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The Sinha Ley saga

Quite a lot has been written and said about the Sinha Ley campaign launched recently by a bigoted minority and actively pedalled by a mixed bag of misguided individuals – seemingly of the three-wheel brigade mentality! In truth, one must admit that this is an unjustified insult to the majority of three wheel drivers as there are many of them who will have no truck with these communal minded louts pushing this campaign along. This whole Sinha Ley idea is so ridiculous, that ignoring the whole thing may be the best way of consigning it to the rubbish bin. It appears to be that publicity is what fans the flames so to speak!

I was in conversation with a Kandyan gentleman about the self-proclaimed superiority of the Kandyans. My question was ‘if the last king of Kandy was a Dravidian by birth, how can Kandyans be a pure race when one assumes that the King [and his kin?] must have sown wild oats throughout the kingdom – at will?’ In similar manner, if our island was under the colonial yoke for near enough five centuries, surely that would have been enough of a time span to dilute the bloodlines of the so-called pure Sinhala race, some of this even through actual mixed-marriages! The evidence is there as plain as can be – the light coloured eyes and, fair skin. One wonders where this idea of pure Sinhala blood originates from.

The tub-thumping over superior Sinha Ley seems to come from those opposed to the ideal of a truly united Sri Lankan nationhood. Some of the blame for this is directly on the shoulders of those leaders of our northern brethren who virulently chase after their ideal of a separate state of Eelam. When one uses words like ‘genocide’ with the signal intention of spurring the West into taking a sterner stand on Sri Lanka, is this not grist to the mill for the rabid Sinha-Ley rabble rousers? The longer this communal mindedness prevails in our society, from both sides of the divide, the longer it will take for Sri Lanka to heal its deep-running wounds.

A hesitant, small step towards meaningful unity has been taken in singing the national anthem in the Tamil language at the Independence day celebrations. May it be everyone’s fervent wish that we build on this hesitant start by consigning this Sinha Ley communal rubbish to the garbage can. Six years have sped by since a mindless war was put to bed. Can Sri Lanka afford to fritter away precious time in this manner? Good governance has to take the initiative in taking this country forward.

Ainsley de Silva
Kohuwala.

Unequal distribution of resources

Mahatma Gandhi said “Resources of the world are enough to satisfy the needs of the people and not their greed.” Some people spend luxury lives without thinking of others who do not even have the resources to survive.

Some manufacture dangerous weapons and sell them to groups involved in terrorism, who will use these weapons to destroy the world.

All religions are against violence, harassing others, jealousy, destruction and hatred.These are the teachings of religious leaders. However, some misinterpret religious teachings and try to force their views and ideas on others.

Education is a basic human right. But some people are not educated and do not get a chance to educate their children. Illiteracy causes many problems

Everybody has a responsibility to play their part for world peace. This does not happen. Some people support violence and destruction.

Everybody has a responsibility to live honestly and peacefully but some are corrupt. They steal other’s resources and money. People who are in power should be democratic, reasonable, helpful to others, protect human rights, be peaceful and support non-violence

Some of those in power are selfish. They behave like dictators. They use power for their personal benefit.

There are those who do not respect other races and religions.This type of behavior will create violence and hatred resulting in suffering.

D. Weeratunga
Nugegoda

Police investigations then and now

Those who protest against the Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID) were silent observers under the previous regime, when a suspect is taken to a deserted spot and then shot him dead. Evidence is planted to show that the suspect misled the Police, tried to escape and was shot to bring him under control but unfortunately the man died in the melee.

Finally it becomes a justifiable homicide. What does the FCID do now? They make extensive investigations, collect evidence, record a statement from the suspect and then and there produce him before the law. What do they want?

Abolish the FCID and resort to the method of investigations done during the previous regime?

All those who love Lt. Yoshitha should be thankful to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that their loved one is safe in remand custody and his freedom can be fought in a court of justice.

If not, if the FCID and police continue investigations as brfore, the case will have to be argued only before King Yama!

N.B.A. Gnanasena,
Polgahawela.

CEB 2016 diary, informative

Moving away from conventional and traditional ways in compiling a diary, the CEB has encountered on a worthy and useful effort, that is commendable.

Never in these type of recording and reporting has there been an attempt to highlight the ancestral innovative progression in “energy sources – from evolution to revolution.”

A striking features of the diary is the inclusion of updated statistics of the CEB – the inauguration of power stations, generation, transmission and distribution including the islandwide network that is useful to the consumer.

This information makes the diary valuable and makes it an item worth being preserved. The hard cover gives the diary a rich look.

Information regarding sunlight being used to upgrade the living of man around 3600 BC is depicted in the form of Gantija temples in Malta, upgrading manual activities using coal has being identified as far back as 4000 BC in China, while in Sri Lanka coal generated power began in 2011 AD.

G.D. Abhayaratna,
Piliyandala.