11th October 1998

Forget differences, time to talk

When Jaffna was captured by the armed forces, many of us thought it was the end of the LTTE. Now we live in hope that once the A 9 road to Jaffna is opened, we could subdue the LTTE. But with all this, peace is just a distant dream.

Be that as it may, your headline in the editorial page of The Sunday Times of 6.9.98, "Ranil backs unconditional talks with the LTTE" is perhaps the most realistic step the leader of the UNP has suggested. It is on record elsewhere in your paper that the UNP would insist that the talks should take place within a given time frame.

It is obvious the war cannot be brought to an abrupt end because of what happened earlier.

Even Prof. G.L. Peiris has said the government is willing and eager to talk to the LTTE. But the crux of the problem is on what basis is the PA or the UNP going to hold talks with the LTTE.

So what is of paramount importance is for President Kumaratunga and Ranil Wickremesinghe to talk to each other first and arrive at a consensus on the basis for talks with the LTTE with the help of a facilitator.

Let us not forget that for the last forty years Sinhala leaders failed to find a solution that would satisfy the aspirations of the Tamils.

The destiny of this beautiful island hallowed by the presence of the Blessed One with that eternal message of love and compassion lies in the hands of the PA and the UNP leaders.

This diabolic war that is raging in the North and the East could never usher in peace. Our brothers and sisters are dying in vain in this endless war.

Billions of rupees spent. Seventy thousand dead. A hundred thousand maimed. What about the orphans, the refugees and the vast destruction that is taking place?

Before we come to a point of no return, before the agitation for Eelam becomes more complicated, before extremists, fanatics and rabble rousers have a free hand, let the leaders of the PA and the UNP meet and talk, if it is peace and harmony that we seek in this golden land of ours.

J.T. Mirando,
Negombo.

It is another season with new expectations

With international cricket being played throughout the year there is hardly a season for the big boys. They are at the beck and call of the cricket authorities at home and abroad. During the early part and the middle of this decade there was a free-for-all for fixtures, in particular the one-day competition.

The toll on the players was indicating that too much of any good thing does not last. Now jointly the players and administrators are putting together formulas to profit every sector that is involved in the game.

What about those who toil away in the domestic game. Come September and it is time once again to start another season. Schoolboys involved in first eleven cricket have made their early preparations and get into the first half of the season. It is a time of expectation.

School cricket is well organized. A week ago I received the fixture card of my old school - S. Thomas' College. An attractively done piece of work giving the first and second eleven fixtures, the first squad and the names of those who will handle affairs. I was pleased at the effort and thought it professional. All involved have a knowledge of their cricketing commitments until the "Big Match" in mid-March. It paves the way for player and master to map out the gruelling seven months ahead. Well done! Keep up the good work! Have a good season!

It's that time of the year at the SSC too. There was a break of about six weeks when the grounds and pitches were able to have a rest and recuperation. Repair works such as top dressing and planting was done to the centre and practice pitches. Required fertilizers were fed. The cursed "Buffalo Grass" was and is being eradicated from the outfield. So it has been all happening, anticipating another season.

What of the cricketers? The Under-23 games have just begun. A couple of weeks' notice was given and the Division three games get off the ground this weekend. A scramble to get registrations in before the deadline. Many frantic phone calls for that and to get players to come and have a hit and a bowl before the first game. It's all a last minute rush.

Then, what of the major tournaments? There was some indication that the Division One, one-day tournament, will be played in December, followed by the major tournament, along with the Division Two tournament. However, with only a couple of months to go for the games nothing is finalized. There are murmurings that certain clubs are vehemently objecting to a change in structure in the main tournament. The season is already begun and the players wanting to throw in a challenge for a place in the national team still do not know when they will be playing cricket. That is just not good enough.

Any change in structure, particularly if it is going to involve promotion and relegation requires adequate notice. Perhaps a season or two. Players and administrators need to gear themselves up to meet the change or else it has to be a gradual phasing out process.

Planning for one season must begin whilst the preceding season is in progress. There must be a concrete plan in place no sooner than the season concludes, for the one ahead. Every other major Test playing nation has got it right. It is a must for cricketers to improve and for there to be a constant supply of players offering a challenge to those in the national team. No amount of words can stress the importance.

Ranil Abeynaike.

Exercise more care, vigilance

Reading or listening to obituary notices is one of the important items in the agenda of many newspaper readers and listeners of SLBC.

It is often heard when burials or cremations are to take place at the Borella Cemetery, the announcer says that such and such burial or cremation will take place at the General Cemetery "Kanatta", completely unaware of the fact that "Kanatta" refers to Cemetery.

Either through negligence or lack of knowledge, in most instances the word 'Borella' is omitted in so far as burials or cremations related to the Colombo Area.

It should also be mentioned that correct pronunciation of names and places by announcers is not clear and mispronunciation presents a distorted idea.

I wish to remind officers accepting Obituary Notices for advertising or electronic telecast, to exercise more care and vigilance to eliminate possible errors before airing these notices.

Gamini Ramanayake,
Nugegoda.

Why this disgusting silence on Kilinochchi debacle?

It's really disgusting and disappointing to see the major opposition party, the UNP, keeping silent on the Kilinochchi debacle.

True enough, the party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe allowed the government to carry on regardless for the first two years. But thereafter, did the party leadership take any worthwhile steps to highlight the various set-backs suffered by the security forces since 1996? More than 19 aircraft went missing, shot down or just disappeared. The number of soldiers killed during the past four years is more than what we lost during the UNP regime.

While all this happened, the UNP remained silent all the way. On the contrary, what did the then opposition (SLFP) do when our security forces were killed in battle or went missing in action? They created all the rumpus one could think of, put up banners criticising the UNP government, in every village where there was a soldier's funeral.

What does the UNP do today? Send handouts and press releases to the newspapers and sit comfortably in the office they hold. The people do not want a UNP that is more or less like a sitting duck. We want a UNP that is vibrant and strong in its words and deeds. We do not want the secretary, the media spokesman and the others who hold office to warm their chairs. Either be alert or please in the name of God, GO, and let someone else take over.

It's useless issuing releases from the headquarters three or four days after the Kilinochchi set-back. The party should have called for an emergency party meeting to discuss the situation, called for an immediate sitting of Parliament or ask the Deputy Defence Minister to come on TV and tell the people the truth.

Disgusted UNPer,
Moratuwa.

Return to the Letters to the Editor Contents

Return to the Plus Contents