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Monday, 18 May 2009

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Tribute to war heroes

This is a time to reflect on the price of the victory and bow our heads in memory of those valiant men who died and remember with sorrow their passing. We must also not forget those who were maimed, blinded and made helpless.

It is time to share the sorrows of the parents especially the mothers for having brought up such splendid and brave human beings who were united in their effort to bring honour to their regiments and fight for their comrades even at the cost of their lives and limbs.

The nation must salute the men and their commanders who fought on land, sea and in the air to make this famous victory possible as well as those higher commanders whose unrelenting will power and unswerving and unshakable belief in success over daunting odds and unexpected and severe reverses made victory possible.

Those who continue to serve at unglamourous but dangerous check points, help in the maintenance of the IDP camps, help rescue the fleeing IDPs and give care and comfort to the wounded both military and civilian must also not be forgotten.

We who are safe in our homes far from the strife would do well to spare a thought for the villagers in the Vanni, the East and in Yala and Buttala who even in the very recent past faced sudden death at the hands of the LTTE.

Finally the world should not forgive LTTE leader Prabakaran and his minions for using Tamil civilians as shields and hostages and forcibly recruiting children to be combatants.He is responsible for their deaths and injuries and must be indicted as a war criminal.


The Truth 'was' Unbelievable!

The date was May 11. The Vesak week.

The film 'Truth is unbelievable'- a documentary film on Bhikkhu Sumedha, the renowned Swiss artist-monk was to be screened at the BMICH according to notices in several weekend newspapers.

The Goethe Institute in its brochure of programs for 2009 had also mentioned about the official launch of the film on May 11 evening at the venue before it would be shown in two international film festivals. But to the disappointment of those who came to the venue, there was no such program.

The crowd first gathered outside the Cinema Hall and then were asked to go to a Committee Room where a workshop was in progress. Apparently it was a workshop conducted by The Light of Asia and the film 'Truth is Unbelievable' had been screened for the workshop participants on the previous day.

On inquiry from the information desk set up for Vesak programs in the premises, the crowd who were waiting hopefully and patiently restraining their frustration were told that the film would be screened at one of the six open-air screens set up in the front yard of the BMICH. The disappointed crowd among whom were also a venerable expatriate monk dispersed to return to their destinations.

Thus those who gathered at the BMICH on that evening were denied the rare chance to see the life-story of this illustrious monk who had renounced his ebullient lifestyle in Europe and in Colombo's high society and embraced austerity of a cave hermit, who was a spiritual guide to the patients at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital during the past few years of his life as a true Buddha Putra, who was a genius artist who communicated his understanding of The Buddha's message through visual at and most of all who wished to be known none other than a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk.


Deplorable reporting of news based on questionable sources

A number of media organizations including SBS, ABC Australia today joined the media hype against the Sri Lankan Government's attempts to completely wipe out the LTTE leadership. Prabakaran and his assistants are now hiding behind Tamil civilians in a sliver of 8 sq mile land in NE Sri Lanka.

While cheering the Pakistan army for commencing assault against the Thaliban as a measure of defending democracy and the people of Pakistan, very same media is bending over backwards to aim barbs at the Sri Lankan Government and the Armed Forces for having almost successfully driving away the world's most ruthless terrorist organization.

Latest piece of information eagerly disseminated by the media is about alleged bombing of no-fire-zone by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces based on UNISAT pictures. It is a well known fact that UNISAT has no technical skills to interpret military movements etc. Since, this location had been in the thick of military activities for last so many years, it is almost impossible to pinpoint or identify any specific areas of new activity.

Without such reliable information, the attempts made by the news media to mislead the readers and the viewers were mischievous and unprofessional. Some commentators went berserk having lost their sense of proportion using terms such as crimes against humanity now that the earlier version of genocide had been rendered useless.

Further, Sri Lankan Government should pull the plug on UNISAT and the managing UN agency as the UN has NO RIGHT to spy on member states. UN Colombo offices on more than one occasion had been caught red-handed supporting the LTTE through various means. Hence, the latest 'leak of information' of satellite pictures used now by the media to help the dying Tigers should be investigated by the responsible UN authorities as well the policy makers in the international media which is increasingly becoming a mouthpiece of the LTTE propaganda machinery.


Situation in No-Fire Zone and America

When America, militarily the mightiest nation on earth, says that something happening in any other country is unacceptable it means that that country has to comply with what is acceptable to America.

When it is unacceptable they usually do not bother to say it but neutralize it (the language they use) by de-stabilizing that nation and installing a puppet who will comply fully with American wishes or even kill as was done to Lumumba.

Every child in America has been brought up to believe that America is the greatest nation on earth and the children have grown up in that belief for generations. Even as recently as a few days ago America said that the situation in the no-fire zone is unacceptable for reasons that they give which we know are false. If what they say is true the war could have been ended in just a few hours.

America realizing that she cannot win the war against the Taliban and that American lives will be continuously lost while even Milliband has expressed his reluctance to send British soldiers to die in Afghanistan. America gave an order to Pakistan to finish off with the Taliban for which she would be paid and was reminded that America was not prepared to issue a blank cheque.

That 'blank cheque' was a colossal blunder on the advice probably of Hillary Clinton and Robert O Blake who is now promoted to put South Asia in its proper place. I wish him luck.

With Russia firmly entrenched in West Asia and China firmly committed to keep the West out of the rest of Asia and with their joint veto at the UN on our behalf the use of the word 'unacceptable' while not be able to do anything about it will be disastrous to the prestige of America. Now they use the words 'deeply concerned'.

The words 'deeply concerned' are also a threat but at a downgraded level. At any level our Government has made it clear that we would not take any orders from outside on this matter.

The continued use of the words 'being concerned' while not being able to do anything about it will only damage those who are concerned and not Sri Lanka that is about to complete the greatest human rescue operation in history from terrorists and their supporters.


History Grade 7 textbook

It is regrettable to note that there is an error in the Grade 7 History Textbook published by the Government Educational Publications' Department. It is mentioned in Page 54 under the heading, The Teachings of Islam, that "The Muslims must engage in religious rituals at least twenty times a day." This is contrary to the five great pillars of Islam and is affecting the Muslim community as well as the Islamic religion.

The correct statement should read as, "The Muslims must engage in religious rituals or prayers at least five times a day."

This is misleading the Muslims to a great extent and I trust the relevant authorities will consider this matter and do the needful at the earliest.


Deterioration of O/L results standard

It is a shocking news to learn that O/L results have been badly affected again. As reported in the editorial recently, a high percentage received 'W' for each subjects; maths, science and English at O/L this year. The figures were 49 percent, 55 percent and 69 percent respectively. What is more alarming of this failure is that another considerable percent fails in Sinhala as well.

This may lead to much argument whether reasons or causes for the decrease of the results to be the ill-fated education system or loopholes in pedagogy or any other.

Whatever the facts immediate measures should be taken to avert this fresh tragedy and make the learning-teaching situation more favourable for the child enhancing the quality of teaching.

Therefore it is important to listen as to what school administration has also got to say before implementing any remedial measures.

Education is a long term asset and the pivot of the development of a country. Therefore, so much is spent in this regard.

Meantime on the President's directive a massive program is now under way to promote education giving priority to English and Information Technology this year.

Yet problem remains whether these input has direct impact on the 'poor child' in the classroom.

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