Decisive factor on winning or loosing fight against terrorism

26 May 2008

The Sri Lankan nation has to decide on if we are going to fully defeat and eradicate terrorism from this emerald island or are we going to mere control terrorism and enter into another round of bargaining with terrorists. Now we have no doubt at all that our heroic military forces are well within the reach of defeating LTTE terrorists in their own den in Wanni jungle.

Unfortunately we are a sort of miserable nation that has let the development and progress of individual into various myths including horoscope, auspicious time (nakataha, rahu kalaya). We have let ruling and manipulating the national policies into the hand of feeble politicos, so called international community, media and INGO mafia. Finally we have let protecting our motherland into the hand of military forces alone and behaving like bunch of dumbs in the south. We are always expecting others to do our own duties.

This is the very reason why we are still witnessing bomb blasting in public transport. Its only one September11 th incident in USA and single London bomb blasting occurred in UK and there were no subsequent attacks or blasts thereafter. It is not only due to immense willpower of respective nations to fight against terrorism and win their civil right of life but also taking practical steps and dedication to prevent possible attacks which made this possible.

But as a nation we are still behaving like a bunch of Polio patients even after dozens of bomb blasting in public transport vehicles. All of those blasting were due to parcel bombs placed in the racks of busses or trains. After each and every blast the government is shouting at the people requesting more vigilance and the commuters are asking the government to tighten the security. But it is very clear that it is not possible to fully prevent this type of attacks as long as total ban on keeping parcels on the rack of public transport vehicles is imposed. On the other hand a single person can not keep track of each and every bag and those unknown bags will create fear/terror on the individual. You may prevent few, but terrorists always have a chance to succeed.

The target of every attack is not only killing those individual victims, but to create fear-psychosis in the society and force them to another cycle of negotiation with terrorists. Therefore, it is very important that terrorists are not given a slightest of opportunity to carry out their coward attacks. The important point is to prevent terrorists from placing bombs and not later finding them and subsequently defusing.

It will only take another couple of months for our valiant soldiers to march into the den of terrorists in Killinocchi kill the remaining goons who have never been in the front of the battle field. If Sri Lankan nation is not crippled with Polio, they should be able to curb the small inconvenience for this short time period and refrain from keeping their bags and parcels in racks. On the other hand minister and other officials should act proactively and temporally impose ban on keeping parcels on the racks.

If the nation is not physically crippled and the government is not mentally crippled we can certainly win over this operation against terrorism. Only history will decide if Sri Lankan nation is physically and mentally capable of it.

Related posts:
- Bomb blasting in public transport – Ruthlessness Vs. recklessness
- It’s our country and our freedom fight against terrorism
- Testing time for Sri Lankan nation

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Pilliyan’s Visit to Dalada Maligawa and crocodile tears of looters of Jaffna library

22 May 2008

One of the very first functions of Chief Minister of Eastern province was to visit Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. This happened to be a historic occasion in Sri Lanka history. Sri Dalada Maligawa was attacked by LTTE terrorists in 1995 killing many devotees and severely damaging the sacred place. Dalada Maligawa is the most sacred place of whole Buddhist world where tooth relic of the Buddha is placed. Sri Lankan Buddhists are privileged to have this holy asset that is respected by millions of Buddhists in the world. From ancient days the tooth relic is cared and worshipped in similar manner to worshipping the living Buddha.

It is sheer cultural jealousy of LTTE terrorists that lead to attack of Sri Dalada Maligawa. Not only Dalada Maligawa, but also Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi (Bo tree) of Anuradhapura was made a blood bath by ruthless LTTE terrorists. Hundreds of devotees were brutally gun down on a poya day. There were mass murdering of Buddhist monks in Aranthalawa and many other occasions. In each of those occasions, rulers appeared in the media and tried to convince the nation that those acts were merely to agitate Sinhalese. They never dared to call those inhuman exercises as acts of hatred and terror. Our so called leaders were indirectly uttering that Sinhalese always looking for oppress Tamils and LTTE is exploiting it. But those having their foot in this mother land know that even 1983 riots was mainly sphere headed by thugs of UNP who were thrilled after lamp and pot racket in the 1982 election and burning of Jaffna library as part of election violence in Jaffna local election.

