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Point of View
Castration of the whole of Sri Lanka
by W. M. WeerasingheAll Sri Lankans who yearn for a peaceful Sri Lanka devoid of communalism and racism should warmly congratulate Mr. H. L. D. Mahindapala for his erudite analysis of the posturings of some "intellectuals" in our midst in his article "Cultural Castration of the Jaffna Man" in ‘The Island’ of Nov. 4th and 5th. The leading figures on stage playing the roles of honest and dispassionate "wise men" advocating justice , fairplay and humanism such as Professors A. J. Wilson and S. J. Tambiah, not to mention Mr. Neville Jayaweera have been shown in their true colours. They, and others of their ilk such as Charles Abeysekera and Regi Siriwardene have been ( to use a pithy Sinhala idiom) "hiding something and playing with another".
Of immense academic value is Mr. Mahindapala’s exposition of the Vellala stratagems to retain their dominance in Jaffna and how they contributed to the exacerbation of the so called "ethnic conflict" in Sri Lanka between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. One day, perhaps, someone will have to trace a similar conflict between the Muslims and the Sinhalese which has been fanned up by the political ambitions of some Eastern Province parochials. (That is by the way). To come back to the question at hand, Mr. Mahindapala’s article brings out two highly pertinent themes: Namely, the powerful presence of the traditional Tamil law, Thesawalamai and the ruthlessness of the Vellala dominance, so ably orchestrated by Chelvanayagam and his associates.
It is of special significance here that caste, which is part and parcel of Hindu ideology had not been erased by the impact of Christianity which gives no place to such divisions. It is so with Buddhism and indeed the Buddha had time and again derided casteism, and in his order of monks, all castes come together like waters of rivers mingling in the ocean. In spite of some casteism among bhikkus of today as far as the Buddhist populace is concerned all bhikkhus are "Buddhaputras" and we venerate them equally. For, people such as Chelvanayagam, however, issues of caste were to be used covertly, and in spite of being a Christian, his aim was to continue with the dominance of Vellalas, using scapegoats and bogeymen to divert the attention of gullible Tamils.
Of great topical interest to the Sinhalese today is how "the caste problem" is now being brought to the fore in Sinhala society by some interested parties. If one reads the tabloid political sheets financed by NGOs one can observe what a great deal of attention is given to caste-based material. Being in my sixties I can look back at the situation three four decades ago when the caste problem was gradually disappearing. I remember how in the late 1960s Prof. A. J. Wilson, who was then the first Professor of Political Science at Peradeniya University started talking about the importance of caste in Sinhala society. The caste issue which was a dying phenomenon in the Sinhala society was brought into focus and blown up into a topic of major academic concern. Several MA and Ph.D dissertations were written on the issue and this intellectual probing and prodding made many middle class people getting to think of it as an important social phenomenon. As I see it a lot of people who otherwise were not much concerned about caste, because of the Buddhist outlook inadvertently started looking at things on caste lines because of this high profile given to it by some so called "intellectuals". Professors Wilson and Tambiah are the godfathers of the neo -casteism among the Sinhalese!
What was inaugurated by those intellectual Gurus was gradually enlarged and elaborated by gullible Sinhalese scholars. The net result was the dramatic eruption of caste factor in the insurgency of 1971. It is a well known fact that the provincial enlistment of cadres was often done on caste lines and that "caste oppression"was used as a slogan.Looking back at all this we can see how much damage has been done to the Sinhala society in particular and to the Sri Lankan nation in general by the exacerbation of caste divisions inaugurated by the Wilsons and the Tambiahs. They, have planted a cancerous germ among the Sinhalas which is now being expanded, elaborated and kept alive by various NGOs through their tabloid newspapers.
There is another factor which we should not lose sight of.
As far as the caste factor is concerned the JVP and the LTTE are twin brothers born of and thriving on caste divisions. From where does the NGO funding of these caste divisionism come? Is it too far fetched to think that LTTE racists are funding this divisionist caste propaganda among the Sinhalas carried out by the tabloids?
Men & Matters
The lion, the tiger and the fox
by KautilyaCeylon was Great Britain’s best bet. That’s what they all said a century ago. The word "century" prompts one to ask whether cricket, luverly cricket, was England’s greatest gift to this small colony. Or was it the language that Shakespeare spoke? Or parliamentary democracy, Mr. Speaker, sir...on a point of order...
