Eight rescued; expat Lankans bring pride to country; debates

The Island reported on its front page on Friday April 19 that eight young persons trafficked and held captive in a remote area in Myanmar to perform forced cybercrimes had been rescued. Lankan Embassy officials in Bangkok had received the eight escapees on the border of Thailand with Myanmar. Cass picked on this phrase in the news item: “… their repatriation was arranged with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration.”

   Cassandra’s attention focused on this statement since she had been considering how belated the rescue of the victims were, and so she wondered whether this Organisation had to catalyse our government and/or the SL Embassies in Thailand and Myanmar to be more proactive over this trafficking issue. These cheated young men and women were being tortured in the camp in Myanmar and this was reported by the MTV Channel First, weeks if not months ago.

The negotiations to get them out of the clutches of their cruel taskmasters took so very long. Some are still held within their control. Was our government and its embassy in Yangon too slow, too indifferent, not emphatic enough to save these hapless youth?

What are ambassadors and embassy staff overseas for if not for helping as soon and as effectively as possible citizens of their country when in trouble in the country they are posted to? These captives in illegal cyber camps – Sri Lankan young men and women – were in real bad trouble. It took months, Cass believes, to get the first of them to safety after they had escaped. DPL negotiations don’t work? Then why maintain such embassies at considerable expense while the country is bankrupt? Are they functioning only to celebrate national holidays and kowtow to local politicians when they visit the foreign countries?

Celebrate young SL woman

Piyumi Wijesekera is among NASA’s four-member volunteer crew selected to participate in a “simulated mission to Mars within a habitat at the Agency’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Her companions for the 45 day trial are Jason Lee, Stephanie Navarro and Shareef Al Romaithi. They will step into the agency’s Human Exploration Research Analog l or HERA, on May 10, to work and live like astronauts.

” They will exit the facility on June 24 – their simulated return to Earth. What major differences from ordinary life they will have to face and overcome; to me the severest being confinement in a small space and being cut off from family and friends. They are supposed to walk on Mars’ surface using virtual reality. This is the second group undergoing this vast experiment; the first having completed their mission on 18 March.

   Piyumi Wijesekera is a postdoctoral research scientist in the Radiation Biophysics Lab at NASA Ames Research Centre in California’s Silicon Valley. She earned her first degree in bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a doctorate degree in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Her doctoral research focused on stem cell and organ engineering. Her social activities listed in her bio reveals her to be a normal young woman, close knit with family and having fun with friends. What a massive challenge she willingly faces; so removed from her usual lifestyle.

Shareef Al Romaithi is from the UAE; Stephani from Ecuador and Lee is probably American – Cass internetted but failed to determine his nationality. Much publicity has been given these four volunteers both internationally and locally; Piyumi being featured in recent local newspapers too. Notwithstanding, Cass felt impelled to write about her – such a pride to this country of ours.

Singing duo

   Another feather in Sri Lanka’s national cap! Roshini Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, billed as West End stars, sang their song Anagathaye in Sinhala at the Commonwealth Day Service on March 13 at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Eastern beauty and manly handsomeness were what we celebrated plus their excellent rendering of the song. She was dressed in a green, patterned in black sari with black blouse and her waist length hair loose at her back. He was in a bordered black sarong, white shirt and a shawl thrown across his shoulders. They combined so well. I thanked the friend who sent me the video clip. Such a joyous change from what we hear and read about now with politics supreme.

In his address from the Great Pulpit, the King mentioned the fact that Queen Elizabeth laid special store on this organization of nations. He said: “Commonwealth Day was an occasion of particular pride for my beloved mother, the late Queen; a treasured opportunity to celebrate our Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her long and remarkable life. The Commonwealth has been a constant in my own life, and yet its diversity continues to amaze and inspire me. Its near-boundless potential as a force for good in the world demands our highest ambition; its sheer scale challenges us to unite and be bold.”

That last holds so true for us Sri Lankans and our country. In Cass’ previous Cry she echoed a sensible activist who spoke about being Sri Lankan and making the most of the diversity of the racial and religious mix in our peoples. Will we ever be as we were before the cursed Sinhala Only stricture was thrust on us for personal power? We older ones tasted the joy of us being people of Ceylon, no matter our religion, facial structure, shades of brown and customs. Mutual respect was what the separate groups had for each other and as individuals, particularly us children then, we cared not a hoot if the other was of a different race or religion.

Consequently, we were a prosperous nation – soon after independence – second only to Japan in Asia and the envy of the Singaporean leader. Cass does not need to mention where we are now – thrown there by politicians and their greed for lucre and power, aided by slimy administrators either making their own fortunes and /or bowing and scraping to politicians.

Debates

   The much talked about verbal match between AKD and Sajith is finally scheduled for early May. Both debaters are eloquent and more significantly, well informed and intelligent. Cass pronounces them thus, at least in comparison to most in the August House. Hence it should prove to be an event. Furthermore, neither is given to going off the rails and descending to vituperation.

If perchance one or both do, it will turn out be a deliberate soliloquy on the part of AKD and a carefully elocuted, complex worded, non- yelling denigration of the other. Cass is sure these two will not allow their debate to go the way of all Parliamentary debates descending from pronouncement of a fact or two to verbal slanging, exchange of personal insults and then rushing to the centre of the chamber with ever ready sluggers to fisticuff until parliamentary measures are taken to restore decorum.

   Will the scheduled debate in Parliament on the 2019 Easter Sunday massacre turn out thus: just another shouting brawl? Cassandra, in her ignorance, asks whether yet another debate/report etc are needed on the senseless killing and maiming of hundreds in churches and hotels. So many have already been done. Then reading Wednesday April 24 The Island, she found the editorial asks just that question: “There is no need for the Easter Sunday terror attacks to be debated in Parliament.

What is needed is a thorough, credible investigation therin.” Earlier the editorial notes: “Above all, former President Maithripala Sirisena’s claim that he knows who masterminded the carnage must be probed and action taken against him if he has sought to mislead investigators.” That calls for the loudest three cheers from Cassandra. Perfectly spot on!