Natural disasters are destructions and demolitions caused by nature.
This natural phenomenon is the result of the man’s squalid activities
and his lackadaisical approach towards nature. Floods, droughts and
landslides are the most prevalent disasters in SriLanka.
These disasters cause a lot of damage, chaos and havoc in the
country, while causing a large number of casualties. The recent natural
crisis is the tsunami catastrophe which hit our island in year 2004,
culminating an enormous death toll and losses of property.
The main reason for this is that Sri Lankans have no means of
counteracting these disasters. To avoid this, on one hand, remedial
measures should be taken.
On the other hand preparedness is essential. Initially, the fact that
‘prevention is better than cure’ should be comprehended and taken into
consideration. That is, one should leave the Nature as it is.
Tragically, people cut down trees, often surreptiously, with vested
interest and for lucrative purposes. Also, pollution has become inherent
in our country.
Further, blasting rocks, mining and many other atrocious human
activities stimulate the nature to become disastrous. These should be
prevented; else, disasters will be inevitable.
It is very much essential that people should inculcate an altruistic
nature in them. This is a major antidote for natural disasters. One
should plant at least one tree in their home garden, endeavour to clean
at least a small portion of what is polluted, prevent further pollution
and cutting down trees, also avoide over-construction. This would
diminish and avert the number of natural disasters in Sri Lanka.
Subsequently, people should be prepared for these disasters. That is,
one should be aware of how to react during these dynamic disasters.
Moreover, safety elements like early warning systems, boats during
floods and many other requisite facilities should be rendered to the
public.
Therefore, the Government should overtly take necessary measures
regarding this issue without merely dilly dallying over it. This would
mitigate the current predicament of our country. It is true that we
cannot clap with one hand. Thus, the onus is on both the public and on
the Government to protect nature and hand over a salubrious country to
our future generation.
RUSHDA RAMEEZ
Rajagiriya
The programme to educate students in English is sabotaged by
officials who are Sinhala Only victims. They fear that those who study
English will steal a march over them.
Entrusting formulation of English texts to unqualified persons is
effective sabotage. It is surprising how these persons were selected.
Another is recruiting those with only O/Level English pass, as ‘English
teachers’.
I taught English to my son who was in the Tamil stream by using the
English Grammar and Exercises Parts I to IV by Chapman. Just half an
hour a day was enough.
I will recommend these books to all parents - English literate or
not. They are still available, I believe.
DAS SAMUEL
During the 8 pm Sinhala news broadcast from Rupavahini on the 9th
inst, I heard the dreadful news that altogether 16 people had been
killed by crocodiles in the Nilvala Ganga alone, very recently.
This is very alarming as the residents living on the banks of this
rivers have to use the river for their various needs regularly.
Crocodiles living in rivers, lagoons and other waterways cannot
normally be seen as they are very cunning and move in these waterways
only with their eyes at water level.
From the North till the deep South they are present everywhere. There
are many varieties of crocodiles but the estuarine varieties are the
most man-eating ones. They go up to around 22 ft or more in length.
Both the authorities looking after wildlife and the ordinary villager
has not made any move to control or curb them. As in other countries
quick action has to be taken to cull these awful beasts.
They have been multiplying at an uncontrollable rate all these years.
Will the authorities plan and carry out a determined culling
campaign?
ARTHUR MORAWAKA
Ratmalana
Prime Minister Ratansiri Wickremanyeke in an unprecedented act of
contrition for a ruling party Sinhalese Minister, apologised sincerely
to the Tamils on behalf of the Government for evicting 376 of them from
their lodgings in Colombo on June 7.
By apologizing, he went a long way to remove the shame that reflected
ultimately on the Sinhalese majority.
He accepted without reservation that the act was wrong. It was also
uncaring but not calculated cruelty. He stated unequivocally that the
State bore the responsibility for it.
He promised that those responsible would be made to answer for their
actions and that such acts would not be repeated. By his action which
was given in his usual forthright, sincere manner, he limited the damage
done to the reputation of the nation.
This is the best time as any for every Sinhalese politician to
apologize in a similar manner for all the wrongs done to the Tamils
since independence.
The wrongs include the violence in the racial riots of 1956, 1958,
1977, 1981 and 1983, the opposition to pacts which would have resolved
the differences that kept the Tamils from sharing State power such as
the B-C and the D-C pacts, the declaration of ‘war’ on the Tamils in
1977, the burning of the public library in Jaffna in 1981 and finally
the excesses in the on going 25 year old conflict which largely have
gone unpunished and unacknowledged by the State.
While it is well known that misdirected State power is abused by
those entrusted to keep the peace, it has also been directed at all
communities indiscriminately at all times with an aura of impunity
because the Governments in power gave protection to the wrong doers.
This was often done by looking the other way when abuses took place
especially when the victims were not Government supporters. There was no
discrimination by the community.
Unfortunately the eviction was aimed at the Tamils who had flooded
the city basically to escape from the fighting in their areas.
It is now up to the Government to deliver on its promises to punish
the wrong doers. It must not spare those responsible for the killings
and the abductions. It is clear that these reprehensible actions have
been done by professionals either with underworld or with military
backgrounds.
They are definitely not serving members of the forces or the police.
Too many ex servicemen and ex policemen have become hired guns protected
by politicians. The notorious execution squads of Black Cats of the
1988/9 period must still be around.
Having committed countless murders and thereby forfeiting their
lives, they have no scruples to promote their evil ways as those who
hired and are hiring them know. Especially now that the ransoms are in
hundreds of millions.
It is strange that the insurance companies are not offering their
services to offer some protection as they did when the high profile
kidnapping of a well known businessman occurred near the Colombo Golf
Club some time ago.
Small arms distributed copiously without control to politicians and
their erstwhile catchers in 1988/9 are still in circulation and
obviously being put to criminal use with and without the knowledge of
those who obtained them. A few security companies have special highly
skilled dangerous men who are also not without work in the present
scenario.
They gain a foothold at elections being hired by politicians who if
they are on the winning side continue to keep to their criminal agenda.
The criminals among them have their own agendas as they are immune to
arrest. It starts with ballot stuffing and rigging. Big security
companies and even small ones have been guilty of such nefarious
activities.
The proliferation of small arms and the help of former friends and
relatives serving in the Forces and the Police are used to aid and abet
in criminal activities.
If the politicians who want to stop this spate of criminal activities
are sincere, they must collectively agree to the confiscation of weapons
from every one outside the Forces and the Police as in Singapore, the
example of a state they never tire to uphold to promote their objectives
but without the sense of discipline and probity of that state.
That would be the first step to immediately cull these criminal
organisations if the state is to keep to its promises. The state will
now be not only responsible but also guilty for the crimes that have and
are being committed, if they are not able to bring the offenders to book
rapidly.
There can be no next time as the Premier said. The affected Tamils
once again bailed the Sinhalese out by promptly returning to Colombo,
rejecting entreaties of the LTTE.
Thank you and well done Premier. I join you in apologizing to the
affected Tamils and bless them for forgiving us by returning even if
they may not forget.
LALIN FERNANDO |
