Heed Bishop's appeal

The appeal made by Bishop of Jaffna Dr. Thomas Savundaranayagam to the LTTE not to fire artillery while stationed among civilians in the newly declared safety zone, it is hoped, would be heeded by the Tigers who have proclaimed themselves as the guardians of the Tamil people.

"This will only increase more and more deaths of civilians thus endangering the safety of the people." The Bishop said in letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa calling for the extension of the safety zone taking into account the smallness of the area that is bursting with civilians.

Bishop Savundaranayagam who has been in the thick of things during the three decade long conflict must know the risk run by the civilians held hostage by the LTTE in this manner. The Tigers have never shied away from using civilians as human shield whenever it was cornered in the past. The Bishop's concern is perhaps multiplied by the desperate tactics of the LTTE who are fighting for dear life this time around and therefore is bound to throw everything at the troops including civilians.

As a man of god the Bishop perhaps more than any other time feels the need to protect his flock from harms way. On the other hand he has to contend with a bloodthirsty band of terrorists who has had no qualms of using civilians as human shields in their diabolical designs as the Bishop is only too well aware.

He no doubt is placed in a dilemma. With the LTTE cornered as they are and fighting a desperate rearguard action it is doubtful if the Bishop's appeal will have any impact.

Now is the time then for those human rights activists who were shedding copious tears for the plight of the civilians to demonstrate their bonafides by raising their collective voices on behalf of these innocents in the LTTE's clutches.

Strange also is the silence of those NGOs who were taking the security forces to task for alleged human rights violations against civilians. What more serious Human rights violations can there be by a band of terrorist forcibly holding innocent civilians to be sacrificed as cannon fodder. Where are those international busybodies who were lecturing to the Government on the need to protect the civilian population.

President Rajapaksa for his part has allowed for a safe haven even within the battle zone demonstrating his concern for safety of the civilians who have been shot and killed while trying to flee by their one time 'protectors'.

He has even invited Tamil Nadu politicians to visit the Vanni and see for themselves the safety precautions taken on behalf of the civilian population. Doesn't this go to show that the government has all along laid a premium on civilian safety and that it is only the LTTE who is making the civilians suffer. The Tamil Nadu politicians who are shedding crocodile tears on behalf of the Vanni civilians should accept this invitation and clear the air about the ground situation.

Even at this late stage it behoves on the international actors who have been wearing blinkers all long during this conflict to prevail on the LTTE to set the civilians free. The Government for its part is taking every possible measure to protect the civilians. The Bishop of Jaffna is doing his utmost to save his flock from annihilation. The international community cannot be a silent spectator in this scenario. Especially as it too was guilty at some point of time of allowing the outfit to grow.

'Emperor's new clothes'

All Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen are henceforth to be adorned in cloaks, bringing them on par with the Speaker of Parliament and Mayors, from a dress point of view. A running away with the Emperor's clothes so to speak.

It is hoped that an elevation in attire would correspondingly bring the desired results. We say this because today most of these PS Chairmen are only interested is feathering their nests. One only hopes they do not turn into peacocks strutting about with airs once affixed with this new raiment.

The cloak may add a veneer of dignity to PS heads but hopefully this would not lead to a cloak of secrecy to conceal all misdeeds and failings for which these local bodies have become notorious. Nor lead to the cloak and dagger stuff which some of these minions are famous for.

More than cloaks, one would have thought they deserved spectacles of enlarged vision to spot their failings. Culverts lie broken, most of our roads are in a parlous state and the derelict state of public conveniences,Central bus stands and uncollected garbage all point to the lethargy and incompetence of some of these PS chiefs.

These PS Chairmen are also notorious for passing the buck to the Provincial Councils whenever complaints are made about some unfinished road or mending of a pipeline. While most PS heads do a good job there are those whose chief occupation is fattening themselves at the expense of the rate payer.

The Colombo Municipal Council is a classic example of the neglect, lethargy and general degeneration despite the Mayor being ceremonially gowned. There are parallels in other cities as well where bewigged mayors lord it over.

Therefore any addition of vestment to the present get up Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen is not going to make much difference unless all local body heads get down to serious work and contribute to development and progress.

We remind the honourable PS Chairmen, that 'clothes maketh the man' may not always be true and dignity in governance comes more from transparency than from camouflage.