Idiots Still Go Gaga !

This was what I penned when Sri Lanka won another Cricket cup, way back in 2014.

Nothing much has changed conditions-wise, except the situation has grown grim, yet some idiots still go Gaga, over a couple of sports wins.

What are we celebrating?

Can someone tell me, please?
Per Capita income is less than the US $ 2000
Not even 3% of the GDP is invested in
Neither Education nor health.

Spend more than SLR 100 Million a day
Just to glorify one person only
Corruption is endemic
And we are at the bottom end of the list
With Sudan and Afghanistan etc.

Winning T20 is not worth celebrating
I will join the crowds on the streets
Only when we beat Sweden and Singapore
In the list of least corrupt nations or
Invest at least 6% of the GDP in education and health
Limit spending to glorify one person
And uplift the Per Capita Income
At least to the US $ 5000.

Those are worth Celebrating and not just a T20 win
And who will remember it in a few weeks' time
What are we celebrating?
Can someone tell me, please?

What are we celebrating ?

What are we really Celebrating now ?

What are we celebrating?
Can someone tell me, please?

Per Capita income is less than the US $ 2000
Not even 3% of the GDP is invested in
Neither Education nor health.

Spend more than SLR 100 Million a day
Just to glorify one person only
Corruption is endemic
And we are at the bottom end of the list
With Sudan and Afghanistan etc.

Winning T20 is not worth celebrating
I will join the crowds on the streets
Only when we beat Sweden and Singapore
In the list of least corrupt nations or
Invest at least 6% of the GDP in education and health
Limit spending to glorify one person
And uplift the Per Capita Income
At least to the US $ 5000.

Those are worth Celebrating and not just a T20 win
And who will remember it in a few weeks' time
What are we celebrating?
Can someone tell me, please?

(My political ranting).

"Lanka Web" Forum is really opened for discussions or for what?

Make Buddha Jayanthi an occasion to ask, after 2600 years what have we accomplished as Buddhists ?
Posted on April 11th, 2011

