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| Sunday, 7 July 2002 |
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Letters |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Please forward your letters to [email protected] in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
Well known journalist Nirupama Subramaniam in an interview with the Sunday Observer (June 16, 2002) had said "It surprises me that despite a strong tradition of family planning abortion is still illegal in this country". In fact, I am delighted to read it as I am a Sri Lankan. It induces me to write this article. We have inherited great cultures and civilizations from Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. We live our lives according to our religious principles. The way of our lives differ very greatly from others. Religions have created a vast impact on our lives, and set a strict code of conduct that teaches us to live as good human beings. Hence we have a strong tradition of family planning. Abortion means expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is alive especially in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. This should be noted carefully that even killing a foetus is inacceptable - illegal. Holy sadhus preach sabbe sattha.. in our temples in the name of brotherhood. Buddhism pays great attention to brotherhood and saving lives from disasters. They enforce the idea that abortion is illegal. In this global world, some countries have given permission for abortion. But because of our rich cultural background we should never permit it in our land. I do agree with Nirupama Subramaniam that abortion is still illegal in this country. S. L. Zahran , Through the readers' forum A. A. H. of Wattala has explained certain misgivings about a bank Lottery Scheme and asking specific questions which would no doubt be replied by the Bank. All should admire his courage in taking this matter up in the interests of many such as myself who have been maintaining high balances with the hope of being eligible for the elusive prize someday. I too agree with A. A. H. because I have also noticed the names of winners getting repeated in the advertisements with surprising regularity. Another common accusation is that the first prize is generally won by a valuable customer canvassed from a competitor. Then there was a recent report that the house that was to be given as the first prize under Reward Plus lottery scheme was being used by the Armed Forces for undercover purposes at the Millennium City. Perhaps the Bank never had the intention of awarding this prize to the depositors even though the publicity material always highlights the house as the first prize. Another amusing example was the car that was displayed for nearly 6 months in front of the Head Office of a State Bank running a lottery. Suddenly the car disappeared and I thought at last somebody has won it. But when I inquired I was told that the car were taken to their Kandy Office to be displayed there and that none of them were aware when the draw would take place. So all credit to A. A. H. for having had the courage to take this matter up in the media. Those like A. A. H. surely deserves the sympathy of all including Central Bank officers who monitor these lotteries. But they have only themselves to blame because bank depositors of Sri Lanka with a high level of learning and literacy ought to know that a bank should be selected for capital strengths, financial performance and convenience and not because of lottery draws. Those very keen on lotteries can buy a Development Lottery for Rs. 10 when opening an account at a stable and convenient bank. DENZIE DE MEL, As a regular bus commuter I have often observed some of the reasons why there are so many, vehicle collisions involving buses, both on short as well as long routes. This is because, in competing to pick up passengers waiting at halts, the drivers race each other to be the first at the halt. The other is the mad rush to increase the number of trips for the day. In the results there is speeding and dangerous overtaking.Unfortunately, the traffic police are often conspicuous by their absence and other police officers turn a Nelsonian eye. Disgusted Citizen , I wish to draw the attention of the readers to the letter by Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai on "astrology and lotteries" in the Sunday Observer of May 12, 2002. She has misconstrued what astrology is and has attempted to condemn astrology. I am not an astrologer but I firmly believe in astrology because all that the astrologers have predicted after examining my horoscope have come true. The learned doctor is worried that she had never seen a news item as "the fortune-teller wins the jackpot?" in a lottery. As persons in all walks of life have their limits, astrologers too have their limits. To win a "jackpot" in a lottery. A person must be lucky and fortunate and cannot be a winner just because he is a fortune-teller. If you are not lucky you cannot win a prize in a lottery whether you are a doctor, lawyer, parliamentarian, astrologer or any other VIP. Lotters are not respecters of personalities but helps the fortunate ones only, a certain astrologer who examined my horoscope mentioned a certain period in which I would win a prize in a lottery. When the said period came after three years of prediction, I won a prize of Rs. 10,000 in a lottery, to my surprise. I may mention a better example. A former Commissioner General of Income Tax, Mr. Sittambalam introduced an Indian astrologer to the then Governor-General