After long political coma, the Sri Lankan nation took a courageous decision in the last presidential election electing a leader who can account for the nation and deal with terrorism. The government has not only succeed in defeating terrorism, but equally proved the Sri Lankan nation that terrorism is the enemy and not the Tamil community. In 88/89 period Sinhala youth rebel against the fascist rule of the government and they are now given an opportunity to fight against the system in democratic manner. This government has extended the same opportunity to the ex-rebel Karuna/Pilliyan fraction to come into democracy and solve their problems in democratic manner.

When Pilliyan visited Dalada Maligawa, it was not a strange experience for those who are familiar with Buddhist literature and hold Buddhist values. There are plenty of related Jathaka stories which includes containing of ‘Angulimala’, ‘Alawaka’, ‘Nalagiri’ etc..No sooner they were restrained; they were no longer branded and cornered as dodgy, but given an opportunity to enter into mainstream society.

It is those who spread ethnic hatred by burning Jaffna library, loot the innocent Tamil by way of using arrogant political power are now shading crocodile tears on Pilliyan’s visit to Dalada Maligawa. Still LTTE terrorists in North are trying to exploit hatred of burning Jaffna library by not allowing full functioning of it. Here in South the same role is played by petty opportunistic bankrupt politicians who are now throwned into the dustbin of contemporary history.

We all Sri Lankans must commend the courage of Pilliyan to visit the Dalada Maligawa which once they destroyed and making a public statement on their wrong doing. We must equally praise the Maha Nayaka theroes for accepting Pilliyan as another human being who has come back to civilized path and blessing him in his new journey. We all Sinhalese and Tamil have our values deep rooted in our cultures. It is those who are molded and brought up in post colonial palaces and still serving their Anglo Christian masters in the west that is howling against advent of Pilliyan into Democracy while cuddling blood hungry LTTE terrorist leader Prabakaran!

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The life of the Buddha, the great teacher of all being

18 May 2008

The Buddha was born as a human being and became the enlightened one with his own effort and long struggle. It was simply the compassion towards all being that led the Buddha to preach his finding (dhamma). Thus he became the teacher of not only human being but for all other super human beings including gods of higher realms. His doctrine consist of anithya (impermanence), Dukkha (non satisfactoriness, suffering) and Anathma (no self, soul or control) nature of every being fully disclosed the reality of life. His teaching has guided millions individuals to liberate from suffering and also make this world a better habitable place. Even today there are millions of followers of the great teacher and many other schools and religions have adapted some part of his great teaching. Without his great disclosure of Dhamma, we all would have been fighting each other in crave and ignorance. The Vesak day is a great opportunity to contemplate the life of the great teacher and his good qualities.

Birth
On the Vesak full moon day of May, in the year 623 B.C. there was born in the Lumbini[1] Park at Kapilavatthu[2], on the Indian borders of present Nepal, a noble prince who was destined to be the greatest religious teacher of the world.

His father was King Suddhodana of the aristocratic Sākya[3] clan and his mother was Queen Mahā Māyā. As the beloved mother died seven days after his birth, Mahā Pajāpati Gotami, her younger sister, who was also married to the King, adopted the child, entrusting her own son, Nanda, to the care of the nurses.

On the fifth day after the prince's birth he was named Siddhattha which means "wish fulfilled". His family name was Gotama.

Education
As a Royal child, Prince Siddhattha must have received an education that became a prince although no details are given about it. As a scion of the warrior race he received special training in the art of warfare.

Married Life
At the early age of sixteen, he married his beautiful cousin Princess Yasodharā who was of equal age. For nearly thirteen years, after his happy marriage, he led a luxurious life, blissfully ignorant of the vicissitudes of life outside the palace gates.

With the march of time, truth gradually dawned upon him. His contemplative nature and boundless compassion did not permit him to spend his time in the mere enjoyment of the fleeting pleasures of the Royal palace. He knew no personal grief but he felt a deep pity for suffering humanity. Amidst comfort and prosperity, he realized the universality of sorrow.