By Charles.S.Perera

 The Queen Mahamaya Devi while on her way to  her parental home to have her baby  according to ancient custom, gave birth to a baby boy in the Lumbini Park in Kapilawattu .  The father  the Sakyan King Suddhodana  was overjoyed with the birth of a son.
 But the king’s joy did not last long as  the Queen Mahamaya Devi died seven days after the birth of the Prince.   The baby was placed in the care of  his step mother Maha Pajapati Gotami, the younger sister of  the late queen. 
 The Ascetic Asita  Kaladevela  came to  pay respect to the King and to see the new born little Prince.  Having seen the baby the great Ascetic predicted that the Prince will  be enlightened  becoming a Buddha, but regretted that he would not be there on the  blissful day  as he would be dead by then.
At a naming  ceremony five days  after his birth the little Prince was named Siddhattha Gotama . One of the eight Brahmins Kondanna , who had been invited for the ceremony seeing the characteristic marks of the child said with certainty, that he would be the future Buddha.
The story of the life of the Buddha  recounts different incidents of significance , one of which is  a ploughing festival at which the  baby Prince Siddhartha was placed in a screened canopied couch under a rose apple tree in the care of the nurses while the king and his retinue  participated in the ploughing festival . 
 At the height of the festivity  the caring nurses had left the baby prince alone in the couch and moved away  to watch the festivities.  When they came back to the canopied couch they found the little Prince Siddhattha seated cross legged in deep meditation.   The King Suddhodana who was informed of the “ miracle” hastened  to the place and surprised, made respectful salutations to his son.
 His childhood and youth were spent in royal luxury . At the still youthful age of 16 he married his young cousin Princess Yasodhara who was of his own age.  After 13 years of  a happy married life , he had a baby son Rahula .
 By then several incidents he had observed  from his chariot when he ventured out side the palace gates deeply saddened him, making him aware that his blissfully happy royal life, is a contradiction of  the reality of the life of the people out side the walls of the palace. Intrigued by the suffering  of these people  the Prince Siddattha decided to renounce his royal life to follow the life of an ascetic  to  search for the truth of  suffering,  the cause  of suffering,  a way out of suffering, and  a state of non-suffering.
 Then after six years of relentless effort, he finally attained enlightenment of an all knowing purity of mind of a Samma Sam Buddha on a full moon day of a month of May about 2600 years ago.  Thereafter, he began dispensation of the truth he discovered to the world until his death at the age of 80 years.
 But what is relevant to ask ourselves  on this “holy Wesak day” falling 2600 years after the Birth of the Prince Siddattha ,which the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka as the Minister of Buddha Sasana  proposed to celebrate in a grand scale, (along with  non-Buddhists), is whether the Buddha during the 45 years of  his dispensation  of  the  teaching to escape from the cycle of death and birth-the Samsara , had at any occasion celebrated the anniversary of his birth, an anniversary of his first discourse to the five monks,  or the death anniversaries of his disciples Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Mogallana who had pre-deceased him ?
 The Buddha did not celebrate any anniversaries nor did he in any of his discourses said that his followers should celebrate  the anniversary of his Birth , enlightenment or death.  But what he exhorted to his followers just before his death- parinibbana, was:
 “Handa dāni bhikkhavē āmantayāmi vō: Vayadhammā sankhārā appamādēna sampādētha.
 “You should accomplish all that you have to accomplish without allowing mindfulness to lapse!”
But is far from demanding of them  to celebrate his anniversaries for the continued existence of Buddha Sasana. 
The Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne, who is also the Minister of Buddha Sasana , has to be informed that the celebration of the Buddha Jayanthi is purely among Buddhists, and that it should not be an occasion to  mix politics with religion  by setting up  Regional Committees as proposed to Organize  Buddha Jayanthi Celebrations, along with non-Buddhists including as it has been  said the Catholic Malcolm Ranjith, the Hindu Pujaris and Muslim Mollahs.
In order to explain the reason why the Buddha Jayanthi is purely a Buddhist  celebration  for which  other religious groups should not be invited, I quote the Buddha’s teaching to Subaddha who became his last disciple during his life time.  The Buddha  told Subaddha ,
 “…..In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.
“In age but twenty-nine was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).
“And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.” (Maha Pari Nibbana Sutta  Translated by Sister Vajira and  Francis Story)
If the Minister of Buddha  Sasana is unable to understand the uniqueness of the teachings of the Buddha and that, « …. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. », he should hand over his Ministry to a Buddhist who knows his religion better to organize the celebrations of the Buddha Jayanthi with Buddhists.
But it is also worth asking ourselves whether in Buddhism that we practice to-day with the rank indiscipline of  the Student Bikkhu population , “.. there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness .“  ?  If not we are no better than, “..  the other systems of other teachers, devoid of true saints.”
With regard to the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Buddha’s birth, it is worth quoting again from the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, in which it is stated that ,  « …. Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: “It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: ‘Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.’ But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone. »
Hence in reality Celebrating the Buddha Jayanthi  is not organizing festivities, but by getting each and every Buddhist making an introspection on the day to  understand to what extent each one  is to day  a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha. If  in such a search we find that we lack the quality of  a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha, then we should, leaving aside the celebrations, interrogate, discuss and redefine how to become true followers of the teachings.
Let us also examine, when we are preparing to celebrate the Buddha Jayanthi, how much of  the Buddhism brought  to Sri Lanka by Venerable Mahinda thero remains to-day. 
When the King Devenapatissa accepted the teachings, he  proclaimed Buddhism the state Religion of Sri Lanka.  He then set up many places of worship and Centres of Buddhist education.  When all that had been done he  asked venerable Mahinda whether the Buddha Sasana is now established in Sri Lanka.
The Venerable Mahinda said most significantly: Great King, the Sasana is established but it has not taken root.”  He then explained  to the King, how it would take root; “ When a person born of parents who belong to Thambapannidipa, enters pabbajja in Thambapannidipa,learns the Vinaya in the Thambapannidipa, and recites the same in  Thambapanni dipa, then will the Sasana take root in the Island.” ( Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon by E.W.Adikaram) 
It was then  found that Bikkhu Maha-Aritta  was possessed of the qualification for the purpose and recited the Vinaya at Thuparama, thus  making the Buddha Sasana, “  firmly established and well rooted in the Island”.
