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The addition of 25 new railway carriages imported from China will now
help augment the train services to provide a successful service to
commuters.
We, as train travellers must be thankful to the Transport Minister
for having redeemed us from the ordeal of travelling in packed carriages
for ages. We await eagerly to enter these beautiful and luxury looking
compartments to enjoy the comforts of travelling.
It is also important to note that the present condition of the
carriages that are now on the track. Fifteen years ago, they too had the
same look. Unfortunately, most of the fittings in these carriages
gradually began to disappear.
There was a large number of hand supports mounted on horizontal
railings for standing passengers. This do not exist now.
Missing fluorescent light fittings are replaced with loosely hanging
bulbs.
Most fans have been removed. In some carriages, overhead racks for
luggages have also been removed. The strangest thing is that nobody
knows who is responsible for these illegal acts.
It will be ridiculous if these new compartments too are subjected to
the same treatment. Therefore, railway authorities must adopt some form
of preventive measure to safeguard this valuable national property.
M.R.A.L. GUNASINGHE.
Veyangoda.
Is it a coincidence that Human Rights organisations and NGOs only
raise human rights concerns when the legitimate forces of the democratic
Government of Sri Lanka get the upper hand?
Have they raised concerns about refugees or IDPs or hardships when
the Tigers broke two ceasefire agreements and started wars? Did anyone
raise concerns when they overran military camps and caused large
populations to flee?
Did anyone file fundamental rights cases when Tigers committed ethnic
cleansing and chased out more than 95,000 people from Jaffna? Do the
Sinhalese and Muslims of Jaffna have the same rights to go back to their
homes when peace returns as Tamils have to live anywhere in Sri Lanka?
R. F. GUNASEKERA
Mirigama
If this young (Rizana) girl convicted for the murder of an infant is
to receive compassion... it is during the month of Ramadan, not after.
According to Islam as explained to me by staunch Muslim and prominent
personality in Dubai, a Muslim if asked for forgiveness during this
month must take that request seriously and most likely will forgive
because the spirit of the month of Ramadan is “forgiveness”.
It is the month in which Muslims atone their sins by fast and prayer
and seek forgiveness and in the same token forgive others of their sin.
So, if the team/lawyers negotiating does not understand the need to ask
for forgiveness within this month and request the father to accept the
payment of ‘Diya’ (blood money in lieu of the baby’s life lost)... they
have lost the opportunity. Once the formal request is made during the
month it is a hard call to ignore, especially for a staunch Muslim
living in Saudi Arabia.
NOEL
I read with interest the letter of Humaira Harim Kamalanathan on
‘Thai Air Hostess par excellence’, (DN Sept. 25). It is indeed a rare
occurrence for a Thai hostess to speak in Sinhala and even assist the
less literate in filling forms. The local airline management should
commend her for kindness and consideration for others.
Last Saturday, I experienced a similar performance by a young
Japanese lady; who occupied the same table with my family, at the dinner
dance organised by New Zealand-Sri Lanka Foundation. We were allocated
seats at this table by the Foundation President, who was a schoolmate of
my daughter.
During the dance, the President came to our table and invited the
Japanese lady in Sinhala, to sing.
To our complete surprise, she fluently replied in Sinhala for the
Band to back her up. Some moments later, the compere announced that a
‘little Japanese lady’ would sing for us.
Although we expected her to sing in her language or in English; she
did sing two very popular Sinhala songs; including the famous ‘Ganga
Addara’; with the gusto of a professional singer.
After the performance, she received an ovation but not a standing
ovation, as deserved.
Hence, this letter to appreciate the contribution made by Midori
Hara, whose name I later gathered from the newsletter brought home to
read at leisure.
I regret not being bold enough to congratulate her personally after
her splendid performance. Thank you Midori for being an encouragement to
our Sinhala lasses, while making us all happy.
P. Lucian Fernando
New Zealand
Recently while in a restaurant, I observed a few Chinese people
having a loud animated conversation in their language. At first, it
appeared to me that they were having a heated argument, but, at the end
of the conversation they all burst out laughing.
Reflecting back, we like to believe that we understand others better
than they do with their behaviours thoughts, mannerism, and of course
religion. How wrong was I!
Fortunately, Daya Hewapathirane is no exception.
In his article, ‘Spirit of tolerance, harmonisation and assimilation
of Buddhism, (DN, September 5, 2007), Hewapathirane while discussing
tolerance takes a swipe at Muslims and Islam. Quoting part of a verse
from the Holy Quran, he dispenses with utter contempt that the Holy
Quran encourages Muslims to be intolerant and violent.
With his unsubstantiated history he makes further attempt to prove
that Muslims in the 12th century were invading lands and ‘slaughtering’
Buddhist monks in Bihar, India. He believes that the violence is as a
result of God being ‘jealous’ and ‘angry’.