Renunciation
Prince Siddhattha reflected thus:"Why do I, being subject to birth, decay, disease, death, sorrow and impurities, thus search after things of like nature. How, if I, who am subject to things of such nature, realize their disadvantages and seek after the unattained, unsurpassed, perfect security which is Nibbāna!" "Cramped and confined is household life, a den of dust, but the life of the homeless one is as the open air of heaven! Hard is it for him who bides at home to live out as it should be lived the Holy Life in all its perfection, in all its purity.[4]"

One glorious day as he went out of the palace to the pleasure park to see the world outside, he came in direct contact with the stark realities of life. Within the narrow confines of the palace he saw only the rosy side of life, but the dark side, the common lot of mankind, was purposely veiled from him. What was mentally conceived, he, for the first time, vividly saw in reality.

Realizing the worthlessness of sensual pleasures, so highly prized by the worldling, and appreciating the value of renunciation in which the wise seek delight, he decided to leave the materialistic world in search of Truth and Eternal Peace.

When this final decision was taken after much deliberation, the news of the birth of a son was conveyed to him while he was about to leave the park. Contrary to expectations, he was not overjoyed, but regarded his first and only offspring as an impediment.

The palace was no longer a congenial place to the contemplative Prince Siddhattha. Neither his charming young wife nor his lovable infant son could deter him from altering the decision he had taken to renounce the world. He was destined to play an infinitely more important and beneficial role than a dutiful husband and father or even as a king of kings. The allurements of the palace were no more cherished objects of delight to him. Time was ripe to depart.

Great was his compassion for the two dear ones at this parting moment. Greater was his compassion for suffering humanity. He was not worried about the future worldly happiness and comfort of the mother and child as they had everything in abundance and were well protected. It was not that he loved them the less, but he loved humanity more.

Leaving all behind, he stole away with a light heart from the palace at midnight, and rode into the dark, attended only by his loyal charioteer. Alone and penniless he set out in search of Truth and Peace. Thus did he renounce the world. It was not the renunciation of an old man who has had his fill of worldly life.

It was not the renunciation of a poor man who had nothing to leave behind. It was the renunciation of a prince in the full bloom of youth and in the plenitude of wealth and prosperity -- a renunciation unparalleled in history. It was in his twenty-ninth year that Prince Siddhattha made this historic journey.

He journeyed far and, crossing the river Anomā, rested on its banks. Here he shaved his hair and beard and handing over his garments and ornaments to Channa (charioteer) with instructions to return to the palace, assumed the simple yellow garb of an ascetic and led a life of voluntary poverty.

The ascetic Siddhattha, who once lived in the lap of luxury, now became a penniless wanderer, living on what little the charitably-minded gave of their own accord.
He had no permanent abode. A shady tree or a lonely cave sheltered him by day or night. Bare-footed and bare-headed, he walked in the scorching sun and in the piercing cold. With no possessions to call his own, but a bowl to collect his food and robes just sufficient to cover the body, he concentrated all his energies on the quest of Truth.

Search for truth
Having left behind his home and family, the Bodhisatta or "seeker of enlightenment" (as he is now called) headed south for Magadha (present-day Bihar), in whose environs small groups of seekers were quietly pursuing their quest for spiritual illumination, usually under the guidance of a guru. At the time northern India could boast of a number of accomplished masters famous for their philosophical systems and achievements in meditation. Prince Siddhattha sought out two of the most eminent, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. From them he learned systems of meditation which, from the descriptions in the texts, seem to have been forerunners of Raja Yoga. The Bodhisatta mastered their teachings and systems of meditation, but though he reached exalted levels of concentration (samadhi), he found these teachings insufficient, for they did not lead to the goal he was seeking: perfect enlightenment and the realization of Nibbana, release from the sufferings of sentient existence.

Change of method (the path of asceticism)
Having left his teachers, the Bodhisatta adopted a different path, one that was popular in ancient India and still has followers today: the path of asceticism, of self-mortification, pursued in the conviction that liberation is to be won by afflicting the body with pain beyond its normal levels of endurance. For six years the Bodhisatta followed this method with unyielding determination. He fasted for days on end until his body looked like a skeleton cloaked in skin; he exposed himself to the heat of the midday sun and the cold of the night; he subjected his flesh to such torments that he came almost to the door of death. Yet he found that despite his persistence and sincerity these austerities were futile. Later he would say that he took the path of self-mortification further than all other ascetics, yet it led, not to higher wisdom and enlightenment, but only to physical weakness and the deterioration of his mental faculties.