This shows to what extent the Vinaya is important for Buddhism to continue its existence.  It is therefore necessary to ask to what extent the Buddhist Bikkhus today keep their Vinaya precepts and how many of them could recite the Vinaya Pitaka by memory.
It would therefore be appropriate that the Vinaya Pitaka is recite by Buddhist Monks in every temple in Sri Lanka on the 2600^th Buddha Jayanthi.
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura was said to have been yellow with the robes of the Maha Sangha.  There were Monasteries, Temples , Shrine Rooms, Meditation Huts, and  Halls for the gathering of  Bikkhus.  There were no Churches, Mosques and Kovils . 
There were Monasteries from which the sounds of the words of the Buddha were heard through out the day.  The Buddhist Bikkhus learnt the Buddhist Canonical texts which they could  recite by memory. In  the mornings there were  the Buddhist monks  coming out of temples and Monasteries in a disciplined  order  one after the other  according to their seniority with their begging bowls in hand  going for  their alms round. The nights were calm with monks sitting in deep meditation.
There were  Stream Entrants, Once returners, No Returners and , Arahants the Noble Ones who had reached the highest purity of mind.  But disciplinary laxity set in gradually and the Bikkhus were divided into two categaries those who were engrossed in books-Grantha Dura, and others that followed the Dhamma- Dhamma Dura and practiced Meditation.  The last Arahat is said to be Venerable Maliyadeva who lived  in the second century before the current era.  Since then Buddhism declined.
Later on with the coming in of the Colonial West we have Churches every where.  The Sinhala Buddhists were converted to Christianity.  Our villagers were slowly drifting away from the temple. There were Mosques, Hindu Kovils  and  Sinhala Kapuralas with their  Pitiye Deiyo and Huniyam Devathavo.  The Sinhala Buddhists got mixed up with Hinduism, and studied in Missionary Schools and  learnt about Chritianity and attended the catechism classes. 
Still later with the Muslim advent foreign teachings ate further into our culture and the Muslims came to our villages and they set up their Mosques, and made all people get up in the mornings  to the sound of the  Muezzin calling the Muslims for their prayer. 
Instead of the Buddha words recited in Temples and Monasteries  we hear the Muslim children learning their lessons in Arabic, hear the Church bells, and the calls of Muezzins, the noisy rituals of the  Kovils and Bhajan recitals coming  with the Saibaba Cult.
We have come a long way destroying the purity of the teachings of the Buddha.  The yellow robes of  Buddhist  Monks have taken different hues from yellow, to orange, brown and black.   We see no more the pleasant view of  well shaven yellow robed  monks going for their alms rounds. 
[Of course the village roads also have buses “bigger than the roads”, that make it impossible for even an ordinary man to walk, leave alone a monk going for his alms round.  The Minister of Buddha Sasana should ask the Minister of transport to have small size buses on village roads, to make life a little more convenient for both, bus drivers and pedestrians.]
Then the  Buddhist Bikkhus learnt at the feet of an elderly teacher, a senior monk.  They were very learned and disciplined.  They had to keep 227 disciplinary rules. Every 15th of the month they gathered to recite the Vinaya Pitaka , to examine the extent of the discipline kept by them, and make  confessions of their  breaches. Then there were Pirivena schools strictly for the Buddhist Bikkhus, where they studied Buddhist texts to become monks well learned in the teachings of the Buddha.
Even these are today  the relics of the past, the Pirivena system of education disappeared.  The Bikkhus began to sit along with the lay students in University auditoriums, learning no more the Buddhist texts, but geography, economics, law, and political science.  They studied not to be great teachers of Buddhism, but to do a government job, earn money and become independent. Or eventually disrobe, marry and  bring up a family. The Buddhist Priest even  go to foreign Universities to obtain Doctorates in Buddhism to be in par with the intellectuals of the West.
The admission of the Buddhist Bikkhus to lay Universites, was the final nail on the Buddhist education  and  the  privilege of having learned  Buddhist teachers  respective of Buddhist discipline.
And we also have Buddhist  Bikkhus who forget their “station in life as Buddhist Monks” like Bogoda Seelawimala thero  who has  proudly accepted an invitation to a royal wedding.  It is perhaps a sort of attaining  a social « Nibbana » for him.  A highest possible social achievement being the first Buddhist Monk invited to a Royal Wedding.  And we had  also another Bikkhu  who had the great privilege once to ”kiss” the Pope’s ring in the Vatican.
The young Buddhist Priests gave up shaving hair on the head, quoting Buddhist texts that the Buddha had not prescribed shaving the hair of the  head, but to cut the hair short.  They wear the robes any way they want , resulting in many young Buddhist Bikkhus, unshaven, unclean, “badly” dressed in their  robes of different hues.
The Buddhist Bikkhus in Universities are  a disaster to the Buddha Sasana.  They go on manifestations on the roads out doing the lay students in their aggressive behaviour , and abusive language.
The Wesak day has turned out to be a period of Carnival, a commercial event putting up pandols or Wesak thoran to  compete with  one another.
Less and less families go to temples on the poya days.  There  are  Buddhists Bikkhus who cannot recite  the Buddhists texts by memory.  Meditation- the heart of Buddhism is forgotten in most temples, giving place to Bodhi puja, Kavi Bana -discourses recited in poetry form.
Now after 2600 years of Buddhism we also  have Buddhist monks who are Company Directors, one even a  President of a  Nurses Trade Union,  Buddhist Monks as Administrators in  Government Service, Lawyers and Parliamentarians,  Buddhist Monks who ride motor cycles, drive cars.
 There were Buddhist monks arrested for digging temple Statues in search of treasure, and  selling Buddha Relics, and arrested for various crimes.
 There is conversion of poor villagers by different  Christian Missionaries going unchecked. Sri Lanka being a Buddhist Country could not even pass a Parliamentary Bill Against Conversion.
 The Catholic Church has established itself well in the country dictating terms to the Government. They Build Churches any where with out the consent of the Government .  They bury metal crosses in Buddhist sacred areas and dig them out to exhibit as archeological relics.
 They are so powerful the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka cannot even organize a  purely Buddhist function like  Buddha Jayanthi without bringing in the most anti-Buddhist Catholics to be in the Organising Committee. 
 When Sri Lanka celebrated another Buddha Jayanthi  many years ago, we had Buddhist Giants like ,Prof. G.P.Malalasekera, L.H. Mettananda, Venerable Abanwelle Siddhartha, Ven. Haliyale Sumanatissa, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, Ven. Palonnaruwe Vimaladhamma, Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha, Ven. Henpitagedera Gnanaseeha, P.de S. Kularatne, Dr.Tennekoon Wimalananda and D.C. Wijayawardena, who were prepared to come forward to protect Buddhism.
 To-day unfortunately we seem to have  none to defend our Buddhist values, and the Catholic Church  has taken over a greater role, and the Buddhist revival  faces many challenges.
 This is the situation of the  Buddhism of the Sakya Muni Gautama Buddha now  in Sri Lanka, but we  are still going to celebrate the 2600^th Buddha Jayanthi this May, without addressing ourselves to the more important question of  how to stop further degeneration of the Buddha Sasana.
 To be continued………..

