Friday, December 18, 2009

The High Commission of India, Colombo and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations announce the offer of forty (40) scholarships ...!!!

Undergraduate scholarships for studying in India

The High Commission of India, Colombo and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations announce the offer of forty (40) scholarships for Sri Lankan Nationals under the "Scheme of Scholarship for Nationals of Sri Lanka" for undergraduate courses in various Indian universities, for academic sessions commencing during 2010.

The selection of meritorious young Sri Lankan nationals for these scholarships will be done by the High Commission of India, in consultation with the Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Higher Education has invited applications from eligible candidates and the last date for submission of duly filled up application forms is 04th January, 2010

All scholarships cover full tuition fees for the entire duration of the course. Scholars are also paid a monthly sustenance allowance, accommodation allowance and an annual grant for books and stationary. In addition, they are provided full healthcare facilities, first class train fare and an annual grant for educational tours to various parts of the country, apart from several other auxiliary benefits.

Further details of the above scholarships and application forms can be down loaded from the Ministry of Higher Education website www.mohe.gov.lk or from the website of the High Commission of India at hcicolombo.org


www island.lk

You want to submit student visa applications to the visa application centre in Colombo ...!!!

Email address to apply for UK student visa appointments

From Monday 21 December 2009, customers who want to submit student visa applications to the visa application centre in Colombo are required to make a prior appointment, a press release from British High Commission said.

Those applicants they are requested to send their applications between 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday to: uksstudentcolombo@vfshelpline.com.

Any one who wants further information about making an appointment can reach through www.vfs-uklm.com.

Email appointments should be asked only if you hold a valid Visa acceptance letter.

The press release says, "when you request an appointment please supply your full name, passport number and contact number. In addition, the appointment must be made in the name of the applicant who will attend the visa application centre to submit the application. It is not possible for appointment details to be changed once made or for another person to attend the visa application centre. You must make one request for an appointment only. (multiple requests are likely to result in you not receiving an appointment).

"It is not possible to obtain an appointment by visiting or telephoning the visa application centre.

"You will receive a response to your request within 3 working days. You will be allocated the first available appointment.

"It is important that the student visa application form is completed fully and all documents are assembled before the applicant attends the visa application centre by appointment. Applicants will be permitted to enter the visa application centre only if they possess the completed visa application form, passport, the visa fee, other supporting documents and a copy of the appointment confirmation email from VFS.

These arrangements have been introduced to improve the visa service and reduce waiting times for all customers.


www island.lk

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Melting ice in West Antarctica could add tens of centimetres to rising sea levels over the next century...!!!

Antarctic melt to have big impact on rising sea

* Ice loss to contribute to a 1.4 m sea level rise by 2100:

* Ozone hole shielded most of Antarctic from global warming:

* 90 percent of glaciers along Peninsula have retreated:

Melting ice in West Antarctica could add tens of centimetres to rising sea levels over the next century, according to a report by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) recently.

Global sea levels are estimated to rise by a total of 1.4 metres (4 feet 7 inches) by 2100.

"We can see the West Antarctic glaciers are shrinking at a rate fast enough to contribute to a sea level rise of 1.4 m by 2100 but it will be no more than that," SCAR executive director Colin Summerhayes told reporters at a media briefing in London.

"We are ruling out some of the more extreme sea level rises (forecast) for the next 100 years. Those are unrealistic in light of all we know about ice shelves."

A U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in 2007 forecast a sea level rise of 18-59 cms (7-24 inches) by 2100 but did not take into account the possible increasing melt of Greenland and Antarctica.

A study last week forecast global sea levels to rise by up to 2 metres by 2100.

The 400-page SCAR report is based on evidence from 100 scientists from 13 countries and is the first comprehensive review of the impact of rapid global warming on Antarctica.

Published on the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty to safeguard Antarctica as a peaceful international space, the report comes six days before the start of a U.N. Summit in Copenhagen where world leaders hope to thrash out a new climate treaty.

A hole in the ozone layer has protected much of Antarctica from the effects of global warming, but 90 percent of glaciers along the Antarctic Peninsula have been lost, the report found.

Sea ice has actually increased by 11 percent around the Antarctic since 1980 due to stronger winds, changes in atmospheric circulation and the isolating effect of a hole in the ozone layer.

However, sea ice is declining around the Antarctic Peninsula as stronger winds bring warm, wet air into the region. Warmer water heats glaciers from underneath, causing them to break up.

By the late 21st Century, greenhouse gases are expected to double while the ozone hole should heal. The net effect will be strengthening winds and sea ice will decrease by a third.

"Over the next 100 years sea ice is going to decrease. Ice is increasing at the moment but it won't be like that when the ozone hole goes and we will lose 33 percent of sea ice," Summerhayes said.

One effect will be on the ocean's ecosystem. Krill, a food source for penguins, whales and fish, will likely halve.

Corals, algae and other species could become extinct as they fail to adapt to warmer sea temperatures and increased ocean acidity. Alien species could thrive and invaders, such as stone crabs from South America, could severely impact the ecosystem.

REUTERS

Thursday, November 26, 2009

GCE AL:126,000 candidates qualified for entrance to universities. The total nr of candidates who sat the exam was 199,000 & 63% qualified to entrance!

AL results out: 63 percent qualify for university

GCE Advanced Level Examination results released by the Department of Examinations yesterday showed 126,000 candidates had qualified for entrance to universities. The total number of candidates who sat the examination was 199,000 and 63 percent had qualified for university entrance.

The student who had scored the highest marks in the country, (the maths stream) at the examination was Nipuna Randunu Samarasekara of Ananda College, Colombo who had obtained 3.3439 Z score marks. Anton Cricus Jonniraj of Hartley College, Point Pedro was placed second with 3.2498 Z score marks and Binu Amaratunga of Nalanda College scored 3.2037 Z score marks to become the candidate scoring the third highest marks, the Commissioner General of Examinations said in an official statement yesterday. In the medicine stream the highest marks was scored by Maithili Sivapathasundaram of Saiva Mangeiyar Vidyalaya, Colombo 6, who had a Z score of 2.9388.

Madushi Maheshika Ranasinghe of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo with 2.9109 Z score marks was second and the third highest marks was scored by Madhusanka Perera of Nalanda College, Colombo with a Z score of 2.8496 marks, the official release said.

In the Arts stream the highest Z score marks was obtained by Namal Jayawardena of Rahula College, Matara with 2.5705. The second place went to Mihiri Hirudini of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Girls School, Colombo and the third highest marks was scored by Sampathmali Karunaratna of Pushpadana Balika Vidyalaya, Kandy.

In the Commerce stream the highest Z score was obtained by Malinda Ketipearachchi of Mahinda College, Galle, the second place went to M.M. Lanka Hansani of Sanghamitta Girls School,Galle with 2.7402 while the third highest marks was scored by G.K.Malsha Madushanika of the Nagarsiri Maha Vidyalaya, Hemmathagama, the release stated.

In the physical science and bio-science streams this year’s passes exceeded by 1,500 over the last year’s number, the release said.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top scorers
* Maths stream: Nipuna Randuna Samarasekera of Ananda College

* Medical stream: Maithili Sivapathasundaram of Saiva Mangeiyar Vidyalaya

* Arts stream: Namal Jayawardene of Rahula College

* Commerce Stream: Malinda Ketipearachchi of Mahinda College

dailynews.lk

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Role of National Institute of Social Development....!!!

Role of National Institute of Social Development:

A Centre of excellence
V. Jegarasasingam

The National Institute of Social Development (NISD) is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a degree awarding Institute, under Section 25 of the Universities Act No.16 of 1978. It functions under the purview of the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare. It is the premier institution in Social Work education in Sri Lanka producing professional social workers to serve the social welfare system and to promote social development. This Institute operates under the provisions of the National Institute of Social Development Act No.41 of 1992. In 2005, the Government declared the National Institute of Social Development as a degree awarding institute.

The Master's program in Social Work, commenced under the sponsorship of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), implemented by the Queen's University, Kingston, Canada in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare. In September 2008, the Queen's University of Kingston, Canada submitted a proposal to commence a PhD program in Social Work. Following several deliberations on this proposal, the Governing Council/NISD appointed a Planning Committee to develop a five year plan (inclusive of a PhD program) to enhance the quality of the human resources at the NISD.


Training program in progress at National Institute of Social Development. Courtesy: Google

The Vision and the Mission of NISD is to be a centre of excellence, nationally and globally in Social Work Education, Training and Research and to enhance human resources for social development through the preparation of competent manpower in social work at all levels, generate and disseminate new knowledge and technologies for social work practice, provide specialized services for social welfare and social development.

The Governing Council is the apex body and the Academic Affairs Board functions under the Council as an advisory body on all academic matters. The functions of the Institute are carried out by four integrated divisions namely; The Sri Lanka School of Social Work, The Training Division, The Social Policy Research and Publications Division and The Administration and Finance Division.

NISD is equipped with a large auditorium with all multimedia facilities. The library holds over 25,000 publications and it is at present the largest library in Sri Lanka on reading material related to social work.

The library provides membership to members of the faculty and students following the Diploma program in Social Work, the Bachelor's degree students and Master's Degree students. Both lending and reference facilities are available.

The Queen's University in Kingston, Canada has made available e-access to the resources available on the World Wide Web. The computer lounge has also licensed copies of quantitative and qualitative data analysis software, SPSS and NVivo. The NISD official website was launched in Colombo on March 20, 2009.

Mahapola Award Ceremony was held on June 11, 2009, 10 students of the BSW program and 14 students from the Diploma program received Mahapola Scholarship Award Certificate.

Training Division of NISD conducts programs on Short Training Program for Government Officers, Capacity Building Training Program (in collaboration with National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organization) and Diploma in Child Protection Program.

We have held a series of islandwide programs this year upto end of September and a similar number of programs are earmarked to be conducted in the remaining months of the year. The training programs cover a wide range of topics such as Counselling, Social Welfare, Institutional

Care, Community Based Potential Development, Project Writing, Conflict Management, Leadership and Communication Skills Development. These programs are conducted both in Sinhala and English.

The Social Policy Research and Publications Division has conducted several research projects successfully and at present it is engaged in a research project on Family Policy for Sri Lanka.

Much has been done by the National Institute of Social Development and the Institute is potentially strong to perform the services entrusted to it which will enhance the opportunities for the citizens of the country to be sustainable partners in the development of the country.

