• UK and terrorism

• Enhancement of condominium living attitudes

• London bombings

• Police seek better public relations

• All men and women are actors

UK and terrorism

Sri Lanka has been bleeding under terrorist suicide bomb attacks for over fifteen years. Thousands of innocent citizens have suffered in silence due to these barbaric acts.

Appeal after appeal has been made to Western Governments, especially to the UK to curb activities such as fund raising, maintaining offices etc. of the LTTE terror organisation with no avail. UK is a country where terrorists have a free run.

The London bombs are a lesson to the Governments that follow passive obedience to terrorism when suited, will pay sooner or later.

President Putin of Russia in a recent interview termed Western Anti-Terrorism drive a Double Standard. President of Pakistan asked Britain to take a closer look at the terror organisation operative in England.

Why not UK at this stage invite the extremists for discussion, in the same manner that the Western countries have forced the Sri Lanka Governments to do.

P. B. NIRIELLA, Colombo 5

Enhancement of condominium living attitudes

The Condominium Management Authority attempts to inculcate certain improved attitudes in condominium occupiers in their living.

With the brief introduction of 'Code of Conduct in Condominium Living' CMA is anxious to educate the stakeholders in their activities to articulate the improved ethic. It is a basic fact that living with common elements and common amenities is enlightened by the common interest of all occupiers despite certain inherited self seeking qualities and other weaknesses of human being.

So as an owner or an occupier of a condominium property.

You shall,

(i.) Not use his/her unit for any illegal activities.

(ii.) Not use his/her unit for any activities which tarnish the reputation of the other occupants in general.

(iii.) Not misuse the common elements.

(iv.) Not disturb or hinder the common interest of the other occupants in general.

(v.) Use common elements and common amenities carefully.

(vi.) Be an active member of the Management Corporation.

(vii.) Not use as fuel any substances or material which may give rise to smoke or fumes or obnoxious smell.

(viii.) Not throw or allow to fall any refuse or rubbish of any description on the common elements or any part thereof except in refuse bins maintained by the owner or the Management Corporation, or in refuse chutes provided in the building.

(ix.) Not keep any animals on his/her unit or the common elements which may cause annoyance to any other owners.

(x.) Not do any alterations, amendments or extensions to the building without prior approval from relevant authorities.

(xi.) Not use his/her unit for any business activities without prior approval to do so.

(xii.) Not rent out or sell without informing the Management Corporation and/or relevant authorities.

(xiii.) Pay their premium and monthly rentals and contributions to the Management Corporation and/or relevant authorities properly.

(xiv.) Assist the Management Corporation and other relevant authorities to maintain, control, manage and administrate efficiently and effectively.

Athula Wimalaratne, General Manager of the Condominium Management Authority, Ministry of Housing Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development
 

London bombings

We had hoped that the July 7 was the last attack in London. But a repetition has taken place. We hope and pray that the criminals behind these attacks will be apprehended. Now, with such a tragic strike in London, and with the criminals who carried out the atrocities being Muslims, the impact on the Muslim community is even greater.

It is undeniable fact that every single life is important. No one can claim that the lives of fifty Londoners are more precious than those of the Iraqi men, women and children. So, along with the terrorists, these world leaders must also be held responsible for the loss of innocent lives in the name of pseudo-fight against terrorism.

We have to make our voices heard against the brutal killings perpetrated by the terrorists in the name of religion.

We have to make our voices heard against the blatant show of avarice and power of the so-called world leaders. If we do not raise our voices now, we will no longer have a peaceful world.

London bombings tell us that terrorists can strike us anytime, anywhere.

They are your enemies; they are the enemies of peace loving people of this world.

If the British, the most civilized westerners, do not understand that it has nothing to do with any religion, then they are like toy soldiers, trying to fight with other toys, controlled by a mastermind.

We should understand or read this event, not by separating it from all other political phenomena, especially, the on-going injustice and oppression on the Muslim world by the Western occupiers.

May God continue to bless and save our world from injustice.

A. ABDUL AZIZ, Negombo

Police seek better public relations

It sometimes happens the more encouraging steps taken by the Government either goes unnoticed or ends up with luke-warm action. The reason for both is often "poor marketing." The local branch of Berlin-based Transparency International, recognised globally as a fighter against corruption, has laboured with much objectivity in that challenging task of attempting to narrow the widening gulf between the Police and the Public.

