The Sunday Times Mirror Magazine

	Letters to the Editor 24th January 1999

	Contents Interference must stop We are fed up Why was he selected for the post? Problem of who's who Matter of life and death That losing battle over GST Oh fragrant land
	Interference must stop I like to thank"Sumedha" for his/her very impressive article in The Sunday Times of 27.12.98 and 03.01.99 headlined Majority Politics and Abortive Military Strategies. It is true that politicians with little or no military knowledge who try to evolve strategy in this important war should give up their role as the supreme commander(s) of the armed forces with immediate effect for the sake of the country and for the sake of the poor innocent young people who give their life for this war. During a recent visit to Sri Lanka (on an educational research programme) I had the opportunity to meet a few friends of mine who are senior Commanders of the three services. According to them the morale of the very senior Commanders, gazetted Officers and the NCO's is low due to these unwanted political interferences. According to them this war can be completed in a short time if this political interferences can be eliminated and the politico can look after the policy part of the defence services. As "Sumedha" has stated a trouser can never be worn from the head downwards. The politicians who want to play a role in this war can help worldwide organisations to fight the LTTE propaganda war and keep away from the frontline for a change. I think it is very important for the President to take a firm grip on this war so that well trained services personnel can take charge of planning and day-to-day running of this war for the good of the country. "Sumedha's" letter proves that the old saying "Pirunu Calle Diya Nosale" is even correct in these modern times. Upasiri de Silva Sydney, Australia. We are fed up We are fed up of politicians of all colours. We the people of this country are treated like slaves and all politicians are interested in fattening themselves and their cronies. We think it is a waste of time and a risk to life and limb to go to a polling booth. Please let us know if it is a civil offence not to vote. Is there a minimum percentage of votes that have to be recorded before a result becomes valid? The last resort may be to spoil the ballot paper. Earl Codipily Negombo Why was he selected for the post? Lal Jayawardane the Economic Advisor to the President has been appointed as Sri Lanka High Commissioner in the UK according to the information received by some of those organizations and individuals who wrote to the Secretary General of the Parliament recently requesting him not to select Lal Jayawardane as their representative abroad. Lal Jayawardane was formally the director of the Helsinki based UN agency namely the World Institute for Development Economic Research (WIDER). As the executive director Jayawardane sponsored, funded and facilitated the publication of one S J Thambiah's book ''Buddhism Betrayed." In 1996 the PA regime banned the sale of 'Buddhism Betrayed'. Independent literary reviewers have concluded that the Thambiah publication vilifies the Sinhala community and the Sangha of Sri Lanka. The author makes a deliberate attempt to blame the Sinhala community and their Sangha for the present crisis in the country. Gamini Iriyagolle, lawyer and an acknowledged authority on history of the island, in a series of articles titled ''The Propagandist of Academics as Propagandist exposed many of the factual errors in Thambiah's book ''Buddhism Betrayed." (Jan-March 1994 The Island). Lal Jayawardane wrote the foreword to this notorious book. So a Sinhala ''hater'' is chosen by the party elected by the votes of the majority community to represent them abroad. Why is he selected now? Why did the UNP agree to this appointment? These questions deserve answers. Salmon Rushdie, an Indian born British writer, for his harmless book Satanic Verses was issued with a death sentence (a fatwah) by the late Ayatollah Khomeini. Today he is living in fear. In Sri Lanka those who contributed, sponsored and encouraged a leading member of international Tamil Eelamist lobby to write a damning book on the silent majority in Sri Lanka is rewarded with a diplomatic appointment in one of the most liberal democracies in the western world. What a strange world! Clement Perera Feltham UK Problem of who's who Certain categories of Public Servants are supplied with uniforms to specify the rank, grade, department etc. to which such officers are attached to. Other than the armed forces and the police, officers of other Departments who are supplied with uniforms, seldom or never wear uniforms when on duty. The government is spending a colossal amount of money in providing uniforms to public servants. For example, if one is to visit a Railway Station, he will not know who the station master, ticket collector or peon is, because they do not wear uniforms whilst on duty. Hence it is necessary that the Heads