The writer is Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary and Chairperson, Council of the National Institute of Social Development.

DAILYNEWS.LK

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Overwhelming response to Jaffna Education Fair ...!!!

Overwhelming response to Jaffna Education Fair

The first ever large-scale education exhibition in the North will be held on September 15 and 16 at the Jaffna Central College.

In addition to local educational institutions several foreign companies have shown tremendous interest to take part in the Fair. "All space was taken up within days of its launch with many on waiting lists wanting to be a part of this prime event," said Assistant General Manager, of Pico Events, Emile Gunesekera.

This event will showcase a large number of exhibitors who will provide students of the North the opportunity to advance their studies by obtaining internationally recognized qualifications within the country and overseas.

The enthusiasm has been great among the participating institutions to take their services to Jaffna.

The Jaffna district has approximately 400 functional schools broken up into five zones with a student population in excess of 124,000. These students will be provided with advice and counselling on selecting relevant fields of study and career guidance.

They will also be provided with all relevant information to carry out further studies overseas. As students, they will be provided with the opportunity of choosing their avenues in studies.

sundayobserver.lk

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Music makes all beings healthier.....!!!

Music makes all beings healthier

The whole universe throbs with melody and every plant and animal reacts to it.

I tell all the pregnant women I know to listen to classical music because I know the baby inside will grow healthier and more intelligent listening to it. Even fish do. Professor Papoutsoglo of the Agricultural University of Athens and his team reared carp fish in constant darkness. They found that darkness stunted the fish’s growth, but when the carp were exposed to 30 minutes or more of Mozart’s "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik," they grew at more normal rates, improved their livers and had reduced stress. Ava Chase of the Rowland Institute at Harvard, has even shown that carp can tell the difference between baroque music and jazz, pressing a button with their snouts to indicate which they prefer.

All mammals sing. Humpback whales produce hauntingly beautiful songs, using the same musical concepts of human music - similar rhythms, phrase lengths, and song structure. They combine phrases lasting about 15 seconds into themes of about 2 minutes. Phrase endings correspond rhythmically, like rhymes in our lyrics. Several themes then go to make up a song of perhaps 12 minutes in length, which may be sung over and over.

Just as humans have different musical traditions, different groups of whales have different dialects, and one can influence the tastes of another. A whale pod will abandon its own tunes for the new sounds of another group. When a new whale comes to join a group it brings its own song, and instead of changing its song, the rest of the pod changes their song to the new whale’s song! Each year they change their song, but all the whales in one ocean sing the same new song, like the latest number one hit. New syllables appear constantly to replace old ones and the new syllables soon spread worldwide.

Whales sing in key mixing percussive and pure tones in the same ratio as Western symphonic music. They also follow the device of human songsters, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then elaborated on, and then returned to in modified form.

Jim Nollman,/founder of Interspecies Communication, Inc. cut a CD titled "Orca’s Greatest Hits" where he captures orca whale songs off Vancouver Island. In Mexico, he has played a flute while a tom turkey did a flamenco dance. In Death Valley, he has thumped drums with kangaroo rats. In eastern California, he accompanied the singing of a wolf pack on a Japanese bamboo flute. According to him, animals can be exacting critics. When he was working with wolves, if he got out of pitch, on any note of that scale, they stopped singing.

Researchers Timothy Holy and Zhongsheng Guo have discovered that mice emit high-frequency sounds that, when amplified, sound like bird songs. Even cockroaches sing like birds.

The Great Ape Trust in Iowa, is engaged in an ongoing project to explore the musical tastes and abilities of bonobos. In a music session the bonobos get a choice of instruments including the xylophone, tambourine, harmonica and maracas, but typically focus on one throughout the session and stay in tune with the human band. Researchers believe that the origins of musical instrumentation may be found in their behaviour in the wild, where they regularly drum on resonant objects, such as the buttresses of trees. Harvard psychologist Marc Hauser has found that tamarin and marmoset monkeys have the ability to discriminate between different types of music even recognizing different composers. Like whales, chimpanzees groups have distinct cultural practices of drumming and vocalizing. Chimpanzees tested by the Primate Foundation of Arizona listened to different kinds of music ranging from Pavarotti to jazz and then mixed it to create their own music.

According to Thomas Geissmann, in his book "Gibbon Songs and Human Music from an Evolutionary Perspective" ,all species of gibbons produce elaborate, sex-specific songs. Mated pairs combine their songs in a rigid pattern to produce coordinated duets. The female song consists of a loud phrase, the great call comprising between 6-100 notes. This call is introduced by a simple series of notes termed the introductory sequence; it is produced only once in a song bout. Thereafter, great calls are produced with an interval of 2 minutes. In the intervals come the interlude sequences consisting of shorter, variable phrases. Male gibbons join in as the duet proceeds and start with single, simple notes, moving to increasingly complex phrases, reaching the fully developed form only after several minutes of singing .

Seal songs, according to Tecumseh Fitch, a expert in bioaccoustics at the University of St Andrews UK comprise complex trills, clicks, rasps, grunts and a bell-like tone. So do the distinctive courtship syllables of Male Mexican Freetail Bats. The singing frog that lives beside rivers in China’s Anhui Province produces an ultrasonic croak, using upward and downward sweeps of notes in a warbling melody.

Music has the power to affect all beings physically and emotionally.

Alianna Boone who has produced a CD "Harp Music to Soothe the Savage Beast." conducted studies on music’s effect on animals. Performing for hospitalized canines at a Florida veterinary clinic , she found that the sessions immediately began to lower heart rate, anxiety, and respiration.

Dogs aren’t the only animals benefiting from the good vibrations. Cassie, a cow, lives at the Maple Farm Sanctuary in Massachusetts. She arrived there after jumping a high fence to escape from a slaughter house. She still demonstrates anxiety-related behavior. One day a volunteer found her snorting and stomping. He decided to try calming her by playing a CD of harp songs. Within 20 minutes, he found the bovine dozed off. A CD called "Harp of Hope: Animal Therapy Edition," was originally recorded for people but the producer,Schneider, decided to release an animal edition after owners reported it helped their arthritic dogs fall asleep and calmed agitated cats.

In 2001, two British scholars introduced different musical styles to 1,000 dairy cows. Fom 5 a.m. until 5 p.m., they listened to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony and R.E.M.’s "Everybody Hurts." Milk yield increased by three percent.

In another instance at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, a gorilla group sat through Sue Raimond’s harp performance appreciatively. The youngest, Little Joe, even blew her a kiss before falling asleep.

People aren’t the only ones who have opinions about the music they like; animals do too. Two staff members at the Bronx Zoo decided to test whether animals are affected by music by playing different kinds of music to different species in their care.

Here’s what they found:

• Though initially wary the elephants soon gathered round and began flapping their ears in time to ragtime music, occasionally raising their trunks to trumpet a note or two.

• The lions absolutely loved it. One even stood on his hind legs and punched the air with his front paws in time to the music.

• While listening to "Get a Hoop and Roll it Away" a tiger acted exactly like a happy housecat, rolling on his back with an expression of pure ecstasy. When the music stopped he growled and walked away.

• The camels responded with obvious pleasure to the upbeat tune "The Campbells Are Coming" but one literally wept at the sound of a sad ballad, tears streaming down his nose during the entire time it played.

Queens University in England’s study from its School of Psychology has demonstrated that dogs exposed to classical music are calmer than those exposed to rock or heavy metal who get agitated, bark more and pace restlessly.

Listen closely to nature and you will hear rhythms strikingly similar to those found in human music.

To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in


www island.lk

Children and learning of languages..!! All Sri Lankan children should be taught all 3 national languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English..!!!

Children and learning of languages.....Dr. B.J.C. Perera Consultant

PaediatricianLearning of languages is a thing that is taken for granted by most people. However there are some fundamental considerations and many other intricacies when one thinks about the learning of languages by children. It is completely and unequivocally true to say that all languages, whether written or spoken, are symbolic expressions of thought. Indeed without the ability to think, it is impossible to even contemplate that there can be any sort of functioning of the brain that is able to handle even the rudiments of a language. Each language uses a unique set of sounds or written characters which is specific to that language. It has been conclusively proven in many studies that babies are born with the ability to distinguish all of them. However, this ability tends to weaken with age as time goes by. Without proper stimulation, the aptitude to handle languages is liable to wane in the course of time.

All languages, as we know them today, fall into two main divisions. They are receptive language which implies understanding what is said, written or signed and expressive language which consists of the ability to speak, write and sign. Language acquisition is the orderly way of the processes through which humans develop the ability to handle the different aspects of a language. By itself and by common inference, language acquisition refers to first language acquisition, which involves infants’ achievement of the ability to handle their native language. In addition, second language acquisition deals with acquisition of additional languages in both children and adults. Whether they speak early or late, are learning one language or more, are learning to talk along typical lines or are experiencing difficulties, the language acquisition of all children occurs gradually through interaction with people and the environment. This is the crucial stimulus that is required for the development of language skills.

The process of language acquisition is one among the leading aspects that distinguish the human race from other creatures and even from their closest ancestors such as some species of primates. While many forms of other animal languages and vocalisations exist, production of such primitive languages is very often fixed, is monotonous and does not vary appreciably across their own cultural groups. Indeed, some comprehension of these animal languages is known to be a bit flexible and it has been recognised that some primates could even learn to pick up bird signals. However, the complexity, the referential richness and social contextual variations of human language are quite unique and are not exhibited by any other species. Any human language, ranging from the Queen’s English to the most rudimentary dialects of the primitive tribes in some remote areas of the world, is so full of the opulence of the ability to communicate. In such a perspective, all human languages are absolutely and remarkably exceptional and distinctive.

The best time to learn a foreign language seems to be between birth and age seven. While new language learning is easiest up to age 7, the ability markedly declines after puberty. Babies learn language when people speak that language. Three month old babies know hundreds of sounds they hear people speak around them and babies do listen to the sounds other people make. In this process the brain pathways grow stronger for that language. If they are exposed to just one language, the brain pathways for other languages get weaker because the brain does not need them. By adult life the brain gets rid of those pathways it does not need. It is quite remarkable that babies being raised bilingual, by simply speaking to them in two languages, can learn both in the time it takes most babies to learn one. On average, monolingual and bilingual babies start talking around age 1 and can say about 50 words by 18 months. Babies and little children seem to learn languages just like ducks taking to water. Many researchers believe that parents should follow biological principles and expose youngsters to different languages quite early. If the parents speak a second language, it is considered to be best to speak it at home or find a play group or caregiver where the child can hear another language regularly. It is perhaps quite surprising how children do seem to pick it up like sponges. The way the people around the child, particularly the parents, engage with him or her, will determine the path that language development takes in the vital first five years. It is essential that those around enjoy this exciting period in the child’s development. It is best to talk in a natural way about what he or she is doing, seeing and hearing. A good method is to listen to the sounds and later the words he or she says, and respond, so that the child knows that someone is listening. It is also very useful to read stories in different languages together from an early age and make communicating fun.

