Beyond Frame

English is more than a language in Sri Lanka. It is used as a weapon to attack the enemy. It is a decoration some one can wear. It is a way to show power; like stars and stripes in a general’s uniform. It could be a symbol to represent imperialism, neocolonialism and a proof of belonging to the oppressor class.

On the other hand it also could be a key to a new world of opportunities including jobs and business and a handy tool to learn.

Because of the multifaceted nature of the English language (in the Sri Lankan context) it confuses a logical mind that works on simple logic. School being a place where simple logic is operated confusion could be severe.

This background was given because the story I am going to tell relates to English and a leading school, where English medium classes are conducted.

Once there was an assembly (unusual one at an odd time) where students suddenly were called to attend. All the students came out of their classes except the sixth grade of the English medium. When the head master came to know about it, he was furious. He not only sent a message to the class but went to receive them personally on their way to the assembly, with a hatred mind and an energized hand.

Students who came in a row were assaulted one by one by the Head master querying why they could not come in time and whether that has to do anything with the swollen heads they carry since they got enrolled with the English medium class.

Students did not know why they were assaulted, what link it had with their being in the English medium class and why their heads appear bigger to the Head Master.

Many had been looking at English with their past experiences in mind. It is high time to look at English as a mere language, with the future in mind. It is with this intention this story is given publicity.

Place is a leading girls school; a crime normally committed by parents was disclosed by the teacher to the students.

“You are born because your father and mother had misbehaved; you know…. they had sex; which is very …..bad; they should be ashamed of producing you by such an act” said the teacher.

Students looked at each other. They could not believe that their beloved parents had committed a crime out of which they were born.

One such child came home and had even asked this from the mother. Conversation that took place is given below.

“Mother, is it bad to have sex?”

“Who told you?”

“My teacher”

“Yes, darling, what she had told you is right. It is not good”.

“You have had sex with my father?”

“What!”, “Tell me. What happened at school? What did your teacher tell you”.

So the full story was related.

This encounter is true (not fabricated for the blog); told by the mother of the student; my own sister. The teacher is still teaching at the same school. No parent took this issue further. They only have probed and found that the particular teacher is still a bachelor.

If you happened to be the mother in the story, what would have happened?

Do we really have to talk about sex in open or hide it from our children so that they could get misguided by all these odd characters that appear as teachers?  Is there a case for better sex education?

Everyone talks about it; but for different reasons.

For some it is taken as an encounter that shows how desperate LTTE is, in the face of defeat. For others it shows how strong LTTE is even after successive military defeats.

For some it only shows that the LTTE is ruthless. For others it only shows that the LTTE is capable.

For some it is the reason for an all out military strategy, without an interval. For others it is a reason to bring a political solution to the war.

In short, what ever happens, it becomes another reason to clinch in to the beliefs we hold.

Air raids come and go. Military defeats and successes will be reported. Whatever the outcome minds won’t change.

People make judgments out of gut feeling using all the prejudices they carry. They only rationalize their judgments, later using logic.  

This air raid only proves this “dharma”.

If any one wants to free from the prison of “gut feeling” he has to detach from conflict (be an outsider). However it is too much to ask from the average Sri Lankans, who are so attached, despite the teachings of Buddha, they claim they follow.

This happened in a leading school in Colombo. A student was caught red handed for having “kudu” (drugs) in his custody. He was carrying kudu to be distributed inside the school. He had hidden it inside the folded sleeves of his shirt (sleeves of the long sleeve shirt folded as it has been the practice among the school going children).

Once this was revealed the active brains of the disciplinary committee had an emergency session and decided that in future students would not be allowed to wear long sleeves shirts. One week notice was to be given for the change.

This decision required parents to incur additional cost, which was to be borne in the name of safety of children. At the face value of it, it is not a very bad idea; keeping children out of a danger.

This was implemented and now the students don’t wear long sleeve shirts anymore.

But the problem is those decision makers never thought there are other ways this could be brought in to the school; those for me seems to be safer than having kudu in the sleeve. One is bringing it inside the underwear. Next time when a student hides kudu inside the underwear the school has to prohibit children wearing under-wears as well.

