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| Sunday, 20 October 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.
I refer to the speech made by Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Constitutional Affairs and Leader of the Government delegation at the inaugural session of the Peace Talks at Sattahip, Thailand on September 16. The learned Professor has attributed to "the ancient Greeks" the ancient name "Serendib" for Sri Lanka so redolently rich in history, legend and romance. However, "Serendib" was in fact the name given to the island by the ancient Arabs and others e.g. by Muslim writers like Iban Batuta of Tangier(s), Soleyman, Edrisi the geographer, Albateny and the topographers Massoudi and Abouzeyd. The erudite Sir Emerson Tennent has noted that the name occurs in the Arabic version of the Pentateuch and even in the Hebrew-Samaritan version. Most scholars accept the view that the name "Serendip" derives from the original "Sinhala-dvipa" (Sihala-dvipa, Siela-dipa, Silan-dip, Serendip, Serendib). "Serendib" it was in the "Arabian Nights". It is interesting to note that "Serendip" gave rise to a new word in the English language viz. "Serendipity' which means the faculty of making happy chance finds. It was coined by Horace Walpole from the title of his fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip" Prof. Peiris' reference to Serendib would perhaps, prove to be a serendipitous one for Sri Lanka! All this contrasts with the fact that the ancient Greeks did have a word for this "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" and that was "Taprobane" (pronounced in Greek as "Tap-row-ber-nee"). Almost all historians and philologists agree that the name is derived from the Pali "Tambapanni" ("Tambraparni" in Sanskrit). According to the "Mahavamsa" Prince Vijaya himself bestowed this name on the island. The Latinised form of the word was "Taprobana"; and the modern Anglicized pronunciation of the name makes it rhyme with 'bane'/'lane'. This ancient Greek name for Sri Lanka occurs in the writings of numerous classical authors e.g. Aristotle, Onesicrites (pilot of Alexander's fleet). Cosmas Indicopleustes, Megasthenes (ambassador to the Court of Chandragupta Maurya) Strabo, Pliny the Roman historian, and Claudius Ptolemy, the Greek cartographer, geographer and astronomer of Alexandria Ptolemy named the island "Taprobane" in his celebrated world map (circa 139 A.D.). Centuries later, John Milton referred to it as the "utmost Indian isle Taprobane" in his poem "Paradise Regained", a sequel to his more famous "Paradise lost". A 14th century version of Ptolemy's map carries the name "Taprobana". I wish to emphasize that this letter is penned "with malice towards none and charity for all" purely from a academic angle of historical interest. W.A.F., The alarming increase in criminal abortions throughout the country has become a serious threat to our society. According to statistics available, between, 1,200 - 1,500 unauthorised abortions are carried out daily at illegal medical centres in contravention of the existing law. It is also recorded that about 25% maternal deaths were due to illegal abortions. It is also evident that over 40,000 or more quacks practise in this trade in private health care institutions where there are neither well-trained or experienced staffers nor hygienic facilities or equipment. It is disheartening that there are some government medical officers who engage in this despicable practice during office hours at the expense of the state, conducting illegal abortions at those so-called "Medical Centres." It is evident that a high percentage of unmarried girls and office employees between the ages of 18-25, most significantly school girls, who become pregnant unexpectedly seek abortion at these centres. There was a recent media report regarding a case of this nature where a medical officer alongwith 11 school girls were taken into custody at a medical centre in Wellawaya in the Moneragala District. Under Section 303 and 304 of the Penal Code, Abortion is illegal and only if the mother's life is in danger, that a doctor has the option or the right to abort. Illegal abortions have become a lucrative business for unscrupulous doctors and quacks with the ever-increasing demand for abortions. It is my personal view that there is an urgent need for introducing more and more sexual awareness programmes beginning from Year 11 in schools and in urban sectors, which may perhaps be helpful to combat this menace. The ministry concerned must take serious note of this situation which is aggravating without any intervention from law enforcement officers. Strict and appropriate legislative changes and policy decisions have to be introduced forthwith. Surprise raids should be conducted on these so-called medical centres districtwise and stern action taken against any offenders, irrespective of their political affiliations, position or personal relationships.The public at large, too have an important role to play in countering this illegal practice by assisting the authorities by directing any relevant information as regards any such suspicious medical centres engaged in this modus operandi. Don Sarath Abeyesekera, Rehabilitate northern railway tracks We read in the media that several countries have pledged financial and material support to our Prime Minister during his overseas tours, to rehabilitate the war divested northern peninsula, as those countries are pleased with the P.M. and his able team of Ministers who are directly involved in the peace process with the LTTE with the assistance of Norway, as the