1. Nanda Says:
   April 11th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
   Please , Charles , do not use the word Buddhist Bikkhus to those people who hiding in robes.
   It is the time that the Government should pass legislations to disrobe all these people who are a disgrace to Buddhism.
2. Ben_silva Says: 
   April 13th, 2011 at 2:20 am
   It is a good question to ask, after 2600 years what have we accomplished as Buddhists ?. Sunil has explained well how we lost our villages and how our people got converted and how our villages are woken up in the morning. I may add, we have lost the North, the North East, the hill country and now even the Capital. Rich people (considerable number of non Sinhalese ) live in isolation, surrounded by high security walls to prevent intruders, economic power in the hands of non Sinhalese, Rampant corruption, thefts, deception, indicating general lack of values and morality. Old people and disabled people, homeless and begging in the street. Lawlessness in the streets, where cars, driven by well to do people, disregard safety and even decency. We were also living as second class citizens in our own country under Western imperialists for over 200 years and at times under Tamil invaders. If RW was allowed to run the country and Praba given a place, we would have been pushed to the sea and made extinct. Have we got our mission correct ? Shame Nalanda Buddhists managed to beat us. Only consolation is Indians usually do things better.
   
   
   Following was posted by me with a pseudonym, two days ago and it was available till last night (12th April 2011).
   
   
   Quote:
   
   
   After reading the first part of the letter (how many parts more there I wonder), I was wondering whether we should wait to respond to the letter until we read all.
   
   
   I think NO.
   
   
   If the so-called Buddhists have failed to follow the teachings, then why should we drag people of other faiths in to the forefront?
   
   
   I think it is to cover our own weakness / failures than anything else.
   
   
   According to records (almost) 70 percent of the population in Sri Lanka are Buddhist.
   
   
   But look at the number of Meat & Liquor shops, Bars, Big and Small time Gambling dens available in every town.
   
   
   See the number of  murders / rapes cases etc happening in a day in the country.
   Not to mention the incidents of bribes giving and taking.
   
   
   The only reason I see for this failure is that we are not ready to practice the teachings but willing to hide behind Labels and blame others for our own failings.
   
   
   Unquote:
   
   
   However mysteriously it has disappeared this morning (13th April 2011) and to make the matter worse that I am unable to login with that name either now.
   
   
   Appreciate if someone can explain this as the above is not offensive material.
   
   
   But if the forum is not opened for discussion then it is a different matter.
   
   
   Good Luck & Jaya Weewa.
   
   
   Wishing Everyone a Happy & Prosperous New Year.
   
   
   This was again sent to them but no response so far from them.
   
   
   Now I wonder whether the "Lanka Web" Forum is really opened for discussions or it is there to propagate only one-sided views suit to them. 
   
   
   Over to you Mr. Editor.
   
   

Ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka?

Where is ethnic cleansing?

Written by a Sri Lankan, but the true author is unknown but the facts given below are 100% accurate.

Hence, decided to publish this in my Blog, so the World can stumble on it and get the correct picture.

Tamils –

How many Tamils are employed in southern Sri Lankan companies?

(See the number of high caliber Tamils in Sri Lankan banking sector, see hotel trade, film trade and other industries)

Do they experience any hardship professionally due to ethnicity?

If so, how come they hold such high positions?

See how many Tamil kids are getting educated in International schools?

They have outnumbered other ethnicities.

Royal college has Tamil medium, DS has Tamil medium.

So many Sinhala major government schools have Tamil medium and they share equal opportunities.

How many Tamil major schools have Sinhala medium?

Private schools like St. Thomas, Trinity etc have quite a large number of Tamil students.

Travel to Wellawatte, Dematagoda, Dehiwala, Kotahena etc and see the number of Tamils sharing the comforts.

Go to Pettah market and Fort.

Walk along the streets and see how many Tamils are doing business there.

Start from Kotahena and travel passing Dehiwala.