The Middle Path
The ascetic Gotama was now fully convinced from personal experience of the utter futility of self-mortification which, though considered indispensable for Deliverance by the ascetic philosophers of the day, actually weakened one's intellect, and resulted in lassitude of spirit. He abandoned for ever this painful extreme as did he the other extreme of self-indulgence which tends to retard moral progress. He conceived the idea of adopting the Golden Mean which later became one of the salient features of his teaching, one which balanced proper care of the body with sustained contemplation and deep investigation. He would later call this path "the middle way" because it avoids the extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. He had experienced both extremes, the former as a prince and the latter as an ascetic, and he knew they were ultimately dead ends.

To follow the middle way, however, he realized he would first have to regain his strength. Thus he gave up his practice of austerities and resumed taking nutritious food. At the time five other ascetics had been living in attendance on the Bodhisatta, hoping that when he attained enlightenment he would serve as their guide. But when they saw him partake of substantial meals, they became disgusted with him and left him, thinking the princely ascetic had given up his exertion and reverted to a life of luxury.

The Buddhahood
Now he was alone, and complete solitude allowed him to pursue his quest undisturbed. One day (now we call Vesak full moon poya day), when his physical strength had returned, he approached a lovely spot in Uruvela by the bank of the Nerañjara River. Here he prepared a seat of straw beneath an asvattha tree (later called the Bodhi Tree) and sat down cross-legged, making a firm resolution that he would never rise up from that seat until he had won his goal. As night descended he entered into deeper and deeper stages of meditation until his mind was perfectly calm and composed. Then, the records tell us, in the first watch of the night he directed his concentrated mind to the recollection of his previous lives. Gradually there unfolded before his inner vision his experiences in many past births, even during many cosmic aeons; in the middle watch of the night he developed the "great insight eye" by which he could see beings passing away and taking rebirth in accordance with their karma, their deeds; and in the last watch of the night he penetrated the deepest truths of existence, the most basic laws of reality, and thereby removed from his mind the subtlest veils of ignorance. When dawn broke, the figure sitting beneath the tree was no longer a Bodhisatta, a seeker of enlightenment, but a Buddha, a Perfectly Enlightened One, one who had attained the Deathless in this very life itself.
For several weeks the newly awakened Buddha remained in the vicinity of the Bodhi Tree contemplating from different angles the Dhamma, the truth he had discovered. Then he came to a new crossroad in his spiritual career: Was he to teach, to try to share his realization with others, or should he instead remain quietly in the forest, enjoying the bliss of liberation alone?

Teaching the Dhamma
At first his mind inclined to keeping quiet; for he thought the truth he had realized was just too deep for others to understand, too difficult to express in words, and he was concerned he would just weary himself trying to convey his realization to others.

The Buddha then gazed out upon the world with his profound vision. He saw that people are like lotuses in a pond at different stages of growth, and he understood that just as some lotuses close to the surface of the water need only the sun's rays to rise above the surface and fully blossom, so there are some people who need only to hear the noble teaching to win enlightenment and gain perfect liberation of mind. When he saw this his heart was stirred by deep compassion, and he decided to go back into the world and to teach the Dhamma to those who were ready to listen.
The first ones he approached were his former companions, the five ascetics who had deserted him a few months earlier and were now dwelling in a deer park at Sarnath near Benares. He explained to them the truths he had discovered, and on hearing his discourse they gained insight into the Dhamma, becoming his first disciples. In the months ahead his following grew by leaps and bounds as both householders and ascetics heard the liberating message, gave up their former creeds, and declared themselves disciples of the Enlightened One.

Each year, even into his old age, he would wander among the villages, towns, and cities of the Ganges plain, teaching all who would lend an ear; he would rest only for the three months of the rainy season, and then resume his wanderings, which took him from present Delhi even as far east as Bengal. He established a Sangha, an order of monks and nuns, for which he laid down an intricate body of rules and regulations; this order still remains alive today, perhaps (along with the Jain order) the world's oldest continuous institution. He also attracted many lay followers who became devoted supporters of the Master and his Sangha.

