• Unity is strength

• Highlight grievances of elders

• Environment pollution

• Muslims deprived of Infotel 2006 IT exhibition

• Foreign services

• Congratulations!

• Girls and decency

Unity is strength

It took almost 58 years after independence for our politicians to realise party politics introduced by the filthy culture of the Anglo, wasn't the solution for the ills of our nation. We were brought up in a traditional culture of Shramadana, helping each other in villages for the betterment of all.

With the arrival of the ignoramus in the 18th century, all Sinhala and other ethnic values disappeared with a system, inappropriate to our administration, which earlier worked effectively.

The value of Buddhism, the value of the Sinhala and Tamil languages were gradually killed by the Anglo forcing Sri Lankans to appreciate their denomination of Christianity and Language.

The value of a language should not be gauged by its economic advantage but should be appreciated for its cultural, historic and to its literacy value.

Today our politicians finally realised that unity is strength internally and would have a dramatic effort in our foreign policy and divisive politics introduced by the ignoramus dividing our nation on party grounds, has no place in society anymore.

We should sincerely hope this marriage will work out and will eventuate in bringing in an 'honourable' solution to the ethnic problem prevailing in the country and this day will go down in the history as one of the most significant days and it should lead to eradicate party politics, the bane of our society, for ever.

SUNIL VIJAYAPALA - Australia, via email

Highlight grievances of elders

It is over six years, since the Protection of the Rights of Elders Act 09 of 2000 was passed unanimously in Parliament, still the senior citizens do not get the same facilities and privileges given in other developed countries, in Asia and other continents.

Just by issuing a senior citizens identity card which is not recognized by most Government Departments and by giving a few concessions like charity has not fulfilled even the minimum dignity as stated in the Act.

Further by merely celebrating and honouring a few elders on this date and completely forgetting them till the next year is another delaying tactic in the implementation of the Rights of the Elders' Act.

Although a number of Elders' Associations have been registered with the National Council of Elders, only a few of them are active, the rest are dormant, since they are unable to function with a meagre sum of Rs. 5,000 granted which is hardly sufficient to carry out the activities even for a month.

The only way by which these Elders' Associations could effectively and efficiently function is to grant a higher amount to these Associations or in the alternative, the Ministry of Social Welfare should publish the names of all Elders' Associations in the press, so that these Associations could obtain contributions from the public and corporate institutions to manage their Associations.

Authorities should Gazette all the Elders' Associations registered with the National Council of Elders as Charitable Institutions and all contributions should be exempted from any taxation.

If the Elders Association at the grass roots are dormant, it serves no purpose in registering these Associations with the National Council of Elders.

Further the National Council of Elders should request the print media to publish a supplement at least once a month wherein the Elders' Association should be able to highlight the grievances and obtain some redress.

The electronic media should also interview the key office-bearers of the Association with a view to solving their problems and upgrade their status and dignity.

Hope the National Council of Elders will implement these suggestions before the dawn of the next International Day of Elders.

E. B. - Colombo 4

Environment pollution

Environmental week is observed every year in October. We have a separate Ministry and a Central Environment Authority (CEA) but still the environment is polluted every where.

Our streets and pavements are polluted by unauthorized motor garages where waste diesel oil and other waste material have spoilt the beauty of the place, the wayside Petty Kade tea Kiosks also pollute the place by throwing the waste water onto the main highway damaging the tarred road making a pot-hole, for stagnating water for mosquitoes to breed. Sound pollution is caused by the sweep ticket vendors.

The Babool Carts are causing greater damage to the entire location by betel bleach. Neither the Environment Authority nor the Health Authorities are concerned of the damages caused by the unauthorized workshops, tea Kiosks babool sellers, and the sweep ticket vendors.

It is hoped that the CEA would take action to bring to book the wrongdoers and provide a clean environment during the environment week.

