After over two decades of conflict, which brought misery and death to countless numbers of our people, there emerged a ray of hope, a semblance of peace, a realisation of the futility of waging war to resolve our internal disputes. The commencement of the peace process brought many tangible benefits to the people and the country. Valuable lives and limbs of our youth were saved; explosion of deadly bombs, which brought destruction to lives and property came to a halt; people from the south, perhaps for the first time in their lives, were afforded an opportunity to visit places of religious worship like Nagadeepa and the Madhu shrine, and also places of historical and cultural interest, like Trincomalee.

The steady trek of people from north to south and vice-versa brought about a better understanding among the majority and minority races. With the launching of the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects, displaced people who had spent years in refugee camps, were able to go back to their homes and villages and rebuild their lives anew. The demining programme accelerated this process. Such were the tremendous benefits that were achieved as an outcome of the peace accord.

To ensure the continuity of the peace process and to bring back this country to a state of normalcy, many countries assured us of their unstinted support and assistance for development of this war torn country. Above all, it is to the credit of the PM and the government, that, despite some provocative incidents, the peace process was zealously guarded. A favourable climate was thus created to attract foreign investors to our country.

While the country was well on the road to progress, a bunch of conspirators were plotting to topple the government. A series of politically motivated strikes, particularly in the health and transport sectors brought serious hardship to the people. The decision to take over three key ministries was a foretaste of the sinister plan to dissolve parliament and wrest power, heedless of the dire consequences to the country.

This unprecedented step has plunged the country into a perilous situation and the burning question today is whither Sri Lanka. Will it be a foreboding of a repeat of the tragic events of the 1998/99 period? The results of the election will decide in which direction we will be heading. This decision is in the hands of the voters. Will they be misled once again as in 1994 by the false promises churned out by our politicians? Mother Lanka is keeping her fingers crossed.

Ben Fernando
Toronto, Canada

Sri Lankans are heading for another election to return a government of the people, by the people, for the benefit of some people. Do not be misled with all the mud slinging by various parties; that is only cosmetic – to dupe the public, be it the UNF, PA, JVP or any other party. What they are trying is to use all possible avenues, however dirty and ugly it may be, to get into the hallowed halls of parliament.

Once in, it is a case of dividing the spoils; each party and individual, like vultures will eat into our assets. They together legislate everything for their benefit – from a five star meal for Rs. 15 to duty free (or free?) Monteros; and pensions even if one has served only one five-year term! Those elected will also have a glittering array of criminal records. Remember our ‘Mr. Clean’ prime minister who went to India to personally appeal and convert an Indian credit line for development to purchase cars for ministers and MPs – both government and opposition? And the opposition never did raise a finger of protest and you know why. On top of that they have a licence to order the police and other law enforcement authorities to dance to their tunes; they can squander public funds at will and be not accountable or answerable to the people who elected them. Not safe even with an army of security personnel, most ministers and MPs will have the underworld gangs to protect them; and they too are financed by the taxpayers’ funds.

In addition to vote rigging, stuffing ballot boxes and other nefarious methods conceived by the ‘think tanks’ of the parties, take note of the more than one million expatriates who are deprived of their voting rights but whose votes will nevertheless be cast whether they are dead or alive in some foreign land. And they are one of the biggest foreign exchange earners for the country. So this is the tempting recipe to ‘win by hook or crook’ that you can see.

During the course of the campaigning the leaders of the various parties would have gone round people and places which they have never seen or visited before and bet they will never turn back to see after elections, whether they win or lose. It was the bard who in one of his great literary plays stated, "Lowliness is young ambition’s leader…" And our politicians will surely live up to his writing.

It will make no difference to your lives; you will hear the same promises, you will witness the same corruption (in a more refined way), the cost of living will keep on rising whether there is a war or not and the only thing that will cheer you will be when the Sri Lankan cricketers play to their potential and win a one day or test match.

G. Ghafoor
Jeddah

The country’s and our destinies are being decided by astrologers and astrology. Our politicians are supposed to be attending to their affairs basing on predictions made by astrologers. Though difficult to believe, sometime back there was news planted by the opposition in the media that the Prime Minister’s frequent visits to India were to meet astrologers. But now we understand the President had based all her recent decisions on astrology, like dissolving parliament, calling for an election, fixing nomination dates, election dates etc.

In the Sunday Observer, there was a news item, about an astrological prediction by a famous indigenous astrologer that the time is good for the President, and she is going to win the elections overwhelmingly.

But sad to say all the predictions are for a single person’s well being, I am yet to see any predictions for the country on the whole. Will it be good for the country if the President wins because her time is good or would it turn out to be bad for the country? Are we to believe that if our President’s time is good then it is always good for the country as well? If she believes that the time is astrologically favourable for her, she would set about upsetting the daily life of the people at any cost.

