5th September 1999

• Let's show more moral outrage
• Honour Buddhist ties please please
• Is it the making of a Gestapo?
• These are amudes not sportswear
• All about a plane named 'Jaffna'
• Catholics, the Bishop and the coal power plant

Let's show more moral outrage

Do we see, at last, a light at the end of the tunnel?

That is the question some of us in Avadhi Lanka asked ourselves after reading the refreshingly forthright, but long overdue, observations of H. L. de Silva P.C., before the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, recently (vide p.8 of The Sunday Times of August 29).

It is true that Mr. de Silva, in making his comments, seemed to be primarily concerned with the subject of judicial independence and moral integrity among judges. But we, in Avadhi Lanka, venture to think that what he said, in his characteristically candid manner, has a far wider relevance. Mr. de Silva's remarks concern not merely the legal profession and the administration of justice in this country, but, more importantly the much broader sphere of all aspects of national life in our land.

Mr. de Silva has said that "one detects an attitude of complacency and a note of resignation in the face of the slide downhill" and that this would be a great tragedy. Indeed, indeed.

The tragedy is already upon us. The indifference and complacency Mr. de Silva has spoken of, exist not only in the fields of judicial independence and moral integrity of judges, but in us also with regard to all affairs concerning national life. We have lost our sense of moral outrage especially those who, not so long ago, were given to pontificating, day in and day out, on governance as being a sacred trust.

Allegations of bribery and corruption, various forms of misconduct and moral turpitude, favouritism and authoritarianism in decision-making are freely levelled, not merely against holders of judicial office, but, much worse, against those in high office and those entrusted by the people with the task of working for their welfare. And yet they carry on regardless. We venture to think that as a people we have not descended to such low levels of degeneracy in living memory.

We, therefore, urge Mr. de Silva and other like-minded colleagues of his in the legal profession to get- together with others who foresee the impending catastrophe to start a crusade to lift the country out of its present plight and establish in our land, justice, in the widest possible sense of the term. Collective action is urgently called for.

Leela Isaac,
Stanley Gunaratne,
Chandra Mettananda,
Stanley Jayaweera,
Daya Wijesinghe,
Shelton Wijesinghe
Avadhi Lanka,
Rajagiriya.

Honour Buddhist ties please please

Why didn't Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar receive Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand at the airport?

I wonder whether he considers visiting dignitaries from neighbouring Buddhist countries less important. A few months back, the Foreign Minister of Myanmar was on an official visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of the government. He was met at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella. Myanmar and Thailand are Buddhist countries with centuries old ties with Sri Lanka. To honour these ties, Mr. Kadirgamar should have welcomed these dignitaries. However, when the Prince of Wales came to Sri Lanka last year, all the officials of the Foreign Ministry seemed to be at the airport.

J. Peiris
Negombo

Is it the making of a Gestapo?

The Lankadeepa published a news item that 225 people from outside had been drafted to the district investigation units of the Police Department. In this context, it may be of interest, to quote some comments from the publication, "Police Studies" by R.S. Bunyard, Chief Constable of Essex.

"Danger in a democracy does not lie in a central police that is too strong, but in local police forces that are too weak."

"In the elections of 1932 in Germany, the Nazis with Adolf Hitler as leader took control of the administration. One of the first acts of this government was to infiltrate the police with Nazi party members. A prominent Nazi, Herman Goring, was made Minister President, Minister of the Interior and Head of Police in Prussia. On March 10, 1933, an Auxiliary Police Force, with uniforms having the party emblem, Swastika, was recruited from party units. In September 1933, 295 officers and 2460 other ranks were dismissed. Heinrich Himmler took charge of the police in Baveria and established the Secret Police, the Gestapo which was extended to the whole country.

"One clear lesson however is that the failure on the part of German police forces to control the growth and activities of the organised private armies of the National Socialists."

With this new force are we too heading towards the creation of a Gestapo? For the creation of any new service, Parliament should approve the expenditure. Has that been done? The Public Service Commission should approve the scheme of recruitment and delegate powers to the head of department to recruit. Has that been done? If not the whole exercise is illegal. Not only this service, but a host of other niyamakas will be holding office illegally if procedure has not been followed.

It is up to a Member of Parliament to raise this issue in the House.

T.B.M. Ekanayake.
Retired Commissioner, Registration of Persons.