Sinhala shops are outnumbered by Tamil traders.

I don’t see any hardship put on them.

Get into a bus and listen how many speak in Tamil.

Try to find a single Sinhala board in Wellawatte.

All are in Tamil and English.

Go to a government campus.

Let’s say Colombo campus.

See the number of Tamil students.

See the number of Tamil lecturers.

They share equal opportunities.

I never saw them being humiliated except they themselves had divisions saying Batticaloa Tamil, Jaffna Tamil and Upcountry Tamil.

They have a separate Tamil Union for their cultural events, their religious events.

How many kovils are there in Colombo?

See the number of Sinhalese visiting kovils and Tamil shops.

Doesn’t it display the harmony?

How many Tamil representatives are in the parliament?

See the number of Tamil youth musicians in Colombo.

Please consider these statistics.

If somebody can come up with numbers and percentages, it would reveal the truth.

This is what we should call rational.

Our generation should not waste time on arguing what’s unknown to us and what’s not experienced by us.

Live today, not yesterday.

Jaffna and Trincomalee have ports, heavy industries, bus stations, railway stations, radio and TV broadcasting stations, universities and so many other facilities.

Now Sinhalese -

How many Sinhalese are in Northern and Eastern part of Sri Lanka?

(North none, East, 25%)

How many Sinhala medium schools are there in Northern Sri Lanka?

(None)

How many Sinhala employees are in Northern Sri Lankan offices and industries?

(None)

How many temples are there in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka?

(Two, one at Nagadeepa & the other at Trincomalee)

Can a Sinhalese travel unharmed in Northern Sri Lanka?

(Only now, after the defeat of the LTTE)

How many Sinhalese are in Northern and Eastern universities?

(None)

Now, answer me. Where is ethnic cleansing?

Now, for the US Congress and the British Parliament:

It is up to you to analyze and understand the real facts, rather than just believing propaganda like “GENOCIDE” that is just “invented propaganda” to mislead your tiny minds.

Americans didn’t know they were under attack by Osama Bin Laden, until it happened!

The British forces started shooting innocent people; mistaking them for terrorists.

(They couldn’t notice the difference!).

(Try convincing the loving mother of Charles Menezes!).

So, as a matter of fact, how on earth could they understand what’s happening thousands of miles away, in Sri Lanka?

First of all, stop what you originally started, by “clearing off” from Iraq and Afghanistan! Even with all the power and money you posses, you have proved beyond doubt, that you are still unable to solve your own problems!

Sri Lanka can do without dumb, swollen headed Yankees and heartless brutal killers of Britain ,who had slain millions of innocent Sri Lankans of former ” Imperial Ceylon” they pillaged and plundered!

If you cannot understand basic facts and wish to display a total lack common sense, we suggest you MIND YOUR OWN BLOODY BUSINESS.

You are still working on the “theories” of Terrorism, whilst hundreds of innocent folk are being killed by ruthless, fanatical sons of bitches.

BUT LOOK MATE….

Here we are in a relatively poor country, with no oil and other commodities that all of you worship, but went on to prove that to admit that we in Sri Lanka destroyed “Terrorism” once and for all!

This is what the Sri Lanka’s (less than 0.03% of the World’s population) contribution to World peace.

Kithsiri Sasanka De Silva from Oman.

And Then We Want The World To Be A Better Place

Scene No 1.

We all take our kids on our marketing trips.

Put them on a trolley cart and act as if we are on a race track.

I hit an old lady from behind in the aisle, then whisked past, cursing her without even an apology.

Stop near the "fruits and nuts" section and throw a few of them in your mouth before stuffing a few more in his or her mouth.

Sure enough, the toddler can’t read the notice posted over there.

"Eating is not allowed."

But he/she was just happy about the freebies Papa or Mama had stuffed in his/her mouth.

Scene No 2

One day, we go to see his or her choir practice session and find him or her standing inconspicuously in the very last row.

What happened?

We ask him/her while heading back home.

The teacher says I am too tall to be in the first row.

The next day, the child is sent off to practice with a few cookie jars in a nice reusable bag that we brought on our last overseas holiday.

Don’t forget to give it only to the teacher’s hand.

Pick up time in the evening, and when you reach there, the training session is still on.

Amazingly, our tall kid has now found a place in the front row.

Heading home, he/she was jabbering happily.

The teacher asked where we got those.

I said, in the USA.

Wow!

From that point on, the kid got a reserved place in the front.

What can a few foreign cookies do to someone's self-esteem?


Scene No 3

Then comes the time for proper schooling.

We prepare our kids for the most dreaded school admission interview.

So a mock interview was set up at home.

Pretending you are the principal of the school, we ask, "Where do you live?"

The kid is happy to say the only true and truthful answer he/she ever knew.

But we are happy to interrupt and say "Oh no! Don’t say that

"Say you come from Thimbirigasyaya"

The kid protests with pleading eyes. "But I don’t know where that place is," or "We are from Moratuwa."