Adults do help babies learn language just by the way they talk. Most adults talk differently to babies than to other adults. They talk more slowly, say words more clearly and speak in a higher toned voice. These changes make it easier for babies to learn a language. Hearing what our words sound like helps babies get ready to talk. Adults often repeat words when they talk to babies. This repeating gives babies extra chances to listen to our words. This extra listening helps the language pathways in the brain grow stronger and stronger. That is just one reason why babies like to hear the same story or song over and over. However, progress should be steady. Children do learn at different rates. Some are fast language learners and some are slow. Thus it would be desirable not to compare one child’s language development with another’s. The important thing to watch for is that language development proceeds steadily, not whether it is fast or slow.

New research is showing just how the brains of children can become bilingual so easily. Many scientists believe that these findings would eventually help the rest of us adults to learn a new language a bit easier. It is not impossible that the magic that kids apply to this learning situation, some of the principles at least, can be imported into learning programs for adults. For the majority of adults, mastering a dominant language gets in the way of learning a second less familiar one. The brain seems to tune out of sounds that do not fit. This process could perhaps be re-programmed to enable adults to learn newer languages.

Scientists may finally have an explanation as to why children reign supreme when it comes to learning new languages. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and animation technology to study the brains of children, researchers have discovered that children are processing language information in a different region of the brain than adults. There are different areas in the brain controlling different functions in our lives. When we brush our teeth, sign our names or drive a car, we do not consciously think of our actions. These are examples of automatic brain function. When children acquire language, this same part of the brain, called the "deep motor area", is what they use. In that sense, for children, language learning is virtually like second nature. However, when adults learn a second or third language, their brains operate differently. The window of opportunity to imprint information and skills in the deep motor region of the brain is widest during early childhood and are nearly shut by the time of age 18. Therefore, adults have to store information elsewhere, perhaps in a more active brain region. As a consequence, adults usually think sentences through in a native tongue and then translate them word-by-word, instead of thinking automatically in another language like a child would. Even for people with extensive training in a second language as an adult, who feel their speech is automatic, on a neurological level the brain is still operating differently from a child’s.

Research into the neurology of language acquisition is proving useful because understanding the "brain geographic" differences of language learning in children versus adults may influence educators and their decisions about foreign language instruction. As an example, simply teaching young children the sounds and accents of other languages at an earlier age may be valuable, even if they are not getting full instruction in the language. Learning those sounds later in life, especially well into adult life, from a neurological perspective, can be much more difficult.

There is a commonly held mythical belief that if one tries to teach a child several languages, the child may get confused and fall back in their learning abilities. There is ample evidence that this is far from the real state of affairs and that learning several languages can be quite beneficial. One aspect of this is that many studies have demonstrated the benefits of second language learning not only on student linguistic abilities but also on their cognitive and creative abilities as well. Children who learn a foreign language, beginning in early childhood, demonstrate certain constructive cognitive advantages over children who do not. Research conducted with young children shows that those who are bilingual develop the concept of object permanence at an earlier age. Bilingual students learn sooner that an object remains the same, even though the object has a different name in another language. For example, a foot remains a foot and performs the function of a foot, whether it is labelled a foot in English or as un pied in French.

These ramifications have a significant bearing on the situation in Sri Lanka. It is the considered opinion of many experts that all Sri Lankan children should be taught all three national languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English, from a very young age. This will make them better men and women in the long run and would help to dispel the many ethnic and cultural problems that exist in our society. It would certainly be a lasting, sustained and long-term solution to the ethnic conflicts that have plagued this beautiful country for several decades in the past.

The writer would appreciate some feed-back from the readers. Please e-mail him at bjcp@slnet.lk

www island.lk

Monday, August 10, 2009

Germany most lucrative higher education destination..!!!

Germany most lucrative higher education destination

By Aruni Jinasena

Studying in a well-recognised foreign university ineed no longer be expensive. Paying a nominal tuition fee of 500 euros per semester, Sri Lankan students can obtain an internationally recognised degree from a German University. To find out more about this unique opportunity, the Daily Mirror FT spoke to Ms. Heidi Steiner, DAAD Representative to Sri Lanka, whose office is located at the German Cultural Centre, Colombo 7.

DAAD (“German Academic Exchange Service”), has been one of the world’s largest and most respected intermediary organisations for more than 75 years. In a bid to promote higher studies in Germany among Sri Lankans, DAAD operates an office in Sri Lanka, where any interested candidate can get information about studying in Germany, entry requirements, application procedures, students’ life in Germany, etc. As it is financed by the German government, the whole counseling service is rendered free of charge.

“Since most of the universities in Germany are state-funded and thus highly subsidised, universities charge a maximum of 500 euros (Rs.82,000) per semester. In fact, there are universities in certain areas of Germany where students do not have to pay anything at all for their education. Considering these low rates and high standards compared to other foreign institutions, this programme provides a most attractive opportunity for many Sri Lankans. It is a pity that most Sri Lankans looking for foreign degree programmes are not aware of these facts,” Ms. Steiner said.

She further stressed that Germany is the third largest country for international students. Currently, over 250,000 international students study or conduct research in Germany’s 376 universities. These universities offer a broad and diverse range of 1,000 international degree programmes. Of these, over 400 in various disciplines including engineering, natural sciences, computer sciences, economics, social studies and humanities are taught entirely in the English medium. Medicine, however, is still taught exclusively in German. “Having a basic knowledge of German will benefit the students in their day-to-day dialogue with native speakers,” she added.

Explaining basic entry requirements, she outlined that an A/L qualification (Local or London) is compulsory for a first degree. A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university is, however, a must for any post-graduate programme. Any interested candidate can apply online by logging in to www.daad.de/international-programmes. The final selection is made by the university itself, giving priority for “high potential students”. “There are also annual scholarship announcements for academic staff, researchers and professionals, subject to certain conditions. Foreign students are allowed to work 180 half days per year, which enables them to do part time jobs to help them with their living expenses,” she said.

Close cooperation between Germany’s universities and industry offers an early and close insight into the working world, a real plus for the future careers of potential students. Due to the reasonable charges, high quality of education, possibility of selecting from a wide range of study programmes in the English medium and the opportunity of studying among other international “high potential students”, Gemany could be the most sought-after study destination among Sri Lankans in the future. “DAAD is willing to help potential students from Sri Lanka in every gamut of the requirements necessary for a overseas study programme,” Ms. Steiner stated.

She stressed that DAAD-Sri Lanka also contributes to strengthen the German Section of the University of Kelaniya, by providing the necessary text books, study material and other equipment. Moreover, a student of the German Section, selected from an annual Essay Competition, is granted a scholarship to a Summer Language Course of one month’s duration in a German university.

For further information, please contact the German Cultural Centre, Gregorys Road, Colombo 7 (email: srilankadaad@gmail.com).

dailymirror.lk

Thursday, July 30, 2009

English as an international language .....!!!

English as an international language
Dr. Senarath TENNAKOON

There is an ever increasing global community of English speakers. This speech community of English speakers, according to Kachru (1985), can be segmented to three circles of speakers: the inner circle (320-380 million speakers) represents the native speakers, the second language speakers (150-300 million) comprise the outer circle and the expanding outermost circle (100-1,000 million) is occupied by people learning English as a foreign language.

However, the clear cut demarcations between the outer and the outermost circles have become less clear as the foreign language learners in some European countries have become more like second language users of English (Graddol, 2006). In particular the inner circle comprises highly proficient speakers of English.

Fast growth
There are around 7,000 languages around the world in use and only 12 languages account for 50 percent of the global population. Of these Chinese, English and the other European languages are spoken as native languages. The number of second language speakers is growing important as Manderin, Hindi and Spanish are challenging English.

English is a Germanic language. It developed in England as a result of the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the 5th century. The so called 'Old English' was an inflecting language that preserved many features of Germanic as seen in the epic poem 'Beowulf'.

Borrowed words
The Middle English (11-14th centuries) that followed replaced inflections with word order. It also borrowed words and expressions from Latin, French and Chaucer (1345-1400) presents the features of Middle English in his 'Canterbury Tales'.

Modern (or new) English starts from about 1,500 (end of the reign of Henry VII) to the present day (Wrenn 2006).

Before the 18th century, there was no concept of foreign language (Graddol, 2006). The 19th century ushered in several socio economic changes. Industrialisation, the growth of capitalist economy and the expansion of colonialism resulted. Hand in hand with these changes, the English language too crossed its national borders.

The English language crossed the border of modernity and entered the era of postmodernity with English being commonly used by the international travellers, computer and the internet. English speech is being communicated around the globe. English is widely used among the international, political, business, academic and scientific communities. It is often one of the standard varieties (American or British). But there are other dialects which reflect the speaker's mother tongue in the expressions of spoken English (Crystal 1998).

There are some special and specific features of English as a language for its extensive usage, apart from the social, historic and economic reasons. English is extremely heterogeneous.

It easily and quickly borrows words and expressions from any other known language. English is also simple and flexible in the use of its grammar. Linguists call this feature as the simplicity of English inflection.

The word order in an English sentence is relatively fixed and stable. The inflections are very few. At times prepositions replace or substitute inflections. Although not so marked as a Chinese, English too uses intonations to bring about different shades of meaning to words and expressions. Of these features it is the adaptable receptiveness and the simplicity of inflection that have been most dominant features (Wrenn 2006).

Demand
In Sri Lanka the current enthusiasm for English is largely driven by the parents and the job demand of the private sector and international job market.

A well to do segment of the elite population teach their children in international schools. Some institutions and homes are encouraging English imperialism. When the universities increased after 1956 and schooling commenced to function in the local languages there was a decline in the interest of the parents and the students for English.

