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Over twenty years of war has left its mark on our island nation. A
generation has grown up in war and has begun to accept war as a normal
part of life.
It is quite clear, that the LTTE has no intention of arriving at a
political solution. History has shown that the LTTE has used ceasefires
to rearm and improve their offensive capabilities.
It is also clear that no matter how unfortunate the situation is, the
country is dependant on foreign aid.
This dependence of aid is used to hold the island hostage by first
world countries to play this game of chit chat with the terrorist while
they seek military solutions to their own problems.
Other countries would like the situation to continue as selling arms
to both sides have become a good source of revenue. The international
community will not stand for a dragged out offensive by the Sri Lankan
Army against the LTTE.
The world will use the island’s dependence on aid to strangle the
economy and force the Government to stop any offensive against the LTTE.
We are currently seeing some of this type of reaction by Britain and
Germany by withholding aid. So, the alternative is an all out offensive
that ends with victory in a few weeks.
To get to this point there is some ground work the Government has to
lay. The very first is that the government must obstruct sources of
funding for the LTTE. This is achieved by getting countries to ban the
LTTE.
The government has already had some success by banning the LTTE in
the US, Canada and the UK. However, fundraising continues in these
countries under the guise of humanitarian efforts.
Task forces need to be established in Sri Lankan Embassies to assist
local authorities in these countries to unmask and prosecute people who
engage in these activities.
Resources need to be stockpiled to whether any sanctions brought on
by other countries against a large scale offensive.
All three branches of the forces need to be strengthened. The Navy
should be specially provided the tools to better engage, destroy, and
impede LTTE supply lines.
All internal factions that provide financial and logistical support
to the LTTE terrorists should be prosecuted to the full extent of the
law.
The Air Force and Army should continue to destroy the LTTE assets.
Once victory is achieved, the Government should take great care to
address the needs of the people and use the military for reconstruction.
Steps need to be taken to bridge racial gaps. A good place to start
will be in our schools, where the Tamil language is taught.
People need to be resettled in the North and East with a good mix of
all races. The military should not be downsized or disbanded at all
costs.
Large numbers of unemployed trained former military youth will give
rise to crime and unrest. Steps need to be taken to keep our brightest
from migrating by creating opportunities to prosper in the country. The
culture of ‘who you know’ and ‘palm greasing’ should be squashed.
I hope our President will see that this war will come to an end
during his time, and go down in history as one of our great leaders. I
also pray that I have the fortune to see a unified Sri Lanka with equal
rights to all where all ‘life’ is held precious within my lifetime.
CHETIKA KAVIRATNE
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I read a letter carried in your journal last week and written by
Reverend Father Sydney Knight from Rajagiriya, wherein he relates of a
distasteful incident involving a three-wheeler driver and himself on a
Colombo highway.
We all know that most of the three-wheeler drivers are such uncouth
characters one cannot expect any better treatment from them in such a
situation.
They are the products of this troubled, lawless society going through
decades of hostile and tense lifestyle.
I regret the incident and sympathize with the Reverend Father but
just wish to remind him that when we are driving in a traffic lane we
must be in a position to stop our vehicle if the vehicle ahead of us
stops suddenly with any reason or not.
In that sense the good Father is not completely blameless though I do
not in any way approve of the way the uncouth character reacted.
The good Father goes on to say that if he went to the Police station
he would be asked to speak in Sinhala and it is not his language.
I can well understand the plight he was placed in for once about 37
years ago I felt the same way when I, as a Marketing Representative was
sent to Batticaloa for duties pertaining to my job.
I found my knowledge of the Tamil language grossly inadequate even to
go to an eating-house and order my meals.
The dire necessity to get about in that society I hurriedly set about
learning the Tamil language but unfortunately as things turned out I was
recalled to Colombo sooner than I thought and the opportunity was lost
to me.
In Batticaloa 37 years ago, I became a minority and learned my
lesson, that being in a minority has its disadvantages unlike in the old
days of colonialism when being a minority was a definite advantage over
the majority.
As a teenager I vividly remember how I wondered why the minority
always found the top jobs in the Postal Department, the Public Works
Department and the Railways, where I happened to have relatives working
at the time.
I suppose views and notions nurtured for a long period takes an
equally a long time to wear off.
C. DISSANAYAKE -
Mount Lavinia
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I write with reference to the letter written by Dr. Mareena Thaha
Reffai on June 6, 2007 regarding the excellent wound healing qualities
of bees honey.
I had read earlier where she mentioned about the guy who was brought
to her with a wound as large as an egg, and also a Nun with a similar
wound both of them were healed completely with the application of bees
honey.
I like to mention here that I received a severe burn on my ankle bone
from a heated motorcycle.
It was as large as a two rupee coin. I used antibiotic creas as usual
for two days and the healing was slow.
After I read this article where Dr. Reffai had mentioned the bees
honey cure, I immediately removed the antibiotic dressing and used bees
honey instead.
Believe me in two days my wound was almost healed completely. Here, I
wish to thank God for his wonderful healing source through bees honey,
and I also thank Dr. Reffai for reminding us of the God given healing
source.
I would like Dr. Reffai to send me her e-mail address so that I could
send her a 10 page document from the Canadian Medical Journal, which
gives the use of bees honey and Cinnamon powder for every kind of
sickness from cholesterol, arthrities etc.
Also good for normal healthy living instead wasting money on
commercial energy stimulants which are man made for commercial purposes.
I trust that this will encourage everyone to use this God given
source of healing.
NEVILLE CASIE CHITTY –
Kottawa - E-mail: [email protected]
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We are a group belonging to all communities of Old Moor Street,
Colombo 12, who are facing a great water problem.
We regret very much to note the negligence and the lethargic attitude
of workers of the Water Board.
The workers of the Water Board who dug-up the road in order to change
the old drainage canal and fix the new canal have totally ruined the
entire water line, which leads from Dam Street junction to Hulftsdorp
Street at Colombo 12.
As the result is the same, we are facing a great problem for water.
Although we have brought this matter to the immediate attention of the
Area Engineer of the Water Board, our complaint has not received any
attention of the Water Board.
Workers of the Water Board dug-up the road and left deep dents on the
road right along up to Hulftsdorp Street junction which fills-up with
water from the damaged pipeline which have been buried into the earth.
Although this has been informed to the Water Board, they have not
taken any action up to now, to reconstruct the pipeline.
We are very much disappointed with the irresponsible service of the
Water Board.
However, we once again request the Water Board officials to issue a
directive to the team of workers to look into same and reconstruct the
damaged pipeline immediately without further hesitation.
S. R. MAHENDRAN -
Colombo 12
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The advertisement in the TV depicting a drug addict describing his
feelings about something is the worst ad. Such type of ads should not be
allowed to be shown on TV.
We are talking about Mathata Thitha - to save our people from alcohol
and smoking. But this ad gives the impression about a drug addict.
At the end of the advertisement it shows some packets of biscuits
being thrown and this drug addict jumping like a mad man. This ad
encourage our youths to taste the things he described. Actually it
should be drugs but not the biscuits.
More over, it is a great shame that a famous and reputed Sri Lankan
company spent money on this ad, and to use such a bad theme for the
publicity of their product.
P. L. SOMASIRI -
Galle |