Don’t worry about it, it is all taken care of already just say "Thimbirigasyaya" only.

He/she nods but is utterly confused.

Scene No 4

He/she goes to play sports, and one day we find him/her sitting on the bench watching others practice.

Now we know the answer to that dilemma too.

At the next practice session, he/she goes out with a much heavier bag.

And on match day, you see someone else’s kid is on the bench, watching haplessly.

Then we go home and celebrate.

Are We As Rich & Famous As We Had Been Told ?

We met a Greek family on our recent flight to the USA and had a long chat on the 10+ hour flight from Athens to the USA.

I knew by looking at them they were in their retirement. I asked them what they were doing during their working life. The answer really surprised me.

The gentleman had been working as a bartender all his life and his wife was a homemaker.

They were going to the US to see their son and grandchildren, whom they had not seen for awhile due to travel restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the virus.

And when they wanted to know where we were coming from, I was happy to say that we were from Sri Lanka, but unfortunately, they had never heard of a country called Sri Lanka before.

Bringing the tea into the conversation would stir their memory of the famous Ceylon Tea brand name, too, was met with the same response.

This made me think of two important things.

The first one was, "Can a bartender from Sri Lanka afford to pay for airfare to visit someone living in another part of the world?"

The answer to that would be a resounding "NO."

And the second question was, are we as famous as we had been told?

The answer to that question too would be a resounding "NO."

This was further affirmed when I had to borrow someone’s phone on landing in the USA to make a local call. The gentleman who was kind enough to lend his phone had never heard of a country called Sri Lanka (neither Ceylon).

I think our education system, politicians, and clergy are making too many ostentatious claims and assumptions about our country, simply to fool people and for their own survival.

 And most of our countrymen are duped into believing such ludicrous claims solely because of their frog in the well and bogus patriotic mentalities.

CEB Service Charge Hike ?

Recently, the Ceylon Electricity Board has increased their service charge from Rs 30/= to Rs 540/=.

What a monumental increase that was.

We live in Kottawa and we are connected to the Pannipitiya substation.

These days, in addition to the island-wide power interruptions, we experience at least 2 to 3 power interruptions ranging from a few minutes to hours.

It is an obvious fact then that they have no reliable service at the moment, and hence I see no reason why the service charge has to be increased so much.

I was told that a simple meter reader is taking home a six-figure salary, despite the fact that the entity is losing money so much and the treasury has to supplement them for their existence.

Social media is awash these days with details of some of the bigwigs’ take-home salaries.

The interesting question is, why should they be paid so much when they are really not making any profit and are also bleeding the country’s coffers so much?

One of the world's leading lending agency officials once told me that with the money we cough out every year to keep this top-heavy and bleeding entity alive, we could make a four-lane (one direction) highway right around the country and or build 10 rural hospitals every year.

I do not believe that most of the current politicians are keen on taking the issue seriously.

The only capable hand I see among them is Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

The reason why is that this electricity mafia has created such a fear among them that nobody dares to burn their fingers confronting them.

And the other reason is that we, the end-users, are so silent and give in to all their whims and demands without even blinking an eye. 

If we want to see results, then we should demand changes.

Like the famous Sinhala saying “අඬන්න ඕනේලු කිරි එරෙන්නත්” (The mother will not feed unless the child cries).

Let us make an effort individually and collectively to demand changes and, sooner or later, some of the politicians are going to take us seriously.

Sadly, I have seen many still have the obduracy to say that they are not interested in politics, but little do they realize that whether they like it or not, politics is going to affect them too.

Look at the present situation in the country. 

You may not have voted for the current regime to come to power, but you still have to be in queues to get essentials.

Stop pretending වැට උඩ, taking a defensive stance and start speaking up about important issues that affect both you and me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SRI LANKAN ARMED FORCES FOR THE NEXT NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

My sympathies are with the people of Pakistan for having being subjected to endure atrocities in that magnitude day after day.

However, you can take courage and solace from the recent Sri Lankan experience that any terrorist can be defeated, if you stick together as one.

But my only word of caution is to beware of those international agencies that have lately taken moral high grounds and started calling for investigations in to human rights violations and war crimes, when a country is engage in a battle with a bunch of terrorists.

In fact, the real violators and perpetrators’ of such heinous crimes are only found in the lands, where most of such frequent calls are coming from.

Some of the officials who are going places and pledging so many because the talk is cheap but unfortunately none is yet to be able to show to the world that they can even  “Walk their talks” as well.

Take the case of Sri Lanka’s recent victory against a bunch of terrorists who had been dubbed as the most feared and invincible.

All what the Sri Lankan government did as a democratically elected government was to deploy its armed forces to defend its’ territory.

They did not use Nuclear bombs, Agent Yellow or White phosphorous on innocent civilians.

