I have been reading about all the bricks hurled at the UK High
Commission and other Sri Lanka foreign missions alleging lack of
interest in countering the LTTE terrorism.
There are exceptions to this contrary to the allegations made by some
readers.
There are some missions that truly deserve to be exposed for the lack
of action. However, in such cases the government needs to take
responsibility for placing ill equipped officers in high positions of
representation for which the outcome will be obvious.
As an expatriate who has been involved with many projects including
our action when necessary for countering the LTTE propaganda, I wish to
state that some of the allegations cannot be applied to the UK High
Commission or the Sri Lanka Embassy in the US with the venom that has
been hurled at them.
I cannot speak for other embassies that probably are lacking in
personnel who are well informed as trained diplomats. The fact that they
may not be trained diplomats may not matter, if they had been selected
based on competence to hold the positions representing the country in
productive and committed roles.
Some of the personnel are not educated or cognisant of the action
expected of them. To put everyone in the same basket is grossly unfair.
I speak with absolute authority as witness to and having supported
the Sri Lanka Embassy in the US, and being aware of the steps taken by
the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK to achieve the turn around we
have seen in Britain.
I commend the present leadership of both the US Embassy and the UK
Embassy as we have seen some action lately. Expatriates cannot act
alone.
The missions cannot act on their own either. Both have to work
together to achieve results. This definitely happens in UK and in the
US. I am not in a position to divulge details that are privy only to
those involved.
However, it is very easy for those on the periphery to comment and
arrive at their simplistic opinions due to ignorance. Some of the work
done is classified and not in the public domain.
Those who criticise must look at recent developments and understand
that in dealing with subversive terror groups, utmost secrecy is
imperative.
Particularly in the scenario with Sri Lankan traitors, information
leaks for money are fodder for the crooked. Natives have absolutely no
qualms about putting senior and valuable diplomats in harms way through
leaks to terror groups.
Hence, understand the secrecy that may appear as ineffective. There
are a few good diplomats we can still rely on for being committed to the
country.
They have to work within the framework stipulated by the Government
with minimal funds and plenty of frustrations. Let’s not lose the few
who are trying hard to do a good job.
ANJALIKA SILVA
– USA
I was sorry to read the letter captioned ‘foreign attitude’ published
in the Daily News on August 31.
If wanting to improve the efficiency of offices is a foreign
attitude, let there be more foreign attitudes in the country.
It is better to live in the country with constructive foreign
attitudes and than live in a foreign country with negative attitudes. I
do not believe that everything in Sri Lanka or abroad is good.
There are good and bad things in every country and it is up to us to
retain good things in Sri Lanka and absorb good things from abroad
discarding whatever is bad wherever its origin.
Personally I do get on very well with people who are efficient and
always send the offices thank you letters when they have given good
service, so that they will do better in the future.
I am quick to criticise and also to praise whenever the opportunity
arises.
Living abroad was not a ‘confession’, I consider it a privilege.
WANIGATUNGA
It is very interesting to read letters that Ariyathilake, and Tuan
Rassool have written to this column.
Though the subject of discussion was astrology, theology and
mythology, I would like to refer to a section of the whole where
Ariyatilake asks “where was the Most Merciful God on the day of
tsunami?”
What Ariyatilake implies is that, if there is a merciful god, then He
would not have sent the tsunami or at least He would have prevented the
disaster.
I am a Buddhist, but I believe that it is very wrong and sinful to
interpret with sarcasm, what is taught in other religions, specially by
harping onto vaguely understood few words such as God. The Buddha
clearly defined ten subjects as ‘Athakkavachara’ or subjects which the
human mind could never fathom.
Among such subjects are Nirvana, Karma, Loka (universe - including
how and why the universe came into being), to name a few.
We may study them but the absolute nature of these subjects evades
the mind. Greater the extent of using logic and arguments, distant will
be the reality of these phenomena.
The Buddha has also described three powerful impediments to become
one with Nirvana. They are Thanha (raging desires), Maana (pride or
egoism) and Dhitti (views).
Thus, if I say my religion is right and others wrong, it is only a
Dhitti soaked in egoism which impedes my journey.
The God and Brahman referred to in other religions have not been
described as a person. God and Brahman are formless and have no
attributes comprehensible by the human mind. Nirvana too is such.
