14th March 1999

Noise, noise, noise!

Recently, the peace and tranquillity which prevailed in our environment has been rudely and relentlessly shattered by the continuous vibration and noise caused by generators operating in Katubedda and Ratmalana.

The noise is loud and continuous, it goes on from dawn and throughout the night.

On investigation, it was found that certain industrialists have now resorted to using their old stand-by generators,to cut down costs on electricity.

This irritating and continuous noise is a violation of our peace and harmony.

Moreover, it is a health hazard to us old residents, little children and invalids and for those who conduct services and classes in pirivenas, temples, mosques and churches and to the many nursery schools in the vicinity.

Further, it constitutes a violation of the privacy of the individual, who is entitled to a good night's rest after the burdens of a heavy day.

I trust that the relevant authorities would take action to stop this noise pollution.

Vincent G. Nethasinge
Ratmalana

Who is important, humans or animals?

We see plenty of letters bemoaning the fact that we try to eradicate cruelty to animals, while ignoring the plight of humans. It is taken for granted that compassion bestowed on animals is in danger of running dry with nothing left for humans. On the contrary is it not a virtue that increases with use, to spill over on all around?

Nobody appears to know that the Constitution, the laws, law courts, armed forces, police, hospitals, social services, etc., are all geared to perform one task - looking after and protecting humans. If they insist on turning nasty, are hell-bent on destroying each other, and go on killing sprees, it is not because of lack of protective laws or protectors. In contrast, the outdated and ineffective animal ordinances are never even imposed, when violations occur, which happens all the time. Animals are tormented the world over. The horrible vivisection and research practised on their frail, pathetic bodies are unmentionable. The best is squeezed out of them to fatten humans. They are, in fact, sucked dry and then killed as painfully as possible - torn asunder, scraped out of protective shells, bludgeoned, burnt, skinned alive, or whatever other gruesome method of sadism of man can devise. We should remember what the Buddha once said - there is no simile to describe the intense suffering of animals.

Those who grumble at animal sympathisers can rest assured that their own suffering, if any, and that of their friends is the target of all government departments to ameliorate. Lucky they! In case of default, they have the right to immediately protest and ask for better service. No such luck for the unfortunate animals, who find themselves permanently dumped outside the boundaries of social security.

Prema Ranawaka-Das,
Gal Gawa Mithuro.

Democracy in grave danger

January 25, 1999 was the day on which the wake-up call came to the citizens of Sri Lanka. It was the day on which the full realisation dawned on the people of the extent to which their democratic rights had been eroded and the danger the people faced of the complete extinction of those rights. It was the day on which the ballot was made subservient to the T 56 gun.

What the people will have to realise is that the events at Wayamba were not something that came upon us without warning. There were numerous earlier events that give clear evidence of the breakdown of law and order that came to a climax at Wayamba.

This break-down of law and order did not take place only in Wayamba or only in connection with the P. C. elections. It had started much earlier and was a growing cancer eating into the body politic. The rape and murder of Rita John, the recent murder of the person who had gone for a walk on the Mt. Lavinia beach, the murder of old ladies living alone in their homes in the heart of Colombo, the Hokandara massacre, to cite a few instances that created headlines in the newspapers, are clear indications of the break-down of law and order in the country. There are many reasons for this state of affairs but the main reason is the politicisation of the police force, which makes it extremely difficult for the police to carry out their duties in a fair and impartial manner.

The people have to realise that if they are to preserve their democratic rights and their democratic way of life they have to take on the burden themselves. All citizens have to realise that each and every one of them has a duty and an obligation to play his or her part in the protection of these rights. This they can do by taking an active interest in public affairs.

There are persons whose attitude is - "Politics is a dirty business. I will have nothing to do with it. Leave politics to the politicians". It is the policy of "leaving politics to politicians" that has resulted in the present situation where the rights of even those who left politics to politicians are in grave danger.

Here "taking an interest in public affairs or politics" does not necessarily mean joining a political party. It means to be alive to political trends in the country and to take some action when the rights of the people are being infringed or any other matter arises that affects the well-being of the nation - even if it means merely writing a letter to a national newspaper. Small though such actions may appear to be, they are nevertheless, not without significance. They are evidence of the working of a vibrant democracy. Besides, they send a message to the decision makers as indications of public opinion.

Since the politicians have not only failed to protect the rights of the citizens but have even been the cause of their erosion it is time for us to think of setting up one or more peoples' movements that would utilise all constitutional and legal means to protect and uphold the rights guaranteed to the people under the Constitution.

But while such movements are being organised (we hope) there are certain actions that we, the people can take immediately to provide even a partial remedy to the ills that beset us. Of recent times there has been an increasing demand for the setting up of an Independent Elections Commission, an Independent Police Commission and an Independent Public Service Commission. By "independent" is here meant independent of control by politicians. Of these proposed Commissions we think the most important and urgent one is the Indpendent Police Commission.The setting up of the Independent Police Commission should receive priority, especially because the recent Supreme Court judgement has ruled that even at present the Commissioner of Elections has sufficient powers to act independently.

Hewage Jayasena,
General Secretary,
Sinhala Arakshaka Sanvidhanaya

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