world did nothing about it.

India, which nurtured, trained and funded the Tigers denied to the world that it had anything to do with them. When countries like the US and Britain were shown evidence of India's role, they turned a blind eye. They did not take any steps to stop the Tigers or their sympathisers raising fund. 

Why? They did not want to offend a big country like India. Little Sri Lanka did not figure in their geo-politics. India banned the LTTE only after Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was blown up by a Tiger suicide bomber. India sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind.

After this, the US and Britain felt relieved that they will no longer offend India if they banned the Tigers. But it took a long time for them to act. 

Of course, it took a few explosions in the US for the world's sole superpower to realise that it too was not immune to terrorist attacks.

Though a staunch ally of Britain, the United States allowed the IRA to collect funds and maintain offices on its soil, largely because of historical links the Americans had with the Irish.

I am sure a majority of Americans will realise that the recent attacks in New York and Washington are connected to American foreign policy, especially its policy on the Palestinian issue and Iraq.

It appears that America has made too many enemies around the world and these disparate forces are ever ready to inflict maximum damage on the US. Who pays? As in our country, not the politician but the ordinary citizen. 

America is a wealthy country and will be able to carry the financial burden now, but for how long? Sooner rather than later, it will take a toll on the economy and the citizens' lifestyles will change forever. 

We in Sri Lanka know this only too well. It is encouraging to know that the US is now in the vanguard to eradicate terrorism and has requested all countries to join hands. Canada should also ensure that its soil is not used for terrorist activities — a fact highlighted in Canadian newspapers.

If all countries get together, a reservoir of manpower, funds, intelligence and technical expertise will be available to tackle terrorism on a global scale. 

Let no country, big or small, rich or poor, think that it will be immune to terrorist attacks. All it takes is one megalomaniac who thinks he is going to change the world according to his warped agenda. 

If all countries join hands, a few madmen cannot succeed. The hunt and eradication of terrorists should be a common agenda. For it is good to remember that if my country is terrorised, yours will not be immune.

Quintus de Silva
Colombo 5

Whatever is administered best is the best

One may question whether politics is a gentleman's game played by gentlemen or a rowdies' game played by rowdies.

I recall a talk given by Prof. G. L. Peiris about 15 years ago. That was before he became a politician. "A bad constitution administered well is better than a good constitution administered badly," he said. What a gem of wisdom!

A bad constitution administered badly would, needless to say, be disastrous.

A constitution should be amended or changed when there is a need to do so. No constitution is good for all time. What is necessary is to administer well whatever constitution the country has at any point of time. That should be the sacred duty of the leaders. Otherwise, any attempt to change a constitution will be as futile as changing the pillow to cure a headache.

And what a headache!

P.L.N.
Mount Lavinia

Awake America!

Edward Wijeratna
Kandy

The twin terrors

Irene de Silva
Singapore

Terrorists we harbour

If that is so, will he attack Afghanistan, India, Britain, Norway, Canada, Australia and the United States itself? Sri Lanka will also be on the list because we 'harbour' the LTTE. Hope Sri Lanka will not be the first.

D. Rajapaksha
Colombo 6

Impose ban on GM foods

As reported in the media, health authorities are supposed to be concerned about requests by 'friendly countries' which warned of serious repercussions in trade relations if the ban was imposed.

I wonder how one could consider them 'friendly countries' when they request us to blindly run the risk of poisoning the environment and ourselves. I am compelled to say that with friends like them, who needs enemies!

The primary concern of health authorities should be the health of the general public and not finding ways of circumventing weaknesses in the law to please people with vested interests. On what moral or ethical argument can anybody force unsuspecting people to consume GM foods when the jury is still out there? 

When responsible bodies such as the WHO, the FAO and the British Medical Association have expressed reservations about GM foods, it is indeed unwise, irresponsible and to say the least indiscreet on the part of our health authorities to delay imposing the ban forthwith.

GM food production entails artificial manipulation of genes through physical or chemical processes, which are forced on the organism and not brought about by natural selection. 

The introduction of 'terminator' genes, contamination of 'wild relatives' leading to creation of 'super weeds', development of acquired resistance by insect populations and harmful effects on beneficial insects are some of the devastating genetic consequences in the long term. In addition, creation of foods to which some people could be allergic and the introduction of antibiotic marker genes would have a direct bearing on human health.

I would like to conclude with a statement of ominous portent made by the FAO Director General: "GM organisms, like all the new technologies, are instruments that can be used for good and bad in the same way that they can be democratically managed to the benefit of the most needy or skewed to the order of specific groups that hold vital political, economic and technological power."

Let not our health authorities be cajoled into accepting what may turn out to be more than a Trojan horse until all checks and balances are in place. 

Dr. Nanda Amarasekara 
Rajagiriya

The train that derailed in 1964

The train that derailed was not an office train but the Down Talaimannar mail train (No. 400). About 30 people died and a large number of passengers were seriously injured. The driver of the ill-fated train hauled by an M2 Loco was Earl Alexander, the guard-in-charge S.A.D.B. Perera and the underguard D.W. Diwakara.

I would also like to add a few more names of VIPs who patronised the railway during my time. Federal Party stalwarts S.J.V. Chelvanayakam and T. Sivasithamparam were frequent travellers to Jaffna by the mail trains while UNP's A.C.S. Hameed loved to take the evening Kandy Express from Fort. SLFP Batticaloa MP Rajan Selvanayagam was another who valued train travel. 

Lionel Caldera 
Retired Head Guard
Battaramulla

Move to destroy Buddhism

I find it hard to agree that monks who drew large crowds have been silenced by evangelists alone because, instead of preaching the dhamma, some monks try to depict Buddhism as a religion that can perform miracles and when the novelty and the glamour wear off, the monks themselves fade into oblivion. 

Meanwhile, it is no secret that 73 clearly identified foreign funded evangelist groups, not to mention those working on the sly, are operating in Sri Lanka, trying to destroy Buddhism in every way possible.

Pastor Olupeliyawa need not get unduly excited about what CB has to say. He is not beating about the bush nor is he accusing the established church, but stating the stark truth that evangelists are doing maximum damage to Buddhism. He should also realise that the use of pseudonyms is accepted in the newspaper world. 

The pastor's attention is invited to the Sinhala Commission report which gives details of the activities of these NGOs. Although I do not agree in toto with the views of the Commission, I do believe that what it says about unethical conversions has to be taken seriously because such claims have been reaffirmed by newspaper articles and information sheets published by the Centre for Buddhist Action.

For the pastor's information, foreign NGOs are not registered in Sri Lanka. An attempt was made during President R. Premadasa's time to register them but it had to be shelved in the face of protests from these very NGOs.

S. Abeywickrama
Nugegoda

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