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Flouting the UDATHE Urban Development Authority (UDA) was among the most respected, efficient and effective government organisations over a decade ago with the UDA's reputation for strict adherence to and implementation of UDA regulations without fear or favour. No landlord ever dared to rent out a residential property for commercial use without obtaining UDA approval for fear of the property being taken over for flouting UDA regulations. UDA officials too were held in high esteem then by the public in view of the manner in which they enforced the UDA regulations. Regrettably, this was not the case under subsequent regimes. Residential areas in Colombo and immediate suburbs have been invaded by business organisations and NGOs. Residential property located in by-lanes in Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, Havelock Town, Kirulapone, Nugegoda etc, are being rented out for commercial purposes by errant landlords with absolutely no approval from or intimation to the UDA. Residents who have lived peacefully for decades and generations are being harassed by businessmen who have infiltrated into residential areas, which have been provided with utilities such as water, electricity and sewage systems adequate only for residential purposes. The latest trend is for large organisations to buy residential properties, demolish existing houses and construct multi-storeyed buildings to house their offices and apartments cutting off ventilation to neighbouring houses. Despite the immediate need in and around the metropolis being for additional houses, residential properties in Colombo and the suburbs are being converted into offices with the UDA not even being taken notice of. Protests by affected residents are being ignored by the UDA. Land is being illegally filled in the course of constructing large buildings and as a result, Colombo experiences flash floods for the slightest drizzle. The public firmly believes that President Mahinda Rajapakse emulates the people-friendly policies of the late President Premadasa. We fervently hope that President Rajapakse would intervene and instruct the UDA to undertake an immediate survey of the by-lanes and residential areas in Colombo and the suburbs and enforce UDA regulations to prosecute errant landlords and take over residential properties given out for commercial purposes. The UDA should, through newspaper advertisements, encourage the public to inform them of residences that have been converted into offices. Offices should be located in specific zones with adequate parking facilities, water, electricity and sewage facilities and residences should never be allowed to be used for commercial purposes. A.W. RATNAYAKE - Offending cartoonNOT only Muslims but also all decent people all over the world must be upset over the recent caricature of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God Almighty be on him) in a Danish newspaper. As a Muslim I am terribly hurt over this latest slander in a long, unrelenting and merciless campaign against his holy personage. As a Muslim I am required to love this man - this mighty messenger of God Almighty - more than anybody or anything else in the world. One can imagine the pain this Danish newspaper would have caused to Muslims. As a Muslim I must also confess that it is not only the Prophet Muhammad but also the Prophet Jesus Christ (may peace be on them) who has been derided by the Western media. The only Prophet of God who had escaped such vilification is the Prophet Moses (peace be on him) - fortunately. That is because the Jews regard him as their prophet and they vilify all who came after him as a religious duty. This latest slander against the Prophet Muhammad is yet another indication of the dominance the Jews have in the media and financial markets. As a matter of fact the editor of a French newspaper that copied the cartoon is a Jew answering to the name of Levy. His bosses have sacked him. Perhaps he went too far this time considering the anti Islam and anti Muslim campaign in France in recent times. In a show of bravado many European newspapers have carried the offending cartoon on the pretext of displaying freedom of speech. Surprisingly these very newspapers would not be able to question the holocaust or even attempt to reduce by just one the figure that Hilter has reportedly killed. However, these same freedoms of speech loving editors and journalists did not utter a word of protest when the German Government impounded the passport of Horst Mahler preventing him from travelling to Theran where he was to challenge the figures and stories of the holocaust. It seems that the freedom of speech is only applied when the Prophet Muhammad or Islam or Muslims are to be targeted for vilification. What hypocrisy. HAMEED ABDUL KARIM - Independence Day commentariesA commentator at the Independence Day Celebrations at Galle Face was heard saying that Sri Lanka was under foreign domination for over 500 years. An English daily newspaper in its Independence Day supplement carried an article that said, 'The island gained independence after being under foreign rule for about 450 years'. Sri Lanka was never under foreign rule for 500 or even 450 years. The Portuguese landed in the island in 1505 (or was it 1506 as some say) and occupied the maritime region till the Dutch wrested power in 1658. Portuguese controlled only the maritime region of the island for 153 years. Several unsuccessful attempts were made by them to capture power of the whole island but the Sri Lankan kings successfully resisted all such attempts and restricted their rule to the maritime region. Dutch rule of the littoral belt of the island began in 1658 and lasted another 138 years till 1796 when the British ousted them. During this period, our Kings ruled the island from the kingdoms of Kotte, Sitawaka, Raigama, Gampola and Kandy and never subjugated their right to rule the land. Several attempts by the Portuguese and the Dutch to capture power of the whole island were thwarted by the valiant soldiers of the Sri Lankan rulers. Even the British could not make inroads to the Kandyan region until they got support of a few misguided Kandyan chiefs. It was only after 19 years of manoeuvring and with the signing of the Kandyan Convention on March 2, 1815 in Kandy that the British were successful in gaining control over the whole island. The last King of Sri Lanka, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was captured in 1815 and was deported to Mauritius. Thus, we lost our independence as a nation only on March 2, 1815. Sri Lanka remained under complete foreign domination for only 133 years (and not 450 or 500 years) when independence was granted on February 4, 1948 which we now celebrate. SARATH C. JAYAWARDANA - Doctors on strike?THE token strike by medical doctors is very unfair and unjust. They need to realise the inconvenience and hardships caused by their strike to the poor. Those who can afford to go to private medical practitioners are not affected by this strike but it is the poor who are mostly affected. Most of them have to come a long way to get treatment for their ailments but the strike by the medical practitioners cause them to go back with their suffering. The issue on which the GMOA strikes could be easily resolved by discussions with the relevant authorities. However, the GMOA decided to strike which is extremely inhuman. Our request to the GMOA is to be more human and let others live. C. S. WEERARATNA - |
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