A review of the weekend news papers' editorials
BY OUR POLITICAL EDITOR
Changing food habits -- child monks and sex abuse
(October 18, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In a television discussion between a government Member of Parliament and an opposition UNP member the question of the high prices of food items such as bread, sardines (Tinned fish), dal, and eggs, the government message was that these are not "our kind of food", and instead, it is better to eat rice, mikunuenna and pathola. Perhaps, that message is going to be repeated for quite some time to come. Some ministers were seen engaged in working in paddy fields with mamotties in their hands. One Minister asked, whether it is fair ask for bread at Rs. 50/= in Sri Lanka when in the United States it costs Rs. 250/= or more. Such radical thoughts on basic food items suggests that the present government has adopted the kind of programme that the coalition government of Sirimao Bandaranaike in 1970 to 1977, had. That seems to be the food policy until the development achieves its objectives.
One weekend paper commented on the issue of the sex abuse of children, citing a rather disturbing story of a father raping a daughter and one of daughter's friends. While the paper was concerned with this issue, the government announced that 2600 children will be admitted as child monks on the day the executive president takes the oath for the next term. Child rights activists have protested over this and the talkative Keheliya Rokwella, in response said he was for ordaining 26,000, not just 2600. Heads of religions the world over are concerned with the sex abuse of children by priests and monks. Even the Pope himself has been criticised for not taking serious action on this matter. Sri Lankan religious men of various faiths are not outside blame on this issue. There are videos in U-tube where mothers are accusing monks for abuse of their children. One monk has gone on record saying that practice is so common that he has decided never have child samaneras. This action, meant to add to the president's glory is likely to boomerang. It may even be seeing as an attempt to bribe some monks at a time when many of them are angry at the way the president has treated some Sinhala Buddhist heroes.
The Sarath Fonseka issue remained a hot topic. An Anglican Bishop pointed out that the issue is one about denial of fair trial and not about pardon. The president, aware of the sensitive nature of the issue was reported to have instructed his party people not to talk about pardon anymore. Talk of pardon can raise many ugly problems about how persons accused of murder, rape and other things have been pardoned and there is even talk about who joined the government to avoid being prosecuted. After all trading of crime charges is so common at all levels. There is nothing more false in Sri Lanka than to claim that everyone is equal before law.
JVP protests were also reported and commented on. With acute problems everywhere, the fear that more people may join parties like JVP, seem quite real. The decision to beat up protesters and put students behind bars seem to be a part of the overall policy. It is the fate of the JVP to be used as a scapegoat when people are angry with the ruling political parties.
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