Some body might say if it helps students to be protected from such a menace it might not be a bad idea too. Somebody even might accuse me for suggesting ideas for students (this accusation, I would not accept, because to my knowledge the young are more innovative than me). I like to see if you have any other bright ideas to be given to the disciplinary committee. Have your say.

Making the first impression is important in a beginning of an encounter. Making a lasting impression is important especially at the end of an encounter.

Katunayake Airport is the place for both, especially with respect to the visitors who dares to visit the “Is-land like no other”.

I was at this Airport few weeks back on a short trip to Australia. Emmigration counter is the last transaction for a person leaving the country. I was waiting in one of the queues leading to such a counter to get the official seal on my departure.

There were five queues as there were five counters manned with officers. The queues were long and wait was also long. Suddenly one officer stood up and left the counter without no instructions to the people in the queue. After few minutes officer in one of the adjoining counters looked at the queue (that is now stranded) with a question in his face as to why the people in the queue do not move in to other queues. After realizing it will not happen voluntarily (to his suprise!) he asked the people in the queue to join other queues; both using body language and few words.

People in the (now stranded) queue were puzzled. Now they have to join at the extreme end of the other queue and start for the long wait again. I saw the frustration, disappointment and the simple rage on their faces.

I was at one of the counters when this happened. In fact officer attended to my passport was responsible for redirecting people. So I thought I should share my thoughts with the person.

I told him this kind of confusion could be avoided and people could be farely treated if you could have one single queue (in zig zag fashion) and the people in the single queue directed to the next available officer. If you arrange the queue in that fassion you can just leave the counter without frustrating the people and without asking them to go from one queue to the other.

The man who served me look at me from my head to the toe, with a question in his face (who the hell you are to intervene in to internal affairs of my office).

I told him most of the airports world around and even some of the banks in Sri Lanka adopt this zig zag single queue, for which another officer who happened to visit the counter agreed. I thought I have made my point and said thank you and left.

I returned to the country only to see the same fate at the Immigration counter on my way back home. Things have not changed.

I phoned a person known to me at Department of Immigration and Emmigration (at a top level) and he said it will be done soon, but did not say how soon (a step that does not require any expensive resource).

Have things changed at the airport or are we still making a very poor first impression and very gloomy lasting impression for those who visit us? I don’t know. Can somebody recently been at the Airport educate us on that?

This is our Airport (gateway to the world) in the ”Is-land Like No Other”.

 All were there; educationists, patriots, historians, religious leaders, police officers and even representatives of the cultural ministry.

 Debate was hot.

 One said that it is not good to expose growing up children to the nude Sigiriya frescos. The other said not only children but also adults should be restricted; they were of the view that one could get ideas after looking at those which might lead to raping of women and hence the large majority should be kept out of the pictures.

Another said that these nude pictures which you cannot find anywhere else in Sri Lanka, is a conspiracy of the imperialists, who wanted to defeat us, by polluting our minds. He further said that they have some how other influenced Kashyapa so that the total nation having exposed to these dangerous pictures could be subjugated later. He said conspiracy to defeat us as a nation was present even in the past as evident by these pictures and he was quick to brand Kashyapa as a traitor.

Education ministry was criticized for putting these pictures in text books and one said that there again probability of a conspiracy cannot be ruled out.

One suggested giving clothes to cover the bare breasts in way of painting. Others insisted that a cultural police should be set up at Sigiriya and only researchers, if at all, should be allowed to see them in future with proper permission obtained from the Ministry. Some even suggested to apply tar as was done in the past once.

It was revealed that if we can prevent people watching pron, stop them drinking alcohol and getting them to become vegetarians, not only they can be healthy but also peaceful and disciplined. So doing some thing at Sigiriya seems to be the obvious choice. The discussion continued while the writer of the post had fallen sleep and hence could not cover the rest of the proceedings.

Any one who was with the crowd that day are free to give us the balance coverage. 

Ruvini, aged 9 years, attends a Buddhist Sunday School. The teacher one day asked the students who eat meat to raise their hand. Ruvini and few others raised their hands.

There followed a lecture of the consequences of eating meat and killing animals for meat.

