Morning
Spice by Ginger
Bowel
diseases spread faster
And now Cholera has rapped on the doors of the
city and entered it as well. Bowel diseases
spread much faster as do most infectious diseases
in urban areas where people live much closer to
each other than in villages. There are other
reasons as well. In shanty areas in many
instances toilets are shared. Often they do not
inform the authorities of anyone who is suffering
with the disease and chances of its spreading in
the neighbourhood are therefore all the greater.
Most eating houses have their toilets next to the
kitchen and this area is an unholy mess.
At least in the interest of future health
standards the local authorities should insist
that plans for the building of eating houses
would not be approved unless there is a minimum
distance between the two. Our concern however is
that of controlling the present epidemic or there
may not be any reason to discuss future
precautions. One way the disease spreads is
through the eating par boiled leaves and raw
salads: eating houses that have not been cleared
by the public health dept. should be asked not to
serve such food and the other precaution should
be to open centres in declared zones in the city
to give anti cholera shots to the public in the
vicinity.
Civil rights
Age mellows as the old saying goes and
this is precisely what happened to George Wallace
four times Governor of Alabama. He was perhaps
one of the most vociferous campaigners against
the civil rights movement. He was so totally
opposed to civil rights that he personally stood
in the way of two black students registering at
the University of Alabama in 1963.
In 1972 he was shot in his back and had to
move around on his wheel chair ever since. Ten
years later he renounced his views on race and
admitted that he was wrong and that the old south
was very different today. He died recently at the
age of 79, a changed and far more liberal
individual to the racist he was in the fifties.
Christmas progbrammes
Ginger noticed with considerable
satisfaction that MTV was having some decent
Christmas programmes starting early this season.
Let's hope that the other stations would follow
suit. Sometime ago Ginger advised Dynavision that
if it hung on to its entertainment segment it
would pay dividends.
Last Saturday the ads were coming so fast and
thick during its movie that Ginger in sheer
disgust switched on to another station. The movie
was badly dislocated by the ads. That showed
really that the English shows are drawing quite a
lot of the advertisements and stations like
Dynavision could gain quite a lot by adding a bit
of diversity to their programmes.
A plan to popularise cycling
Dr. Kolitha Weerasekera of the Open University
of Sri Lanka in an extensive article featured in
your issue of 23.11.98, has laid down a
comprehensive plan to popularise cycling among
the Sri Lankan population. That is not the first
time that Dr. Weerasekera has come out with
pragmatic proposals in respect of problems
relating to roads and traffic, and what is more
he has gone down to grassroots levels in doing
so.
In the article titled, 'Planning of Roads for
Cyclist' in your issue of 23.11.98, he has done
the same; and, in order to get more people to
take up to cycling on a regular basis there has
undoubtedly to be much spadework to be done as
observed by Dr. Weerasekera. It has to be a
long-term project because it will naturaly take
some time before the benefits of the project will
be realised.
Right now in Sri Lanka cyclists would seem to
be a forgotten lot, although they are by no means
few in numbers, so much so that even the law is
hardly enforced on them in consequence. For
example, there was a time when cycles had to be
licensed, but it is a long time since even that
requirement has been overlooked with the cyclists
becoming a law unto themselves. They ride without
bells, lights and even brakes on their machines
causing accidents in the process. A beginning may
be made, therefore, from licensing of bicycles as
the first step towards disciplining cyclists. No
doubt, at the same time, the infrastructure
recommended by Dr. Weerasekera should be taken in
hand. There should also be planned propaganda
even to the extend of making cycling the vogue in
order that those who consider motoring as a
status-symbol may be brought down to earth. Then
comes road discipline for cyclists for which
purpose suitable exercises should be carried out
in order that cyclists will not cause obstruction
to other road-users by such behaviour as weaving
in and out of traffic lanes endangering
themselves and other road-users.
One only wished that the relevant authorities
took the cue from Dr. Weerasekera, and it would
be desirable if the sinhala media too copied the
articles of Dr. Weerasekera, for the benefit of
those who prefer the vernacular.
C. S. A. Fernando,
Moratuwa.
Lalith
Athulathmudali
The article by one of the doyens of the Public
Service Mr. M. D. D. Pieris on Mr. Lalith
Athulathmudali in the 'Island' of 26th November
'98 made excellent reading.
And this article was by one who had had a ring
side seat of this outstanding Gentleman par
excellence in several Ministries where Mr.
Athulathmudali was Minister.
One wondered whether he had a premonition,
that much time was not left for him and hence
worked at a feverish pace, to carry out his
dedicated duties in the posts the nation called
him to serve.