This decline dragged on for over two decades while India continued to encourage learning in English. Even now, in Sri Lanka, students who continue to study in local languages in the primary and secondary schools encounter difficulties in particular in medicine and engineering and other science subjects at the university level. There is also a proliferation of private educational institutions which provide 'crash English teaching programmes' to attract the seekers of English knowledge. The effectiveness of these has not been evaluated.

dailynews.lk

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The indispensable English language ...!!!

The indispensable English language
Clarence Welikala

It is a known fact that English has become sine qua non, that is, indispensable, for everyone’s advancement and improvement if one is to succeed in modern society. The language’s qualities of relative simplicity and flexibility enhances its chances of taking root and surviving, internationally.

Now the question arises, how could one learn and practise this all-important universal language? A probable answer would be : the means and capacity to fulfil one’s desire to realize this ambition.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken cognizance of this urgent need - and based on his idealogy - the Cabinet has taken a decision to change the English school syllabi with special emphasis of improving students’ spoken and communicative skills in the English language.


English language opens new vistas. File Photo

It is fair to content that logic, intuitions and emotions may each have played a vital part when making this supreme decision. However, with a view to developing and sharing knowledge, ideas and insights aimed at increasing understanding, plans should be drawn and strategies implemented to enhance participation in high - quality ‘out of school’ time learning programs so that students, especially those with the highest needs, follow them to gain learning and development benefits. In similar vain, it is worthy to comprehend that by effecting the envisaged change, that equal emphasis on writing as well be made by enforcing English as the medium of instruction to all grades in schools on and all island basis.

The spoken word, the art cum eloquence in speaking and words written on paper, no doubt, bear the same significance to achieve excellence in any language. The decision made by, the president is most welcome, opportune and laudable, to say the least. The President’s passion is people and to do the best for them, he will use his power to give the student population the benefits that are their due, through compassion and concern.

Information technology
In the technologically advanced societies, more importance is attached to educational achievement than ever before. The percentage of children going for higher education increases every year, and success in examinations or achievement tests play an increasingly significant part in the arena of information technology. In addition, children must acquire a much larger body of knowledge to understand and adopt to the greater complexity of industrial society.

The three ‘R’s of elementary education - reading, writing and arithmetic - are no longer sufficient in an age of speed, job mobility, and increasingly complex social organizations. Therefore, for national as well as international progress, English holds the key. In the arena of education in the work place, and in many leisure pursuits, the computer embodies.

The fundamental difference between yesterday and today. So, the urgent need to broaden access to computer and information science skills and through those skills to improve and sustain economic opportunities and more fruitful participation in virtually every dimension of modern life is the essence of the challenge.

Academic excellence
There is a need, especially at this moment in time, for the provision of rigorous, relevant and rewarding academic education to every child in our country from primary, through secondary to tertiary grades and above. Those in-charge and responsible for the educational process in Sri Lanka should endeavour to prescribe relevant and required standards encompassing all parameters within the school - University curriculum semester by semester and, thereby, monitor syllabi to ensure that prescribed standards are maintained and practised.

The success achieved by students in their respective schooling or university careers will positively serve as a catalyst for economic prosperity taking into consideration the fact that educational institutions will have the requisite capacity to produce quality professionals with astounding consistency.

By indulging in proper and meaningful research with emphasis on knowledge, academic and scientific discipline and adopting conclusions arrived at consequent to research, students as well as teachers will benefit immensely and enjoy its many opportunities, consequent to the development of their individual talents and intelligence.

Therefore, it becomes the responsibility of those overseeing education in Sri Lanka to critically think about the issues and come up with feasible solutions to the problems plaguing education, by overcoming economic difficulty and providing streamlined education so that the literacy rate in our country will increase.

Education is defined as the process of establishing habits of critical and independent appraisal of information for the purpose of intellectually developing the whole person, and it is believed that an educated citizenry in essential for the success of their design. Educationist is a force required to be moulded and inculcated among students and teachers alike to give decorum to life, and is the knowledge of putting one’s potentials to maximum use.

There are two reasons why education is important, viz. the training of a human mind is incomplete without education, education makes man a right thinker and decision-maker and secondly, it is only true the attainment of education, man is enabled to receive all necessary current information. Without education, humans are segregated as in a closed room, and with education, humans will find themselves accessible towards the outside world.

Intelligence could be based on the following, viz numerical ability, verbal fluency, memory and the ability to reason. We should ask ourselves whether tests on these abilities are structured and carried out in educational institutions of modern times. Students should be tested in these areas as such tests are of considerable use, though their limitations should be recognized. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has launched the “18-month Road Map of Dr. Sunimal Fernando’s Proposal to promote spoken/communicative English in Sri Lanka”, coupled with the release of the New Teacher Guide and Manual for teaching spoken English.

With its implementation, it is believed that every educational institution - on an all - island basics - will be in possession of the New Teacher Guide and Manual, shortly. By doing so, a ‘gateway’ as it were has been created for all students of all races to have the right to equal access to the facility of a school and medium of instruction of their choice. We must accept the fact that each student is unique in his or her own way - there should be no discrimination; they have their own interest and aspirations - permit them this right so that they could strive to achieve their goal.

After all, it is their legitimate choice and pursuit to achieve academic excellence, they need to discover themselves their worth and what is right for them. The dominant method of teaching, is by feeding facts to children, needs to be dispensed with by a new method that engages youth in the learning process and develops minds by encouraging problem solving, decision making and creativity.

School and learning needs to be a relevant, interesting experience for children whose attention can too often get diverted by television and video games or drugs and crime. The above mentioned methods will be of paramount importance when implementing the “Road Map for spoken English” by the Central and Provincial Education Ministries and they should be monitored and co-ordinated by the Special Initiative Unit of the Presidential Secretariat with a sense of responsibility, dignity and aplomb.

Student unrest
Another salient feature that needs to be addressed is student unrest. In today’s context, there is a need to overcome revolts in campuses. This is as important as defeating terrorism. Clashes at schools and universities have been evident as one might gather from the press and television accounts. But, it is felt that until our colleges and universities become again what they profess to be - life - enhancing centres of liberal education - they are likely to have little peace.

Intellect
We have put too much stress in recent times on intellect, too little on character building. We have sharpened our wits while weakening our restraints. We exaggerate the value of newness in ideas and things. It is so much easier to be original and wise. The customs, conventions and beliefs of mankind are the product of ‘trial and error’ experience through many centuries.

It is unlikely that any individual, however intellectually brilliant, can come in one life time to such knowledge and depth of understanding as to sit safely and wisely in judgment of ancient ways. Man is wiser than any man. Hence there is something disagreeably shallow about sophistication; it suggests cleverness about the part and ignorance of the whole. Modesty makes wisdom wiser, as it makes beauty lovelier.

The whole world of knowledge, technology, morals, manners, government, literature, philosophy and art belongs to everybody and is our heritage. With proper administrative guidance in the respective areas to those attempting to gain professional status, Sri Lankans could achieve excellence in their respective fields and in turn, they could be classified as prodigies.

With the scourge of terrorism being defeated for good in Sri Lanka, we may see children in all kinds of settings, e.g. welfare Camps. It will be fair to state that one would be impressed by their toughness, their resilience, their ability to endure, to find food to bear hardship and pain against all odds. No matter how difficult their surroundings, one will be surprised by the ease with which they learn to play. They deserve better lifestyles now more than ever. Let them enjoy the discretion of the President.

Children are all around us. They represent a fair percentage of our country’s population. They are not equipped to defend themselves; they must depend on what is given to them. They are victims of circumstances. They bring us joy, they bring us tears, they bring responsibility and above all, they are our reason to hope. They are your children, they are my children, they are the children of our country - Mother Lanka.

Reaching the goal
Dramatic new findings prove that a child’s basic intelligence can be significantly augmented by teachers who are willing to follow a few essential rules of training and encouragement. Science may challenge this assumption - and in the process delegating teachers a heady responsibility, i.e. raising children’s intelligence qualification in the crucial early years when it is most malleable.

Great articles written and published by eminent personalities are all too often underestimated as being mere words. In fact, they can either pose serious consequences or have powerful repercussions - good or bad.

The writer trusts that the sequence of events narrated on this vital subject will be appealing, harmonious and acceptable. In short, the subject is compulsive, the course should be fulfilled, the goal reached notwithstanding difficulties encountered and the conflicts involved.

By experiencing the success of the implementation of the “18 Month Road Map of Dr. Sunimal Fernando’s Proposal”, we will witness a society where people will be free to assert their inalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

dailynews.lk

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Giving economic value of agro-technology....!!!

Gannoruwa Agriculture Park
Giving economic value of agro-technology:

Ganga Illeperuma in Kandy

Agriculture is the most important sector of the Sri Lankan economy. Even though its contribution to the gross domestic product declined substantially during the past 3 decades, it is the most important source of employment for the majority of the Sri Lankan workforce.

Agriculture in Sri Lanka mainly depends on rice production. Its main goal is to achieve an equitable and sustainable agricultural development through development and dissemination of improved agriculture technology.


Students visit the park. Picture: Audio visual centre of Gannoruwa Agriculture Park

There are a few agriculture parks established by the department. One is located at Gannoruwa and the most recent one is at the Bataatha. Bataatha Park has recently become world famous for having the world’s first farmers monument at its entrance.

A novel concept in agricultural extension was introduced in 2004 by establishing an Agro-Technology Park (ATP) at Gannoruwa. There were many objectives to build this park and the main objective is the capacity building of various stakeholders of agriculture. The other objectives include recreation, facilitation of research, promotion of agro-tourism and generation of funds. The ATP provides information on traditional and modern technology related to agriculture.

The visitors to the park comprise objective students and general public and they mainly came from nearby districts.

The majority of adult visitors is directly involved in agriculture and the main purpose of the visit was to improve knowledge in agriculture and recreation. The majority ranks the park as an excellent place for information; applicable technology, and motivation for agriculture. The total annual welfare generated by the park is equal to Rs.14.8 million and the park generates positive economic benefits from the 3rd year of its operation.

The results suggest that the park has achieved its major objectives of the project. However, attention has to be paid on programs to attract more early adopters of technology to obtain an immediate impact from the park services and the omitted secondary objectives.

Purpose of the project
1 Quick information dissemination mechanism for farmers, School children and General public.

2 A place to see and learn latest recommendations of crop cultivation and technologies generated by both public and private institutions.

