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| Sunday, 12 February 2006 |
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Letters to the Editor |  |
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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.
Every year during the month of Haj, Muslims in our country go to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage which is an obligatory act, which is enjoined on every Muslim who is physically sound and has the necessary wherewithal. Some even sell their properties to perform this final act out of the five pillars of Islam. There are many Haj travel agents who offer package tours for the benefit of prospective pilgrims charging different rates. My wife and I joined a travel company through its sub agent in Badulla. We were assured of the following facilities before we embarked on our pilgrimage to Mecca, on 31st December 2005. (a) Accommodation in a hotel with comfortable rooms near the Al Haram Mosque, (b) A doctor for our group, (c) Good transport facilities and (d) Palatable meals. However, only one of the above, accommodation near the Al Haram Mosque, was fulfilled. Six persons were huddled in a room meant for two. As for the ladies, eight to ten were accommodated in rooms where only four could find the space to sleep. On the day when one of the buildings which was in close proximity to our congested hotel, collapsed the ladies who were housed in the basement were asked to vacate. Though they were assured of alternate accommodation elsewhere they had to finally share a room upstairs which comprised twelve ladies including the elderly. Toilets, to say the least, were not properly maintained. Quite a number of pilgrims in our group voiced their protests to the organisers, husband-wife combined, as their patience was tested to the limit. It transpired later that these things had been going on in the previous years as well and this travel company seems to be carrying on regardless. "Minimum facilities and maximum profits" is the motto of this agency. I am constrained to spotlight these blatant shortcoming because as an Al Haj I sincerely do not like the same fate to befall future pilgrims who may wish to go along with agency as they will be taken us for a ride. I hope this letter will catch the eye of the authorities concerned who grant approval to these travel group. A pilgrim Mr. Kesara Senanayake was appointed as the Mayor of Kandy by the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party. I am a strong supporter of the UNP but what I would like to know is on what grounds was he selected to this prestigious post when he actually lost the municipal elections by a broad margin. The roads within the Kandy Municipality are in an utter mess. One has to go towards Mapanawathura, Dodanwala, watapaluwa to name a few places to actually see the state of these roads. Potholes decorate these roads right throughout and especially on a rainy day which is quite often over herein kandy these potholes get filled with water and what a dilemma one has to face when driving on these roads. I have been walking past the Dalada Maligawa for over six months now to take a bus plying towards Kundasale and what does one see. The by-way opposite the Dalada Maligawa just past the Police Station is in a total mess. I suppose the Mayor does not see what the masses have to undergo and probably not, when he whizzes around in his brand-new vehicle without realising the predicaments faced by the public. What, may I ask the Mayor has done from the time he was appointed up to now? I and the other UNP supporters blame the Opposition Leader for appointing him as the Mayor. Come the next municipality elections and we are sure to turn the tables around and will elect another candidate worthy of this post. A strong UNP supporter A Danish newspaper, Jyllands Poster published satirical cartoons and caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed (S) in September 2005. This has provoked an uproar and firestorm of anger around the Muslim world as these caricatures were outrageously blasphemous. To compound matters further, a French newspaper and a Norwegian magazine have reproduced the same. There is every likelihood of other European countries following suit. There seems to be a calculated trend in Europe, from the time of the Salman Rushdie episode, to denigrate the beliefs of the Muslims and insult their religious sanctities. The Islamic Services Organisation vehemently condemns these trends and moves which are likely to cause more insecurity in the world. Islamic Services Organisation The whole world was watching the fireworks of Sanath Jayasuriya in the match against South Africa on 31st ultimo and everyone thought that Sri Lanka was going to score past 300 mark when he scored 86 off 65 balls. It was the same Jayasuriya who was the most valuable player in the World Cup 1996. But to the disappointment of everyone here, all his efforts went in vain as all the succeeding batsmen let the team down badly. Risky run-outs and irresponsible batting were the causes. A commentator rightly said that the team was a one-man band. For sometime when Sanath was out of form we used to say 'poor (form) Jayasuriya'. But on that day we could only say oh! poor Jayasuriya, "all in vain". A wicket is equal to 50 or 100 runs. But losing a wicket for one run is the maddest thing in the world. A. N. S. Niyas |
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