The first thought that crossed my mind from this nonsensical article
is of a person who does not know his onions.
After some thoughtful reflection, I realised like the story of those
three Chinese, let’s not get judgmental.
He might be just reflecting his own experience, prejudices, or an
in-born animosity to a religion he does not understand but willing to
pass judgment on.
Mr. Hewapathirane quote Holy Qur’an 9:5 (Yusuf Ali’s translation) and
it goes like this ‘But when the forbidden months are past, then fight
and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer
them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war).’
Unfortunately, Mr. Hewapathirane had disingenuously highlighted only
part of the verse that strengthens his prejudices, concealing the rest
of the verse from public view.
If he has only read a few verses further, the whole story will come
into real focus. It explains that if the warring Pagans repent or seek
asylum, then allow them to go free and help them.
The prelude to this verse is that after 13 years of persecution,
Muslims migrated from Makkah to Medina.
The Pagans followed them to Medina to further harass and kill the
nascent Muslim community. Permission was given to defend against those
who violently oppressed them by the following verse, ‘Permission is
given (to fight) those who have taken up arms against you wrongfully.
And verily God (Allah) is well able to give you succor.
To those who have been driven forth from their homes for no reason
than this that say ‘Our Lord is God.’ (Holy Qur’an 22:39-42)
The immediate context of the misunderstood verse, as Muhammad Asad
(The Message of The Qur’an) points out, is that of a ‘war in progress’
and not a general directive. It was an attempt to motivate Muslims in
self-defense.
As one authoritative jurisprudent (Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-’Arabi, 11
th-12th century AD) writes: This verse is general regarding the
polytheists, but is restricted by the Prophet’s prohibition of the
killing of women, children, religious adherents and non-combatants.
But understood also are those who do not fight you nor are preparing
to fight you or harm you. The verse actually means, ‘Slay the
polytheists who are attempting to slay you’.
Reading the verse out-of-context and without understanding the
historical background to the revelation of this verse may give a false
meaning.
The Holy Qur’an in 2:256 states, ‘Let there be no compulsion in
religion.’’ Muslims do not go around threatening others to convert to
Islam.
This is abhorrent to Muslims like eating pork and drinking alcohol.
It is indeed a credit to Islam that Muslims have very rarely been
accused of forcing non-Muslims to convert. It is also a credit to Islam
that no known Muslim army (if there such an army!) had ever landed in
Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world.
De Lacy O’leary in ‘Islam at a Crossroads’ (London 1923, page 8)
commented: ‘History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical
Muslim, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of
sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths
that historians have ever repeated.’
The tolerance to other religion can be summed up with a directive
give by our Holy Prophet. In 628 AD, Prophet Muhammad (may peace and
blessings be upon him) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of
St. Catherine Monastery in Mount Sinai.
The charter in part stated, ‘Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and
my followers will defend them, because Christians are my citizens;
neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks
from their monasteries. Their churches are to be respected.’
On the accusation that Muslim Armies have ‘killed’ Buddhist monks in
Bihar, it may or may not have happened.
We are surprised by the accusations but we have no way of knowing it.
If they do, as a Muslim I would sincerely regret such atrocities.
However, I believe this is pure hearsay.
Jamal Badawi, a professor of religious studies at Saint Mary’s
University, posits that normative Islam is not identical with the
actions of its’ followers.
Like other religions, followers are imperfect, fallible human beings.
At times the actions of Muslims will conform to the teachings of Islam,
while sometimes their actions will be either independent of or in
violation of Islam’s normative teachings.
Christians do not associate the actions of priests who were sexually
abusing children with their faith. Buddhists do not associate with
killings during the 1983 riots. Likewise, Muslims do not associate their
belief with the killings of 9/11.
Muslims are treated as a collectivity - responsible as a group for
any crime committed by another Muslim or done in the name of Islam.
Being judged as a group, rather than as individuals, also means that the
negative experience of one Muslim is considered to be representative of
all Muslims and all of Islam. But these negative experiences are not
shared by all Muslims - indeed, not by most Muslims.
The burden of collective guilt, the oppressive weight of
stereotyping, and the violence of hateful anti-Muslim discourse is
difficult to bear.
It is even more difficult to see how this affects our youth and
encourage anti-Muslim sentiments.
Mr. Hewapathirane has two choices: either continue writing inaccurate
nonsense, in which case give readers a hateful experience, or write
something more nuanced, learned and beneficial, in which case his
audience will become more receptive, enlightened, and tolerant.
However, in this instant he does not represent Islam with credible
knowledge or familiarity.
T. RIZA RASSOOL
USA
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