3 A place to see and study traditional/heritage agriculture systems and future hi-tech agriculture.

4 Education and training mechanism for village level extension workers as face to face training of widely dispersed large number is practically an impossible task

5 Strengthening the present research and development activities of Gannoruwa agriculture complex.

6 Information network among agriculture officers, Govijana Kendra, agriculture institutes, both public and private.

7 Aesthetically beautiful landscaping with tropical crops.

8 A site for Eco-tourism/Agro-tourism.

9 To prevent losing the Gannoruwa Agricultural Complex due to non agricultural projects.

10 Generation of funds within the system for its sustainability

11 Sales centre for plants, seeds and other products of government institutions and the private sector entrepreneurs.

Reference

Second Annual Research Forum of SAEA, 2008: Poster Presentation


DAILYNEWS.LK

SINHALA JUSTIFICATION OF TAMIL GENOCIDE/IDPs/1000s OF PLANE BOMBING,SHELLING,MAIMING INNOCENT CIVILIANS...!!!

Double standards of the West

Mano RATWATTE

I totally agree with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s comments about the Uva Rebellion and how the Christian Colonial British committed genocide by killing every able bodied man over 18 years of age, razing crops and even taking away the salt from villages in Uva.

World history is replete with incidents where Western nations including the US, Britain, France and Belgium (two leading EU nations) committed crimes against humanity without ever having been called to account for their sins. We all know about how Germany and Japan behaved during World War-II but less is said about the victorious powers, their excesses and the crimes in the Colonies because they won the war; hence their excesses were never brought to light or mentioned at the Hague. No one talks about winners in the same light as the vanquished. That is because the way global media channels are controlled.


A scene from the populous German city of Dresden after American and British Forces dropped more than 700,000 incendiary bombs on Valentines Day eve in 1945. Courtesy: www.worldpress.com

For starters, during the D-Day landing at Normandy, Allied bombers totally wiped out the French Coastal city of Caen even though they knew there were thousands of civilians inside the city along with German Forces. Thousands of French civilians died. Was it necessary?

The bombing of Dresden by the British (RAF) and US Air Force (USAAF) occurred in February 1945 even though it was not a justifiable military target. Nearly 50,000 German civilians perished in what is viewed as a revenge attack for the bombing raids against London earlier in the war. It is reported that 1,300 heavy bombers dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city. Was it militarily necessary or punitive action?

And amongst the least talked and least acknowledged crimes against humanity was the genocide in Belgian Congo in the early 1900s. Anywhere between three million to eight million Congolese were raped, mutilated and massacred as a direct result of orders by Catholic King Leopold-II of Belgium. Was he ever brought up on war crimes charges? No his actions were condoned by the Belgian Catholic church and news of these atrocities were hidden from the world for a long time. Was it necessary?

These are just a few facts of history. We can examine the excesses by US Forces in Vietnam (MyLai was just one of the few that were exposed thanks to journalists). For example, former Democratic Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska acknowledged massacring 25 innocent Vietnamese civilians in a US Navy Seal attack. Senator Bob Kerrey led a seven-member team of Navy Seals into Thanh Phong village in February 1969, and murdered in cold blood more than a dozen women and children. What hardly anyone knows, and what no one in the press is talking about, is that Senator Kerrey was on a CIA mission, and its specific purpose was to kill those women and children. It was illegal, premeditated mass murder and it was a war crime. He had to wait nearly 30 years to admit this crime. Why has no one brought charges against him? Was it a necessary mission? I have never heard Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing ‘disappointment’ at her friend.

In addition, millions of tons of munitions were unloaded over Cambodia and Vietnam causing millions of civilian deaths. To this date, unsuspecting village people are dying and getting maimed when they step on US ordnance from that ugly war.

Who is to take these crimes to court? Who has even accepted responsibility for such crimes?

Thank you President of Sri Lanka for exposing some of the amazing ways of the Colonial Christian masters of yore. History tells us a lot but the West only selectively uses what is convenient for them. There are so many incidents like that in S.Asia. For example the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in India in April 1919.

Does anyone talk about the displacement of people in the Kandyan provinces that is documented by the Kandyan Peasantry Commission? Which nation permanently altered the demographics of Sri Lanka by bringing in indentured labour from S.India? Has anyone done an analysis of the impact of that massive change on Sri Lanka’s landscape even though it is history now?

Who has ever said Mea Culpa Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa?

Thank you Mister President for challenging those haughty Colonials and neo Colonials. No elected leader before you ever had the courage to call a spade a spade.

dailynews.lk

Troops also began to rob, plunder and pillage the towns and villages as if they were enemy territory...!!!



The British and the Suppression of the Rebellion (1817-1818)

Dr. K.D.G. Wimalaratne,

It was hardly two years after the Kandyan convention was signed in 1815, a ‘war of independence’ wrongly or deliberately called by the British as a “Rebellion” broke out in the Kandyan provinces in September – October, 1817.

All British writers termed the uprising as an”Insurrection” or a “Rebellion”, However, the events proved that it was a movement not to preserve, but to recover their independence from foreign yoke. Accordingly, it was a war of independence.

Dr. Henry Marshall, who was the British Army physician, wrote that, when the insurrection broke out in October 1817, “here is every reason for feeling that no organized conspiracy against the English existed among any class of inhabitants of the Kandyan country, but uniformity of feeling supplied the plan of organization, they all wished to be quit of us.’ (Henry Marshall, Account of Ceylon, 1846) pg. 133 Simon Sawers, Revenue Commissioner of the Kandyan provinces, says in a note that “Outbreak of the Rebellion in the Province of Vellasse was purely accidential, people of other Provinces were as much taken by surprise, as were the Authorities.” Any well digested principle of independence or any intention to emanicipate themselves from the Jhraldom of Rajakariya, was his observation:

However, through the dispatches of Governor Brownrigg, an undercurrent of uneasiness could be seen.

“Perfect tranquility in all provinces, but a spirit of coldness towards the British Garrison exits in Uva and Vellasse, where the people still continue to live in the jungle.” (Despatch No. 116, 20.07.1815, SLNA 5/8)

Brownrigg knew that British rule was unpopular and was constantly on his guard against possible revolt. This is clear from the fact that in 1816, the Government arrested some of the priests and nobles who had formed a plot to destroy the garrison and expel the British from Kandy. (Governor to Sec: of State, 5.11.1816)

Although the Kandyan Convention guaranteed the protection of Buddhist places of worship, there was no scheme to supervise the upkeep of temples, as a result armies broke into Asgiriya Vihara and stole caskets, relics and other articles of worship. Troops also began to rob, plunder and pillage the towns and villages as if they were enemy territory. With the approval of the governor the treasures of the Kandyan king were plundered and an army prize committee was set up for the distribution of his treasures. On 15th Sept. 1816, Madugalle Uda Gabada Nilame was convicted of treason and intrigue. He was imprisoned in Jaffna. Madugalle Uda Gabada Nilame’s request to bid farewell to his wife and children was rejected by the Governor who directed D’oyly to burn the Nilame’s residence publicly and confiscate his property.

By Feb: March 1818 the whole country was against the British, except the lower saffragam,the three and four korales, Udunuwaera and Yatinuwera. On 21st February 1818 Martial Law was declared throughout the Kandyan provinces. This shows that the Governor was quite sure that the war for independence will soon spread to other areas as well. The success of the rebels was seen when the Governor called additional troops from India, although the Colonial Office in April 1818 advised to vacate the Kandyan provinces and withdraw the British troops to the littoral. However, Governor Brownrigg’s repeated appeals to the Governor of Madras was answered belatedly by sending 2000 fighting men, 4000 pioneers and coolies from India. The 2nd battalion of the 73rd foot was here who fought the battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The war of independence originated in Uva and Wellassa and on 27th November 1817, Governor Brownrigg already decided and informed the Colonial office that ‘he considers the rebellion can be suppressed early by burning and laying waste the property of the Head-men, their leaders’ Brownrigg thought that the rebellion was an act of gross ingratitude in view of the benefits conferred on the country. (Despatch 259, 30/1/1818)

Suppression of the war of Independence

It is very unfortunate that no Sinhalese record of the events in respect of the suppression of the war of independence exists, and the historian has to glean his facts from cautiously worded dispatches of the British Governor and officials, and also from secondary, published works either contemporary or otherwise.

The ways which Governor Brownrigg used to suppress the rebellion, painted him as a ‘vicious insane autocrat and arrogrant’, the same way in which he propagated to the Kandyan chiefs that Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was a “barbarous and a despotic king” before the invasion of the Kandyan kingdom in February 1815.

Governor Brownrigg wrote to Lord Bathurst, Secretary of State a dispatch No: 248, 7.11.1817, in the following manner.

“Major MacDonald now thought that an example of severity be shown. The houses all round (Oosanwella, Wellasse,) were therefore burnt and all property found, cattle, grain etc. was either carried off or destroyed

Writing further in a dispatch No. 258, of 28.12.1817, he informed the Colonial Office that, Major MacDonald has collected provisions enough from the property of the rebels to supply the garrison in Uva for ten months.”

After encircling the fruitful plain of Wellessa, which consisted of many peaceful villages, everyone of them was burnt to the ground and the cattle, grain and other property abandoned or destroyed.

When Sylvester Douglas Wilson, A.G.A. Badulla was killed by the rebels, Major MacDonald declared that “this act of severity, I trust will not be disapproved of , considering the horrid act of barbarity committed on Wilson’s party by the people of those villages.’

‘The terrible sight of devastation appeared to dismay the natives- they ceased to shout or skirmish and only ventured upon the skirts of the plain to gaze in silence’. MacDonald also emphasized that there was no resource left but to burn and lay waste the property of the Headmen, their leaders. He further elaborated by commenting that, revolts needed to be dealt with by such rigorous measures and stated that they were the only means left to reduce the refractory to submission.

Major, MacDonald was a crafty army officer, and to console his feelings, he suggested that at some future date compensation could be paid for the losses inflicted. His seemingly frank exposition of his plans were so worded as to conceal from the authorities in England their ruthlessness in practice.

Andawela Mohottala was considered responsible for the death of Dr. John Kennedy, Asst. Surgeon, 1st Ceylon regiment, when he was clubbed and killed by the rebels. With out any inquiry, Mohottala’s house near Tibbotugoada, with all his property was destroyed, the buldings in the neighbourhood burnt and the fruit trees round them cut down. Eighty bullock loads of paddy were looted from Gamagala Raterales barn near Ahapola. Houses of six headmen burnt at Madulla, and 20 women and children were killed. A man carrying arms was executed under a Bo-tree. Buffalos grazing the fields were slaughtered.