The parnibbana (passing away)
After an active ministry of forty-five years, at the ripe age of eighty, the Buddha headed for the northern town of Kusinara. There, surrounded by many disciples, he passed away into the "Nibbana element with no remainder of conditioned existence," severing forever his bondage to the round of rebirths.

He was born as a human being and learnt and experienced the reality of every being. He had a long struggle to find a way out of suffering of beings and finally find the cause of it and the solution with his own wisdom. It was simply the compassion towards the human being that led the Buddha to preach his unique finding (dhamma). Even after 2550 years, people who follow his teaching pay their gratitude to the great master.

References:
- The Buddha and His Teachings by Venerable Narada Mahathera
- Buddhism in a Nutshell by Narada Mahathera
- The Buddha and His Dhamma by Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Life of the Buddha in pictures

[1] A pillar, erected at this sacred spot by King Asoka, still stands to this day to commemorate the event.
[2] The site of Kapilavatthu has been identified with Bhuila (Bhulya) in the Basti district, three miles from the Bengal and N. W. Railway station of Babuan.
[3] Gotama is the family name, and Sākya is the name of the race to which the Buddha belonged.
[4] Majjhima Nikāya, Part 1, Mahā Saccaka Sutta, No. 36

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Defence.lk defeat Tamilnet in popularity

12 May 2008

The winning or loosing of a war is not solely determined by the gun power of the battlefield. It is moral support for person behind those weapons that matters most. It is not only those individuals in the battlefield, but the will power and aspiration of the whole nation that build up the necessary momentum to defeat the enemy. When Mahinda Rajapaksa government was elected by the common people of the country, the arm forces of the Sri Lankan government had been fighting against LTTE terrorism for over two decades. It is the same security forces that has fully cleared and restored democracy in entire Eastern province and they are now tirelessly marching towards the den of terrorist leader Prabakaran in all fronts.

It is military and more importantly political leadership that has made the difference. For the first time, the government set clear vision in importance of defeating terrorism by all means. Importantly, the government never let down the security forces. There were neither political bribing for Ealam policies nor give into military pressure in the form of bomb blasting targeting civilians and politicians. The civilians showed the same determination and their only request after each and every massacre by LTTE is to crush terrorism at the earliest possible time. Therefore, the soldiers in the battlefield have the confidence that their effort is not going to be jeopardized or undermined by the politicians in Colombo.

Media plays crucial role in all aspects of the war. It plays a essential role not only in getting the support and collaboration of the common people, but winning the support of the international community as well. When this government came to power, it was only Tamilnet that has been dominated in spreading war related news in the net. Most of the leading world media networks were referring to the news published by Tamilnet because government did not have an effective mechanism broadcast the truth. On the other hand, despite the brutality of acts of LTTE terrorists, Tamilnet site had managed to create a professional impression in presenting their version of news thereby whitewashing all the blood in tiger’s hand.

The government’s reply to Tamilnet was the introduction of new Defence.lk site. While Tamilnet has been operated for decades, Defence.lk has only about two years of life in the web. Defence.lk site started in the flavor of just another boring government web site. But quickly it learned and adapted to become the leading news provider in the fight against LTTE exposing true nature of LTTE terrorists.When troops are nearing the LTTE tiger den in Kilinocchi, the Defence.lk site has now silently overtaken the popularity over the Tamilnet site. Alexa web ranking is the most popular public web ranking system in the net. It remotely collects web usage data from the Internet users to analyse the daily traffic of the poular web sites. According to Alexa web ranking, now Defence.lk has crossed the popularity and user reach over Tamilnet.

It is only a small percentage of Sri Lankans that have access to internet. Therefore, this clearly indicates that now international community trust defence.lk site for security related news in Sri Lanka. LTTE can no longer target civilians in mass murdering and fool the international community by spreading wrong information using their news network. This victory in media campaigning is as important as capturing Thoppigala and Madu. So all the people who support the fight against terrorism should celebrate this victory and commend the media front of the defense ministry.

