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SRI LANKA’S REALITIES!

18 September 2019 12:37 am - 0     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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In this resplendent isle, the day begins with the chanting of Pirith to invoke blessings and ends again with the chanting of Pirith to thank the deities for their blessings and guidance. Evening prayers are also recited, Bana (lectures) are delivered by various Monks in many of the Temples to inculcate the tenets of Buddhism; and, in addition Bhavana (meditation) classes are widely organized and attended. Every home, more often than not, has Mal Pooja (offering of flowers). Every temple has Sunday Schools to teach the children BUT, despite being surrounded by this aura of HOLINESS, the country has rapidly gone to the dogs!!! The people attribute it to ‘DEVA KOPAYA’ (ANGER OF THE GODS!!!). WHY??? BECAUSE THE TENETS OF BUDDHISM ARE NOT ADHERED TO, THEY ARE DECIMATED, PARTICULARLY BY THE MONKS THEMSELVES!!!

Do we hear of wrongdoings and disgraceful behavior about Prelates or even the normal Priests in other Religions??? If we want to make this country right again, it is not the people but the Monks who have to inculcate change. It is the Monks who have to follow the REAL PATH THAT LORD BUDDHA WALKED AND THEN GUIDE THE PEOPLE ON THE CORRECT PATH WITH THE BUDDHA DHARMA!!! If the Monks don’t give a damn, why should the common man??? The Monks must not only wear the SIYURA THEY MUST COME BACK TO THEIR RELIGION AND PRACTICE THE BUDDHA DHARMA IN THE CORRECT WAY, ACCORDING TO THE PRECEPTS OF BUDDHISM. THE MONKS AND THE POLITICIANS MUST SEPARATE, THERE SHOULD BE NO POLITICS IN RELIGION, IT IS THEN AND ONLY THEN, THIS COUNTRY WILL COME BACK TO THE CORRECT PATH. OTHERWISE, THIS COUNTRY WILL KEEP GOING DOWN AS IT IS HAPPENING NOW AND THE BUDDHIST RELIGION WILL ALSO DISAPPEAR!!! SINCE THE MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION ARE BUDDHIST, IT IS EQUALLY HEARTBREAKING TO SEE THE COLOSSAL LOSS OF LIVES THROUGH MURDER, SUICIDE AND VARIOUS OTHER MEANS!!!

Apart from all of the above, let’s take a look at the chaos the country is in today; people from all walks of life, whether they are going to office or elsewhere are continually complaining about the difficulty of getting to their destinations because of the terrible traffic congestion!!! Children going to school face the same dilemma; moreover, it is getting increasingly worse by the day not better!!! Traffic has increased in leaps and bounds because of the ease of purchasing vehicles – cars, vans, lorries, motor cycles, you name it and it is available on a ‘buy now pay later basis’!!! In fact, one advertisement asks you to change your car as often as you change your clothes!!! Road repairs, storm water drains, all kinds of plumbing and other necessary roadwork is done on an ad hoc basis, with no planning and total disregard for the interruption to the smooth flow of traffic!!! All this results in people being late to their places of work, children being late to school and people in general not being able to plan a journey anywhere without leaving some hours for the huge contingencies that occur on our roads causing so much disruption and leaving people stranded or in a desperately angry frame of mind!!! All this inconvenience to the people who are the commuters, is of no consequence to the authorities; they will continue in their haphazard way of planning, road building and repairs!!! Try using a train instead of a vehicle and you are faced with another insurmountable problem – the trains are packed to the rafters, no lights, no fans, no toilets, commuters hanging off foot boards and sometimes even sitting on the roof of the train!!! ARE THE POLITICIANS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MASSIVE INCONVENIENCE TO THE PEOPLE???

Try using a train instead of a vehicle and you are faced with another insurmountable problem. Trains are packed to the rafters, no lights, no fans, no toilets, commuters hanging off foot boards and sometimes even sitting on the roof of the train!!! Are the politicians doing anything about this massive inconvenience to the people? 

The Rajapaksas have been constantly criticized for abuse of power in various forms!!! Despite the tremendous abuse of power, some form of development was also carried out without much inconvenience to the public!!! Today, however, planning and development seem to be non-existent but with the advent of elections, numerous ‘GAMAS OR VILLAGES’ are suddenly springing up in every area of the country!!! How may we ask are these people supposed to live once they have been provided with shelter??? One Sinhala newspaper banner headline says ‘LOANS WITHOUT INTEREST OR TITLE DEEDS’ - the tragedy is that the poor people swallow all these sugar coated pills!!! The even greater tragedy is ‘WILL THEY ACTUALLY BE GIVEN LOANS SANS TITLE DEEDS AND INTEREST’??? People are struggling to live to find a way to exist and keep their children fed and clothed!!! The crime rate increases daily and what is still burgeoning is the UNDERWORLD (OR THE PATHALAYAas it is known), not only operational but harassing people as well!!! It is not possible to stop at a colour light without someone tapping and asking you to turn down your window!!! These people are not beggars, despite their pathetic stories; they are planted there to get as much money as they can from people and then hand it over to their ‘bosses’!!! Even if you see the same beggar twice or thrice or any number of times, you are not supposed to question; you either give or don’t give, but no questions allowed!!! IS THERE LAW AND ORDER IN OUR COUNTRY???

Some time ago, Banner headlines screamed ‘AGE LIMIT RAISED FROM 8 TO 12. PUNISHMENT FOR OFFENCES COMMITTED BY CHILDREN!!! In the name of all that is sacred in this country we ask, ‘WHAT ABOUT PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST CHILDREN???  CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 5, 6, 7 YEARS AND IN SOME INSTANCES EVEN BABIES??? WHAT ABOUT BANNER HEADLINES OUTLINING PUNISHMENT FOR THESE SADISTIC MONSTERS??? HOW DOES THE GOVERNMENT REMAIN IMMUNE TO SUCH BARBARIC PERPETRATION??? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEATH PENALTIES, WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUNISHED BY NOW, WHY ARE THEY PERMITTED TO SPEND THEIR TIME IN JAIL, AT THE TAX PAYER’S EXPENSE??? 

It would be wise, extremely wise, for all the Presidential hopefuls to bear in mind that “it is better for the law to rule society, than the society to be ruled by one or more of the citizens,”“even those who rule are guardians of the law and are expected to respect and obey the law themselves.” This is what they find extremely convenient to forget, to overlook – because POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY!!!

If there is one principle which runs through the entire fabric of the Constitution, it is the principle of the Rule of Law and under the Constitution, it is the judiciary which is entrusted with the task of keeping every organ of the State within the limits of the law and thereby making the Rule of Law meaningful and effective” (Cited from an Indian Judgment) BUT IT IS ALWAYS FORGOTTEN!!!

The Voice


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Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

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