Opinion
Port City, politicians and monks
The Port City Bill is one of the hot topics discussed today and Lekadhikari (Chief Secretary) of the Asgiriya Chapter, Medagama Dharmananda Thera, has said that it is the duty of the Maha Sangha to come forward opposing any move that would affect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Reading this statement my first thought was how anyone who had renounced just about everything was qualified to advise normal laymen and in this case a government. Can the Dharmista rule espoused by Buddha Gautama – 1. Dhana (Charity) 2. Seela (Morality) 3. Pariccaaga (Altruism) 4. Ajjava (Honesty) 5. Maddava (Gentleness) 6. Tapa (Self-control) 7.Akkodha (Non-anger) 8. Avihimsa (Non-violence) 9. Khanta (Forbearance) 10. Avirodhana (Uprightness) be practiced in this world of conflicts and advancement in science and technology in every field is a matter to be seriously thought of and adjust to suite the present day.
Now, I come to what the Maha Sangha and our politicians have done to this blessed Island. History records how our ancient kings sought the support of foreigners to defeat opponents to be in power and ultimately the foreigners took hold of the entire country – the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British – and when the last colonial regime handed over the country without any struggle, we expected national leaders to steer this country to prosperity and unity among all ethnic groups.
Following Independence, our first Prime Minister D. S. Senanayaka, hailed as the Father of the Nation, evinced a keen interest in agriculture and irrigation, restored old tanks, set up colonies; the Gal-Oya scheme was his brainchild. All that good work came to naught when he nominated his son, Dudley, as his successor, when the legitimate and promised successor was S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. This move led to a split in the ruling UNP; SWRD broke away. With this split, the UNP had to lure minority parties with promises, and the latter became kingmakers. Worse, the UNP suffered another split with Sajith Premadasa forming the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. The same fate befell the SLFP with the formation of the SLPP.
SWRD enlisted the support of farmers, Ayurvedic physicians, workers and Buddhist monks; they came be dubbed the Pancha Maha Balawegaya. These monks insisted on having ‘SINHALA ONLY’ as the state language and that too within 24 hours, without allowing SWRD to work out an acceptable solution in consultation with the minority parties, perhaps with English as a link language. Undoubtedly, a country should have a national language but not at the expense of the minorities. This led to the bloody war which lasted 30 years, leaving thousands dead and maimed. This cancer is yet persistently prevail as correctly pointed out by the Reconciliation and Rehabilitation Commission appointed by the government, chaired by Prof. Tissa Vitharana.
Buddhist monks are losing respect by taking to politics. They could become politicians after leaving their robes. Politicians, too, if they wish to rule without discontentment among citizens may seek the advice of monks where necessary and allow the preaching of the Dhamma, fostering and propagating Buddhism to them rather than taking that responsibility. The responsibility of fostering Buddhism, as laid down in the Constitution has made the Sangha hand over their legitimate religious duty to politicians, who are making the most of it politically.
Coming back to the Port City Bill, eminent lawyers and other intellectuals have expressed their views and let the Judiciary decide what is best for the country.
There are political leaders, but we are yet to find a patriotic national leader. Our quest has been a failure since we gained independence. Family, nepotism and parochial interests are the order of the day. When can we see the light at the end of the tunnel?
This is my personal view, based on what I have read, seen, heard and experienced, devoid of malice.
G. A. D. Sirimal
The proposed expansion of the Kelani Valley railway line has prompted the squatters to demolish the buildings and the above photograph depicts the ad-hoc manner in which a building in the heart of Nugegoda town (No 39 Poorwarama Road) has been haphazardly demolished posing a risk to the general public. Residents say that the live electric wire has not been disconnected and the half-demolished structure is on the verge of collapse, causing inevitable fatal damages.
Over to the Railway Department, Kotte Municipality Ceylon Electricity Board and the Nugegoda Police.
Athula Ranasinghe,
Nugegoda.
On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232 departed Denver, Colorado for Chicago, Illinois. The forecast weather was fine. Unfortunately, engine no. 2 – the middle engine in the tail of the three-engined McDonnell Douglas DC 10 – suffered an explosive failure of the fan disk, resulting in all three hydraulic system lines to the aircraft’s control surfaces being severed. This rendered the DC-10 uncontrollable except by the highly unorthodox use of differential thrust on the remaining two serviceable engines mounted on the wings.
Consequently, the aircraft was forced to divert to Sioux City, Iowa to attempt an emergency crash landing. But the crew lost control at the last moment and the airplane crashed. Out of a total of 296 passengers and crew, 185 survived.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declared after an investigation that besides the skill of the operating crew, one significant factor in the survival rate was that hospitals in proximity to the airport were experiencing a change of shifts and therefore able to co-opt the outgoing and incoming shift workers to take over the additional workload of attending to crash victims.
One wonders what would have happened if an overflying aircraft diverted to MRIA-Mattala, BIA-Colombo, Colombo International Airport Ratmalana (CIAR) or Palaly Airport, KKS during the doctors’ strike in the 24 hours starting March 12, 2025? Would the authorities have been able to cope? International airlines (over a hundred a day) are paying in dollars to overfly and file Sri Lankan airports as en route alternates (diversion airports).
Doctors in hospitals in the vicinity of the above-named international airports cannot be allowed to go on strike, and their services deemed essential. Even scheduled flights to those airports could be involved in an accident, with injured passengers at risk of not receiving prompt medical attention.
The civil aviation regulator in this country seems to be sitting fat, dumb, and happy, as we say in aviation.
Guwan Seeya
Plans to resurrect the Nanu Oya – Nuwara Eliya rail track are welcome. The magnificent views from the train have been described by H W Cave in his book The Ceylon Government Railway (1910):
‘The pass by which Nuwara Eliya is reached is one of the most exquisite things in Ceylon. In traversing its length, the line makes a further ascent of one thousand feet in six miles. The curves and windings necessary to accomplish this are the most intricate on the whole railway and frequently have a radius of only eighty feet. On the right side of the deep mountain gorge we ascend amongst the tea bushes of the Edinburgh estate, and at length emerge upon a road, which the line shares with the cart traffic for about a mile. In the depths of the defile flows the Nanuoya river, foaming amongst huge boulders of rock that have descended from the sides of the mountains, and bordered by tree ferns, innumerable and brilliant trees of the primeval forest which clothe the face of the heights. In this land of no seasons their stages of growth are denoted by the varying tints of scarlet, gold, crimson, sallow green, and most strikingly of all, a rich claret colour, the chief glory of the Keena tree’.
However, as in colonial times, the railway should be available for both tourists and locals so that splendid vista can be enjoyed by all.
Dr R P Fernando
Epsom,
UK
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes
At least 12 dead in Honduras plane crash
Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire
-
Foreign News4 days agoSearch continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Features7 days agoRichard de Zoysa at 67
-
Features4 days agoThe Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
News5 days agoDPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features4 days ago‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece
-
Sports2 days agoSri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals
-
Features7 days agoSL Navy helping save kidneys
-
Features6 days agoWomen’s struggles and men’s unions