Well, the latest copy of the Tamil Times, a fortnightly journal published in London, has Muttiah Muralitharan on its cover, with a difference...not just the picture and the identity of the newsmaker but a brief intro..."Muttiah Muralitharan who ensured Sri Lanka’s first ever Test win against England by ten wickets taking nine wickets for 65 runs in the second innings with a total crop of 15 wickets..."
Can cricket, luverly cricket, become a useful instrument for "Conflict Resolution", with Arjuna and Murali as the mediators? Murali can speak to Velupillai Prabhakaran and Arjuna, whose thatha is in the P.A. and parliament can persuade his captain, Comrade Chandrika and the UNP skipper Ranil Wickremesinghe to consider the issue. Ay there’s the rub... Power and thathvaya. Both parties have traditionally regarded their "Test match", once in 5 or 6 years, more important than resolving what the ethnic studies pundits call "the National question". Division in the camp of the defending side have been the principal cause of failure, observe the commentators, and who can dare deny that fact of modern, post-1950’s history?
We call Velu P. facist and neo-fascist, racist, etc. but neglect to mention that we really blew it. In 1994- 95, we saw PA candidate Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga win the presidential contest with a massive majority, a record. The PA could quite easily command a two-thirds majority....may be not any more. And yet Comrade President is way ahead in the popularity race. But no. What’s the strategy...the grand strategy alas is a simple kneejerk reaction. Forget the LTTE, let the armed forces tackle the "Tigers", the Peoples Alliance will continue to fight the traditional enemy in our conventional war, the UNP, using all the weapons that the PA can assemble. What has happened? Generalissimo Prabhakaran, a master of pure, unbridled terror, carries on, while the majority Sinhalese, remain divided on conventional parliamentary party lines.
2,500 years, Dutugemunu and Parakramabahu, and what have we to show? Neither the wisdom and bravery of our forefathers (sorry about that, sister Kumari/Radhika) nor the exemplary behaviour of the last colonial ruler confronted by an implacable foe, Hitler. Tory and Labour were partners.
Resolution (no date fixed for debate):
This house resolves that Messrs. Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralitharan and the rest of the boys will govern Sri Lanka for six months.
Meanwhile keep an eye on the Lion,the Tiger and the Laim Fox, and keep the kids happy with a ball-by-ball commentary.
Our Bosnia
This columnist has called it our Bosnia. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) founder, Mr. Ashraff’s politics and tactics as an PA partner prompted me to do so. I am obliged to Mr. Ashraff for reminding us, from time to time, that the Muslims hold the balance, and impressing the LTTE and its ideologues and grand strategists that the Tamils remain the largest group (42%) but are outnumbered by the Muslims and the Sinhalese.
Yes, the Muslims speak Tamil, and yet in this the era when the Islamic revival is a global, certainly a regional phenomenon Mr. Ashraff knows that Allah has served him quite a strong hand. (I trust my choice of metaphor, irresistible to a regular poker player, gives no offence. 42% 33% and the Sinhala-Buddhists 25%).
Buddhism gave us the right to "Sri", specially blessed but Sri Lanka has to recognise its Islamic environment in the Age of Identity. Right G.L?
By the way, whatever happened to the Foreign Affairs Study Group (FASG), a Kautilyan initiative, with the blessing of the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA).
It should be revived. Foreign policy is too serious a matter to be left to the globe-trotters. Calling Comrade Nihal, calling...
Meanwhile I am quite excited by the troubles that face both Mossad and the CIA, and how Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, my guest at the Capri Club during the NAM summit, makes his moves. He may not be a grandmaster but he is a highly skilled player. He is an old Middle-east hand (Cairo-based) and the Israeli mess is certain to be a top priority.
A reply to Dr. Carlo Fonseka
De-educating the EducatorI have read with interest Dr. Carlo Fonseka’s article on ‘Educating the Educator’. As usual he is on a warpath to de-educate the educator. This arrogant statement implies nothing but the blind trying to lead those with vision.
