At a time when the national security of the country is threatened, it
must be said that the service being rendered by the Security Forces is
nothing if not commendable.
In the face of attacks by the ruthless, bloodthirsty LTTE terrorists
who have been fighting for a separate state for over two decades, we see
the Security Forces members are engaged in the arduous task of
safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.
As a matter of fact these soldiers have to mount guard in all types
of weather so as to assure security.
It’s clear on all counts that the LTTE is a terrorist outfit whose
ulterior motive is to establish a self-interim adminstration within the
Jaffna Peninsula taking the Tamil community for a ride.
The terrorists go through the motions of posing as the sole
representative of the Tamil community and their main targets are the
military chiefs and politicians.
By now, the Security Forces have been able to flush the enemies out
of their strongholds and have achieved victories against the terrorist
outfit. In the midst of continuous terrorist offensives, the only course
of action left for the Government is to retaliate or to wage an
undeclared war on terrorists to annihilate them.
Here, we’re reminded of a certain statement by the breakaway Karuna
faction, which says that first terrorism should be defeated militarily
and next the issues of the Tamil community should be resolved
politically.
It seems that by now, a large number of civilians are displaced as a
result of brutal LTTE terrorists attacks.
It’s to be regretted that there is only a handful of individuals
among us who are attempting to supply Oxygen to the dying terrorism.
It’s these people who betray the country and underestimate the
victories, so far achieved by the Armed Forces.
Also, it has to be accepted that there would be no peace in the
country as long as terrorism exists.
What’s needed to be done is to defeat terrorism.
That may be why the Government has to answer terrorists in the
language they understand.
Terrorism has also become a major threat to the development efforts
of the country as no development is possible as long as a war exists.
However, it’s commendable that despite the threat of terrorism, the
Government is giving priority to the development process too.
Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two
sides, the LTTE has violated it many times, which resulted in military
action and beyond doubt, it’s the LTTE who is now in a weak position.
I think regarding the peace move, what needs to be done is to
strengthen the country’s Army and their morale to achieve victory.
At the moment the Security Forces members are playing a vital role in
the protection of the nation and their great service should be highly
appreciated.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to all the severicemen.
Likewise, we must salute the courage of all those who had fought for
the country’s security.
It’s up to all of us to assist in the Government’s peace effort,
having put aside party differences.
L. W. GAMINI CHAMINDA KUMARA
Colombo 10
Ariyadasa Yapa (DN March 12) had completely failed to digest the
issues raised by Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne (DN March 10).
Instead he has picked a cursory remark made more in irony on the
subject of qualifications and had chosen to go on in a tangent quite
angrily, alternating between idiocy and lunacy in a senseless display of
mud slinging.
Normally I will be reluctant to respond to such meaningless comments.
But as an ex-engineering student of Bahu and a fellow batch mate of Yapa
who had sat in the same lecture rooms and followed the same lectures (at
Peradeniya in 1972-75) I must post these comments.
As far as I know Ariyadasa Yapa left the island in late seventies or
early eighties and since then had been living overseas. Clearly he is
light years away from understanding the contemporary Sri Lankan politics
and the complex problems faced by the country and the society.
I am too an apolitical person, but this does not mean that university
students or lecturers or anyone with voting rights should be denied
their fundamental right of expressing their political views or dissent
(particularly with respect to social injustices) in a legitimate manner.
Bahu was arrested more than once - on one occasion for hoisting a
black flag in his quarters as a protest against the 1978 Constitution
giving dictatorial executive powers to one person, an act that has
proved to be the bane of the country, which we all must agree at least
now on hindsight.
He was also arrested in 1981 in Fort for peacefully demonstrating
against JRJ’s ruthless mass scale sacking of public servants for going
on strike - an unprecedented undemocratic act in Sri Lanka.
After more than three decades, though his performance as a lecturer
may not have relevance to his current role in politics, it is
uncharitable to say that Bahu never did his job right as a lecturer.
It is certainly a lie to say that he promoted violence, sabotage and
vandalism.
I do not recall a single instance in which Bahu tried to use his
position to preach students on his political ideology, certainly not
during the course of a lecture.
Contrary to what Yapa had pictured, Bahu was generally regarded as a
good lecturer, was popular and highly respected by the entire student
community and the staff. He was academically brilliant, charismatic and
was one of the few lecturers who knew how to mix with the students. As
students, we were simply fascinated by his charismatic personality.
Being the wide eyed, naive undergraduates, we could not then
understand how a person of his calibre (who could have achieved anything
he wanted in the field of engineering) could get attracted to politics
of the masses. Some time in the late seventies or early eighties, Bahu
decided to get in to politics full time.
JAYANTHA ANANDAPPA
Australia
via email
Gamini Ranjit’s letter (DN Feb. 28) should be seen and action taken
by all concerned. We scold the British who did so much for us by way of
railroads, schools, excellent health and education as well as subsidies
that they introduced but still wait with hat in hand for the Norsemen,
World Bank, Japanese etc.
K. SOYSA
via email
This is in reply to the comment by Terrence B. De Silva of Saudi
Arabia published in the Daily News on March 8.
Treated water quality is closely monitored by the National Water
Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) through its laboratories located at
respective treatment plants. The Greater Colombo Water Distribution
system is fed by Ambatale, Labugama, Kalatuwawa and Kaluganga water
treatment plants.
All these locations are equipped with water quality testing
laboratories which carry out regular water quality testing to ensure
water safety. Drinking water in the distribution system is tested for
conformity to SLS standards and WHO guidelines on drinking water quality
by the NWSDB.
Further this testing programme is enhanced by third party
observations, namely National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) and
Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) laboratories. This testing mechanism
guarantees the safety of the drinking water supplied to Greater Colombo.
Further, NWSDB is maintaining a laboratory network comprising of 17
regional laboratories in addition to the central laboratory located at
Ratmalana for testing drinking water quality. Also UNICEF assisted water
quality surveillance programme is being implemented to guarantee the
drinking water quality throughout the island.
M. WICKRAMAGE
General Manager
National Water Supply and Drainage Board
Ratmalana
When I drive in and around Colombo, I often wonder as to whether we
have traffic lights.
For when the green comes on the traffic does not move. Sometimes, it
is because a few vehicles have an attempt to beat the red have gone
beyond the lights and therefore do not know when the green comes.
Otherwise, it is because the Police have taken over handling the
junctions. This causes chaos on the roads.
At the Kanatte Junction, sometimes for a considerable amount of time,
no traffic movement is possible in certain directions.
Also on the Parliament Road near the Hospital with the green on, the
Police stop us to allow persons to cross to go to the Hospital. All
these delay us and make it difficult for us to keep to time.
SYDNEY KNIGHT
Rajagiriya
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