News
Agitation for right to bury
So much has been said and continues to be vociferously propounded about the virtues of democracy, and the word “democracy” is being used and mis-used at will. It is also conveniently used as a cover when there is a lack of an impressive or convincing argument to defend a particular position or cause.
One of the basic tenets of democracy is that it stands for the “greater good of the greater, majority”. It works on the tripod of consultation, compromise and consensus; this principle was eloquently propounded by the late President Premadasa himself. The aforesaid attributes of democracy do not appear to have been imbibed by his son Sajith, as would be observed from his virulent campaign against the decision to cremate Covid victims. The decision to cremate was taken purely on scientific grounds and was not partisan. Prevention is surely better than cure! Nothing is certain and what is pronounced today can be wrong years ahead, while the damage done in the meantime cannot possibly be undone. Those responsible will be no more. We have the problem of kidney patients as a result of polluted/contaminated water.
Perhaps, Sajith P has taken a leaf from Shakespeare’s epic “Julius Caesar”, where Mark Antony took the stage to delve into the passions of the mob with insidious lingo. The government on its part, like Brutus, strains every sinew and nerve to try and convince in vain the Muslim community of its sole intention, to wit – not that it loves them less but that it loves the living and generations to come more! Not that they don’t understand, but the politically-backed agenda is different!
That the whole issue has been politicised is quite plain to see, and Human Rights groups whose silence was deafening when Gaddafi was killed, kept for five days refrigerated and dumped into the sea secretly, is now up to their usual game in Sri Lanka, as they did in Geneva over the LTTE episode! The ‘modus operandi’ could be the same as in the Easter Sunday failed attempt – this time with the active open support of bankrupt opposition groups which has to be defeated at all costs. Democracy needs to be saved from hysterics and blood-thirsty, power-hungry elements masquerading as democrats!
The Catholic/Christian Stance
There appears to be a sinister attempt to project the view that the Roman Catholic and recognised Protestant Churches are also irked by the decision. This is far from the truth. They are by no means fundamentalists. If the RC Church had held some antiquated ideas or stipulations, Vatican II had made it more progressive. The order of prayer accommodates burial or cremation (“ashes to ashes, dust to dust …”). We are yet to see any objections raised by these relevant authorities. They should not be made to appear as having boarded the band-wagon of hatred.
I.P.C. MENDIS
A group of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members, including its Leader Mano Ganesan, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday (02) morning at the Presidential Secretariat.
Extensive discussions were held on the issues faced by the Malayagam communities, particularly in relation to education, housing and land, as well as on the urgent measures required to address these concerns. The President paid special attention to all these matters.
Attention was also drawn to the recruitment of qualified Tamil-medium teachers to address the teacher shortage in estate sector schools and this too was discussed at length.
Members of Parliament P. Digambaram and V. Radhakrishnan, along with several other party members, were present at the meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko at the Foreign Ministry, in Colombo, on Thursday (02), with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visiting Russian Deputy Minister noted that Russia regarded Sri Lanka as a long-standing friend.
Rudenko assured that Russia stood ready to support Sri Lanka when required, including in the swift supply of Russian oil to help address the current energy challenges, encouraging Russian investors to explore new opportunities in the country and promoting increased tourist arrivals.
He also expressed Russia’s readiness to provide compensation for Sri Lankan war veterans who had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Minister Herath welcomed Russia’s willingness to assist, emphasising that Sri Lanka valued the support extended by its “old friend”, particularly at a time when the country was facing pressing energy needs.
He noted that the two countries shared nearly seven decades of diplomatic relations and said the present moment provided an opportunity to further strengthen ties, including through long-term trade agreements.
The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, tourism and diplomacy, with both sides reiterating their commitment to further deepen the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Russia.
Police yesterday arrested 157 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged organised online financial scam, conducted from a hotel in the Iranawila area in Chilaw.
The suspects were taken into custody during a raid carried out by the Police while they were staying at the hotel in Iranawila.
Police said the arrested group included 143 nationals from China, 13 from Bangladesh and one from Vietnam.
Investigators suspect the group had been involved in a coordinated online financial scam, targeting victims through digital platforms.
The suspects are being detained for further questioning while investigations are continuing to determine the full extent of the operation and whether additional individuals were involved.Police said further inquiries are underway.
By Norman Palihawadane
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