TI aim to provide civil society contributions to influence reforms in the Police Department - including identifying the main causes of Police corruption.

Among other steps taken by TI is to provide innovative steps enabling periodical police - community interactions. It is no secret the image of the police in the public eye in the past few years is very poor. Gone are the days, unfortunately, when the police uniform was held in much respect in society.

Even the lowly PC - endearingly referred to as 'Ape Rahalahmy' was held in esteem in both village and town. The Police station and the police uniform was a symbol of security, justice and fair play.

Even minor crimes were rarely heard of then. When the sensational Sathasivam, the Negombo Mantri and the CTC murder cases, involving only single casualties, hit the Press, they made front-pages for months. Today the gory death of several in a single incidence hardly engages a murmur. The word 'underworld' was not in the public lexicon in those glorious days.

Those were the times when the law-enforcing Police and the law breakers stood transparently on different sides of the street-whereas today it is not an exaggeration to say to identify one from the other is sometimes so very complex. Naturally, the gap in police-public interaction has widened in the past few years for no fault of the public.

The police are now extra-keen to progressively narrow this gap through the medium of Public-Police Committees. I am sure the public will respond favourably. In a recent TI-inspired radio talk where senior representatives of the Police and the public met, the latter were provided with an opportunity to express their concerns.

In a recent Police-Public discussion SSP Reinzie Perera, Head of the Bureau, was keen that the initiative gains sufficient public response.

According to relevant Police Circulars the Chairperson of these Committees ideally should be a prominent person of standing in the community while the OIC of the area Police will serve as Secretary.

SSP Perera reports these Committees are functioning well in Kollupitiya, Kandy and some other areas.

The Police request the public to keep in touch with the Police of their area and participate in these Committee discussions. Simultaneously, I have suggested that OIC's of Police stations island-wide invite the people of their areas to attend these monthly meetings.

SSP Perera informs Police stations throughout the island to send him detailed reports of their meetings with the public by the 10th of each month.

His Unit analyses citizens' complaints and take suitable steps. If this initiative is to succeed, it is important the Police ensure citizens complaints are acted upon speedily, in a transparent manner and results announced at following meetings. This will be the best tool through which this initiative can accomplish its objectives.

Ideally, the police should nominate a senior official in each police station with whom representatives of these Committees can take up their complaints. Once this public-police endeavour gathers momentum, it is very likely the percentage of minor crimes will come down.

The endeavour will also enable the police to come into personal contact with a large number of the public in their area than before-a move through which better understanding between the two sides can contribute to better law enforcement.

Cooperative endeavours such as this have succeeded in smaller crime-ridden towns in many countries and there is no reason why it cannot succeed in Sri Lanka if this initiative is given wide publicity through the courtesy of the media.

A. Kandappah (formerly Chairman, Housing Development Finance Corporation and Hony Secy, National Chamber of Commerce), Colombo 3

All men and women are actors

"The world is a stage and all the men and women are merely players." The above citation from the complete works of Shakespeare quite aptly fits into the modern world, especially politicians, and let me confine myself only to the politicians here.

To start, with the nominations for elections they act by going from place to place and house to house, meeting the people and creating and giving hopes, promises (dead ropes), acting not quite sincerely. This is acting.

Then at elections time they get on the stage and act as enunciated by the Bard (Shakespeare) above citation. After elections, they again do the rounds, going from house to house, village to village greeting and thanking the voters (Acting not sincerely).

Finally, when they enter Parliament they become actors again, delivering speeches quoting from Karl Marx, like vociferously delivering speeches like Juluis Caesar's, Mark Antony, Mao Zedong and others.

Some local great orators like S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Philip Gunawardena, Robert Gunawardena, Wijweera, Dr. N. M. Perera, Peiter Keunaman and Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, who graced Sri Lankan politics, while some others like Somaweera Chandrasiri and T. B. Tennekoone mesmerised their audiences with their political skills.

They go on acting like this for some time and afterwards completely forget the people who elected them. This is playing politics - using the relationship between the people and them for their own benefit and nothing else acting.

So, Shakespeare's centuries old saying rightly fits into modern politics, especially Sri Lankan. Jolly good Actors are our politicians!

PREMA RAMANAYAKE, Maharagama