Neither sends troops thousand miles away from their shores to fight a someone else’s war nor to export democracy, our values and beliefs.

Indeed, all what we did was to crush a bunch of terrorists and rescue innocent civilians being held under threats and to use them as a human shield.

Instead of contemplating of nominating the Sri Lankan armed forces for the next Nobel Prize for Peace for carrying out the world’s biggest rescue mission so successfully, they are now being accused of many crimes simply by listening to sympathizers and acolytes of the crushed terrorist organization.

All what those officials who have taken moral high grounds do is to travel around the world in first class, stay in five star hotels and enjoy many other perks  and not to mention their hefty salaries and a pensions.

What their cheap talks instead do is to propagate discord, give encouragements, political endorsements and clout to banned terrorist organizations all over the world.

Instead of helping democratically elected governments to fight terrorism, they are helping terrorists.

Judging from the yard stick of that simple and infamous quote “either you are with us or with them”, they are definitely not with the democratically elected governments.

Hence, they should also be investigated not only for misappropriation of funds of the organization as they are mainly come as contribution fees from many poor nations like Sri Lanka and Pakistan but also for openly giving emotional, intellectual and much needed political endorsements to terrorists organizations who are trying to destabilize democratically elected governments in the world and the world peace in a very broad sense.

Over to you Mr. Ban Ki Moon and show us that you are someone who is able to “Walk the Talk”! and also that you really got what GOD has not given to people like Ms. Pillai.

Sasanka De Silva,

Blogging from Oman.

 

Is LankaWeb for Open Discussions and or believe in Freedom of Expression?

University Students To Army Boot Camps.
Posted on May 6th, 2011

Sasanka De Silva, Pannipitiya,

The government’s decision to send students who are eligible for university admission in 2011 to Army camps to expose them to leadership techniques, English language and IT training is a flawed decision.
Thanks to our old fashion paper-marking systems, first students have to wait for months to get the examination results, followed by a couple of more moths for the re-correction process to end and finally the University admissions results.
The students lose almost a year due to the process and unfortunately not many of them avail this free time for any useful activity.
Therefore, if the government is so keen on turning the trend for good use then, putting children through a well coordinated National Service Duty programmed after their Advanced Level Examination is not a bad idea.
National Service Duty does not mean sending children to boot-camps.
Instead, they can be trained as back up force to function in the services that are called as essential services such as running hospitals, sea and airports, vital power and energy supplies, mass transport etc.
Such an act would protect the country from unwarranted industrial actions organized by unscrupulous trade unionists, whom hitherto held a monopolistic advantage when dealing and bargaining in such issues.
If we are to see an improvement in the English language proficiency among school children, then the present teaching methods adopted to teach them English language too has to be put under the microscope.
If someone can master a complicated language like Sinhala, then learning English would not be that difficult but what is holding many back is needed to be analyzed and come up with solutions to counter them.
Still owning a personal computer is far beyond the common man’s reach and the latest statistics show the penetration of computers in to society is far far below.
And to make the matter worse the availability of electricity and internet connectivity in many parts of the country is dismal.
Unless those issues are addressed correctly, putting students who are eligible for university admission through a rapid “Catch All If You Can” sort of training programme for another three more months is nothing but utter waste of time.
We are far behind compared to regional and world educational standards and wasting a few more months on a useless programme takes us nowhere except further back.
It is time to shift to FORWARD Gear and not to reverse.
Over to you, the pundits who pretend that they know everything, if you are listening.

8 Responses to “University Students To Army Boot Camps.”

1. AnuD Says:
   May 6th, 2011 at 4:51 pm I think partial army training is very good for university students. I think that will help many students in various ways. Except for weapon training, other things should be taught.
   Even before we see the outcome of any such training how can we predict based on assumptions.
   
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2. Vis8 Says:
   May 6th, 2011 at 4:58 pm Army training builds discipline, self-control and confidence. There’s nothing wrong with undergrads getting an army training.
   
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3. Lorenzo Says:
   May 6th, 2011 at 6:30 pm This is a very good move. At last the government has managed to peacefully (without using thugs) bring unruly uni students into line. Few months at an army camp will do heaps of good to everyone. We will see a remarkable improvement in uni student’s rowdy behaviour, leadership (which is non-existent today) and their sense of right and wrong (which is not there today).
   
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4. KingSasanka Says:
   May 6th, 2011 at 7:33 pm Discipline has to be inculcated at homes from very tender age and not at Boot-camps 20 years after.
   If one defines discipline as waking up early morning, running a few miles and climbing a rope ladder while a Drill sergeant is breathing down your neck then sending children to boot camps is the best way.
   But I do not think that is what we want to achieve.
   Look at the recent past robberies, murders, rapes, extortions etc and most of them have been committed by the so-called the disciplined lot who have already been put through Boot-camps before their inductions.
   The concept of National Service Duty means to teach children of tomorrow much more useful, marketable and employable skills than climbing rope ladders.
   This is a double-edge sword.
   It improves our gene-pool as far as the skills levels are concerned and opens another viable option to fall back in a national crisis situation.
   To reap the best benefits, timing and contents of such programmes are paramount.
   