Major MacDonald activities brought in a reign of terror in the most brutal and ferocious manner in Uva and Wellassa.

On the orders of Brownrigg, Major MacDonald’s killed all men above 18 years of age, houses were destroyed and burnt, fruit bearing tress felled and grain destroyed or confiscated. Irrigation tanks and canals of Uva and Wellassa were breached. Cattle belonging to the people, which were in excess of the requirements of the British army was destroyed. Governor Brownrigg took pride in the ruthless rapidity with which his armies depopulated the region.

To be continued.

Dr. Wimalaratne was the Former Director General Archives

dailymirror.lk

Sunday, July 19, 2009

From Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi

Perspectives of the largest representative body in the world’s largest democracy

By Chandani Kirinde in New Delhi, India

It was from the floor of this House that the first Prime Minister of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru addressed his nation soon after midnight on August 15, 1947 to declare the end of British rule in India.

Nearly 62 years later, among the occupants of that same legislature is his great grandson Rahul Gandhi, who along with a large number of young lawmakers now constitute the backbone of the members elected to the Lok Sabha (People’s Assembly) -all elected directly by the people to run the highest representative body in the world’s largest democracy.

As the country enters a period of unprecedented economic and social development, the country’s parliament too has evolved into a modern institution with the people and the press active players in its effective functioning.


The Indian Parliament
The fifteenth Lok Sabha which was elected two months ago has already had several firsts to its credit, including recording the largest number of female members elected to Parliament (58) and electing Meira Kumar as the first woman Speaker to be in charge of a House that is known to turn turbulent more often than not. The 15th Lok Sabha also has a record number of first-time entrants to parliament who number 282 in the 542 constituting the House. Veteran politician Margaret Alva who served four terms as a Member of the Upper House of Parliament -the Rajya Sabha- and later on in the Lok Sabha as well as a government Minister, but was defeated at the recent polls sees the changes, particularly the high percentage of women’s participation as positive for the future of the country.

“There are many new faces in the House and this augurs well for the country as we move into an era of unprecedented development. The participation of women not only at this level but even at village level in decision-making bodies is a positive development,” said Ms. Alva who now serves as the Honorary Advisor to the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (BTST).

The Bureau conducts orientation programmes for new-comers to parliament which include training to be effective MPs as well as educating them on the country’s foreign policy, economic policies as well as training in the use of computers. “All MPs in the Indian Parliament are given their official email address and the public can use electronic mail to contact the lawmaker of their area,” Ms. Alva explained.

India has a bicameral legislature consisting of two Houses, the Lok Sabha elected for a term of five years directly by the people and the Rajya Sabha or the Council of States which consists of 250 indirectly elected members; 238 representing the country’s 28 states and six union territories and 12 persons nominated by the President from among eminent persons in the fields of science, literature, arts and social services. The goings on particularly of the Lok Sabha draws much interest among the people of India, with another first to its credit; the proceedings of the Lok Sabha can be watched uninterrupted, unedited and live by millions of its countrymen with the revolutionary introduction of a Lok Sabha TV --an in-house transmitting station which began its 24-hour operation in 2006.

The Lok Sabha is the only legislature in the world to transmit proceedings of the House from an in-house facility --an idea first conceived by the former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Somnath Chatterjee whose idea was that the parliamentry proceedings should reach every home in India.

With ten robotic cameras placed at vantage points within the Chambers of the Lok Sabha, all proceedings are beamed through the in-house station giving direct access to the masses to the goings on in the House.

“There is growing awareness among the people about how parliament works as well as how their elected representatives perform in the legislature. The members too are aware they are being watched and so are conscious of their responsibilities” said Suneet Tandon, Chief Executive of “Lok Sabha TV”. He said the TV station is a public service channel and its purpose is not to entertain but to keep the people informed on issues that private stations do not devote time to.

Funding for running the channel is allocated from the annual budget of parliament and is answerable directly to the Speaker. It telecasts only public service advertisements from state run institutions. “We are not guided by commercial considerations and have no agenda. People get to see everything as it happens” Mr Tandon said. As parliament sits for an average of around 100 days a year, the staff of Lok Sabha TV have their hands full preparing programmes to transmit when proceedings are not on.

With equal air time given to government and opposition legislators, these programmes include discussions on bills pending in the House, fresh legislation as well as historic aspects of parliament itself. There are also special panelists who take part in programmes which are recorded at the five studios operating in the Lok Sabha TV station.

Parliamentary correspondents are well placed in the Indian parliament with the Press Advisory Committee (PAC) made up of senior representatives of the press appointed by the Speaker annually to look into the needs of journalists, as well as to, examine complaints against them and to ensure the smooth navigation of often shaky relations that crop up between politicians and members of the press.
The Committee works to complement the work of the Press and Public Relations Wing of the Indian parliament --a body which has been in operation since 1956-- to liaise with the press in its coverage of the lok Sabha.

“Journalists covering parliament too need to take their work seriously and be aware of the procedures followed here. Similarly legislators are expected to be aware of the rights of journalists. In this way there is better co-operation between us”, said Saroj Nagi who heads the PAC this year.

More than 400 journalists are accredited to cover the proceedings of the two houses of the Indian parliament, but to qualify for a permanent press pass requires at least five years journalistic experience of which at least a year should have been covering proceedings in the House.

“This is not a tourist spot and as we recommend the issuance of the permanent pass, we have made it mandatory these press people undergo training in parliamentary procedure to qualify for it,” she added.

SUNDAYTIMES.LK

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Balance sheet of ' LIFE'.....!!!

மௌனராகங்கள்
Thursday, 16 July 2009
-----------------------------------------
Balance sheet of ' LIFE'
(Dear friends,
I received this from my friend and would like to share this with you. Sorry I couldn't translate this into Tamil.)

Our Birth is our Opening Balance!
Our Death is our Closing Balance!
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets

Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset
Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account

Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill
Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents

Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.

Some very Good and Very bad things ...
The most destructive habit....... ........ .......Worry
The greatest Joy......... ......... .......... ...Giving
The greatest loss.......Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work........ .........Helping others
The ugliest personality trait........ .....Selfishness
The most endangered species..... ....Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource.... ......... ...Our youth

The greatest 'shot in the arm'........ .Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome.... ........ ...Fear
The most effective sleeping pill....... Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease...... .......Excuses

The most powerful force in life........ ........... Love
The most dangerous act......... ..A gossip
The world's most incredible computer.... ....The brain
The worst thing to be without..... .......... ..... Hope

The deadliest weapon...... ........ ........The tongue
The two most power-filled words....... ........ 'I Can'
The greatest asset....... ............. ........ ....Faith
The most worthless emotion.... ......... ....Self- pity

The most beautiful attire......... ......... ........SMILE!
The most prized possession.. ........ ........Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication. ....Prayer
The most contagious spirit...... ......... ......Enthusiasm

Life ends; when you stop Dreaming,
Hope ends; when you stop Believing,
Love ends; when you stop Caring,
And Friendship ends; when you stop Sharing.

courtesy..maunarakankal.blogspot.com

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Oh....!!! You Hindu Awake.......!!!

2009/7/15 மகிழ்நன் பா

---------- முன் அனுப்பப்பட்டத் தகவல் ----------
அனுப்புநர்: Sekar Chinnagounder
தேதி: 15 ஜூலை, 2009 10:19 pm
தலைப்பு: Fw: [keetru.com] Fwd: Interesting About Hinduism!?
பெறுநர்: பெரியார் மாணவன்
Cc: kiliyanurismath@gmail.com


15/7/09,
Oh You Hindu Awake !
by Dr. Chatterjee

INTRODUCTION
Regarding the religion referred to as `Hinduism', JAWAHARLAL NEHRU said in his "THE DISCOVERY OF INDIA" (Page 37):

"HINDUISM as a faith is vague, amorphous, many sided, all things to all men. It is hardly possible to define it, or indeed to say definitely whether it is a religion or not, in the usual sense of the word. In its present form, and even in the past, it embraces many beliefs and practices, from the highest to the lowest, often opposed to or contradicting each other."
Hinduism is better known as Brahmanism, since the word `Hindu' is of Islamicate Persian origin. There were essentially 2 types of faith in ancient India. Firstly, those which accepted the Vedas and superiority of the Brahmin caste (these are referred to as `astika' or orthodox) and consist of 6 schools. These are collectively referred to in ancient inscriptions as `Brahmana', which is rendered as `Brahmanism'. This category includes Vaishnavas, Vedists (`vaidikas'), Vedantists, etc. Then those who opposed casteism and the Vedas; these are referred to as `Sramana' or `nasika' (heretic). This last category includes Buddhists, Jains, Shaivas, Tantrics, Atheists (Carvaks), etc.
During the course of history, the `nastikas' (Charbak) have been almost wholly exterminated from India by systematic persecution at the hands of Brahmanists.

WHAT IS RELIGION?
Religion is a way of life and practice in order to obtain success in this world and the hereafter. Each and every religion has the same basic principles but follows different ways and methods to reach God. A religion should be based on justice, love, humanity and equal rights. A religion should satisfy human nature. All humanity is the creation of God and God does not discriminate between His creations whether white or black, high and low, rich and poor, and so on. God always upholds the right principles and naturally would not support the aggressor over the weaker. God always sympathizes with the victim who has been punished without reason. No man can reach God by banning, enslaving, fooling and cheating another fellow human in the name of religion.

AN OPEN CHALLENGE
My dear fellow citizens of India, I am sure you will all be very shocked with the unassailable evidence collected from the Brahmin Holy books to prepare this booklet.
We invite any Brahmin to challenge the contents of this book in public, in the newspaper, or any media of their choice. Since the first edition of this work was written and published by Dr. Chatterjee, no rebuttal has surfaced. Nor do we expect any rebuttal to this improved version by Prof. Hadwa Dom published in Dalitstan Journal, because what is stated in this booklet is the truth.

ARE YOU A HINDU ?
If so, then: Have you ever really read the Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis and Puranas (Ramayana and Mahabharata) ?
Your answer most probably will be: "No!"
The Hindu mentality is such, that it usually accepts anything without questioning its authenticity. The reason is that for several centuries the higher caste Brahmin has taught that the low caste indigenous Indian has no right to question any discrepancies in Hindu beliefs and mythology.