After another week the students were again asked the same question (show hands those who still eat meat?). Only Ruvini’s hand went up. Then came the barrage of criticisms out of the teacher’s mouth that Ruvini could not stand. The crying girl was asked not to come to the class if she wishes to continue eating meat.

In the interval, Sachini asked Ruvini, why she raised her hand.

Ruvini, looked at Sachini, and told her she did it because she did eat meat even last night.

I ate too, Sachini said; But, I could guess what would happen to me if I raised my hands and therefore I didn’t. You should have thought twice before raising your hand. It is stupid to expose yourself like that. I am sure there could be many more eating meat in the class.

Who was right here? Ruvini, Sachini or the teacher?

Think beyond the frame and post your answer.

Once upon a time a “Katussa” (a lizard) living in the jungle was “humiliated” and “man-handled” by the King of the Jungle; an Elephant.

“Katussa” determined to take revenge went inside the trunk of the Elephant, the King, which made the King sick and furious. After a fierce battle and persuaded by “Veda Ralahami” (the Doctor in the jungle) he came out of the trunk victoriously. Just reminding the name made the King run for life, there after.

It is all in the children’s story written by my Guru, Kumarathunga Munidasa; “Heen Seraya”.

It reminds of my early childhood; where we learnt about life, through stories.

When I recall the story, I can only think of the ability of a true “Master”. What an ability; what a story; what an illumination.

But the nation did not have one tenth of that wisdom.

It is time to read the “Guru” again, by the whole nation. It is a real “Kiyavana Nuwana” if it is read with the intention to learn.

I was listening to a discussion on TV. A Sri Lankan, working in Saudi calling the discussion panel commented that Sri Lanka is a country where everything is imported from other countries; not even a simple bicycle is made here, he lamented. The panel members also took the comment as an important intervention and started harping about Sri Lanka not being able to produce what is required by its people.

The next day I had the chance to listen to the Secretary General of the ASEAN over a video conference, where he said the success of the ASEAN countries was due to their export orientation. Elaborating his point he said, unlike producing for a local market, producing for a foreign market is challenging. The quality, cost and timing are important and in the process of meeting these demands, the industries learn to become more productive and efficient.

So while we are lamenting on not being able to produce for the local market the others are seeing producing for the export market as the key for economic take-off.

How come such a drastic difference exists; how could that be explained, especially when the Sri Lankan making the comment is also a person who has been exposed to the world (at least part of it), working in Middle East and the panel that was present that day consisted of well known personalities that influence the thinking of people.

If producing goods for the local market as the solution was said 30 years back that would have been considered an acceptable contribution. 1977 change opened the gates. It removed all protection to local industries. Not only Sri Lanka, except few countries, others too have converted, including those who were in the socialist block.

It may be true that we opened the economy too quickly, in 1977, without allowing the local industries to adjust. As a result many players that could have been developed in to international businessmen would have wiped out totally from the market. But that is something dead and gone. We cannot reverse the history. We cannot resurrect those dead industries.

Though a sensible person would agree that we opened too quickly (it would have been phased out he would say) very few would say opening itself is bad; any one saying that today, must be out of his/her mind. Other than in verandah discussions where ignorant present, no serious person would talk of having a closed economy today; only Burma and few other countries see any appeal in such.

We all know that there are few industries that are doing well in spite of the open economy (should I say as a result of the open economy). They produce goods that are very much demanded elsewhere in the world. Our clothes are found in all major cities and all major super markets. We produce furniture that is demanded very much in India. We produce activated carbon that is very popular and Sri Lanka is the number one supplier in the whole world. There are software companies that have produced software for large corporations working across shores. Even there is a local car manufacturer who is exporting for the Indian market and is already thinking of expanding to other regions of the world.

Why can’t people see these developments? Are they blind or do they see only what they want to see?

I have not heard a single European complaining about not producing their clothes within their national boundaries other than who lost their jobs as a result of companies moving to Asia for cloth manufacturing. Most of those who lost their jobs also have stopped complaining since they are gainfully employed in other sectors by now.

Singapore which does not produce a single grain has not complained that they have not been able to produce their staple food within their boundaries. They enjoy a per capita income of USD 30,000 currently and are free to import what ever they want, unlike us who produces 90% of our staple food, earning less than 1/10 of that.

