• BBC eye-opener

• A new disturbing process

• Sporting officials

• Insult to the supremely Enlightened One

• Sri Lanka foreign policy

• LTTE fund raising

BBC eye-opener

BBC World Service broadcast on March 26 (as well as on the 23rd instant) at 17.30 GMT (23.30 p.m. local time) an interview featuring Nirmala Kulasingham - a former sympathiser/activist of the local LTTE in the 1980s who described a harrowing tale of her experiences under them and even of murder of her sister Rajini of the Medical Faculty of Jaffna University by them.

This narrative of a half-hour duration explicitly lays bare 'an eye-opener' of ample factual content to most of us and the foreign sympathisers of the LTTE.

I admire the courage of Rajasingham and her candour for this exposure through the international media and would commend that its text be published over the Daily News, Silumina and most importantly, Thinakaran for the education of your readers as well.

LLOYD N. RANATUNGA

A new disturbing process

As well known, Secretary Generals have been elected to their high stations by due quiet processes of one candidate being put up and adopted without acrimony or controversy by the United Nations.

It began with Trigvie Lee, followed by Dag Hammershoeld, from then by continental rotation, to U. Thant from Asia, and then on to Latin America, Africa and now back to Asia.

While I myself have written on our candidate, we have had here a process now of competitions between two or more candidates, not for eventual consensual selection of one of them, but by bitter rivalry, contest and canvassing.

It is very very sad that this should have come up now - especially from a continent of ancient heritage and wisdom.

In a little personal recall, I remember how when my name was put up for Under Secretary General/Executive Secretary. Given my record, Australia circularized all her Embassies not to entertain any other, Iran withdrew her possible candidate, India refrained, China came strongly supportive and so on (thwarted only by my own country's then President in some vain belief that his brother would not get the High Post which in any case he did not!)

Going back to our main theme, as an old hand to whom the UN is very important, when a person or country makes it separately, - as now - could some leader or leaders of Asia get together, even now - Sonia Gandhi/ any other? - and throw up an agreed candidate, so we go into the helm of the UN, come end of this year, with our heads held high - and with tasks, within the UN and outside, to be undertaken in the world that are crying for attention? For myself, one is old and perhaps will be allowed to mention that the now younger people should not throw away what has been enshrined in our traditions, as UN, and ourselves as Asians, in a different future which then we may yet regret.

PROF. C. SURIYAKUMARAN,
Colombo 3

Sporting officials

What an honour for Sri Lanka! A Gold by Chinthana Vidanage, a lad who achieved this by his own efforts and sheer will, with hardly any encouragement by the officials and 'powers that be'! It is only fitting he receives a hero's welcome, and we trust he will be accorded an appropriate reception at our airport on the team's return.

Congratulation to the young man, and it is hoped that our President Mahinda Rajapaksa will ensure he is justly rewarded.

The current Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, has brought shame and dishonour to our country by his petty comments and small-minded attitude at such a glorious moment for Sri Lanka. And now we read that so-called Chef-de-Mission, has further disgraced the country by his negative attitude and comments to journalists.

It is appalling that people of this calibre hold prestigious posts, and further, that they are allowed to continue in office after such disgraceful behaviour.

What a pity our country has reached such a sorry state. How many 'officials' who accompanied the contingent to Melbourne actually had any sporting background or involvement with the sport? It is doubtful that any other contingent before had more 'officials' than participants.

S. L. Dias,
Nawala

Insult to the supremely Enlightened One

I came to Sri Lanka on a business trip after a long time. I was appalled to see the beautiful roads such as Horton Place, Barnes Place and Bullers Road. All kinds of everything lines the roads-business, shrines and boutiques, I wonder whether they are still called prime residential areas.

Most disgusting to me were the two statues of the Buddha draped in rags surrounded by dirty flags kept on a container at the traffic lights of Horton Place highway to Parliament.

Bo trees, rags and Buddha statues line many roads. Is this done to convey Buddha's great messages? Do the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Mahanayakes and the members of our governing party endorse the above? Discrediting Buddha in this manner is an insult to Buddhism.

I could not do what I came to do with my investor as a Poya intervened and there was a grand bash at the village. Men consumed liquor bought the previous day whilst the women went to temples. Plenty of food was going waste in the village temple as everyone brought dana.

This is definitely not the Buddhism that I saw and learnt when I was in Lanka without Poya being a holiday as a child. All my life I was inspired by the teachings of the great teacher.

I learnt as a child by the village priest that dhana was not only food and bana. We were asked to do a service, eg. teach English to our domestics or teach them driving. He always expressed that hand outs were an insult.

Is it wrong on Poya day to give a Dana or service?

eg. (1) Expedite peoples needs

(2) Congested Departments like RMV/ Government Dpt. to issue documents

(3) The other sectors and professionals to organise dhana of curing the problems.

AJD,
USA

Sri Lanka foreign policy

The article on the above refers to the important relationship between the foreign policy and the defence policy of Sri Lanka. It is true to say that our foreign policy should be driven by the defence policy. But the article speculates two new axes namely: Indo-US and Pakistan-Chinese for Sri Lanka to choose. For me, this is only a wild imagination to defend Sri Lanka.

Defending Sri Lanka from Tiger terror and from possible Islamic terror in the near future require one thing. That is a strong and determined military and a decent and committed and responsible citizens in the country.

No one can and want to defend Sri Lanka other than its own good citizens. We cannot defend the country and the nation with those corrupted politicians. First of all we have to flush out those who try to sell off the country and the nation for their own benefits. Honest and committed leaders are the most essential requirement to defend the nation. Other factors are: never trust anyone else from outside, especially Indians. Kill it before it kills you, should be the defence policy.

Cultivate good freindship within all communities inside the country and hit very hard on terrorists. Whether they are Tigers or Islamic Jihad, does not matter.

Prepare the military in uniform and also a good under cover squad to achieve this goal.

To achieve all these, the country needs good, honest, dedicated, brave and committed leaders. Self-determination and self-reliance is the only way to defend a nation. Do not preach to believe in others in defending yourself.

Internationally, good and reliable friends are important in achieving this goal. But, think twice about Indians when it comes to trust.

ARIYADASA YAPA,
via mail

LTTE fund raising

Whatever said and done, Tamil people are Sri Lankans just like any one of us.

The true documentations have given us some insight about how all this has started. It is true that LTTE was created by Tamil people and now they are destroying the same people who supported them.

We are all of Indian origin who has come to Sri Lanka in various periods of time. It is time to forgive and forget, and support the Tamil people to fight against LTTE and to release them from that iron fist, because we are one people.

SARATH GUNATUNGA,
New Zealand