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It is a shocking news to hear from the Middle East that Palestinians
living in Gaza strip are being subjected to air attacks by Israelis.
“Israeli Jets bombed Hamas targets in the Gaza strips for three days
killing innocent children amid growing international calls for halt to
the violence that has left more than 300 dead”.
At this juncture December 30 the new president of USA Barak Obama,
the sympathiser of the suffering humanity should do something to tame
the terrorists of Israelis, who were so far aided and abetted by the US
imperialist under Bush administration.
At least the new Head of the USA, being the follower of Abraham
Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi should take determined
steps towards the solution of the Middle East problem, by bringing about
an amicable settlement of the dispute between Israel and palestine.
Our President too has a very vital role to play in exerting pressure
upon the UNO in order to put an end to the continued devastation of
palestinian civilians and their properties.
M.Y.M. MEEADH - Kandy
TV stations sponsoring competitions which have reached the final
stage are taking the public for a ride by manipulating the SMS voting.
It is obvious that the sponsors have decided on the winner and that
the SMS voting is a farce.
In one instance the manipulation of the SMS voting became very clear
as it reached the final stages. It was a foregone conclusion when it
reached the final 4 that the only female contestant will find a place on
the top 3 to give a feminine touch to the grand finale.
My advice to the public is not to waste their money on SMS as the
winner is already decided.
TV stations are operated on the income of sponsors and advertisers so
they are free to decide on the outcome, but when the TV station calls
for public funding through SMS then there is an obligation to be
transparent.
It is estimated that each weekly show brings a minimum of one million
votes which at Rs 5 per SMS is a cool Rs five million per week.
Therefore it becomes absolutely necessary that the TV station carry out
independent audits to give confidence to the public that they are not
taken a ride.
The media authorities must take note that SMS voting has come to stay
and that it needs transparency as it involves public funds running into
millions of rupees.
A. SENEVIRATNE - Colombo
The Rathgama Lagoon is situated on the Coastal belt of the Galle
District about 14 kilometres from Galle Town on Galle-Colombo Road.
It is one of the most beautiful lagoons in Sri Lanka. It encompasses
a large expanse of water area within the Rathgama Electorate and borders
the villages of Dodanduwa, Rathgama, Katudampe and Berathuduwa.
The green foliage and the hills standing around the lagoon provides a
phenomena of scenic beauty. Four small islands nestle in the middle of
the Lagoon and the largest is the world-renown Island Hermitage.
This lagoon provides resources to produce large quantities of food
and utility products and is of immense significance to the communities
depending on exploiting these resources for their livelihood.
However, the monstrous tsunami waves that lashed on the Coastal belt
of Dodanduwa and Rathgama caused immense damage to the lagoon and to
areas bordering it. This lagoon got inundated with an unprecedented flow
of harmful tsunami water and the mouth of the lagoon got blocked up with
sand bars.
The tsunami waters submerged the paddy growing bordering areas of the
lagoon. The vegetation around the lagoon as well as the species of fish
died as a result. The roe of the fish, crabs, shrimp and prawns got
destroyed. The debris of fishing crafts that got drifted into the lagoon
from the sea-shore are still visible lying in the middle of the estuary
of the lagoon.
The outlet to the sea from the lagoon is from Dodanduwa and the
estuary here is invaded by fishing -crafts. The sand bars block the
mouth of the lagoon and as such the flow in and flow out of water is
considerably restricted.
The migration of marine fish into the lagoon to reproduce in the
shelter under the mangroves is handicapped. Consequently the shollow
nature of the estuary from the sea-shore up to the Railway Bridge
obstructs the steady growth of the aquatic resources of the lagoon. The
water in the lagoon is brackish. Underneath of the mangroves is a haven
for fish, crabs, prawns, shrimps and lobster.
The resources this lagoon provides are manifold. Fishing and soaking
of coconut husk to produce coir profusely benefit the communities living
around.
The development of this lagoon is an urgent need. It is presently in
the throes of a neglected lagoon. Hence, it is suggested that the
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources examine this lagoon and
formulate some remedial measures on the following matters.
1. To desedimentate the lagoon as it is getting filled up with the
influx of sediment and soil from bordering lands.
2. To deepen the estuary.
3. To prevent people encroaching on water-areas of the lagoon.
R. L. GURUGAMGE - Dodanduwa
The above titled article (DN January 6) suggests that the ‘great
flood’ could be due to ‘The Gods were angered by this heinous deed and
made the ocean flow into the land’.
What we learnt from the 2004 experience is that Sri Lanka is located
directly on the path of ‘ring fire’ where earthquakes are frequent, one
might argue that this great flood actually could be a tsunami that Sri
Lanka may have experienced.
In the same token I would be very interested to know the ‘birth of
Yala sanctuary for animals’ which might have been the ‘barometer’ of
tsunamis as widely suggested that the animals sense it before the actual
event is witnessed.
Therefore, watching animal behaviour in Yala might be an early
warning to a tsunami.
LALITH WEERASEKERA
We live in an era of ‘super seizing me’. Bigger houses, bigger
vehicle, bigger bank balances and all this is topped by bigger
headaches. In pursuit of happiness, as a society collectively we are
loosing basic values.
As Mahathma Gandhi very simply stated “the world can provide for
everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed”. We all live in a world
where the winner grabs it all. What has the human civilisation become.
Are we the victims of commercialisation or is it we are blindly
imitating the others to impress someone whom we even don’t know.
If we can exit from the mad rush, take one day at a time enjoy this
very moment that we live, will that lifestyle be more meaningful than
this busy lifestyle?
UPUL ARUNAJITH |