Ref:
http://www.alexa.com

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The result of the election: the victory for democracy and defeat for separatist terrorism

11 May 2008

The long march of democracy in Eastern province started with the liberation of Mavillaru sluice gate from LTTE and restoring the supply of water for the innocent farmers in the area. It was a time when LTTE artillery were even targeting Tricomalee town and strategic Navy camp as a result of shameful CFA signed by UNP leader Ranil Wickramasingha and Prabakaran. The monks of JHU timely influenced the government to take speedy action at a time when new UPFA government seemed to be trapped with the CFA signed by previous UNP leadership. The success of Mavillaru operation not only prevented another attempt of LTTE to chase away Sinhala and Muslim farming community from Eastern province, but also mark the beginning or new democratic era in Eastern province.

Demilitarization
It was clear military and political leadership that resulted in those limited military operations to continue until whole Eastern province is liberated and LTTE terrorists are chased away. The breakaway Karuna fraction of LTTE played a substantial role in defeating LTTE in key urban areas including Vakarae in Batticaloa District. The Karuna fraction went into extend that they even operated suicide attacks against Wanni LTTE carders.

Development
The government correctly identified that peace without progress can sink people’s hopes fast. The province was in urgent need of improving the infrastructure facilities and supportive services, which are prerequisites for accelerated development. Recognizing this imperative, the GOSL set up a comprehensive three year development plan as part of the Eastern Revival, a programmed to improve the infrastructure facilities and uplift the living conditions of the people in the East. It is again evident that various ‘rights’ organizations backed by INGO’s are no longer interested in developing the Eastern province and it is GOSL and its ministries that are playing a key role in development activities of the East.

Democratization
By conducting the provincial council elections, the government has completed its endvour of liberating Eastern province. Democratization started with conducting elections for local government bodies in Batticaloa district. While JHU initiated the military offensive against LTTE in Eastern province, JVP played leading role in establishing logistical ground for separate Eastern province.

The liberation of Eastern province got the political flavor when UNP leader Ranil Wickramasingha stated that liberation of Thoppigala is mere capturing a forest. UNP’s attitude towards the military operation against LTTE was further evident when UNP media spokesman Laksman Kiriella, in their weekly media briefing, mentioned that “Any bull can wage a war”. It was clearly an insult to brave soldiers who have risk their own lives to preserve independence of motherland and liberation of people from LTTE fascist terrorists.

When the government called for the elections in the Eastern province, UNP was more interested in finding reasons to evade the election than genuine interest in contesting. UNP’s stand was pretty much in line with the stand of LTTE that strongly opposed in establishing separate provincial council for Eastern province. However, UNP could not find a genuine reason to stay away from the election and therefore UNP formed a coalition with Hakeem fraction of SLMC. Ironically, it is only Ranil Wicramasingha and Rauf Hakkem that has signed accords with LTTE leader Prabakaran and both of them are still in the same political trail even after LTTE is defeated and chased away from the Eastern province. When Tamil political parties like TMVP openly canvassed for separate Eastern identity, UNP is still advocating merger of North and Eastern provinces (basis of Ealam).

UNP’s main political theme in the election campaign was demilitarizing of Pilliyan fraction. Pilliyan group has been playing strategic role in defeating LTTE in the eastern province and defending the area from infiltration of LTTE carders from Wanni jungle. This has greatly eased burden from the government security forces in the East thereby allowing them to focus in operations in the Wanni jungle in the North. As usual, UNP became the voice of Wanni tigers and Ranil Wickramasingha played the role of political psyloc demanding full disarmament of anti LTTE Pilliyan fraction in their transition period when government is still engaged in full scaled war against LTTE terrorists. Although LTTE’s proxy party TNA indirectly campaigned for UNP, the result clearly shows that LTTE’s political stand is no longer imperative among Tamils in the Eastern province.

The challenge of new East
The people of Eastern province have sealed the military victory against separatist terrorism by winning the UPFA in the election. The UPFA list consisted right mix of candidates from Tamil, Sinhala and Muslim communities and the people of the Eastern province has exhibited that they have high hope in democracy. Now it is the responsibility for the elected representatives in the Eastern provincial council to take up most of the political responsibilities in developing their home land and live in peace and harmony.

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