The Buddha described Nirvana as formless and attributeless and most
explicitly as Chiththa Nirodha or a situation where the mind does not
exist.
Very often we talk about realising Nirvana. Realising requires a mind
but Nirvana is a blissful experience where the mind does not exist.
God or Nirvana cannot be understood by flimsy logic. Since God is
omnipresent and timeless, the Merciful God existed on the day of tsunami
and all the time.
But if someone wants to know where this Merciful exists, all the four
major religions explicitly explain where the Merciful resides: The
Buddha explained, “The ever blissful Nirvana exists within this body of
about six feet”. Vedantha tells us that “Brahman resides in the heart of
man”, and the Holy Koran tells us, “Lord Allah is more closer to you
than your own jugular veins”, and finally, Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom
of heaven that I declare is within you”.
Thus, the ever Merciful Lord existed within us on the day of the
tsunami.
Life of a person is a great opportunity given to seek and know this
bliss within us. Logic and arguments impede this noble effort and
destroy the golden opportunity given to each of us.
PROF. SUNANDA DEGAMBODA
- University of Kelaniya
I wonder if Emmanuel Philips has written his letter with a hidden
meaning? He has given a message to all Sri Lankans, and in his own words
‘especially to the Sinhalese’. Are Muslims in anyway given preferential
treatment in the Middle East?
Philips should understand that no one has forced anyone to work in
the Middle East. Every single person has gone there on his/her free will
and according to their financial situations.
Philips, you would have achieved a lot of things in these 20 years,
let others too, achieve what they can in the remaining time that the
Arabs are still hiring expats to their countries.
Soon a lot of jobs would not be available to expats, even they are
having unemployment problems. Gratitude is a sterling quality and I
doubt that you have this quality in you.
MOHAMED SIDEEK
In all most all cases, the EMS envelopes used in sending overseas
contents would arrive at their destinations half or fully opened. As a
result, the contents in a Sri Lankan EMS envelope gets lost during the
process before it reaches the receiver.
I have recently received a Sri-Lankan EMS envelope completely torn
and opened. I was not really shocked to see that the envelope was
damaged because it was the case in all of the envelopes I have received
in the past.
But this time, I thought that someone should bring this matter to the
attention of the Sri Lankan EMS authorities.
The Sri Lankan envelope is made of very thin cheap paper for which
the EMS office charges about Rs. 60.
During the sorting processes by automated machines at each node of
the EMS network, the thin envelope is very like to be torn. I am very
certain many business people who use the services of Sri Lankan EMS
would agree to the facts mentioned here.
Moreover, the front of the envelope shows some beautiful sceneries
and historical facts of Sri Lanka promoting tourism, but the bad quality
of the paper undervalues the message.
If the purpose of using thin paper is to reduce the total weight of
the contents thereby lowering the shipping cost for the customer, then
the authorities could consider selling an optional envelope made of
cardboard ( similar to ones that are used in many EMS offices in other
countries) for those customers who need to send their contents securely.
The customer should be given a choice of envelopes.
JAY DESHABANDU
This refers to expatriate’s plea for a special tax concession to
import vehicle need special attention from the President.
We are the people who directly contribute a significant amount of
hard currency to keep this country developing and easing a good amount
of financial burdens from our elderly parents and relatives. We
expatriates have been making immense sacrifices for the country by
sending hard currency.
We all feel that any Government who is in power should consider
providing special tax concession to those who work hard to earn hard
currency abroad. The Government could also consider a similar tax
concession that was given to people who invest in the National Saving
Bond programme.
The Yardstick for the tax concession calculation for expatriate could
be based on the amount of money sent home and the duration they wored
abroad. Mr. President, we are thankful and grateful for your honest
efforts to make the country prosper.
UPALI SIRIMALWATTA
– Austria
Like many people in Sri Lanka and abroad, I too eagerly watch 7 p.m.
‘Tele News’, ‘Round the World in 99 Seconds’ on Sirasa channel in order
to get the first hand information on the current affairs, happening in
countries abroad. But the terrible background music played gives a mild
headache and makes one uncomfortable.
May I request the Sirasa news desk to watch this situation seriously
and do the needful.
V. C. H. MOHIDEEEN
- Gelioya
|
