      |
||
Much has been written in all most many newspapers about the recent statement by the Hon. President that 'Pensioners are idle consumers of their daily bread'. It should not be forgotten that these pensioners were once Public Servants who served its motherland for well over 35 or 40 years. Many have suffered and sacrificed their prime of youth, serving in incongenial stations and sometimes in remote wild animal infested jungles. Today they are old and feeble. They find it extremely difficult to make ends meet, with this paltry pension they receive. Some have school-going children, unmarried daughters, while others have to look after their aged parents, who are either paralitics, or with heart ailment. They have to spend a good portion of their pensions on these patients, nursing and feeding them, without any other source of income. Some of them are on the bad side of 80 or 90 years. They live more on medicine than on food. Added to all this untold suffering, the cost of living is rising daily. It is the Public Servants who perform election duties to form a Government and when they retire they become pensioners and draw a paltry sum not sufficient even to meet their daily needs. Teachers were paid a 100% increase on their salaries and many as 50,000 retired after the increase and now draw a pension well over Rs. 7000/- 8000/- per month. But prior to 1985 the public servants who retired draw a very much lower pension compered to those who retired after 1985. Yet alone, be it a Honours Graduate, highly qualified Civil Engineers, a post graduate qualified Doctor or even a Scientist and all categories in allied services prior to 1985 draw a lesser pension than a Sinhalese trained teacher who has retired in 1997 and after. Thus a gross injustice prevaile between these two categories. In 1994, just prior to the elections, at Gampaha where over 5000 pensioners were present Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumara-tunga promised to rectify all anomalies of pensioners, once she became the President of Sri Lanka. But now in 1998 she wants the pensions reduced. Come on Dear President, to speak of Pensioners in this fashion is most undemocratic as the Head of the Country. It is not a pension cut but an all-round increase in the next Budget please. Eric C de Silva The Poya full moon day has been declared by the state as a public holiday to enable the Buddhists who are the majority of this country to engage themselves in their religious observances. This is a day where the public is expected to maintain a low profile, where the State mechanism itself provides for the closure of bars, liquor shops, cinemas, meat stalls etc., and hence it is duty and an obligation of all concerned whether Buddhists or not to respect these customs. Although the State has declared the Poya Day as a holiday, some State sponsored organizations have abused these holidays by turning them into days filled with merry making events, rather than for the very purpose for which the holidays are meant for. Perhaps, the biggest sinners and culprits are the associations operating under the umbrella of the Sports Ministry. In the past schools sports activities were being held on Poya Days, such as All Island Schools Hockey Tournaments, National Schools Soccer Tournament, Under 13 and Under 15 Rugger Tournaments. Some of these events are sponsored by a multinational company. Various other sports events, cricket matches and competitions are also held on Poya days as if these holidays have been declared by the state for people to engage in sports and merry making activities. The latest sinner is the Board of Control for Cricket who organised a cricket match with a foreign team on August 7th Poya day. As a parent, I was deeply disturbed when once I had to take my little son on a Poya Day for who was taking part in an Inter-School Knock-out Rugger Tournament. Had I taken a bold step by not allowing my son to take part in the tournament, because it was on a Poya day, it could have perhaps been the end of his sports career at school. The youth and the people in this country should respect the religious customs whether it is your own faith or not. Authorities should take a very serious note of this and ban all sports activities on Poya days. A public holiday is declared by the State at an enormous cost to the economy of the country and if the mere purpose of the holiday is abused, it would even be prudent to do away with the Poya holiday. D. G. W. A National Child Protection Act got into our statutes, earlier there was the Children's Charter. There is no question about the necessity to strengthen child protection laws for the purpose of eradicating child abuse and upholding children's rights. Hence passing of legislation of the purpose is most welcome. A boy or girl under the age of 18 years is considered to be a child. We have in our country, around one million child labourers including those in the plantation sector. Poverty is the main reason for child labour. Parents, due to economic reasons, encourage children to seek employment to enable them to supplement family income to keep kitchen fires burning. Abandoned children or those from broken families add to the child labour force. We have had child protection laws since 1939. Law prohibits a child under 15 years being employed and provides for compulsory education of a child up to 16 years. Those provisions, however, have never been strictly enforced. Take for instance, the street children who labour and who are used for nefarious activities including prostitution. Have they been rounded up, put into schools and rehabilitated? To do so will require the state to provide food, clothing and shelter in addition school books and equipment, to those children. The Government is not geared to that and there are no NGOs to take over that responsibility. Whatever the theoretical interpretations to the contrary may be, it is seen that poverty in the country has increased in recent times, which means that the root cause for child labour and abuse has spread and hence a solution to the problem has been made more difficult. It is therefore hoped that solutions to problems that lead to child labour and abuse are