During the time that he was called to serve as
our Minister of Education I am personally aware
of his anxiety to formulate a scheme, to bridge
the language gap between the Tamils and the
Sinhalese by an innovative scheme of inter
language contacts.
I remember a characteristic trait in him, as
related by Mr. Pieris where with all his work,
how he was at the funeral house every one of the
four days, during the time when the noble mother
who bore a distinguished son and gifted him to
the Sri Lanka Public Service had died Mr. M. D.
D. Pieris.
This reminded me, how when I was part of the
Sri Lanka delegation that went to Japan for a
conference and he was the leader of this
delegation, one night he looked around and found
me missing from the dining table while in Tokyo.
He was told that this was because I was
indisposed and on hearing this after the dinner I
was surprised to hear a knock on the door and
there was Mr. Athulathmudali and Mrs.
Athulathmudali come not only to inquire about my
health but with some medicines brought by them
for me.
At the conference we attended in Tokyo I saw
with pride how as he rose and began to speak, the
faces of all the delegates were all aglow echoing
the words in that poem on the 'Village School
Master' Ñ 'How that small head could contain all
he seemed to know.'
Irrespective of parochial politics, the loss
of men like him does impoverish our nation.
Prince Casinader,
Batticaloa.
Who are the poorest of the poor?
Janasaviya of the previous and the Samaurdhi
of the present regimes were initiated with the
commendable and noble intention of easing the
burdens of the poorest of the poor. I have my
very grave doubts about the success of these
intentions. Could one feel absolutely certain
that the poorest of the poor receive this dole?
The unemployed who do not have an income are
the targeted group. Who does the selection. Are
the selections impartial and properly conducted?
The Grama Niladari then and the Samurdhi Niyamaka
now do the selection which is endorsed by the
provincial secretary.
I myself conducted on my own without recording
the names of the recipients, a short survey. The
majority of the following categories were found
to be recipients both at Janasaviya and Samurdhi.
These recipients were earning well over Rs. 4500
per month. Masons, carpenters, plumbers,
electricians, tappers, climbers, pluckers,
drivers etc., fall into this group. Some
employees of private institutions too receive the
benefit. Some lower grade white collar workers do
not earn that much but they are denied for the
crime that they are in official records.
Any householder would testify to the fact the
difficulty to find a skilled or unskilled workman
to attend to any minor chore. When they do find,
the labour fees demanded are horrendous. But they
are samurdhi recipients. It is a crying shame
that those who select the recipients do not
indulge in a proper screening. In some families
one or more are employed abroad and send enough
currency home but they are on the list. The fact
that one was on the list of Janasavilabi, need
not necessarily be a qualification to be in the
samurdhi list too. It is just what happens. Here
it is politics.
It is time a thorough overhull of the
selection system was undertaken and the
unqualified weeded out It is very unfair by those
who really deserve.
Dr. A. D. V. Premaratne
'The Island' and the caste issue
We note with concern that 'The Island'
newspaper has made it a routine feature over the
last year to regularly publish articles which
state that the Govi caste is the highest caste
and that all other castes are low castes. We also
note with concern that 'The Island has never
published any of the letters refuting these
inaccuracies. The latest in this series appeared
on 25/11/98.
It is totally incorrect and unhistorical to
say that the Govi caste was the highest caste.
The following few selected quotations from the
mass of such references in Sri Lanka's historical
literature prove beyond any doubt that the Govi
caste was definitely not the highest caste in our
culture:
Ancient texts such as the Pujavaliya.
Sadharmaratnavaliya and Yogaratnakaraya list the
four caste groups as Raja, Bamunu, Velanda and
Govi in decending order, where the Govi caste is
the lowest. The Pujavaliya also says that
Buddha's will never be born in the Govi caste as
it is a low caste. The 10th century
Dampiyaatuvagetapadaya and the 12th century
Darmapradeepika goes even further and states that
the Govi caste is a 'Neecha' caste .
Other ancient texts such as the
Gavaratnakaraya and Sarpothpaththiya respectively
classify even cattle and snakes as Raja, Bamunu,
Velanda & Govi, where Govi is the last.
Ballads sung to date at ancient Gammmaduva
rituals also refer to the above four castes in
the same sequence and describes the limits of
their privileges.
Although a few interested parties have
attempted to dismiss the above as a mere
classical division unconnected with realities,
the repetition of the same caste hierarchy in the
British/Kandyan period Kadayimpoth as well,
indicates the continuation of the tradition up to
the end of our monarchy, and well after the
arrival of the Portuguese.
The term Govi is used throughout as an insult
in the Ummagga Jathaka written during the 15th
century, Kurunegala period. The astrology text
Manasagari says that a debilitated moon in the
horoscope destines a man to be a cultivator.