When such astonishing departures from fact, and indeed inversion of fact, are offered in a newspaper by a professor, who has not specialised in psychometrics, then one cannot be surprised at the lack of factual content in his discussions. The distinctive feature of Dr. Fonseka’s article is his total disregard for scientific concepts. Dr. Fonseka neither answers my facts nor apologises for misrepresenting me. I invite Dr. Fonseka to document his assertions, for the benefit of the public.
I do not wish to enter into a debate with him. Furthermore, I am convinced that he grossly lacks elementary and professional knowledge of psychometrics. If the U.G.C. has appointed him for the task of evolving an assessment system, he should only be the manager of the project and not the authority on testing.
I believe that the enforced implementation of the Common General Paper not only poses a direct threat to standards of quality and excellence, but is directly hostile to the interests of the talented youths from underprivileged homes and to the country as a whole. I will continue to oppose it rigorously and vehemently. It is socially unjust, nationally disastrous and ethically unacceptable.
If he further wishes to learn, I invite him to read my article ‘’Ideals and Reality; Sri Lanka’s attempts to resolve the role of Educational Assessment’’ in the book titled ‘Assessment in Transition’, printed in Great Britain, where I am widely quoted by the international circle of psychometricians.
Dr.Tilokasundari Kariyawasam
Vehicles - What are vehicle assessment tests?
By Dr. Kolita Weerasekera, (Senior Lecturer - Open University of Sri Lanka) B.Sc.Eng, M.Eng.Sc.(UNSW), Ph.D.(UNSW), C.Eng., MIE (SL), MIE(Aust), MIEHT(UK), MASCEWhen new cars are manufactured, their safety standards are checked, before permitting them on the roads. Manufacturers of each new model of a vehicle are obliged to carry out a series of crash tests by using human shaped dummies to be affirmed of how safe their vehicles are before allowing them to carry passengers. These test programs are referred to as New Vehicle Assessment Programs (NVAP). Sometimes these tests are repeated in some countries before the vehicles are allowed to be used in those countries irrespective of the manufacturer’s guarantees. Although initially these tests seem to be expensive the long-term good to society is immense. Once the vehicles pass these tests, the results are published and public have access to the results. They can make their own decision which vehicle to purchase depending on safety and of course the price.
The vehicles that fail these tests (ie., unsafe vehicles for human transportation) are not allowed to be imported to the country. In the local context when importing vehicles these crash test results can be looked into before approving the new model to be put on the road. The New Vehicle Assessment Programs (NVAP) are designed to provide consumers with information about how well vehicle models may protect their occupants in serious frontal crashes. These programs are generally supported by government road and transport authorities, automobile clubs and vehicle manufacturers (or vehicle importers in the local context). NVAP crash tests are conducted in many developed countries and the results can be readily obtained from those countries on request.
NVAP test types
The NVAP crash tests are generally conducted in two ways:1. The full frontal crash test [Figure 1 (A)]
2. Offset crash test [Figure 1(B)]
1. The full frontal crash test
The full frontal crash test is conducted with test dummies in the vehicles and the vehicles are made to go at around 50 km/in and subjected to one full frontal crash into a solid concrete barrier as shown in Figure 1(A). In this test the force of the impact is spread evenly across the front of the vehicle.
2. The offset crash test
The offset crash test is conducted with test dummies in the vehicle and the vehicles are made to go at about 60 km/h and subjected to crash into a barrier with a crushable aluminium face as shown in Figure 1 (B). The crash forces are made to concentrate on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The test standard is 40% of the width of the car is initially made to come in contact with the barrier.
These tests are based on international standards and show up differences in protection from injury to front seat occupants provided by vehicle models of similar size and weight. The overall rating considers the deformation of the passenger compartment, how well the restraint system functioned and injury measures to the head, chest and legs. Leg injuries are not usually life-threatening and are given less weight in the overall rating, as is head restraint position. For an instance in Australia the NVAP test results are given to the vehicle importers and they are given the opportunity to view the crash test and examine their vehicles before and after the crash test. Care should be taken that test vehicles are typical of those available in the market.
