Letters to the Editor

NE needs 1956-like social revolution
Having read Tissa Perera's letter headlined’NE development and peace’ in The Sunday Times of December 18, as a senior citizen, I am compelled to express certain views.

There is no doubt that North-East development and the peace process should be taken forward without further delay. However, the million dollar question arises as to how development within LTTE-controlled areas could be initiated without the active participation of the rebels. It was to overcome this problem that P-TOMS was proposed by the former President. An alternative proposal is long overdue.

However, development alone will not fulfil the aspirations of the masses. In this connection, it should be noted that the establishment of several industries in the north by UNP governments, several decades ago, had failed to even make a dent in the inherent longings of the Tamil people. Therefore, development, though essential, will not tackle the crux of the human problem.

The revolution of 1956 awakened the entire country. The subsequent language act emancipated the rural masses in the south. For instance, the Sinhala educated school teacher, illiterate in English, clad in cloth and coat, overnight ascended to the position of inspector of schools. Will our think tanks devise a similar micro revolution in the North-East to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil and Muslim people?

The state should talk to the Tigers without further delay primarily to kick-start an accelerated development programme for the North-East. If this is given effect to, the LTTE will be compelled to gradually enter the political mainstream. Serious discussions on the subject of devolution of power will then take place in a cordial atmosphere.

Where the peace process is concerned, let us drop from our vocabulary the two painful words, namely "unitary" and "federal", and instead, aim at adequate power sharing to satisfy the human needs of both Tamil and Muslim communities in the North-East.

Thus, the immediate necessity is for the state to talk to the LTTE on the most urgent and important subject of post-tsunami reconstruction.

Junkyard computers: More bark than bytes
While thanking the President for removing the tax and tariff on the import of computers, I urge the government to exercise vigilance in the import of computers as many of the refurbished computers which have flooded the market are from the junkyards of foreign countries.

Computers which were purchased for less than one dollar are sold for a four figure sum in Sri Lanka. They are outdated and not in use in these countries. Importers insert eye catching advertisements in newspapers to attract the attention of innocent computer seekers, mainly students.

They inveigle the prospective customers by offering various promises which are not fulfilled. The government should enforce the 'period of manufacture' policy which is adopted on the import of reconditioned vehicles. If the import of old computers continues, local bodies such as the Colombo Municipal Council will have to find suitable sites to dump computers.

For a happy new year
Another year has dawned and as usual we receive many greetings and good wishes and reciprocate with our sincere wishes for a happy, prosperous and peaceful 365 days.

It is customary as we step into the New Year to look back at the year that is just over — the year that was dotted with joy and sorrow and that had seen victories and disasters alike. But we must not brood over our past failures and worries, which will bring nothing but bitter memories.

Callous attitude of Kelaniya Railway staff
The tragic death of an A/L student, who usually travelled to D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo and back by van but on this particular day travelled by train from Maradana, was reported in the newspapers recently.

This youngster is reported to have travelled on the footboard while his schoolmates were in-side the compartment. On the way, the boy had been hit by an object close to the track and fallen off the train. His friends had unsuccessfully pulled the emergency chain and finally got off the train at the Kelaniya station and informed the officials of the accident only to be told by the station staff that they must inform the Dematagoda station.

Their pleas to the railway staff to inform Dematagoda station were of no avail. The students were told that the station staff were too busy. As a result, the students walked back to the site of the accident, only to be told by members of the public that the injured boy had been taken to hospital. He had died by the time his schoolmates went to see him.

Let us hope the Minister of Transport will take action against inhuman attitude of the Kelaniya Railway station staff who were on duty at the time.

The day we were all at sea!
With war and strife so rampant everywhere
And man stripped of all values looking so bare
When Lankans caught up with tsunami were below sea level
That's when still water ran deep and the ocean gave us hell!

Even though we cannot, for what it is, change time
Let's realize though late, to change it's time,
Into deeper and deeper waters, God brings them
Not to drown them surely, but to cleanse them!
When everything was lost and calamity was rife
Hope was a rope that swung the distress to life,
People worldwide were ready with the surprises
Hopelessly, when we were looking for the answer!

The fate was common 'twas the fate of one and all
With the angry sea swallowing up life, property and all
For, the revengeful waters gave us no time to flee.
Certainly, that was the day we were all at sea!

(Dedicated to all those in authority and volunteers who exercised maximum efforts to restore Sri Lanka to normalcy. after the tsunami)

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