THE HINDU RELIGION EXPOSED
Hindu Brahmins always criticize, condemn and mock other Religions. Most of the most virulent anti-Muslim, anti-Christian and anti-Sikh literature in the world has been, and is being, published by Brahmans. Their criticism and mocking is unreasonable and unacceptable. In fact, they are often blatant lies and falsehoods.
In his autobiography, Dr. Charles, an American scholar says that it is very simple to define a Hindu. He says a Hindu means "one who believes anything and everything if said in the name of God and shall never question its authenticity".
The Brahmins claim that Lord Rama is incarnated (came in human form) to study and understand the difficulties of mankind. Is it really necessary for a god to incarnate Himself? Can He not understand His creation? Or has his intellect also been destroyed by the Brahmins ? Why should God become a donkey or a cockroach in order to understand the sufferings of these creatures?

LORD RAMA
Lord Rama is the central character of the Epic RAMAYANA (whose author was Valmiki). Rama is the son of Dasharath, the king of Banaras. Dasharath had three wives, Kaushaliya, Kaikeyi and Smitra besides several hundred concubines.
According to the Ramayana, Rama spent most of his life trying to save his wife Sita from the clutches of Ravan. At the same time Rama was enjoying life to the full at every opportunity. In addition, Rama is responsible for the genocide of Dravidians when he ordered the firing of Lanka which led to thousands of Dravidian men, women and children being burnt alive.
HOW RAMA WAS FOOLED BY SUKRIEVAN
When "god" Rama was exiled to the forest together with his wife, Sukrievan appeared as a deer and fooled "god" Rama. Although Rama was a "god", he was not able to see through Sukrievan's disguise.
12 YEARS FOR RAMA, BUT ONE DAY TO RAVAN
To retrieve his wife from `devil' Ravan, 'god' Rama sought the help of Hanuman, a monkey 'god'. Hanuman agreed to help Rama bring his wife back on condition that 'god' Rama in turn help him (Hanuman) to kill his twin brother prior to undertaking the mission.
It took more than twelve years for Hanuman to build a bridge and accomplish the task, while Ravan just took Sita and flew to Sri Lanka in just one day's time. Where is the bridge that Rama built? Who is more powerful- 'God' Rama or devil Ravan? Would a 'god' seek the help of another 'god' to murder a third god?
* If Hanuman could fly carrying big mountains, he should have in the first instance carried and flown 'god' Rama to Sri Lanka, which would have resulted in early rescue of Sita.
* Who knows what Ravan might have done to Sita during this period of twelve years? Definitely a devil would have done only "devilish" things!
Before helping 'god' Rama, Hanuman made Rama shoot his own twin brother in the back and only then did Hanuman help 'god' Rama. How can a "god" indulge in such a criminal act for personal gain?
MEAT-EATING RAMA
When 'God' Rama was told to go to the forest, he mournfully revealed to his mother: It has been ordained that I have to lose the kingdom, forego the princely comforts and the tasty MEAT-DISHES. (Ayothia Kandam, 20, 26, 94th Chapters).
RAMA'S MANY WIVES
In Mr. C.R. Sreenivasalyengar's translation of Valmiki Ramayana, it says: 'Though Rama had married Sita to be the queen, he married many other wives for sexual pleasure in accordance with the royal customs. (Ayodhya Kandam 8th Chapter, Page 28). (The term "Rama's wives" has been used in many places in Ramayana).
RAMA'S CONTEMPT FOR WOMEN & LOW CASTES
Rama disfigured and mutilated many women by cutting off their noses, breasts, ears, etc. and tortured them (Soorpanagai, Ayomuki). Rama said, "Women should not be trusted" and that "Secret should not be confided to the wife". (Ayodhya Kandam, Chapter 100). Sambuka was slain (by Rama) because he was making penance which was forbidden to him by Vedas as he was a "Shudra". (Uttara Kandam, Chapter 76).
Looking at his hand Rama said the Sanskrit slogan "Oh right hand, you kill this Asche Shudra unhesitatingly as killing this Shudra is the only way to get back the life of the deceased Brahmin boy. Are you not one of the limbs of Rama?" (Valmiki Ramayanam)
Note: This Rama, who mercilessly took away the life of Sambuka for no other fault than that of making penance is held as the Avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu! If there were kings like Rama alive now alas! What would be the plight of those who are called "Shudras?" But then we have Big Brahmins like Nehru and Vajpayee to take the place of Rama !
RAMA'S DEATH
Rama, like an ordinary man, fell down into the river and DROWNED (Uttara Kandam, Chapter 106). How can a "god" die? Who will then look after the affairs of the world?
LUSTFUL SITA VS THE "IMPOTENT" RAMA
The negationist television serials depict Sita as supposedly denying Ravan's advances. However, the oldest versions of Ramayana (read - those not yet manipulated by the Brahmins) belie these falsehoods, and amply demonstrate that Sita willingly eloped with Ravana, the Black Tamil King.
Thus Sita told Rama "You are no better than a womanmonger who lets his wife for hire and makes his livelihood. You want to be profited by my prostitution". Sita also told Rama "You lack in POTENCE, manners and charm" and she called her husband a simpleton.
As soon as Sita stepped into Ravan's palace, her love towards Ravan grew more. (Aranya Kandam, Chapter 54).
When at length Rama asked Sita to swear about her chastity, she declined and died. (Uttar Kandam, Chapter 97)
Kukuvavathy, sister-in-law of Rama, said to him - "Oh Elder! How you love Sita more than you love yourself! Come with me and see what really is in your lovely wife's heart. Still she could not forget that fellow Ravan. Drawing a picture of Ravan on a hand-fan and pressing it closely to her bosom. She is lying on your bed with eyes closed thinking on and rejoicing at Ravan's glories. Rama sighed and went out to Sita's house. There she was found sleeping pressing to her breast the hand-fan on which Ravan's picture was drawn." (This is found in pages 199, 200 of the Bengali Ramayana written by Mrs. Chandravathi).
WHAT LEADERS SAY ABOUT GOD RAMA?
When such dastardly acts are proven to have been perpetrated by Rama, the Brahmin leaders declare : "My Rama (god Rama) is not the Rama of Ramayana". So each Brahmin has his own Aryan god Rama, which does not exist in any text !
SOME QUOTATIONS ON RAMAYANA
MAHATHMA GHANDI : "The Ramayana and Mahabaratha are nothing but another Arabian Nights story".
JAWAHERLAL NEHRU : "Rama is not a god; but he is a hero"
C. RAJAGOPALACHARI, First Governor General of India & Ex Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu). : "Ramayana is not a divine story; it is only a literature."