Three wheelers and NVAP tests
By observing the light impact accidents involving three-wheelers resulting with heavy casualty rates one may wonder what sort of road safety tests have been satisfied by these vehicles. As universally accepted the four wheel arrangement in a vehicle is much stable compared to the three wheel arrangement. Hence satisfying of road crash tests by these three wheel vehicles is of vital importance. If these tests have been carried out before approving these vehicles on our roads most of the deaths and injuries taking place due to light impacts involving three wheelers could have been avoided.Three wheelers and the risk of accidents
Quite rightly a driver of a four wheel vehicle may argue why that person should be allowed to live with the guilt for the rest of his life if an accident involving a three wheeler has cost the life of a passenger in a three wheeler, when the impact is not worth the cost of a life. It may be well proved that the impact caused by a vehicle at 20 km/in is quite sufficient to topple the three-wheeler killing a passenger in it (I wonder how three wheelers will perform against an offset crash test, the most common type of three wheeler accidents). Who is to blame for this situation? Is it the driver of the four wheel vehicle or the authorities who allowed the three wheelers on our roads?If the three wheelers do not confirm to the NVAP safety standards, it is high time research is directed to introduce a four wheel arrangement for these vehicles or develop a phasing out programme of these vehicles from our national road network.
Compatibility and lane discipline
The sharp turning circles, and narrow body widths are the ideal combination to unsettle the lane discipline. If any attempt is made to make the local drivers to get used to drive within lanes three wheelers are the ideal vehicles to confuse the discipline. I wonder how many local drivers have faced the situation when vehicles are following each other in orderly fashion, when suddenly you are surrounded with three wheelers and you get so confused that you do not realise whether you are driving a single, two, three or four lane road stretch. Following the three wheelers you end up with the lane mix-up. The road designs are carried out with a lane width varying from 2.75 to 3.5 metres depending on the expected level of service of the road. Unfortunately the body width of the three wheeler is such that it is able to wedge through these lanes even when the lanes are occupied, and supported with their sharp turning manoeuvres they can put an end to any stream line flow. Hence the compatibility of these vehicles with the other vehicles is a question to be addressed. To improve on the compatibility the research should be directed to restrict the turning manoeuvres and increase the body widths, or else the road design guidelines will have to be revised to suit the three wheelers forgetting the four wheel vehicles.As an alternative to three wheelers the pedal three wheelers were suggested (The Island, 8/8/98) with the following advantages:
• they are more environmentally friendly
• no fuel is needed (ie., more economical)
noharmful fumes• much less noise
• much cheaper and economical
• can be locally manufactured and large savings in foreign exchange
• since the wheel diameters are large more stability provide good exercise for the driver (or pedaler) - resulting a healthier nation
• since less powerful, more road discipline
• poor man will embrace this as their vehicle, not the motorised three-wheeler
If economy is the governing criteria pedal three wheelers (supported on three cycle wheels) will be a better solution supplemented with the large savings in foreign exchange. If safety, road discipline and a respectable ride is the governing criteria 800 cc low powered economical four wheel car may be the future cab with an improved public transport system. Authorities may decide which path to follow.
Low engine capacity four wheel vehicles (800cc or lees) as an alternative to three wheelers.
Has any comparative study ever been carried out on the overall efficiency on the economy, environment, road efficiency, highway aesthetics, accident costs injury and by way of human lives, between low capacity 4 wheel vehicles and the three wheelers? On the face value the three wheeler may seem the winner but from the long term point of view it may be vice-versa. Phasing out programme for 3-wheelers
It is high time the transport ministry starts preparing themselves to plan out a phasing out programme of three wheelers while simultaneously concentrating on improving the public transport structure. "Road efficiency" is a term not much used in this country and it is now time the authorities be educated of the importance of this term. If a road is to be improved in its efficiency, the traffic flow has to be improved. To improve the through flow of a road the traffic should be stream lined. To streamline the traffc, (1) lane discipline, and (2) proper intersection management are the two prime criteria. The harmful factors which disturb these main criteria have to be eliminated as much as possible. It is high time the transport authorities and the highway experts start thinking in terms of improving the road efficiency. Road efficiency can be achieved by way of road discipline, educating the people, removing bottle necks, improvements at intersections, encouraging road efficient vehicles, discouraging road inefficient vehicles, planning out parking policies, introducing bus bays, introducing minimum headways between buses, enforcing speed limits and so many available traffic engineering techniques. It is now time for the transport authorities in this country to get real and start addressing more practical issues in the transport industry which need immediate attention, leaving the fanatical ideas of building super highways, motorways, autobahns, freeways, expressways or what ever you may call them.
