|
|
|
| Sunday, 8 January 2006 |
 |
|
 |
Letters |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
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.
Elections to local bodies are to be held this year and they might be held in April according to the reports in the media. Persons contesting the elections and elected to the local bodies, and for that matter Parliament, in our country are such there is much to be desired in their capability, ability and integrity. Now, we import most of the items of our requirements even though some of them are available in our country as the items in our country are inferior in quality. We also import persons as advisors and employees. So, likewise, should we not import some persons to be our members in the local bodies and in Parliament too as most of our members are of sub-standard. by Arul, Colombo 13. The leader of the LTTE is living in a paradise of his own. His paradise will crumble sooner or later because of his double-sided philosophy. Reasons as I see are as follows: He think his own people will believe all what he says. He kills his own people and yet he declares that he is the sole saviour of the Tamils. He has collected money that will last for four generations, but he will never live to enjoy his ill-gotten wealth. He has several bank accounts in foreign countries like Sweden and Switzerland. He will write a last will making his family members heirs and beneficiaries, but there will be no assets left when the Last Will comes into operation. Because the assets will be frozen. This, only time will decide. His hench-men like Thamil Selvam and the other stooges will be at logger-heads with Prabha and they will be rejected by the Tamil masses. Bala (Balasingham) will be heart-broken and will breathe his last with a curse on his lips against Prabha within another year or just after the Tamil struggle will be over on a pathetic note. Tamils are only 1/10th of the population of Sri Lanka but Prabha claims 1/3rd of the country. This is rather ridiculous. He will never succeed in this. Let this letter be an eye - opener to our Tamil friends who are sorrowfully misled. G.A.S., Australia. It is reported that around half the reported HIV positive females in Sri Lanka are migrant workers.Most of these females seek jobs as "housemaids" in Middle East (ME) countries which have low HIV prevalence rates like Sri Lanka. Prior to employment these individuals have to submit a HIV negative report. If these females are infected abroad then they should be HIV negative when leaving and HIV positive when they return or shortly afterwards if they are in the window period. Since no follow up testing is carried out, how does one arrive at this conclusion? In a survey conducted some years ago, 30 percent of the female sex workers recruited for the study were found to be ME returnees. Can the National AIDS Program precisely state who they classify as a migrant worker? If a female who has returned from the ME tests HIV positive one year later, is this person classified as a migrant worker? In Sri Lanka employers are quite often reluctant to take ME returnees as domestics because of the statements made by the NAP. A sociologist, Colombo. By the side of the Galle road in front of the Balapitiya Base hospital well protected high walls around official residences of the High Court Judge and the District Judge are clearly visible as against the adjoining dwarf walled front protection of the Magistrates official residence which appears to be a tempting child's jump for any robber, insurgent or a convicted criminal with a miss directed revengeful mind. Nearly around or over one year ago there was an incident where an escaped convict abused and intimidated the magistrate after stealing his way inside the residence as entering these premises from behind or from the front is so easy and is so tempting. May the authorities concerned take action to put up a 8, or 10' high wall here and prevent unforeseen criminal acts. by Y. Amarasena de Silva, Ahungalla. Article 14(1) Every Citizen is entitled to - (e) the freedom, either by himself or in association with others, and either in public or in private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching. It appears to the writer that Article 14 (1) (e) gives a Citizen the freedom to manifest one's religion or belief in four ways, viz. (1) Worship (2) Observance (3) Practice and (4) Teaching. The Supreme Court special determination 19/2003 cites Supreme Court determination 2/2001 for its determination which states "In Sri Lanka the Constitution does not guarantee a fundamental right to propagate religion as in Article 25 (1) of the Indian Constitution. What is guaranteed here to every Citizen is the fundamental right by Article 14(1) (e) to manifest, worship, observe, practice that person's religion or teaching." (The underlining by the writer). This reading of the Article 14(1) (e) excludes teaching as a way of a Citizen manifesting one's religion or belief. The reading of Article 14 (1) (e) for the SC determination 2/2001 and basing it for the determination 19/2003, results in a fundamental question of whether Article 14 (1) (e) of the Sri Lankan Constitution does not allow a Citizen to manifest one's religion or belief in teaching, or whether it allows a Citizen to manifest one's religion or belief in teaching. The question is very fundamental as almost every person/citizen has beliefs or a religion. Hopefully this matter could be clarified? by A. C. de Almeida, Paiyagala. I find the article written by one Sambhan Samat on the above topic in the last Sunday Observer to be very disturbing. That the Holocaust occurred is not doubted by any rational person and there is much evidence to prove it. The rhetoric of the Iranian President is also not taken seriously by many. It said that you are permitting fundamentalist to use your esteemed journal to harm the good name of our beloved Sri Lanka in the eyes of the international community, we have always been non-aligned and fair. I am compelled to write to you as I had comments from many friends who read this article online. by Dr. Ajith Tissera, U. K. The recently built crematorium of Ambalangoda Urban Council has been damaged during the unprecedented tsunami. It is one year since this event took place, and the rate-payers living within the Urban Council limits have been deprived of cremating their beloved with due respect, after their demise. Our taxes have been increased by about 250% from last year. This crematorium was also made available to residents of the adjoining local bodies too, on payment of a fee which was a little higher than what was charged from our rate-payers, and brought in an additional revenue to the local body. Now we have to cremate our dead at the crematorium belonging to Watugedara Pradesheeya Sabha, which is about 2 kms from the town. This is causing much inconvenience to the ratepayers of Ambalangoda UC area. It is high time the local authorities should make representations to the Chief Minister and the Local Government Minister and get this crematorium to function once again. We hope that the Local Government Minister would obtain necessary funds which are lying undrawn, to the Southern Provincial Council and get our Crematorium in working order with the least possible delay. by Lionel Leanage, Ambalangoda. I direct this letter to the newly elected President of Sri Lanka, the head of the Tamil Tigers and to all people of Sri Lanka. Greetings my friends, and a very happy new year. May the year 2006 be seen as the year when true peace will blossom in Sri Lanka and the beginning of prosperity for the Jewel of the East which, sadly now is like a drowning man clutching at a straw. Do not both factions involved in this senseless war want peace and prosperity for the island where their children and children's children can grow peace and safety? Please put aside your differences for 2006 and make a concerted effort to bring peace to this lovely island of yours. Both sides can, and should live in harmony. This is not impossible, but it takes great effort and sacrifices on both sides. The end result of this will return this island nation of yours to its former glory, which even now, in spite of the carnage inflicted on her, still bears a striking beauty which many nations envy. Think about all this in 2006, and make the supreme effort for peace, it will be the effort that saves your island from total destruction, which as all can see will be the end result if you follow the path you are now taking. Think and act, for the island that was well renowned all over the world for her beauty, now lies gasping for her last breath. It is entirely in your hands to resuscitate her and bring her to her former glory. by V. P. Nathan, e-mail. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security | Produced by Lake House |
