Safeguard historic monuments

Five 'guardstones' or Muragal at the world famous Watadage in Medirigiriya dating back to 2000 years ago have been plundered, as we reported yesterday, causing an irrevocable loss to the nation.

These inestimable pieces of art that had survived many an invasion and stood as symbols of the glorious past that our forefathers were once proud heirs to, have simply vanished into thin air perhaps to go under the hammer in a faraway land.

A similar fate has befallen many an artefact of ours, but precious little has been done to preserve the country's archaeological sites. Outcry that follows reports of such plundering soon fizzle out only to be raised again when the repetition occurs.

It is sad that those who are responsible for the preservation of the nation's cultural heritage have failed to carry out their duty by the nation. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs, it is said, has achieved notoriety for taking these acts for granted or considering them as mere acts of flinching.

There have been reported instances of plundering of archaeological treasures in various parts of the country but to our mind, no preventive measures were adopted by the authorities to deal with such crimes effectively.

Even the exposes by the press with malice or rancour towards none, of carelessness of those who handle the so-called restoration of archaeological monuments were dismissed by the Ministry as attempts to malign their favourites, who are more interested in cultural tourism than conservation of historic monuments.

For example, our reports of cracks that appeared on the walls of the historic Thivanka Pilimage under the weight of the new roof constructed by whimsical officials, were pooh-poohed by the Ministry a few years back. Reports of plundering of artefacts in other sites as well were regarded apocryphal and fell on deaf ears.

It is this lackadaisical attitude and its tardiness that have prevented the Ministry from dealing with the scourge of plundering artefacts effectively.

It is time that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs moved in vigorously to deal with criminal elements bent on depriving posterity of its cultural heritage.

Callous high - flying politicians
We have been reiterating in these columns the need for politicians to have some consideration towards the general public at least on the road. Heavily guarded motorcades of politicians from the sublime to the ridiculous causing much inconvenience to other road users are the order of the day.

Overzealous security personnel in those monstrous vehicles escorting these VIP limousines, much to the consternation of people, drive at their whim and fancy as if the road is theirs.

Prominent politicians whom the terrorists are zeroing in on cannot be faulted for taking such precautions in keeping with security advice, which is too costly to let go unheeded these days. But what is puzzling is why all picayune political characters consider themselves so important as to shove people off the road.

One of our columnists, as we recorded yesterday, too had been witness to this kind of treatment by a discourteous politician. The trishaw he was travelling in had swung to a side to avoid collision with the politician's car, when the petty potentate opened the door giving a thwack on the columnist's thigh.

Giving a cursory look at only his car and the three-wheeler, he had carried on regardless paying no heed to what he was being told about civility by the other.

Why is this presumptuousness of hoity-toity politicians towards the electors?

People are already overburdened with the prevailing security measures to protect politicians. Roads have been closed and commercial areas declared high security zones. People are taking circuitous routes to places that they once reached with ease.

Thus, the country has come to a pass where, it is believed, the so-called VIP security has become a nuisance to the public.

To tax them further with more of the same or similar encounters with haughty politicians as one our columnists had the other day, could therefore be counterproductive.

There are signs of pent up anger of the public over the display of might by lordly politicians. The people must not be made to suffer any more because of VIP security or at the hands of the high-and-mighty.