of Sri Lanka, H.E.Sir Oliver Gunatilleke. He made several statements about Sir Oliver Gunatilleke and he accepted everything as correct except one prediction. That is the prediction that Sir Oliver would build a temple the following year, the year of prediction was 1957. He scoffed at the prediction and stated that it would never happen as he was a strong Catholic. But the astrologer emphatically stated that his prediction would definitely come through. In the year 1958, there were communal riots in sri Lanka and the Nagadeepa temple was completely destroyed and the Buddhist statue was thrown into the sea. The Governor-General Sir Oliver Gunatilleke completely re-built the entire Nagadeepa temple within a short period, to avoid the displeasure of the Buddhists. This is mentioned in the biography of Sir Oliver Gunatilleke by Phillip Cooray. The eminent doctor is kindly requested to obtain a copy of this book and read it in order to ascertain the facts. Wimal Dharmasiri , I was diagnosed as having cancer and underwent radiation therapy for seven weeks in India. Although I was medically advised to rest for two weeks to recover from radiation reactions,I assumed duties on the next day but kept my CEO advised that I may not be able to conform to regular working hours during his two week period. All I wanted was a little peace of mind in office but I was shocked to receive a letter from the CEO on the next day that, in spite of being fully aware of the traumatic stress that I was still going through, he had decided to relieve me of the main role that I had performed as Head of the division without any prior intimation whatsoever. As this sudden change of role seriously undermines my professional status, it has caused me severe pain of mind leading to loss of sleep and accentuation of radiation reactions. In the Government sector, this type of harassment could be taken up by an employee as a violation of his fundamental rights. But I understand that employees in the private sector do not have the right to do so. I would be most grateful if anyone could advise me to how a private sector employee could obtain relief against acts of injustice of this nature. S. Kumar , In the Sunday Observer of 19.05.2002, a sadly confused reader had appealed for a clarification on astrology. It was about how two persons born on the same day get different "lagnas" or zodiac signs in their horoscope. Astrology is based on the universe created by Maha Brahma or Brahman with the earth as the centre of it. The earth is stationary and the sun and moon as planets go round the earth with seven other planets, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn with invisible Kethu and Rahu. The 12 Zodiac divisions are round the earth and about every 2 hours these planets change their positions. The horoscope is cast according to the time of birth based on the positions of the 9 planets in the Zodiac divisions at the time. The calculations are on the lunar calendar which is dead accurate on the phases of the moon from full moon to new moon. The astrologer's guide for this calculations is the almanac printed annually. If no almanac is printed annually, it is the end of astrology with forecasts and auspicious moments for any occasion ranging from marriages, births, first menstruation of a girl, buying sweep tickets, first hair cut of a child, placing a pinnacle on a dagoba, entering hospital for treatment, handing over nomination papers for elections and thousand and other matters in daily life. But in most of these cases the expected results may be completely negative, specially in forecasts by the astrologer after much calculations. But it is not his fault as the final decision is always by the Maha Brahma the Astrologer-General! It is the safety value in astrological forecasts if anything goes wrong. These facts clearly prove that astrology with a 15,000 year history is absolute nonsense and a danger to health both mental and physical, till death. The Buddha declared that astrology is a "Thirascheena Vidya" which means an animal science that appeals only the ignoramus. Finally it should be stated that had it not been for Copernicus (1473) and Gallileo (1564) who proved that it is the earth that is going round the stationary sun, the astrology will continue to be the driving force and divine guide for humanity!!! David Alwis , They say Sri Lanka is a paradise, but one should come and see the drains along the Galle Road from Katubedde to Moratuwa, close to the Katubedde Campus. I really do not know what the Moratuwa UC is doing. After all it reflects very badly on our Foreign Minister too as it is his seat! The drain are full of waste matter, mud stagnated water too at times stinking. Recent news items too have highlighted the fact that people should keep the home gardens clean. But what about the roadside drains full of dirt and stagnant water. The Health Minister and the health authorities are going round our houses checking for dengue mosquitoes in Moratuwa. Recently when I happened to go to a doctor with a malaria patient, the doctors we consulted too said this disease is common around Ratmalana and Moratuwa. No wonder people are falling sick with dengue, encephalitis, malaria, leprosy etc. It is pointless for health authorities to visit homes and UC's concerned are not bothered about cleaning roads and drains. I hope the authorities concerned will take immediate action of cleaning the garbage round Moratuwa and help Sri Lanka look a paradise and not a hell on earth. J. Vijayapala , |
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