made operative, the state machinery necessary to rehabilitate the children and pay compensation where applicable is set up, and the laws will be strictly enforced at least from now on. Punishing the wrong-doers alone will not be enough though it will serve as a deterrent. It will otherwise be just another legislation found in our statute books. Upali S. Jayasekera Peace is the product of justice. Justice concerns rights and duties. While people desire peace, they must be concerned also about the rights and duties of all persons concerned. The basic premise of democracy is that all concerned agree to accept as law whatever is approved by a majority of those entitled to vote, provided that the human rights of all persons are assured, and that 'tyranny of the majority' is precluded. The five Tamil parties have a total of twenty Members in Parliament, but as far as I know they have never had a plenary meeting to formulate a 'constitution' for 'Eelam', approved by a simple majority (11 out of 20) or a two-thirds majority (14 out of 20). The proposed constitutions should answer questions such as the following: Who are recognized as 'Tamils'? What are the rights and duties of persons who, though not 'Tamils' live and/or own property in the territory? What provision is made for institutions which are at present under the control of the government of Sri Lanka? Such institutions include currency, postage, imports, exports, immigration, emigration, taxation, and others. It seems to me that the president and the Parliament should have the opportunity to consider such proposal, before they agree to the establishment of a 'separate state' (presuming that they have not already decided not to grant such a request). Those who ask for 'Eelam' should specify what they wish to have. Claude R. Daly, S.J. "Another 500 days, and the world enters another millennium" This was the announcement by the Rupavahini news reader, on 19.8.1998, at 10.00 p.m. Then a learned Professor (Prof. V. K. Samaranayaka), appeared on the small screen and announced confirming that "500 days from today the world will see the dawn of the next millennium". These announcements are totally incorrect and misleading. The fact is that 500 days from 19.8.1998, the world will enter the last year of the 20th century and the 2nd millennium, and not the next millennium. The dawn of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, as universally accepted, will be on the first day of January in the year 2001-01.01.2001. In the year 2000, the last year of the 20th century and 2nd Millennium i.e. 500 days from 19.8.1998, complicated problems would arise in the commerce, trade, banking and other establishments, using computer systems that are programmed to denote the year with the last two digits, instead of the four digits, viz. "00" for "2000". This situation could be overcome by timely action by the users of such computer systems, as advised by the Central Bank of Ceylon. Wilfred Perera I read the letters in the press arguing that Sri Lanka should not have poultry, swine and goat industries, mainly because, these industries cater for meat eaters and therefore is against the 'ahimsa' philosophy. Similarly, I presume that we will have to stop our fish, prawn and lobster industries as well? We must be very practical in this aspect, that what is required is the introduction of 'humane' killing or slaughter. The explanation given is that since only Muslims volunteer to perform slaughter of animals. But this is not so, since pigs are slaughtered by non Muslims. Here, extreme cruelty to pigs is seen where the animal is hit on the head repeatedly and is seen round the slaughter area with a bleeding head, until it collapses. This happens daily in the Colombo Municipal and other abattoirs. So why not campaign in stages? First, humane killing of pigs. When that is successful, later it can be extended to poultry, where two products, 'halal' and 'standard, could be marketed for the consumers. It is not at all practical to stop all types of meat industries, since these industries are economic and cater for the needs of the consumers. Livestock Farmer, On behalf of the residents of Mallikarma Road, Ratmalana, in November 1996, I made representations to the Dehiwala Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council authorities to have this road repaired. Due to the consistent neglect of maintenance of this road over several years, crater size pot holes were a common sight and the difficulties the pedestrians and the motorists had to undergo were tremendous. The efforts and agitation made by residents and welfare organisations of the area opened the eyes of the Municipal authorities. The repair work of this road, a stretch of about 260 meters commenced in February 1998. Firstly 100 meters of the road was repaired and two months later another 100 meters of work was carried out. The balance work on 60 meters of roadway has yet to commence. Six weeks ago metal was brought and dumped on the centre of the road thus blocking the free flow of traffic. The Mayor of the Municipal Council should visit the Mallikarama Road and see for himself the daily ordeal of pedestrians including factory workers, school children and the elders apart from the motorists and the cyclists are undergoing. It is hoped the Municipal authorities would take steps to attend to this matter and bring immediate relief to the residents. Hemasiri Perea I had occasion to write to your journal on the 22nd June 98 under the caption 'TV Shocks' where I expressed shock and disbelief, as to the uncouth language most of our politicians use, when appearing on TV or otherwise. He was another kind of shock I experienced in visiting a well known hospital in Wellawatte recently. A friend of mine, sent his wife and nine year son, all the way from Aluthgama for treatment in Colombo, as the son had developed a boil (as large as a small lime) under his armpit and was in great pain. On visiting this well known hospital at the O.P.D. the good doctor examined the patient, and advised that he undergo an operation under anaesthesia immediately, and was making all arrangements with the surgeon, anaesthetist and theatre staff to go ahead. However