mediator. U.S.A. , U.K., Germany, India, Pakistan, Australia and Malaysia are some of the countries which have pledged assistance to the Sri Lankan Government. As the first round of talks in Thailand has ended to the satisfaction of all the countries, and a state of confidence built among the parties concerned regarding the future talks to be held, most of the countries, and even the LTTE wants the Government to proceed with the rehabilitation and resettlement of the refugees who had left their home when the ethnic war broke out. As the A 9 road from Vavuniya to Jaffna has been opened for normal traffic, the Government should seize the opportunity and request some of the major countries who have promised aid to us, to give us financial and material aid to re-lay the railway track from Vavuniya to KKS. Countries like India, Pakistan and Malaysia have the technical and material resources to help this project of rehabilitating the railway track from Vavuniya onwards. Since India is a country with a vast network of railways, I think the Sri Lankan Government should explore the possibility of even obtaining men and material from our neighbour India, to undertake this project as a crash programme. Since India and Pakistan are members of the SAARC., I think they would come to our assistance at this hour, if a request is made to the two countries at diplomatic level. If the railway track is re-laid without delay, it will be a great boon to the people of the north as well as the south to exchange their agricultural products easily and cheap, as rail transport would cost much less than lorry transport. This in turn will have a direct impact on the cost of living. The Government could also earn extra revenue for the Sri Lanka Railway if this particular stretch of the railway line is rehabilitated at the earliest opportunity. Lionel L. Leanage, Recently I came across an old woman in her late seventies seated on the doorstep in her one roomed shanty house, totally blind gazing into the skies waiting for her only son who makes his living by plucking coconuts. This woman had progressively lost her vision because of growing cataracts as she is ageing, quite unaware that her lost eye sight could be restored. I was able to convince her that she needed specialised attention. I gave her a letter referring her to M.O./O.P.D. Base Hospital in Gampaha. To everybody's surprise and satisfaction she was immediately admitted to Base Hospital Gampaha. After preliminary examination and investigations the kind-hearted eye surgeon had fixed her for eye surgery within seven days. The eye donation society of the hospital had donated the Intra Ocular Lens. This poor woman who gained sympathy from everybody in the hospital walked back home freely after gaining eyesight in one eye. In another six months the other eye too will be attended to. I wish to mention that I received polite replies from the nursing staff on my numerous inquiries on telephone. There are kind-hearted staff in our hospitals also. N. G. D. Karandana, Indigenous medical practitioners and allopathy As a student in the subject of Unani for over thirty years, I wish to refer to your article by M. Nilofer headline "Indigenouis Medical Practitioners and Allopathy". The authors target according to me is the Unani Medical Practitioners. According to the Ayurveda Medical Act No. 31 of 1961, Ayurveda means Ayurveda. Sidda and Unani do not belong to Ayurveda medicine. Nilofer points out that "Unani system" was expected to be developed as an alternative to the modern system. I challenge Nilofer to point out this point in proof in the 75 years of recent development of Ayurveda in Sri Lanka. I would like to point to him that the State would have expected Ayurveda or traditional system as a whole to be an alternative to the modern system, which Nilofer calls "allopathy". I wonder what Unani medicine in Sri Lanka is as there is no quality Unani medicine production up to now. Either these negligible few may be practising the many herbal items coming to the country, calling it Unani or getting a few variety of Unani compound medicine via packages on their own effort. The expression of Nilofer's distaste towards the Ayurvedic medical council empowered to supervise Ayurvedic practitioner is destructive criticism. Would he like his children being supervised by somebody else than him? As such his criticism is not constructive. I would like to challenge him to take over and implement the non availability of Unani compound medicines, raw drugs in the country over night. He should understand the administrative protocol involved and administrative red tape. I wish to challenge him if he would prepare to take legal responsibility. The Department of Ayurveda and the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drug Corporation would import the compound Unani medicines and raw drugs to the private sector for the use of qualified, registered Unani doctors not to the unqualified Unani practitioners. Nilofer's expression about diverting the funds towards "Paramparika" is debatable. Per chance if Nilofer could unmask his/her identity I am prepared to discuss this sensitive subject with him/her personally. My regret for "Unani paramparika", according to my finding there are Muslim sidda, Muslim Ayurveda paramparikas in the 17,000 strong paramparika populations. But Muslim Unani paramparika is yet to find. Nilofer's expression of using the term "qualified quacks" is very vague. A Unani doctor is institutionally qualified and department wise registered. But Nilofer's usage of the word "quacks" is not acceptable according to an English dictionary. His statements that the lives of the