It is pity that people still live in the past even after seeing the world passing them.

Who is responsible for ignorance of our people?

Is it the politicians who keep on chanting the same old slogans with patriotic flavor or is it the education system that has been blind to what is happening else where in the world? Is it the media that provide what people want to hear or is it the people who are preoccupied with history refusing to see the world? Is it because knowledge available to the elite (through video conferencing and in English) is not available to the majority (through normal media and in Sinhala) or is it because there is counter knowledge available that make people to think otherwise?

Loving the country is a good thing. But it should not be used to cover one’s ignorance. People who love the country should look at the world carefully; not with the intention of seeing what they want to see but to see the world as it is. The problem is that the self-proclaimed patriots are very much blind; they also refuse to look. They keep on chanting the slogan; long live ‘patriotism’; without knowing that it is the ‘last refuge of a scoundrel’!

At this rate it seems that we are going to wait until the last country on earth to pass us to see the reality.

කොස් ගස අපූරු ගසකි. එහි ඵල ඊටත් වඩා අපූරු ය. රසවත් කුස පිරෙන අහරක් ලබා දෙන එය රැුක ගැනීමට ඇති නීති ඒ සියල්ලටමත් වඩා අපූරු ය.

කොළඹ පර්චස් 6 ක ඉඩම් කැබැල්ලක් තුළ ඇති කොස් ගහක් ගෙයක් ඉදිකිරීම පිණිස කපා බිඳ හෙලන්නට සිදු ව ඇති විටෙක හා එම හෙලූ කඳන් ඉරා ගැනීමට සිදු වූ විටෙක මේ නීති රීති වලට යටත්ව එය කර ගැනීමේ ක‍්‍රියාවලිය දිගු ය. අතිශයින් වෙහෙසකර ය. රැුකියාවක නියුතු කෙනෙකුට නම් එය නොකළ හැකි කාර්යයක් විය හැකි ය.

සමහරු මේ දුක අමාරුවෙන් වුව විඳිති. සමහරු පස්සා දොරින් ගොස් කෙටි මාවතක් ලඟා කර ගැනීමට අමතර මුදලක් ගෙවති. තවත් අය නීතියට එහෙම පිටින්ම පටහැනිව එය කරගැනීමට උදව්වන කෙනෙකුට (කපා බිඳ හෙලා ඉරා ගෙන ඒමේ* අවදානමේ කුලිය ගෙවා එය කරගනිති.

මේ නීති රීති අවශ්‍යව ඇත්තේ ඇයි කොස් ගස් බේරාගැනීමට ය. කොස් ගස් බේරාගැනීමට නීතියට හැකි ද? කොස් ගස් බේරා ගැනීම සඳහා වෙනයම් මාර්ගයක් නැති ද?

අප කොස් මදුලූ 15 ක බෑගයක් ගන්නේ රුපියල් විස්සකට ය. ලොකු කොස් ගෙඩියකින් එවැනි බෑග් 10 ක් සෑදිය හැකි ය. කොස් ගෙඩියක මදුලූ ගැලවූ පසු වටිනාකම ඒ අනුව රුපියල් දෙසීයකි. කොස් ඵලදාව ඇති ගහක මාසික ආදායම ඒ අනුව ගණනය කර ගත හැකි ය.

මෙසේ කිසියම් වටිනාකමක් ගහකට ලැබෙන විට, එය තවමත් සංවර්ධනය කර නැති ඉඩමක පිහිටා ඇත්නම්, ගහ රැුකගැනීම ඉබේටම පාහේ සිදු වෙයි.

නීති අවශ්‍ය වන්නේ කොස් ගෙඩිවලට එවන් වටිනාකමක් නොමැති පරිසරයක ය.

වටිනාකමක් නැති කොස් රැුකිය යුත්තේ ඇයි?

අතීතයේදී ඵල දරණ කොස් ගහක් වැවීමට සෑහෙන කාලයක් ගත වූවා විය හැකිය. එහෙත් දැන් බඞ් කොස් 18 මාසයෙන් ඵල දරයි. කරුණු එසේ තිබියදී කොස් ගසක් මිනිහෙකුට දැරිය නොහැකි බරක් කළ යුත්තේ මන් ද?

