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| Sunday, 21 September 2003 |
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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.
Sigiriya which is one of the most important heritage sites in Sri Lanka is a perennial tourist destination. The authorities have taken measures to prevent visitors to the rock fortress from dumping refuse and polythene inside. But these measures seem to be thoroughly insufficient. On a recent visit to Sigiriya I found trade stalls at one entrance selling food items in polythene bags. There was no security guard to check tourists carrying polythene bags at this entrance. Vendors were also seen in the boulder Garden with trinkets in polythene bags pestering foreign tourists with their wares. Over to you authorities. S. Weerakoon, Pilimatalawa. Discontinuance of chanting Pirith on Rupavahini About a month ago the Rupavahini became a 24 hour channel. It has got additional hours. Thus there should be more interesting and useful programs. But it is strange to note that it has stopped telecasting programmes beneficial to more than 75% of Sri Lankans. Even the most popular program of chanting of the Karaneiya Metta Sutta has been stopped. Rupavahini has failed to protect the Buddha Sasana enshrined in the constitution. Besides the Dhamma value it is composed of words with the effect of the benevolent effects (of its sound effects syllables). The Kings of Sri Lanka and the colonial powers protected the Buddha Sasana which was enshrined the constitution as required by the Kandyan Convention. The chanting of Karaneiya Metta Sutta being the last program of the day was very apt, as pointed out by me above and the Maha Sangha. It has a soothing effect on the mind just before going to bed, and a sound sleep is ensured to the health of the nation and I believe it contributes for greater economic output. I am sure that the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Buddha Sasana is still not aware of this as he has numerous problems to attend to. When re-programming I would suggest the best time would be about 10.30 p.m. as most of the Sri Lankans go to bed about that time. Besides the benevolent effects of its words and syllables that bring benevolent and soothing effect to the mind and body, they have metrical value, cadence and mellifluence in the words as preached by Buddha Himself. Therefore the Buddhist public appeal to the Minister of Cultural and Religious Affairs and the Chairman of Rupavahini Corporation to take necessary action on this matter. V.K.B. RAMANAYAKE, Maharagama Discrimination against vegetarians I read the letter of Mr. Balachandran of Col. 6, which appeared in the Sunday Observer of August 8. I am a vegetarian. But I cannot tolerate the interchanging of spoons kept in the curry dishes carelessly by other friends. It is worse that most of them use the eating hand to hold the spoon. Incidentally some people do not understand the word vegetarian. I have seen in vegetarian hotels people asking the waiters for meat and fish. Some people bring non vegetable parcels from home and eat in vegetarian hotels inconveniencing the others. I have seen two vegetarian hotels one in Nugegoda and the other at Pettah both run by Muslims, but every curry is available. There is a Hotel in Keravalapitiya, Wattala, the board reads vegetarian hotel from a distance of about 35-40 metres; when you get closer within about 5-6 metres you can find a tiny word non in front of the word vegetarian. This place is run by a Tamil Christian. All these are business tricks cheating a pure vegetarian. To overcome this menace I suggest that the government should give licences for vegetarian hotels, only to Hindus with a small percentage hike in the licence fees so that others will not dare to put the vegetarian board in their places or the owner of a vegetarian hotel should be asked to produce a letter from the high priest of a temple to prove his religion. S. Kandasamy, Dehiwala. Spreading the Gospel - a difficult task? Two interesting letters appeared in the Sunday Observer of September 7, on 'conversions'. I too would like to share my views on this subject. There is a fundamental difference between Christianity and Buddhism when it comes to preaching. Referring to His teachings the Buddha told the world to test and see any other doctrines and if you find them better than His, to follow them. (Kalama Sutra in the Majjhima Nikaya). Jesus didn't say that. He said to go everywhere and proclaim His message and bring everyone to Him. "Therefore go an make disciples of all nations,.....teaching them to obey everything I have commanded." (Matthew 28:19). People may not understand why Christians want to spread their faith and belief. They engage in the task of spreading Christ's message because they have been asked to do so. Note that it is not a request from Jesus, but a command. And when we carry out this 'command', people find fault with us. But if we don't, God will find fault with us! Christians believe in God. There cannot be any teaching higher than what God says. When Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life", He meant "I am the ONLY way". He knew what He was talking about because He was God. And Christians are asked by Jesus to proclaim this truth to all humankind. Consider a doctor who discovers that one of his patients is having cancer at an early stage. Shouldn't the doctor disclose this truth to the patient or to his relatives and ask them to hurry up in treating the cancer, for otherwise the patient will be heading for death? It may be bitter for the patient to hear the truth, but the doctor will have to tell it sooner than later. Every hour counts! The doctor knows what he is talking about. He has studied medicine and through long years of experience he knows that he is telling the truth. An unconcerned doctor will think, 'let him take my advice or leave it'. A good doctor out of his concern and love for the patients will go the second mile and follow up to ensure that the patient is not heading for death. It should be the same with Christians. They have to engage in the task of spreading the good news because of their love and concern for others who do not yet know Christ's teaching. They spread Jesus' message for the good of others. Hilary Fernando, Colombo 3. More often than not, the Sri Lanka Police is at the receiving end of brickbats. One hardly reads a letter commending the over-worked police for their good work. I wish to record my appreciation for the Emergency Unit of the Police Department for the often speedy response to our calls, especially when I see three wheelers suspiciously parked in unauthorized places for hours and the drivers staring into homes. Recently I