These are amudes not sportswear

Much publicity has been given to the honour brought to our country by women athletes. But it is unfortunate that they wear clothes which are unsuitable for a Buddhist country.

However Sri Lankan men who take part in sports are more decently clad in shorts or tights going well below their knees.

Our culture is such that women don't wear "Amuda" in public.

I remember a news item from London which said a naked woman when arrested by the police had protested that she had the right to be naked in public. Is it that such Western trends are creeping into our society?

It is time our women's organisations and heads of girls' schools take the lead in advising young athletes on the need for decency and dignity.

Then only will we be able to command respect in this changing world.

Worried Mother
Kelaniya

All about a plane named 'Jaffna'

The article by Roger Thiedeman, "How Ceylon Tamils sent a plane named 'Jaffna' states how the Ceylon Tamils of Malaya ( now Malaysia) presented a plane to the British during World War I.

I wish to point out that the residents of Jaffna presented a plane to the British government in 1941 during World War II ( 1939 - 1945). To raise money, 'The Jaffna Answer Carnival and Exhibition in, aid of 'Send - a- Plane Fund' was held during May - June 1941 at St Patrick's College grounds, Jaffna. The carnival was opened by the then Governor of Ceylon Sir Andrew Caldecott and a profit of about Rs. 30,000 made

(a fairly large sum during those days).

At that time the war was at a critical stage and not favourable to the Allies.

Poland had been captured and partitioned by Germany and Russia in September 1939. Ports of Finland had been taken over by Russia in March 1940. Germany had captured Norway, Denmark, Yugoslavia and Greece in April and Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in May 1940. The Battle of France had begun in June and Italy had declared war on Britain and France.

In Africa, Britain had conquered Cirenaica (in Libya) in December 1940 - Feburary 1941 and the German counter-thrust had taken place during March and April 1941.

Britain's conquest of Italian East Africa had begun in January 1941 and had continued for 11 months. There had been a revolt in Iraq and the British occupation of Syria had begun in June 1941.

Germany's invasion of U.S.S.R. and the war in the Far East initiated by Japan were yet to take place.

It was at this critical juncture that the plane 'Jaffna' was presented to the British government in 1941.

V. Mahadevan
Jaffna

Catholics, the Bishop and the coal power plant

We were surprised to read a news item in The Sunday Times of August 15, that the President has assured the Chilaw Bishop that the controversial coal power plant at Norachcholai has been dropped. The news item further stated that the Bishop had been leading a campaign against the project on the grounds that it could cause serious environmental and social problems.

The aim of the coal power project, as we understand it, is to meet the ever increasing demand for electricity in the country and to ensure a supply without "power cuts" and also to supply electricity to the consumer at the lowest possible cost. We are sure the good Bishop will not find fault with these motives.

With regard to environmental hazards, we do not consider the Bishop as an authority on the subject. According to the law of our land, the Central Environmental Authority must give its approval for a major project of this nature. We suppose it has been done. We as Catholics are certainly willing to be obedient to our Bishops on matters of dogma, theology and religion, but when they speak on environment and social problems, we have a right to question and disagree. It would be prudent for the Bishop himself to follow expert opinion on such matters.

Probably the Bishop is worried that the power project is going to be located in his diocese, but he should be equally glad that the project will benefit the whole nation - Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Catholics. We have noticed for some time a tendency among our Catholic leaders to suffer from the "persecution syndrome" common to most minority groups.

But we as Catholics must remember that Buddhists have made great sacrifices for the good of the whole nation and that when our time comes, we Catholics too should be ready to face hardships for the greater good of our country. For example, for the sake of the Mahaweli Project a large number of ancient villages were destroyed, temples, kovils and towns went under water and thousands of families were displaced and their livelihood disrupted. Perhaps, it would be in keeping with the Christian spirit, for the good Bishop to advise his flock to emulate the good example of our Buddhist brethren on national issues. Of course, the Bishop has every right to ask for maximum compensation for those affected by the power plant. We also note with curiosity that the other Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka, there are eight of them, have maintained a deafening silence on this issue. Is it tacit agreement or mere respect for a senior Bishop?

We hope that the President will not barter away the future well-being of our country for a few Catholic votes from the Chilaw diocese which really is probably only one third of the NWP.

A Catholic
Negombo

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