of Departments concerned should make surprise visits to their Departments and take disciplinary action against those officers who do not wear uniforms whilst on duty. Jinadasa Wickremasuriya Gampola Matter of life and death Crossing the road in our once resplendent isle has become a matter of life and death. The hapless police do not seem to have any control over speeding drivers with not an iota of consideration towards the even more hapless pedestrians. Pedestrians in the city of Colombo enjoy the facility of automated pedestrian crossings at all major traffic lights and properly painted pedestrian crossings at other places. Not so fortunate are people living in the suburbs, though. Every morning, during the rush hour, crossing the road to reach the bus stop is a positive battle to all pedestrians. Most of the pedestrian crossings are not visible as the paint has faded. As a result, vehicles simply speed across, not bothering to slow down even if hundred persons wait to cross the road. Having policemen to regulate the traffic is no use either. Most vehicles carry on regardless even if the policemen signal the traffic to stop. There is no co-ordination between the policemen either. When one allows the pedestrians to cross, the policeman on the other side of the road still allows the traffic to flow, and the poor pedestrians are caught in the middle of the road, until the second policeman realizes that he should have stopped the traffic sometime earlier. Most policemen, when regulating traffic do not use a bit of common sense. They let the vehicular traffic move on without letting the pedestrians cross the road at regular intervals. It is better not to have policemen, as pedestrians themselves can manage to cross the road safely and more efficiently by themselves. Why the authorities cannot paint the pedestrian crossings anew when they fade is beyond any reasonable imagination. After all the public money that has been spent in electing and maintaining Provincial Councils, the officials concerned cannot undertake to repaint pedestrian crossings when the time comes for a new coat of paint. No wonder life is at a standstill in this country. If the PCs live up to their name the ordinary public would have a better standard of life. Why cannot the government construct one single automated pedestrian crossing in all the major suburbs of Colombo rather than continue to paint crossings? Surely the government should have enough money for public service . Geetha Weerasinghe Bibile Kandana That losing battle over GST The recently introduced GST has played havoc in the day-to-day lives of the people. Already over-burdened with the BTT, Defence Levy, increase in the unit rates of water, electricity and telephone bills, the GST has caused an additional burden to the monthly wage earner, who is waging a losing battle in making ends meet. These taxes when added together (believe it or not) in the monthly telephone, electricity and water bills exceed the amount actually charged for the number of units consumed. A responsible Minister in the PA government, whilst on his pre-election campaigning rounds categorically emphasised that when they come to power the water meter will be completely done away with. But these promises made during election time are seldom kept once the party comes into power. These could aptly be described in local parlance as "Election gundus." You can fool some of the people all the time. But not all the people all the time. The Provincial Council Elections, which are round the corner could prove to be an acid test for all those politicians who basking in the glory of exalted office, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the sufferings of the masses. Those legislators of this unrealistic tax are of the view that this tax exists in most developed countries. But they have unfortunately failed to realise that the so-called developed countries are not being burdened with a defence levy or BTT. In Japan this tax, popularly known as VAT is only 3%.The prices of oil too in the world market have registered a drastic drop by about 50%. This fact was disclosed at a Parliamentary session by a member. But regretfully this decrease has not been passed onto the people. Isn't this unjustified? {xe "Mohamed Nalim,Colombo 9."}Mohamed Nalim Colombo 9. Oh fragrant land Anuradhapura In the fragrant land, Where Adam first broke his fall, Where the rich red earth, Sprouts lush green foliage, The winding road led past a lake, With darting blue kingfishers. There, amidst the ruins of a city, Once regal and bustling, Then abandoned and long forgotten, One tries to join the broken fragments And rewrite the pages of history And everywhere, on the humble plains As well as atop the celestial hills, In hidden caves and under The canopy of spreading bo trees, Advising, preaching, meditating, Always benevolent, in his saffron robes, And tranquil smile - the Buddha. Durainow Chishty-Mujahid.
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