D. R. - Colombo

Muslims deprived of Infotel 2006 IT exhibition

We are a group of IT enthusiastic people who are working in the IT industry. It has come to light that the original day of Infotel 2006 which was September 9 was postponed to October 12, but only a few people noticed that this exhibition is falling on the Ramazan month, which is a sacred and holy month devoted to prayers although, majority of the members including the chairman are Muslims. They have unforeseen the grave injustice that is happening to the Muslim community.

Little have they understood that there is more than 20 per cent of Muslims directly or indirectly involved in the IT sector. The organising committee is depriving all Muslims in attending the exhibition as well as depriving all Muslim employees to participate in religious activities.

The exhibition is now supposed to be held from October 12 to 16 which will be falling on the last ten days of the month of Ramazan which are the most important and sacred days of this holy month.

We are not against the Infotel exhibition. What we are earnestly appealing is to postpone the exhibition for a later date after Ramazan on an appropriate date.

We appeal to the organising committee not to discriminate against Muslims by having the exhibition in the month of Ramazan. These questions are posed for the Muslims who are in the organising committee of Infotel 2006:

* Why did you choose to have Infotel in the holy month of Ramazan?

* Why are you depriving all your Muslim staff of their prayers and other religious activities?

* Didn't you notice that the four days of the exhibition is covering part of the last 10 days of the Ramazan?

* You all are not only depriving your Muslim employees but as well as Muslim IT enthusiastic and your own selves of doing Ibadah on this month.

* Why don't all Muslim IT exhibitors who are spending millions of rupees for the exhibition at least distribute a portion of it as Zakath or Sadaqah for the needy people (consider the plight of Muslim people in Muttur and Kantale). Do you think that after organising the event that all Muslims will patronise your IT Companies in future?

* Do you know that leading Muslim IT Companies have already boycotted by not participating in the event?

And are you all taking undue advantage of this situation?

* Do you know how many people have cancelled their annual pilgrimage to Mecca due to this contribution?

We kindly request the members in the organising committee to re-consider our appeal and postpone this largest and important IT exhibition in Sri Lanka, which is held only once in two years.

More than anything fear Allah and don't make this exhibition a burden on the Muslims.

A. G. I. E. - Colombo 3

Foreign services

In a report by Rohan Mathes (DN Oct. 5) on a speech by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to all the Foreign Services holders said that these jobs should be taken by people who in every way shows to the world of being a true patriot.

Another great step forward by the President. This should be an eye-opener to all those who come to other countries to do shopping.

SUJATHA PELPOLA - via email

Congratulations!

I was inspired to pen a few lines, after watching the 'Ranviru Thedabala', programme telecast over a private TV channel.

We are very impressed and grateful to our three Armed Forces and the Police for doing an excellent job in tackling the present war crisis in Sri Lanka. Let us all congratulate and thank the President, the Prime Minister and all the authorities under them for doing their duties.

They do deserve to be commended on their recent achievements! We wish them all the very best in their endeavours in eliminating lawlessness in the country, and maintaining the Law of the land.

We are also very glad to see that all the political parties are collaborating together positively in unison and soon they will understand that united we stand and divided we fall!

C. MOHANLAL DE MEL - Moratuwa

Girls and decency

This is in response to the letter which appeared on this column on September 12. The writer, 22-year old guy expressed his views on the above caption to say that he enjoys seeing women dressed in something sexy and attractive.

There are many more young guys in our decent society who enjoy this practice to gain pleasure satisfying their curiosity.

As he says, it is their right, but one should understand that this bad habit will not be respected by the well civilized, decent society including their own parents, brothers and sisters.

Attraction should be based on natural beauty of a male or female and not on half naked sexy attires. Exposing nudity would not make anyone pretty, rather exhibits bad remarks towards indecency.

I am well aware that nobody will permit and allow the female members of their own family to dress in that manner leaving the sexually frustrated young guys to enjoy.

MAHINDA NIHAL PERERA - Moratuwa.