LORD KRISHNA
The cataclysmic Mahabharata War was engineered by this `god'. Lord Krishna was also very fond of looking at naked young girls. Once upon a time Krishna, in order to get a full view of some bathing virgin girls, went to the extent of hiding their clothes on the tree tops just to get a panoramic view. Does he obtain divine immunity from looking at a naked woman?
The Gita, a Holy Book of the Hindus, quotes that when these bathing low caste girls (gopis, or Sudra cow-herdesses) begged for the return of their clothes. Lord Krishna demanded that they come out of the water with their hands raised instead of covering their bodies. Oh my innocent Hindu brethren! Can this action be attributed to a god? Is this god capable of indulging in such ungodly acts? These acts of Krishna are the exact mirror of the later Brahmin exploitation of Sudra women in the huge Devadasi temples.
THE RIDDLE OF RAMA AND KRISHNA
The Times of India reported on 12-11-87 that the Education Department, Government of Maharashtra, had published a book called "The Riddle of Rama and Krishna" by Dr. Ambedkar.
The report said that various statements contained in the book aroused the ire of some Brahmins, particularly the author's observations on Rama and Dasharath's many wives and also Krishna's moral character. (The Riddle of Rama and Krishna, available from Dalit Sahithya Academy, Bangalore). This book it a must read for all Hindus.
GOD SHIVA, LORD GANESH & GODDESS PARVATHL
According to Hinduism, god Shiva's head is the source of the river Ganges and his head is also the place where the moon is located. (If this was really a fact then why should America send astronaut Neil Armstrong 240,000 miles away to the moon ?).
According to Puranans, goddess Parvathi, wife of god Shiva, sought Shiva's permission to have a baby. When Shiva refused, Parvathi took dirt from her body and created Lord Ganesh. (The late E.V.R. Periar used to call this god a "bundle of dirt").
Later God Shiva mistakenly chopped off his own son's head. How could a "god" make such a foolish mistake? Would such a god solve your problems or make them more complicated?
To rectify his error God Shiva severed the head of a baby elephant and transplanted it onto his son who then became known as the Elephant-headed god. His statues are usually found near river-sides where he is said to be looking for a bride resembling his mother! (There is a different version to this story which, for decency's sake, cannot be printed here).
KALI-GODDESS OF VIOLENCE
A recent report by United Press trust of India (UPI) stated that during the past three years more than 2,500 young boys and girls were sacrificed to goddess Kali in India. Another of AFP's recent reports say: hundreds of young boys and virgin girls are sacrificed every month for the deity Kali. In one case Rama Sewak hacked his eight year old son to death in broad daylight in Dehii because goddess Kali had told him he would come back to life and bring him good fortune. Bloodthirsty Kali is worshipped openly the length and breadth of India.
Kali's statue stands naked astride the inanimate body of the Hindu deity Shiva, tongue stuck out with blood dripping from fang-like teeth. She holds a noose, a skull-topped staff, a blood-encrusted sword and a severed head. She is also known as Durga, Devi, Shaktima, Uma and Parvathi in other manifestations.
The priest of Delhi, Kali Bari, says that a child sacrificed to Kali ensures a man the birth of a son. Human sacrifices are also made to these gods or goddesses, either to appease them or to ask favours of them.
Bihar's police chief J. Sahay said: "We have tried our best to curb human sacrifices, but what can an agency do when an entire village chooses a victim and cuts off his head with his parent's consent." Bihar's famous lawyer, Urnkant Chaturvedi, said that "Human sacrifice under our law is treated as murder, but the killer- never found - is always the local high priest." He continues, "at times the local policemen are reluctant to take action because of the inbred fear of the gods and goddesses."
A famous human sacrifice occurred in 1972 when a powerful leader in Maharashtra state- in order to find a treasure - offered blood from 11 virgin girls to Manja. He did not find the treasure, but four persons were hanged for the crime and the main culprit escaped because of his political influence. Some time ago, two brothers named Siddharth and Ravi asked their 21 year old sister Shobha to take a bath and come for prayers to a nearby temple in Kerala State. To her horror, the brothers pierced her with a sword and iron rods whilst chanting Vedic mantras. Withering in pain, she begged for pity, but she was cut to pieces and her body burned bit by bit. The brothers had done it to unearth a hidden treasure. At first they tried to find another victim but when they failed to find another virgin girl, they sacrificed their own sister.
One may ask why this human sacrifice is so prevalent in Brahmanic society and is sanctioned in the Vedas (where it is mentioned as `purushamedha'? Was it, as is sometimes fraudulently claimed, due to cannibal Adivasi influence ? No ! The answer is : Human sacrifice was spread amongst the non-Brahmins by the Brahmins in order to make the non-Brahmins kill each other. One may ask, could this not boomerang onto the Brahmins themselves ? The Big Brahmins had of course thought of this : Only Brahmin children are exempted by the Vedas from human sacrifice.
GODDESS PANCHALI
This goddess was married to five brothers. Which one would become the legitimate father of his child should she have one? Dr Charles says that instances of incest are common in Hindu scriptures.
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI - "HIS HOLINESS"!
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI, NIRANJAN DEV TEERTH, one of the BRAHMINS' supreme Spiritual leaders, gave an interview to the Kalyan (Hindu) monthly magazine. Extracts are given below:
Q: "Maharaj! if a Shudra acts righteously, can he become a Brahmin?"
A: "If the Shudra acts according to his code and keeps within the limit of Varnashrama he may become a Brahmin in the next birth - but never in the present."
Q: "Is the belief in the caste system essential?"
A: "Yes, it is very essential. There can be no PROGRESS without belief in caste system.
Q: "Maharaj! The change of caste depends on deeds and virtues."
A: "No, it depends on birth and not on deeds. Caste depends on birth, deeds cannot change it. This is an IRREFUTABLE TRUTH".
At the inaugurating of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (RSS Branch) at Patna in April 1969, the Shankaracharya (of course he is a Brahmin! ) said: "Untouchabitity is a part and parcel of Hindu social system, I shall cling to this belief even if they HANG ME. "
On Low Caste Hindus! Have a look and see what the Brahmin MANU says (Chapter VIII Sloka 4,14). "Slavery is inborn among the Shudras and no one can free them from it".
The Brahmin MANU again says in Chapter 19, Sloka 413: "Sri Brahmin had intended from eternity that the Untouchables should be born slaves, live as slaves, and die as slaves."
On another occasion the Acharya said that there was no way out for a woman who becomes a widow other than to commit Sati. He said he will oppose the Sati law even if the Government of India HANGS him.
Instead of sending him to prison, according to the Indian constitution, this fanatic priest is often visited and worshipped by the top Brahmin leaders in India.
ACHARYA RAJNEESH
This is none other than the internationally famous "SEX SWAMIJI." He preaches free sex involving orgies and he says that before life comes to an end one should indulge in as much sexual activity as is humanly possible. This he claims is what blissful heavenly life is. He is a true swami, in that, he not only preaches but is also actively involved in practising what he preaches.
He also teaches the love for wealth and materialism. Little wonder that this "god man" owns over ninety Rolls Royces and a ranch in America! Rajneesh and his "Holy" group are well known to carry all kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.
CHANDRA SWAMI
This controversial "globe trotting" godman has links with scandals like the Bofors scandal. He spends much of his time attending to the individual problems of Hollywood stars, multi-millionaires and other famous people. Should anything happen to them he rushes to their aid in a chartered private jet. He never misses an opportunity to pose for photographs with them so as to appear in international magazines like Time and Newsweek. Why doesn't he attend to some of Indian's problems as well?
Pamella Bordes, the Ex-beauty queen of India, and a well known prostitute, was used by this Swamiji for some of his international frauds which have come to light very recently.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI (THE GODLY RAMBOH)
Why does a "HOLY MAN" need a GUN FACTORY? This Swamiji has one! A gun with a licence to protect himself is justifiable ....... but this Swamiji needs a gun factory to protect himself ? He also has had a helicopter pad constructed for his convenience. (His followers include Nani Palkiwala and Manoj Kumar).
The author has very high appreciation for the following HOLY MEN in preference to other HOLY MEN:
RAJNEESH - THE SEXY "HOLY" MAN.
MAHARISH - THE FLYING "HOLY" MAN.
CHANDRA SWAMI - THE HOLLYWOOD "HOLY" MAN.
SAI BABA - THE MAGIC "HOLY" MAN.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI - THE "GODLY" RAMBO.
Don't you see how these people fool and cheat the world!
THE HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT
This group is now attracting hundreds of drug addicts in the U.S. and THE WEST. Like the Hindu Saints (Sanyasis) of Kashi (Varnasi) they smoke and take drugs in all sorts of different forms.
A UNI press report (15-8-1987) said, under the heading of "SECT CHIEF IS CONVICTED KILLER". - that the Hare Krishna's chief is a convicted killer and drug dealer. The swami, 38 year old Thomas Drescher, is imprisoned at the West Virginia state penitentiary for gunning down Steven Bryant, 33, in Los Angeles. Drescher was also convicted in 1979 for manufacturing and distributing drugs and was found guilty in January 1983 of slaying a Krishna devotee. Finally the report concludes that since 1977, seven of the original I I gurus named by the HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA movements founder have been removed for reasons ranging from CHILD abuse, DRUG dealing and SEXUAL promiscuity.
O Ramacandra, these scriptural injunctions were laid down by learned men, skilled in inducing others to give, and finding other means of obtaining wealth, thus subjugating the simple-minded. Their doctrine is 'Sacrifice, give in charity, conse- crate yourselves, undergo austerities, and become ascetics'. 0 Rama, be wise, there exists no world but this, that is certain! Enjoy that which is present and cast behind thee that which is unpleasant! Adopting the principle acceptable to all, do thou receive the kingdom offered thee by Bharat (Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, 108).
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
What good has Hinduism done for India?
Does Hinduism have the answers for todays problems? Alcoholism - Drugs- Divorce - Suicide etc.
To these gods move, think or speak?
Can they defend themselves if attacked; or mend themselves if broken?
Don't you think it foolish to worship these manmade objects?
Does India belong to the Indians (95 %) or the Brahmins (5%)?
Did Hinduism originate in India itself or did it come with the Aryans via the Khyber Pass?
Can a person convert and become a Brahmin?
What is the relationship between the Aryans of India (Brahmins) and the Aryans of Germany (Hitler's Nazis)?
Why do the Brahmins and Nazis have the same symbol - the Swastika? (Look at the racist National Front symbols in South Africa).
Ask yourself who is your God? Is it Shiva, who has the moon and river Ganges on his head and who could not identify his own son? Or is it Rama who couldn't see through Sukrievan's disguise and who murdered another god? Or could it be Krishna, the "playboy god"?
THE BRAHMIN CONSPIRACY
The conspiracy and intrigue of domination over other human beings has been the main objective of Brahminism all along. Brahminism, an Aryan concoction of human and insatiable lust for hegemony, sex and money, sought to rule the ignorant and deprived masses in the name of religion.
This is very visible from the content, tone and message of the holy books, written and perpetuated in the name of religion by the Brahmins. How can these books be called the word of God? They contain the most exotic form of pornography, the most depraved norms of behaviour and the most unjust and ugly system of life based on extortion, cruelty and blood thirsty hunger for domination over others. The Hindus are not Brahmins and the Brahmins are not Hindus. At least this is evident from the books written and disseminated by the Brahmins themselves.
The Sudroids are the original inhabitants of Hindustan, the very people who were the true architects of the Indus Valley civilization which was considered to be one of the best examples of human societal development in the entire history of the human race. The barbaric Brahmins came from the wastelands of the region beyond the Himalayas and destroyed the great monuments of culture and civilization and pushed the real inhabitants of India into slavery.
Slavery is the message of the Brahmins "holy" books concocted by them. Just as the Jews divided humanity into Jew and Non Jew, so has the Brahmin. The whole world is classified in these books as Brahmin and Non Brahmin. The non Brahmin is to remain internally a slave unto the "master" who has dominated Indian history since he lay his hand on it.
We must break the chains, once and for ever. The bondage and the slavery must go. But first let us find out what these books say. On concept of democracy, social justice, secularism, politics, economics, leadership and elections are all based on the wretched caste system, an evil curse that has been spun round the necks of the innocent and deprived.
Let us tear the mask away from those evil faces, which stare at us from every nook and corner of our lives.
The intelligent reader can easily uncover the ulterior motives of Brahmins as to why they incite High Caste Hindu mobs to kill Low Caste Hindus or for creating communal tensions with other minorities ever so often. This they do in order to continue their stranglehold on state policies, so that they can manipulate them to their advantage; they don't care adamn for the nation of India... Read for yourself what the Brahmin priest Purshottam Rao has to say......
PURSHOTTAM RAO
Temple priest HYDERABAD
Q: Should sadhus enter politics?
A: There was a time when Brahmins used to dictate state policy. Now we have been totally sidelined. The VHP is trying to correct this historical wrong by bringing religious leaders to the forefront of our national life. It is now time for the entire Hindu religious leadership to once again lead the nation.
The Continuing War on Low Caste Hindus......
NEW DELHI, Sept. 19 (R) - Three Indian students set themselves ablaze today to try to shock the government into scrapping plans to reserve more government jobs for low castes in the Hindu hierarchy.
'This (job's plan) is for the poor classes who have been denied their rights for thousands of years. The students shouldn't come in their way," Paswan told Reuters. Protests led by upper-caste students began sweeping north India soon after Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh said on August 7 that 27 percent of government jobs would be set aside for low castes.
Paswan was himself born an "untouchable" or outcast in the system, which traditionally decides occupation and status by birth. "Untouchables" prefer to call themselves "Dalits," the oppressed. Paswan told a conference of political leaders and officials today that the jobs plan had to go ahead to raise the status of low castes and create a more sympathetic bureaucracy.
He said the upper castes were still taking jobs set aside 40 years ago for Dalits by simply delaying the implementation of reservation policies. Bureaucrats would employ an upper-caste graduate with irrelevant qualifications for a typist's job and turn down a Dalit trained to type at 60 words per minute, he said.

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