වෙළඳ පොළේ වටිනාකම විසින් කොස් ගසේ අනාගතය තීරණය කරන්නට ඉඩ නොදී නීතිය මගින් රැුකිය යුතු තරමට එය දුර්ලභ ගසක් වී ඇති ද?

මෙම නීති තිබෙන්නේ පැරණි සම්ප‍්‍රදායට, දේශීයත්වයට සහ හෙළ හැදියාවට රට කරවන්නන්ගේ කැක්කුම අපට පෙන්වන්න ද? නැතිනම් සැබෑවටම කොස් ගස් රකින්නට ද?

කොස් ගස් තරමටම නැතත් රකින දේ තවත් අපට තිබේ. ඒ කුඹුරු හා පොල් ඉඩම් ය. ආර්ථික වටිනාකම් මත මේවායේ අනාගතය තීරණය වීමට ඉඩ නොතබා රජය මේ සඳහා මැදිහත්වීමෙන් රටට හා විවිධ සමාජ කණ්ඩායම් වලට අත් විඳින්නට වන විපාක හා ප‍්‍රයෝජන මෙසේ ගෙන හැර දැක්විය හැකි ය.

1-        බලය නැති, අතමිට මුදල් නැති කෙනෙකුට තම දේපල වෙළඳපොළ වටිනාකමට විකිණිය නොහැකි වීම

2-        ආර්ථික වශයෙන් වඩා ලාභදායක දෙයක ආයෝජන සඳහා ඉඩම භාවිතා කළ නොහැකි වීම

3-        බලය ඇති අයට මේවා කුණු කොල්ලයට මිලට ගැනීමටත් එසේ කොට සිය බලය යොදා ඒවා තමන් රිසි පරිදි (පොල් කොස් ගස් කපා කුඹුරු ගොඩ කොට) “සංවර්ධනය” කර විශාල මුදලක් ලබා ගැනීමටත් හැකි වීම

4-        වී පොල් හා කොස් යන දේශීය දේ ආරක්ෂා කරන බවට, ඒ වෙනුවෙන් සෑම දෙයක්ම කරන බවට, ජනතාවට ඒත්තු ගන්වමින් විශාල ජනප‍්‍රියතාවයක් ලබා ගැනීමට දේශපාලනඥයින්ට හා රට කරවන්නට හැකිවීම

5-        කොස් පොල් බත් රැුකීමෙන් දේශීය අනන්‍යතාවය රැුකෙන බවට පාන් කමින් නගරයේ ජීවත්වන ගම ෆැන්ටසිගත කරගෙන සිටින අපට ආශ්වාදයක් (මෝඩ චූන් එකක්) ලබා ගැනීමට හැකිවීම

6-        තවමත් අතීතයේ ජීවත්වන ශ‍්‍රීලාංකික කොදෙව්ව පසු කර යෑමට ලෝකයේ තවත් රටවල් ගණනාවකට අවස්ථාව ලැබීම

7-        මේ සියල්ල සිදුවෙද්දී කොස් හා පොල් ගස් තවදුරටත් පෙර සේම කැපීම හා කුඹුරු ගොඩවීම

කොස් පොල් හා බත් රැුකීම සඳහා කළ හැකි වෙනත් බොහෝ දේ තිබේ. ඒවා (හාල් වලින් පාන් හැදීම පොල් ගසේ ඉවත යන දෙයින් ඇක්ටිවේට් කාබන් සෑදීම යනාදී) දැනටමත් වෙළඳ පොළ ආර්ථිකය විසින් කරමින් තිබේ.

ඒ සඳහා නීතිය යොදා ගැනීම, සමාන කළ හැක්කේ එවැනි කිසිදු නිර්මාණාත්මක කාර්යයක් කළ නොහැකි බැරිවුන් පිරිසක් විසින් හුදී ජන ප‍්‍රසාදය සඳහා රඟ දක්වනු ලබන බාල වර්ගයේ විගඩමකට පමණකි. කොස් පිළිබඳව පමණක් නොව කථා කළ නොකළ අන් දේ පිළිබඳව ද කොස්ස ඇත්තේ එතැන ය.