Unidentified Flying Objects

The article of our Defence Correspondent, adjacent to these comments on this page, raises many questions about 'sightings' of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) over the northern skies of Sri Lanka and the possibility of the terrorist organisation, the LTTE, having acquired such aircraft.

UFOs are a subject of tremendous interest, particularly after the last world war. Even in countries like the United States, where constant vigilance is maintained on its skies by the defence forces using the best of hi-tech, reports of UFOs keep coming in despite denials of military spokes-persons on the lack of evidence of visitations by aliens from outer space. For Sri Lankans the subject is not as exotic and exciting but it concerns the vital issue of national defence: Has the terrorist organisation acquired aircraft which would result in the introduction of another dimension that could prolong this 15-year-old conflict?

The sightings reported could have resulted from one or more than one cause. These sightings could be purely imaginary or optical illusions. The human tendency - and particularly of Sri Lankans - is to imagine the extraordinary. At times the attitude is: If you have made one such sighting I have seen much more. It could also be the result of foreign aircraft, particularly from India, straying into our territorial skies for one reason of the other. It could be cosmic phenomena such as the Leonid Meteors which have caused global interest. Or it could be much more serious than all that. They could be newly acquired aircraft of the terrorists.

A military spokesman was reported saying yesterday that some navy personnel had sighted flashes of light on their radar screen but it did not mean that they could be interpreted as flying objects. He had assured that security personnel were keeping an open mind on the flashes of light seen off the Jaffna islands.

'The Island' being sceptical about assurances of military spokesman on events happening on terra firma is much more sceptical about their interpretations on heavenly phenomena. As laymen, we were under the impression that intrusion of any aircraft into Sri Lankan air space would be detected on radar that keeps watch over Sri Lanka's airspace. This is a practice adopted by all countries. What have the recordings of the civilian/ and or military radar that scans Sri Lanka's air space been? If with this equipment the military authorities cannot say anything positive, then it points out to the lack of very essential vital equipment It would underscore the fact which some military sources keep saying: High technology has to be deployed in this fight against terrorism and not only heavy armaments.

Whatever these UFO sightings may turn out to be, it makes it imperative that our military personnel have now to keep their eyes not only on the ground but at the skies as well.

Protect Lanka's heritage

The loss of the famed Goddess Tara bronze statue from the Anuradhapura Archeological Museum once again underscores that fact that the methods deployed to protect our historic artifacts fall far too short to counter the the methods deployed by professional international art thieves.

We will be deluding ourselves if all these losses can be fathered on 'Nidhahan Vasthu' hunters - the traditional Sri Lankan variety of treasure hunters. Our traditional treasure hunters are primitive in their ways of thinking and objectives. Their search is for gold and precious metals gems etc. For them a bronze statue would be peanuts in value because their modus operandi is to melt down stolen artifacts and sell the metal.

Those behind the theft of the Tara statue would have been professional art thieves who would be well aware its value in the international market .

The old-fashioned method of guarding them with poorly paid watchers - who are known to be drunk at night - is far too inadequate to protect such objects of art in demand.

What Minister of Cultural Affairs Mr. Lakshman Jayakody and Archeological commissioner Sirhan Deraniyagala should do is to collect all such movable objects into one place and put them under heavy guard, including electronic alarms. As to immovables too 'watchers' dating back to times of Bell et al will not do.

This is an age in Sri Lanka where a priceless painting had taken a walk down the stairs of President's House into the London Auctions. Priceless gems too have disappeared from President's House into thin air. Ancient colonial furniture have been replaced by Maradana Road replicas. And police inquiries, particularly into the painting and gem appear to have come to a dead halt.

We suggest that all movable objects of art be brought to the Colombo Museum and housed where the Throne of the Last King of Kandy has been placed. This throne too should be placed under strict surveillance because not many moons ago there had been request to have the throne removed to the official residence of a proletarian dignitary who had a proclivity for sitting on thrones.