The Goviyas are referred to in uncomplimentary
terms such as Kudin and Variyan in our
inscriptions and as Baleyan, Galayan, Valayan,
Gonvayan and Gatara in literature.
In Sri Lanka's past, cultivators or Goviyas
were chattels. The low esteem in which the Govias
were held is illustrated by inscriptions such as
the 10th century Kataragama pillar inscription,
14th century Niyamgampaya inscription and 15th
century Saman Devala Sannasa which refers to and
also groups them together with buffaloes and pack
bulls.
The North Gate inscription in the ancient city
of Polonnaruwa depicts the Govi kula in its
comparative rhetoric as the lowest caste. The
same concept of low status is echoed in the 13th
century Dambadeni Asna and the 15th century
Parevi Sandesa as well. Therefore the low status
of the Govi caste in Sri Lankan culture appears
to have been well established and accepted.'
We hope 'The Island' newspaper would stop the
raking up of ancient ghosts.
Asst. Secretary,
Kshatriya Maha Sabha.
Note: 'The
Island' does not believe in any social divisions
based on caste and have no policy whatsoever in
relation to the so-called caste system in Sri
Lanka. Therefore, the question of it projecting
one particular caste as being superior to another
as claimed by the Kshatriya Maha Sabha does not
arise.
Views expressed by writers in their articles on
castes and matters related to castes are theirs,
not necessarily the opinion of 'The Island'.
All's well in Buddhism
A letter which appeared in the 'Opinion'
column of The Island (30/11/98) which said that
the Buddhist monks address the 'lower caste
Sinhalese' as 'tho' 'balla' etc. The writer
obtained this 'misinformation', it appears, from
the BBC related programme 'Sandesaya.'
What strikes a discerning reader is how our
local people depend on a biased foreign media for
information of our own country.. It is surprising
how this information is repeated without proof or
verification, especially when such statements
impinge on the religious susceptibilities.
I have heard various anecdotes concerning the
Buddhist clergy from my childhood. I am yet to
hear of an instance where the Sangha preferred to
address their 'dayakas' as 'tho' and 'balla' (of
all forms) owing to circumstances of birth.
From recent times there is a parallel agenda
(to separatism) to bring the Sangha into
disrepute. Criticism is levelled against the
Sangha on account of the caste differences in the
'Nikayas'. The Buddhist 'upasaka' fraternity is
the least perturbed by the different caste
Nikayas. They are aware that they can visit any
temple irrespective of caste. When the Sangha is
invited for alms or a funeral no questions are
raised about the caste of the 'dayaka' (the
layman).
If the priests of different 'Nikayas gather
they would sit according to seniority and not on
caste basis. If a priest visits another temple
and if the visiting priest is senior, he receives
all homage from the host priests and vice versa.
There is no caste involved on such occasions.
While the 'upasakas' and the monks seem to be
at ease with the different Nikayas, the system
seems to be a source of discomfort for some who
have nothing to do with it.
Arunasiri Dias.
Who are original people of Sri
Lanka?
Mr. M. S. Vishearatnam of Ratnapura (Island,
27.11.98), quotes the Encyclopedia Britannica to
establish several misconceptions regarding the
ancient inhabitants of this island. He also
misquotes demographic figures. Facts show a
completely different picture.
Early anthropological evidence points to Stone
Age people (e.g.., Balangoda man) who had existed
in caves in Balangoda, Kuruwita (Batadomba-lena)
etc. Additionally, there are recent discoveries
of skeletal remains and Stone Age implements in
the south near Hambantota (Ussangoda etc.) There
is a popular misconception that such Stone Age
people were the precursors of the modern Veddahs.
This is improbable because the Veddahs are said
to be the 'Milakkhas', a tribe existent during
pre-Vijayan times. Also, the Veddas were
occupying an area encompassing northern Uva and
parts of the east and Polonnaruva.
Western publications such as the Encyclopedia
Britannica do not give an accurate perspective of
Asian countries. They generally tend to pick up
their 'facts' from a western publication and not
from their own independent research. For
instance, the Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
of 1995 gives a completely distorted picture of
Sri Lanka (p. 2763-4), which is directly from a
Tamil separatist perspective. It says:
'The aboriginal people, the Veddahs were
conquered about 55O BC by the Sinhalese from
India É' This encyclopedia even publishes the
International Alert map of Sri Lanka as an
authentic Sri Lankan map, which is a shocking
distortion. Therefore, such publications cannot
be even remotely considered authoritative
especially,regarding history of nations. It also
shows the terrifying degrees to which Tamil
separatists have stretched their tentacles.
