|| Letters

dailynews
ONLINE

Letters

Federalism is not a Goni Billa

By whatever name you call it, an ethnic war has erupted again in this country. Whichever party wins the war, the ethnic problem will not be solved unless and until some form of power devolution is introduced into our political and administrative systems.

One cannot comprehend the psychosis that persists among the so called patriots over the concept of federalism. Perhaps, they are scared of federalism for the simple reason that it is Mr. Chelvanayagam, the respected Tamil leader, who first demanded a federal system of government.

In reality, it was Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike who advocated a federal system as far back as the mid 1920s.

The JVP and other groups with similar thinking should seriously consider Mr. Anandasangaree's letter that appeared in the Daily News of August 16, 2006.

Why cannot we remove our blinkers and look around us? Take for instance, our closest neighbour India, Australia, Canada or U.S.A. All of them thrive with federal systems of Government with varying modifications.

A coterie of religious and ethnic fanatics prevented the implementation of a system of 'power devolution' on a number of occasions in the past. Should we allow this to happen again?

Ulterior motives of these pseudo patriots should be defeated at any cost, in the larger interest of the Nation.

Premadasa Periyapperuma, Maharagama, via email

Lavinia vs Mareena

Dr. Mareena Refai Thaha advocating universal adoption of Islamic customs (such as polygamy and shrouds for females), let fly a diatribe against the celebration of Governor Maitland's alleged dalliance with Lovina the dancer. Has she forgotten Sheherezade the (adulterous!) lover of the Great Caliph Haroun al Rashid?

VIPs have always been ensnared by lovely women - Nelson by Lady Hamilton and Clinton by Monica Lewinsky are typical.

And as for Lovina - surely Dr. Mareena should have the savvy to identify a clever marketing gimmick instead of accepting it as history and rushing to judgement.

R. B. DIULWEVA, Ganetenna

Red Rice Noodles from our own rice

There was a news report in the Daily News of August 10 that the Post Harvest Technology Institute (PHTI) in collaboration with the Lanka Puthra Development Bank will provide facilities to the new investors to launch red rice noodles manufacturing plants in some districts of our country to produce red rice noodles from local rice.

This proposed venture will no doubt be a great boon to farmers who are unable to sell their paddy productions for a reasonable price in the open market without much agony and suffering after every harvest. We are aware that some of our farmers commit suicide when they are unable to sell their productions to settle their bank loans obtained for paddy cultivation. Therefore this new venture will be a great relief to them, who were unable to obtain a fair price for their paddy.

If this becomes a successful venture and a reality our farmers could easily sell their paddy to these new investors direct and could eliminate the Middleman or 'Mudalali' who gets the lion's share of the harvest at the expense of the poor farmer.

It was further mentioned in that same report that the noodles produced will be 100% rice flour. If the PHTI could go ahead with this new project as early as possible specially in districts like Anuradhapura, a large number of our farmers will be benefitted financially and the consumers too will greatly appreciate such products being 100 per cent red rice noodles of our own country where everyone could be proud of!

The other very important aspect is that our young generation will be able to lead a healthy life free of diabetes since some of our school going children are also now subject to diabetes as disclosed by eminent doctors as a result of consuming instant food items prepared from imported flour.

I highly commend the authorities for initiating a project of this nature in rural areas like Anuradhapura that will directly help the farmer. Consumers too will be very glad, if these products could be made available in the open market soon for a reasonable price within the reach of average person.

Similarly new investors should be encouraged to produce our own bottled cow milk in our country rather than importing powdered milk packets from various Western countries spending our valuable foreign exchange. In this regard our authorities could open their eyes and see what is happening in India our neighbouring country!

D. E. Abeyweera

Nobody to worry about Public Library

If there is a block of whatever nature in one's area in the Colombo City, do not expect the Colombo Municipal Council to attend to it immediately. Because, they have either no time or the necessary equipment to clean the blocks of the male toilets at their own Public Library, (Colombo 7), thereby having closed them for over two months.

It appears that the relevant authorities never pay a visit to see of any shortcomings or repairs at this library.

If not, such duty conscious authorities would have surely repaired the fans in the canteen that have not been functioning for months on the wings of which crows perch and drop their waste on us. Even the few fans inside the library too are not working.

NAZLY CASSIM, Colombo 13

Anti war group - no principles

It's a pity Bhikkhus take centre stage over politics. they should protect the Sasana. Any one who assaults Bhikkhus or priests must end up in jail. Most of all, if anti-war group is against war, how come they can assault or harm another human? So principle is conflicting that shows they have no principles.

ROHAN, via email

The risk SA cricketers took...

Amidst the current threat posed to airline travel resulting United States to issue its highest terrorism alert for commercial flights, I was shell shocked to learn that the South African cricketers took the risk of flying instead of taking the boat.

Suren G, USA, via email

Annihilate terrorist scourge

Reference to the news 'Canada calls for ceasefire, resumption of peace talks' in the DN of August 17. It is interesting to note that Canada has shown its true colours, with regard to its hitherto surreptitious move in helping the terrorists to destabilise the country, which leads to a separate state.

Peter Mackay the Foreign Minister of Canada says, "we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and return to negotiations."

What the Canadian Foreign Minister is interested in is not difficult to understand.

At a time when the Sri Lankan Government has resorted to retaliate the terrorists who are trying to consolidate their positions given to them by the previous government and establish Eelam, terrorists who were reputed to be the most powerful terrorists are now on the run showing to the whole world that they are not what they were made to known.

Instead they are only a bunch of cats paws of foreign Governments like Canada, Norway etc. because of this, the Canadian Government has become so upset and uneasy and it wants to stop the Government's retaliation to terrorism. Their intention is clear. They want to protect the terrorists further.

It also wants the Norwegians to continue here in Sri Lanka and help terrorists to protect their bogus image which could keep the country destabilised. He appreciates the work of Norwegians, they are indispensable according to him and wants the Government to keep them involved here in Sri Lanka.

All it means is that if the terrorists are left to be defeated, and if there is peace in Sri Lanka, the Canadians are unable to do all sorts of exploitations, that they are doing in this country at present.

The people will come to know all those and there will be opposition from the people of the country and they will have to run away.

However terrorism in this country is fast getting itself exposed; who supports it, who are those behind it and for what purpose, all that is being getting exposed day after day.

It is not surprising that even in the statement of the Canadian Foreign Minister, he is identifying the terrorists as the Rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, that shows that they are not going to give up.

It is by this sort of support that the international gang of looters, like Canada identifying themselves as the international community, created, strengthened and maintained terrorism in this country. This has been more exposed now.

Therefore on behalf of the peace loving people in Sri Lanka, the Federation of Buddhist Organisations appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka, not to get carried away by these international looters, and to annihilate the terrorist scourge from Sri Lankan soil for ever.

Gallage Punyawardana, Secretary, Federation of Buddhist Organisations