H. Jafar
Dehiwala

President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a recent address to the nation has said that she was sorry for calling an election but had no alternative, given the state of affairs in the country. One wonders whether she truly repents for this calamity. An objective assessment of the events that took place during the last few months suggests that the present state of affairs was brought about by a systematic process of political manipulation. It can only be described as a coup against a lawfully elected government. Taking over ministries, signing a pact with the one time terrorist JVP, organising mass scale strikes including fast unto death campaigns and the dissolution of parliament were all part of the grand scheme to grab power.

Perhaps when JVP member Wimal Weerawansa says that this is, in history, the first election called by the people, he expects us, the public to be flattered. The country was not on the brink of disaster as the President makes it out to be. The fact of the matter is that every father, mother, and child no longer feared to venture out. The country was rescued from ‘attacks,’ ‘bombs’ and other acts of devastation. The economy started to grow. The situation in the north and east could not be so bad as if it was so, then remedial action should have been taken after the take over of the key ministries.

If there are any tears shed on account of the dissolution, surely they are crocodile tears. Anura Bandaranaike openly admits on political platforms that the ministries were taken over to help them to grab power! God save this country from power greedy politicians.

Citizen
Nugegoda

Just after independence, Sri Lanka boasted of dedicated, patriotic, politicians who worked for the country and people. One such example was W. Dahanayake who lived in a small cottage at Richmond Hill, Galle, travelled by train to Colombo for parliamentary sessions and there were no limousines for him. He owned "The poor man’s car" – a small "Tal – Lu" Ford to visit his electorate.

Ranil and his government were making great headway in an attempt to restore this country from the doldrums but the power hungry President with her newly formed alliance with the JVP put an end to it by taking over three ministries and finally dissolving parliament.

A person’s lust for power is akin to a drug addict who requires his quota of drugs at any cost even to the extent of harming another fellow being. Our politicians too use power for their benefit, the example being the President and the corrupt politicians contesting under the alliance.

Inherited power is ruining this country. It started in 1956 when SWRD at any cost wanted to be prime minister and did not give due place to English by passing the Sinhala Only Act. And the country was doomed. Terrorism raised its ugly head. Education suffered a great blow. Graduates passed out without any knowledge of English and unemployment soared.

Now we are reaping the harvest of a politician’s lust for power. SWRD’s widow took over from him and she forced us to eat yam. Our children aged five and six had to be in long queues for just half a loaf of bread. The poor on the streets had to rummage the garbage bins along with cats and dogs for a morsel of food.

Dan Martin
Mount Lavinia

At last the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has arrested the number one drug lord in the country. The President should be congratulated for timely action after the take over of the relevant ministry. Apparently now there is a genuine desire to combat the drug menace.

PNB has a list of 33, A grade drug traffickers. Some have not got into the ‘should be arrested’ list. Otherwise, how come they are not arrested? The public is somewhat confused regarding the PNB grading system. Does B grade (21 in the list) mean that these are amateurs who have to reach the A grade classification before they can be arrested? Press releases are meant to educate the public and not to confuse them.

The drug lord who was arrested enjoyed a comfortable life openly and had his residence in Colombo 7. Will the disclosure of the names of those drug dealers who are identified jeopardise current investigations? The perception of the public is that such disclosure will deprive them the freedom to live like a normal citizen. At least some punishment is better than nothing.

Citizen Perera
Seeduwa

Many are they who will sense the loss of Betsy Thavamony, widow of Samuel David Thavamony who passed away on October 3, 1999. Betsy born on January 15, 1915 was called to rest on February 7. Many are they who will sense the loss of Betsy’s presence, but probably this loss will be felt most often at Lakpahana College, Mailapitiya, where she lived so many years and where she became an ‘institution,’ where life without her would not seem quite normal

Among us there are many – from the tiniest tot to the president – who will remember Betsy for her kindness, her thoughtfulness, her small gifts of love, her notes of cheer (so thoughtfully and artistically prepared), her words of comfort, of advice and counsel and for her sense of humour, which seemed never to fail.

Others will remember her for her outstanding contribution to the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The writer came to know her when she attended the public lectures given by Pastor Francis R. Scott at Nugegoda in the 1950s and her husband attended the Colombo Town Hall meetings by Pastor Detamore. In their retirement they continued to take an active interest in church activities. They helped the writer to print the story of the history of the SDA Church in Sri Lanka – "The Isles Shall Not Wait". Their knowledge of the English language was put to good use.

Funeral services were conducted in the Kandy Seventh-day Adventist Church. Words of comfort were spoken by Pastor Emmanuel J. Perera. Words of appreciation were spoken by a former student, Donald Fernando and R.S. Fernando. Assisting in the services were Pastors P.P. Dhanarajah, secretary of the Sri Lanka SDA mission, Walter John, principal of Lakpahana College, J. Valasarajah of Mailapitiya and Pastor K. Alagappan. Burial was in the Adventist section of the Kandy general cemetery at Mahaiyawa. There she rests until resurrection.