Letters to the Editor

What’s going where: No one seems to care
Tsunami relief has been pouring in from local and foreign aid organisations apart from the assistance provided by the government. Unfortunately, the aid has not been distributed in an organised manner with proper coordination. Some areas are overflowing with assistance whereas others are not supplied even with the minimum needs.

First the government has failed to identify the genuine victims of the tsunami. Immediately after the disaster a declaration would have been taken from the victims after their houses and other places had been personally examined by government officials, the Grama Sevaka (GS) or any other authorised state officer. Yet in some areas where only about 25 houses were affected, the whole area with about 300 houses was declared a tsunami-affected area. Even those living on hilltops are reportedly receiving assistance.

Some Grama Sevakas have issued assistance cards to business premises without properly checking whether there are families living in them. And even those who live in flats have been recorded as affected people. Even now it is not too late to rectify this mistake and issue a separate card for those who have been genuinely affected. This will ease the government's workload and minimise the wastage of funds.

Since the disaster, many international and local aid organisations have been engaged in helping the victims restart their lives. But due to lack of coordination, relief materials are not being distributed equally. Here the government is partly responsible for not having made a public announcement requesting aid agencies to distribute whatever assistance through the relevant District Secretaries or Divisional Secretaries.

A separate office with an authorised officer should have been appointed to look after distribution by any organisation. The record thus maintained would have shown what materials had been distributed in each area. If properly maintained this could have helped aid organisations streamline their assistance.

Essential items such as milk food, sugar and even household items such as mattresses, gas cookers etc are being sold by the victims because they are in excess and they dare not say they have already got them from other donors. An Australian national had reportedly distributed a nutritious quality of milk food among the affected in several parts of Sri Lanka. This milk food is not imported to Sri Lanka because it is expensive. Later when he was touring the affected areas he happened to visit a grocery store to buy things and was shocked to find the same brand of milk on sale.

At a temple where relief assistance was being given, mothers were asked to come there with their babies to get milk food. The story goes that different mothers came carrying the same baby more than six times, merely changing the baby's dress. Finally the child became restless and started crying.

The government is distributing rice, dhal, sugar and coconut oil to the victims. The sugar distributed however, is too little and insufficient for a family. But all the other items are in excess. The rice that is being distributed is resold to shops because the people do not like the quality of the white rice. It would be better if the recipients are given a choice. But the cooperative stores don't have a variety of food items the tsunami-affected people can select from. A system where they could use vouchers to buy goods of their choice from any place should be introduced.

If these matters are looked into and steps taken, the government's sincere efforts would be better appreciated and all those who are genuinely affected will be benefited. Foreign countries and international organizations who are here to help them too would be happy.

Not karma or God’s wrath but nature
After the tsunami, letters have been appearing in the newspapers expressing views for and against religion having had a hand in the tsunami. One writer had mentioned that the Buddhist claim was that the tsunami was an act of karma, due to excessive vice and animal slaughter for food in Sri Lanka, and that the Christian and Muslim belief was that it was an act of God in retaliation to man's disobedience.

In my opinion, the Buddhist claim is not tenable considering that the disaster was not limited to Sri Lanka. Similarly the Christian/Muslim claim loses credibility when considering the location of the tsunami and the victims involved. It is hard to believe that the impoverished fisherfolk who were the worst affected by the tsunami in all countries hit by these waves, were such grievous sinners as to earn the wrath of the Almighty in this fashion.

This is more significant because the sin cities of Southeast Asia situated not far from the epicentre of the earthquake that triggered the tsunamis were spared the horror.

In my opinion, there are other places in this world that should qualify more for such wrath, if it were really an act of karma or of God. One would also think that karmic or divine forces would be more precise in targeting their object.

Thus, neither karmic forces nor God had anything to do with the tsunami disaster. It was just another natural occurrence as has been seen since the beginning of time.

Why do we have to suffer for govt. red tape?
There appears to be some confusion in paying the arrears to all pensioners who retired from government service before 1996. One year has lapsed since the government decided to pay the arrears from January 1, last year and still more than 50 per cent of the pensioners have yet to receive their dues. This is because several Divisional Secretaries are adopting different methods of payment. Some are referring to the pensioner’s file while others are issuing certificates of their own which leaves room for bribery and corruption.

This has inconvenienced the old pensioners who have now passed the Biblical three score and ten (70 years). I am a sick and feeble pensioner who comes under the Wattala Divisional Secretary’s office. Over the past one year, I have visited the office several times by taxi and ultimately I was given a form to be filled and certified by the Director of Agriculture, Peradeniya from where I retied 22 years ago. This is unsatisfactory as all details are available in my file at the Divisional Secretariat in Wattala.

May I request the Director of Pensions to take speedy action and send a directive to all divisional secretaries offices to refer to the pensioners' files and pay the arrears accordingly without further inconveniencing the old pensioners.

Grave shame
Recently, I had the opportunity of visiting the 'Ibbankatuwa tombs' on the Kurunegala-Dambulla Road, while going on a cultural tour organized by an innovative travel company. Two undergraduates of archaeology had been included in the tour party . According to these students the tombs date back to over 15,000 years.

Similar to Egypt’s pyramids all the articles used by the deceased persons had been deposited in the tombs. These tombs have pointed to a prehistoric civilization and since some gems embedded in the necklaces found in these tombs are available only in India, archaeologists believe there had been links between Sri Lanka and India even during pre-historic ages.

However, it is surprising that this important archaeological site has not been adequately protected. The relevant authorities should take steps to protect and preserve this site .

Cycle
I can see in the morn's blossom
the eve's death kiss;
How the reaper's scythe's shadow
falls on new born bliss;
I can hear in the distance
of the infant's cry
The echo wail the last shrieks
of the old that die;

I can discern in the swell
of the roaring wave
The soft splash on the shore
signal its silent grave;
I can admire the beauty
of the eastern sunrise,
And know the marvel must meet
its western demise;
I watch, spellbound, stars 'dorn
the orbed maid's midnight ride
And wonder where they vanish
in daybreak's azure sky;

I see in the crystal raindrop
mighty rivers born
That surge headlong homeward
back to the ocean’s yawn;
I see in life's full circle
the wheels' eternal whirl
That wrings constant change
In an yet unchanging world.

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