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5. Lorenzo Says:
   May 7th, 2011 at 1:57 am Army deserters by definition are not disciplined. Uni graduates cannot be compared to army deserters.
   True, discipline begins at home but what if it is not happening? Discipline is attending this session itself! And taking instructions from someone, learning to give instructions, learning in a disciplined environment, etc. Going through this does not in any way hinder the uni course they will study.
   Apart from a few anti-social elements, most people don’t have a problem going through this.
   
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6. KingSasanka Says:
   May 7th, 2011 at 4:32 am So it is confirmed basing on your description of the Army deserters that putting people through Boot Camp is no sure way of inculcating discipline.
   Getting selected for a place in university education in such a competitive examination is no mean task and had those children not been disciplined, I am sure they would not have achieved it.
   Here the issue is the timing and the contents of the programme as stated in my previous submission.
   We are already late and wasting more time on not properly coordinated Boot Camp activities serves no purpose to the country or to those children.
   And without properly and seriously addressing the things that are needed to be addressed most urgently (like re-examining the teaching methods, availability of infrastructures and services) this Boot Camp venture too will also be like many of our previous such ventures ended in “Pussa Binda” wage.
   
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7. Lorenzo Says:
   May 7th, 2011 at 4:06 pm Simply BS.
   By this program no uni course will be affected. They will go ahead as before. The English program will also go ahead as before.
   The timing cannot be better.
   
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8. Kithsiri De Silva Says:
   May 8th, 2011 at 12:19 am Even up to now no one knows when the Advanced Level re-correction results will be made available.
   Once that is finalized only the selections to universities will be done.
   By introducing those useless Boot Camps no university course will be affected but the real studies will be further delayed and that is why the timing has to be important as much as the contents.
   Yes I totally agree when one cannot back up one’s argument with credible facts and figures, it is Simply B S.
   Remember the song ;
   “ Maha Muhuden Wata Kerichcha, Amba Gediya Hedaya Gattha Ratak Thiyanawa ”
   How appropriate the message in this song in this context too.
   Jaya Wewa.
   A.K.A. KingSasanka.

This was my last posting on the subject and now see the link below and some of the previous postings have been taken down.

http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/05/06/university-students-to-army-boot-camps/

This was not the first and it will not be the last.

Why?

Because LankaWeb do not believe the true sense of open discussions.

They are only here to propagate one-side views and most importantly to APPLE POLISH!

If YOU truly believe in open discussions and freedom of expression, then let the LankaWeb Editor know of your displeasure.
The other part of that Song goes like this " Ea Rate Minissu Thanikara Kelinne Pissu "

Thanks.

Sasanka De Silva.

Time for Change in Sri Lanka.

The much awaited presidential election in Sri Lanka is just a few days away but unfortunately we the migrant workers who are one of the highest foreign currency earners for the country’s coffer are left without a voice.
All successive previous regimes have plundered most of the remittances, we earned by working in 50 plus Celsius degrees by spending them on many white elephant projects but never even considered giving us a voice, in return for our magnanimous contribution.
We do not ask for permits to import luxury cars duty free to the country.
Even if we ask it, I do not see there is anything wrong with it because many of the unproductive public sector employees, celebrities, sportsmen and many more (the list is too long to mention here) have already been granted this facility.
The universal suffrage is something we Sri Lankans have been enjoying from early 1930s.
All what we have been asking is to give the migrant work force also the voice but hitherto it has fallen in to deaf ears and I am confident that the situation would change after the 26th of January 2010.
Although we have been made voiceless by purpose, there are other ways that our pleas and aspirations can be conveyed to those who need them to be heard.
The upcoming presidential election is one of them and I am sure none of us want to miss this opportunity presented unexpectedly to us goes begging.
We still have our roots there in Sri Lanka and through them that the voiceless can be transformed in to a considerable real silent force.
Usually In Sri Lankan politics, the majority is always silent unlike the minority who are very vocal, boisterous and noisy, but do not be intimidated by their behaviour or the noise they make.
Keys to Public offices are not a birthright of any and it should never have to be so in future too.
Those who seek public offices must first prove beyond any reasonable doubts of their leadership qualities and most importantly the farsightedness.
Digging up a few dilapidated tanks, siphoning public money, professing others to grow Manioc & lentils in their own back gardens and embark on wasteful white elephant projects to glorify one’s image would not usher any prosperity.
This is the time for a complete overhauling of the system.
This is the time for change.
Please do not waste this opportunity but tell those who are back home to cast their votes wisely.
My guess is as good as yours that the choice should be impeccably clean as the colour of White.
Sasanka De Silva blogging from Oman.