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| Friday, 18 June 2004 |
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Loads of letters have been written in relation to foreigners buying land in this island and recently about visas given to single women and the existence of prostitution rings. We define foreigners as all those who are not citizens of Sri Lanka. However there is a need to identify and recognize the existence of different groups such as foreign spouses, investors, tourists, special guests among others. Short sighted policies must be avoided in order to formulate clear policy guidelines as well as clear rules not only to attract foreign investment but to define where we are going as a Nation. In that sense, the new BoI officials should start a revision of BoI approvals made during recent times. Approvals from the competent authority should be obtained to buy property under payment of taxes. Other countries regulate in relation to areas of interest. These areas are established in order to defend historical sites and protect them. According to this criteria, no foreigner is allowed to buy land in areas defined as of public interest or under security. Another factor may be the number of years living in the country. Accordingly foreign spouses may be granted certain facilities according to the number of years they have been married to the local spouse or years living in the country. In relation to visas awarded to single foreign woman, it is not a simple question of not granting visas. The freedom of movement of every human being must be protected. We must fight against sexual abuse and exploitation, but what happens when an adult is freely involved in this kind of activities. It is not also the problem of single foreign women as men are also involved. Who is behind this? Sometime ago one of the Immigration officers was telling me that in some cases they are not willing to grant visas but then some important people call and they are compelled to do so. The truth is that Sri Lanka is being promoted by certain local and foreign 'agencies' as a sex paradise. So the increasing gap between the rich and the poor and the abuse of power of certain politicos have led to people without possibilities to get involved in prostitution. It is sad to see statistics showing numbers such as 100,000 youth and children involved in prostitution not only to help their parents but for them to get access to facilities granted to the rich or the privileged. We must go beyond the criteria of simply attract foreign investment. We must formulate clear policies in order to protect our values and dignity as human beings, and rebuild our image locally and abroad. For that, hypocrisy must be eradicated as well as corruption and political interference. ROSSANA FAVERO-KARUNARATNA, At the Brussels conference where the four Aid Donors met recently, it was re-emphasized that the peace process should go forward to enable them to grant the proposed aid amounting to 4 1/2 billion US dollars. It is reasonable to think whether this insistence is fair by the Sri Lanka Government, which is elected democratically and also responsible for the development of the country as a whole including the North and East provinces. On the contrary, the Aid Donors are not unaware that the LTTE with whom they ask the Government to hold peace talks is prescribed as a terrorist organisation by several countries including the USA. It is also no secret to the world community that the spates of killings perpetrated by the LTTE of those who are opposed to them and recruitment of child soldiers forcibly have not abated despite the UN and HR Organisations demand that this should be stopped to which scant regard is paid by the LTTE. However, the Aid Donors' representatives do not fail to go to the Vanni when they come to Sri Lanka and talk about aid which has boosted the LTTE image in the eyes of the world. This does not persuade the LTTE to come to peace talks. The ISGA proposals presented to the Government by the LTTE would undoubtedly have been seen by the Aid Donors and observed that it can pave the way to form a separate country which will be a violation of the principle of territorial integrity. But every country is particular that the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka is not threatened by peace moves. The LTTE is also facing opposition from Tamils in the East who say that they have been differently treated compared to the Tamils of the North. Therefore LTTE claim to be sole representatives of the Tamils is rather shaky. Since the main objective of giving aid is for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of war ravaged areas as well as development of the rest of the country. The Aid Donors should consider commencing development as a matter of priority pending peace talks and arriving at a settlement while it is likely to take a fairly long-time. To be fair by all parties the rehabilitation and reconstruction work should be carried out under a committee comprising representatives of the LTTE, four of the Government, one or two from the SLMM and one from the Aid Group. The funds should be handled by the committee under the eyes of the Aid Group representation and SLMM, so that transparency will be assured. It is ardently hoped that the Aid Donors will consider this suggestion as it offers solution to the present insistence by the Aid Group to continue peace talks to grant aid. I. P. NANAYAKKARA, 'Erroneous renewal of driving licence' My driving licence originally issued in 1962 to cover categories C and C1 was extended to include Motor coaches in 1987. Since then, it was renewed every three years. Last year I decided to renew it only for Dual Purpose Vehicles because such a licence does not need renewal. Therefore I made an application to the Divisional Secretary, Kandy who is authorized to act on behalf of the Commissioner of Motor traffic and he asked me to make a written request along with the necessary application and documents. I submitted all the requisites giving prominence to the relevant cages to indicate that renewal was sought only for Dual Purpose Vehicles. After 9 months I received my licence again renewed for Motor coaches with the instruction that it had to be renewed again in 2005. When I questioned the Divisional Secretary's office, they said that they could do nothing about it, and that they too did not know the correct procedure. They advised me to meet the CMT. I sent a letter under registered cover to the Commissioner of Motor Traffic in December 2003 requesting him to correct their mistake, but received no reply up to now. I am sure there must be a way of reaching the Commissioner without personally meeting him because it is such a hassle travelling down to Colombo and standing outside his office for long hours. My age does not stand that stress. Can the CMT or someone please advise me what to do? Ananda Weerasinghe, As a former student of one of Punjab's top Agricultural Universities, I am quite elated that India has been able to show the way to nations like Sri Lanka but above all, even the USA or Canada. On Wednesday June 6, David Nevins from Canada commented about India's new non Hindu Prime Minister. I found a Canadian's comments about Sri Lanka's inability to have a non-Sinhalese PM or President slightly misdirected. With due respect, I will like to ask him as a Canadian whether he thinks Canada will elect an Eskimo, or an Aleut, or a Native American Indian (the original inhabitants of Canada) or a Sikh Canadian, or an African Canadian, or a Tamil Canadian as their Prime Minister? For that matter I think Sri Lanka and India probably will/should have a non Sinhala Buddhist Prime Minister or President, before Canada or the USA will ever elect a woman, a Hispanic, an African, American or even a Native American President. I will like to see the day a Non-White, Non-Christian ever becoming President of the USA. It will never happen. A non-Christian will never get elected in USA or Canada whereas Sri Lanka has repeatedly voted for non-Buddhists to high office. I am elated at Manmohan Singh's Premiership. I studied in Punjab, and know that Punjab is the granary of India and one of the wealthiest states in India. Punjabi Sikhs are a very proud people; they are hardworking and industrious people. Sri Lanka can learn a lot about agricultural industry from Punjab. Speaking of the Sikh community you will never ever find a Sikh beggar in India whereas you will find beggars of every other ethnicity. They suffered a lot after the Golden Temple incident, and Indira Gandhi's assassination. Sikhs became targets for communalists just like the tragedy of 1983 in Sri Lanka. But their industriousness and entrepreneurial spirit is legendary; they overcame political obstacles and serious terrorist problems with strong resolve to be part of a unitary secular India. I do not think one's religion or ethnic background should be criteria for choosing honest leaders who serve Sri Lanka as a unitary nation of many races not divided into ethnic enclaves by a fascist racist organisation. MANO RATWATTE, |
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