The false assumption made by Tamil separatists
is that the Indu valley civilizations (Mohedojaro
and Harappa) were Dravidian, and were overrun by
Aryan groups from west Asia, and the remnants of
these Dravidians were pushed down into south
India and to Sri Lanka, where they continued to
practice their ancient hydraulic civilization.
They conjecture that the ancient Naga tribe are
these ancient Dravidians from the Indus valley.
There is absolutely no evidence to-support such a
fanciful theory. If such a course of events
occurred, there would be pockets of such
Dravidians all over India and a hydraulic
civilization in south India as well. There is
nothing of the sort. The Indus valley language
has no bearing on Dravidian languages. Thus, it
is futile to conjecture that the ancient tribes
in this island were Dravidian and that the
Sinhalese are therefore Dravidian.
Regarding census figures, it is ridiculous to
quote a 'census' of 1364, when the first
islandwide census was conducted in 1881. Prior to
this, only revenue collection figures (from
coastal revenue 'Collectorates' and
'Agencies')are available. Such revenue collection
figures do not include the interior of the island
where the majority of Sinhalese lived. Hence the
skewed figure of 58% Sinhalese in 1864. In 1881,
the census show:66.9% Sinhalese, 24.9% Tamils
(Ceylon and Indian Tamils were counted together
until 1911), 6.7% Moors, 0.7% Burghers, 0.3%
Malays and 0.5% others. In 1911, it was 66.1%
Sinhalese, 12.9% Ceylon Tamils and 12.9% Indian
Tamils along with 6.5% Moors. Today (1981 census)
Sinhalese are 74% while Ceylon Tamils remain at
12.6% while the proportion of Indian Tamils have
dropped to 5.5%.
It is absolute rubbish to conjecture therefore
that the British counted the Sinhalese as Tamils
in 1864 and that therefore, the Sinhalese are
Dravidians. In such an instance, the British
should have considered all Sinhalese as Dravidian
and counted all of them as Tamils. Also, how on
earth can we have two different languages if the
Sinhalese are Dravidians who simply invaded a
Dravidian island. The fact is there is no
Dravidian history or archeological evidence here
until about the 13th century when South Indian
invasions displaced the Sinhalese from the north.
And there were no Tamils in the east until the
Dutch settled Jaffna Tamils there as recently as
the 18th century. All this is part of recently
recorded colonial history.
What is beyond reason is Vishearatnam's
contention that there is a decrease of the Tamil
population by 16% inspite of Tamil arrival from
South India into the hill-country since the mid
19th century. This is absolute idiocy.
It is best to keep one's ignorance to oneself
rather than exhibiting it in public in the
forlorn hope of supporting Tamil racist theories.
-Citizen-D',
Kandy.
Lottery
winners
This is with reference to the letter by Rexy
('Lotteries.' Island 28th Nov. '98). People who
buy many tickets each day in the fond belief that
they will hit the jackpot are indeed foolish. But
one should not go to the other extreme and
refrain from buying at all. The golden rule for
gambling may be formulated as follows: 'Never
risk anything that you are not prepared to lose.
If this rule is followed there is no cause for
grief.
It is in the nature of things that only a very
few will get a first prize out of the many
millions that buy sweeps over long periods of
time. This fact has to be accepted and once
accepted there is no grief at losing.
I suggest that Rexy switch to Lotto (Hospital
Sweep) coupons. He can then select his own
numbers and will have only himself to blame if he
does not select correctly. If he does win he will
find that the Lotteries Board is fair in its
dealings and happy that he has won. Many people
have won substantial sums through sweeps and if
Rexy has won only Rs. 20/- so far the fault is in
his stars and not in the Lotteries Board.
Rev. C. Mahinda,
Makola.
'A Plea for Peace and Austerity'
With Christmas fast approaching, Christians
the world over, including Sri Lanka, are getting
ready to celebrate Christ's Birthday with carols,
feasting, gifts and crackers.
Yet, our once peaceful and still most
beautiful island is struggling in the throes of
unrest and wanton bloodshed!
Innocent lives are being sacrificed, families
severed, homes broken and the grim face of fear
lifting its ugly head!
The time, then, is ripe for making sacrifices
and abstaining from all forms of merry-making
this Christmas.
Is there any point in only closing liquor
shops and preaching from pulpits?
It is important that we close our desires for
self-enjoyment and spend Christmas in prayer and
meditation.
We have to pray for Peace, in our land and
goodwill amongst men.
We must pray for our Forces, for our leaders,
especially for those who man the security of our
land.
We must pray for our forces - those men and
women who are sacrificing their lives for the
country's peace.
So, this Christmas let us pray for Austerity
to be the keynote and let our Prayers and
meditation be for Peace in Sri Lanka, that once
was Paradise!!
Mrs. Rene Aryaratne,
Nugegoda.
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