on inquiring from the doctor as to the cost of this treatment, he contacted the office and advised that the total charges would be Rs. 6500. Although I am no medical man, but only a technical qualified person, even to me this figure appeared astounding in relation to this minor operation. Having received this shock of a different kind and not been able to afford the cost we ' walked across the road to a small Clinic cum Dispensary run by a kindly doctor. He immediately examined the little patient, and requesting us to wait in his room, he took the boy to his surgery and was back in under 15 minutes. He said everything was OK and to buy some drugs from a pharmacy for three days use and have a dressing done in Aluthgama instead of coming all the way to Colombo. Well now for the Bigger Shock his charges for lancing the boil and putting a dressing was Rs. 30/- (Rupees thirty) now can you believe it! And the cost of drugs was Rs. 78/-. Rexy Security for the Dalada Maligawa The August issue of the Kandy News mentions of a Security Fence round the Sri Dalada Maligawa to enclose the area of the Natha devale, Mahamaluwa. The cost of this is to be paid from the re-construction and repair fund of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. All this security work in the area is after the bomb explosion. This is yet another attempt by the D. N. to isolate the Buddhist Public from the Sri Dalada Maligawa. This has been his intention ever since he become the D. N. He appears to have succeeded with the bomb explosion. The ordinary Buddhist public are the people who worship in veneration for generations, not the Tourists or the rich. The whole area appears isolated. The proposal is to include the whole area except the St. Pauls church. The restrictions are only for the Sinhala Buddhists. It is no different from the Colonial Days. M. B. Weerasekara The word fishing is applied to the catching of practically any animal in the water as crabs, oysters, lobsters, whales, cods and several hundred varieties small and big. Fish is commonly caught by scooping up with nets or with baited hooks, single or some times hundreds fastened to lines. Many Sri Lankan Buddhists of the maritime provinces are engaged in fishing. Fresh water fishing by baited hooks has increased rapidly. The fishermen are engaged in catching, salting, during, cutting and selling. The fish caught are not killed instantly or painlessly. They are left out of their natural environment to meet a slow, prolonged suffering till death. Sometimes fish are cut alive to prove their freshness. According to teaching of Lord Buddha in 'The Metta Sutta' that ''Whatever living beings there be, small or large, seen or unseen, born or to be born - may all beings, without exception, be happy minded. May all beings to happy and secure.'' If this sermon of Lord Buddha is true and acceptable, fishing which involves mass killing is unsuitable, a vocation for the Buddhists. They should be saved from evil 'karma vipaka'. Are Buddhist fishermen engaged in fishing, curing and selling eligible to take 'pansil' even on a 'pasalosvaka poya' day and recite 'Panatipata'? P. M. A. Latiff Fifteen years after the event... Fifteen years have had to pass by before a lone national daily. The Island-has been able to pluck up the courage to call for an investigation into the Anti Tamil Violence of July 1983 through its editorial column. Every Tamil is aware that this dark episode in their lives was not a spontaneous uprising of the Sinhalese people but a calculated blow aimed and executed against the growing economical and political power of the Tamil people by the United National Party government then in power. The way in which members of that party then in power went about their sinister activities will not easily be forgotten by the Tamils in Sri Lanka or by those Sinhalese people who were aware that they were witness to an attack on the Tamil people that had been planned and implemented by the then ruling United National Party. Every Tamil also knows that it was this planned attack on them that rendered the democratic process irrelevant, marginalised the existent political leadership as well as intelligentsia and bestowed legitimacy upon the armed rebellion then in its infancy. The Anti Tamil Violence of July 1983 was directed only at those Tamils who lived in areas outside the northeastern province. Most of the Tamils living in areas outside the north and east were and still are Indian Tamils. More than half of these Indian Tamils are employed as workers in the island's plantation sector. The fact that the violence of 1983 was directed at these Indian Tamils who live outside the northeast as well as the fact that factories and businesses belonging to non Tamil Indians were also attacked and destroyed makes it necessary to look closely at the possibility of anti Indian sentiments arising from perceptions based on xenophobic nationalism having provided the motivational force that made the launching of this attack possible. Members of The Indian Tamil Community in Sri Lanka had been deprived of their citizenship rights by the very first government of Independent Sri Lanka as far back as in 1948. In fact the fiftieth anniversary of this first act of aggression against them falls on the fifteenth day of November this year and their leaders are already engaged in taking all necessary action to commemorate this day appropriately. As a result of their having been deprived of their citizenship. Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka had been unable to invest in land. Consequently following the violence of July 1983 they were unable to access any of the rehabilitatory assistance required for them to set up the sources of their livelihood again. The outcome of this situation has been that over a hundred and fifty thousand of these Indian Tamils have sought refuge in India where they continue to reside in the absence of the wherewithal necessary for them to return and resume their lives in Sri Lanka. Successive governments have chosen to ignore their plight and have shown no interest in providing the rehabilitatory assistance that will make it possible for them to return. Nirmalan Dhas |
||
 |