had to report such incidents and the Emergency Unit acted promptly. The police personnel examined the three wheelers very thoroughly and methodically and interrogated the drivers and asked them to leave the area immediately. As we all know, three wheelers are used for nefarious activities. In fact, the WPC manning the emergency telephone even called back to check whether the patrol car had come to the scene. This is service ! I must also thank the OIC of the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station as the patrol car came from that police station. I find a marked improvement in service since the last one year and would like to thank the Cinnamon Gardens. Re-opening of Ahungalla zoo - a response In his letter of August 31, Dr. G. A. B. Alawattegama's reasons for reopening the Ahungalla Private Zoo all deal with the human element and not animals. He says the proprietor of this zoo has been a businessman since 1982, and helped the Ahungalla residents by offering employment. The zoo also paid entertainment tax to the Balapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha. He says that when the popularity of the zoo rose, mudslinging by animal welfare societies and others began. What on earth could the "mud-slingers" have gained by closing a zoo, if its animals were well-fed, happy and comfortable? It was thought to have been foolish to trot around gathering animal faeces to prove doping, when one glance revealed the pathetic state of the animals - underfed, mangy and drugged. The attempt of the lion to chew up the boy taken close to fondle him is surely proof of its natural nature emerging through the spate of sedatives. Which zoo permits cuddling of its carnivores? Dr. Alawattegama hints darkly at the goings-on in the Dehiwela government zoo. We appreciate his views on this and request a thorough investigation into its affairs, especially the sudden demise of some of its costly animals, such as the rhinoceros said to have been found dead minus its horn. The state of the government zoo is all the more reason why animal lovers and compassionate human beings should join to prevent opening or reopening of any private zoo anywhere in this country. Prema Ranawaka-Das, Moratuwa. I wish to thank the surgeon in charge, senior registrars, interns and nurses of ward 11-Kalubowila hospital for the excellent medical care and services provided to patients, including me. I was admitted to this ward for surgery. The surgeon (Dr. K. Alagaratnam) is a man of few words, but is very accurate in making the diagnosis and giving the proper treatment to his patients. He does not make patients overstay in hospital which could be very unpleasant. He is assisted by an excellent team of young doctors and very experienced nurses who are kind to patients. A patient in my opinion is someone who is depressed and under tremendous stress and anxiety, especially a patient undergoing surgery. Therefore, the pre and post operative care offered by hospital staff is very important and I am thankful to ward 11 staff for making patients leave hospital, with pleasant memories, rather than unpleasant, painful memories. I hope this would be an encouragement, for them to work in a similar manner in future also and set a good example to hospital staff in other hospitals too. D. Murthy. Nobel Prize overlooks alternative medicine Many injustices are perpetuated in the name of Alfred Nobel and his Nobel Prizes. First and foremost his Last Will states: 'It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be Scandinavian or not.' Prof. Anton Jayasuriya is a rebel with a just cause,fighting for the ideals of Alfred Nobel. The professor has treated more than three million patients free of charge. Allopathic or Western scientific Medicine takes a narrow mechanistic view of looking at the pathology of the affected organ or tissue, rather than a holistic view of the person. The medicines which kept Nobel alive were traditional medicines as modern allopathic medicines did not exist in his time in the last century. Allopaths being awarded Nobel prizes is therefore a travesty of Nobel's Will. However, with the upsurge of the pharmaceutical industry in this century,prizes for medicine were awarded to scientific medicines only. This unfair discrimination act by the Nobel Commission in Sweden is a severe violation of the quintessential motivation of the purpose of Alfred Nobel to award the yearly medicine prize to traditional practitioners with whose medicines he was kept alive, despite his severe ailments. Alfred was a sickly child and was educated at home by tutors. He spent a year in Paris and thereafter was in the United states for four years working under the direction of John Ericsson, naval engineer and shipbuilder. Nobel never married; he found recreation in his laboratory and in writing poetry imitating of his idol, the great poet, Percy Bysshe Shelly of England. In later years, he travelled extensively in Europe and had homes in Paris, Stockholm and San Remo, Italy. Our own Prof. Anton Jayasuriya said at a meeting that many members of the Nobel Prize Committee have themselves been treated successfully for many ailments by his pupils in Sweden over the past quarter century. All delegates voted unanimously for the Medicina Alternativa proposed for the Nobel Prize in medicine be opened to the traditional healing practitioners as well. It is alleged that the Nobel Prize Medicine Committee in its decisions has been acting most irresponsibly on many occasions. Several deserving practitioners have been overlooked, e.g. Christian Barnard who was completely ignored despite his monumental landmark surgical feat of heart transplant unnoticed by the Nobel Committee. Preventive health practices (e.g. prevention of smoking, alcohol and drug abuse,environmental pollution) causing diseases have received no attention. There are major epidemics (pandemics), of our times which Medicina Alternativa would like to draw attention to, as to major health hazards and worthy of recognition for Nobel prizes. Britain's Queen Elizabeth is a homoeopathy supporter, Prince Charles is a prominent supporter of CAM (complimentary and alternative medicine) and Princess Diana was treated by one of Prof. Jayasuriya's pupils as described in her personal biography. China and Southeast Asia has a total of about half the human population and the first choice of therapy in a majority of illnesses, especially in chronic disorders is CAM. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised CAM for four decades. Alfred Nobel recognised it 100 years ago and used no other form of medical treatment. It is not just to sideline these medicines when awarding Nobel prizes. Ian Jayasinghe |
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