patients are at risk at the hands of the Unani doctors also cannot be acceptable as the patients could face this dilemma as other qualified doctors too, and it is reality. His final expression about the illegitimate earnings of the Unani practitioners cannot be acceptable, and it appears to be supra fanatical and unrealistic. The Unani practitioner facing the above-discussed odds in society somehow has to live. Dr. S.A. Aleem Moulana, In the recent past, many innocent lives were lost and many families had to suffer unbearable losses as a result of the reckless driving of a few speed maniacs. While many people have voiced their opinion on how to combat this menace, reckless driving still continues unabated because the punishment meted out to the offenders is negligible. Hence, I propose the following measures which will be a deterrent. (a) Causing death or serious injury due to reckless or drunken
driving. (b) Crossing the double line. Increase the spot fine from Rs. 200 to Rs. 2,000. The Police Dept. should have more personnel at these points to nab the 'cocky' and reckless drivers who blatantly flout the "double-line law" endangering the lives of many law abiding road users. (c) Speeding. At present, a person who exceeds the speed limit of 70 kph is fined Rs. 200 irrespective of the speed, i.e. A person driving at 80, 100 or even 120 kph is fined Rs. 200. The fine should be increased according to the speed, as shown below:- Speed Fine 80 kph - 200/- I trust that the suggestions made above will be given due consideration by the authorities concerned and that meaningful steps would be taken without further delay in order to nab the drunken/reckless drivers and make our roads safe for travellers as well as for pedestrians. V.Silva Rescue cattle from slaughter's blade! Many Buddhist priests in Sri Lanka, organise "Dayaka Sabhas" specially for saving cattle from the brutal blade of the slaughter, paying a sort of ransom money. The ceremonial distribution of these saved cattle, inclusive of pregnant cows, calves and matured animals, to kind and poor families, would take place on almost all full moon days. From one family who daily put away some money for this meritorious deed, I got to know that they needed about ten to twelve thousand rupees to rescue one head, from this savage decapitation. About two years earlier it was around seven thousand rupees only. So the amount of ransom keeps on rising on yearly basis, if not on daily or monthly. This is lucrative business, easy grab for a group of people, while others got to pay considerable amounts of hard-earned money, even though their ulterior motives are oceans apart. One thing good is that an animal gets a new lease of life, grateful to the kindness of the monks and devotees. But will it shorten the supply of meat to the stalls or deprive the savoury delight of the consumers? Definitely it's not. Butcher will kill the next in queue, instead of the one saved, and the cycle (of killing and eating) keeps going unhindereded, as far as the demand is not broken. Only outcome in this network is that the slaughterhouse profited through two animals instead of one. Unfortunately some good Samaritans too have supported indirectly and unintentionally for a savagery to thrive. We have to discourage the prospective buyers, which leads to closure of stalls, and reduction or cessation of slaughtering. For a Buddhist it is not necessary to reiterate, that killing is sin, and preventing one from guillotine is merit. So while we engage in such merits, we must find ways to deter people from consuming meat and patronising butchery. A truth rather unbearable and incongruous is that, majority of Buddhists are, meat-eaters, including monks. There are many articles in daily media, for and against meat consuming. Dr. Athukorala is one of the pioneer writers emphasising the bright side of vegetarianism while discouraging meat eating quoting religious and health points of views. As Buddhists it is not enough to ban killing animals and selling meat on Poya days, as the consumer knows the rules and keeps his refrigerator full for several days to come. The parents must start the habit at home, of not eating meat, and be exemplary to their children. Then the monk in the temple, and in the "Daham Pasal" must preach, admonish and advocate against meat eating and thereby reducing the demand for meat, resulting in closing down of outlets. The others who are capable of organising demonstrations, rallies, meetings and workshops etc. to educate masses on the benefits of vegetarianism and filthiness of meat eating their support is most welcomed. During last Poson Poya day one TV channel showed the gruesome and eerie seen of bludgeoning a calf on its head and then slitting the neck and trampling and twisting its tail while the severed torso writhing in enormous pain. The children turned their faces away, the ladies wept closing their eyes and flashing intermittently to catch more details and even the grown up men couldn't summon courage to face it direct. The Strangest thing is that, those who eat meat still don't feel remorse or shame even after watching such horrible episodes of uncivilised, inhuman killings. Nonchalantly they continue to patronise the killer and his stalls. Before concluding this I wish to appeal to the Venerable Maha Sangha, with due respect, to take lead to remove this ungodly custom of killing and eating flesh, from our society and beloved country and liberate many innocent animals from the clutches of the butchers. Sabbe thasanthi dandassa - Sabbe Bhayanthi Macchuno. DHARMASENA RAJAPAKSE, |
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