17 Castle Lane, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka

That was my address between 1959 (I think) and December 1961.  I was five years old in 1959.  This morning, after almost sixty-five years, I walked past this address.  As expected, what I saw was completely different from what it was then.  As I passed the block of land, which was 17 Castle Lane, Bambalapitiya, I also walked down my memory lane.  Most of the memories of life at this address revolved around my dad.  My memories, not necessarily in chronological order, follow.

I recall it being a vast plot, with a majestic building as the main domicile, named The Rook.  I guess that the name of the lane, Castle Lane, is named after this house.  Very likely, a British Administrator had lived here.  The facade had arches, painted white.  Its portico could provide shade to at least two cars.  However, I don't remember seeing any cars there.  I don't remember any residents in the main house.  If there were any, they were very private.  Behind the main house, there was an out-house, which was probably a garage at one time.  It was remodelled into a small house, which my parents rented.  It was where our childhood, mine, my sister's, and my two brothers' started.  

                                                        17 Castle Lane, Bambalapitiya, today

When I was five, one evening when it was dark already, my father taught me how to read time from a table clock.  He explained that a day is divided into 24 hours, with a clock displaying 12 hours at a time. Each hour is further divided into sixty minutes.  He explained that the small hand represents an hour, and the big hand represents minutes.  To tell the time, look at the number the small hand has passed to know the hour, and then find the number where the long hand is, and multiply that by five to know the minutes.  After a few trials, and with a few hits and misses, he threw a challenge.  He will keep moving the clock's hands to different positions, and I need to tell the time correctly.  If I get ten correctly in a row, he will buy me an ice cream.  And, I did it.  He took his bicycle, put me on the cycle bar, went to Alerics, which was about a kilometer away, and bought me ice cream in a paper cup with a wooden spoon, for ten cents!

When my mother and the rest were away in Jaffna, my father would get up in the morning, prepare breakfast and lunch, and pack for both of us.  While cooking, he will also supervise me as I do my homework.   I had five sets of white shorts and shirts, which I wore to school, although a uniform was not required.  My father will wash them during the weekends, dry and iron them for me to wear during the week.  One pair per day.  We both left home together till we reached Galle Road.  We will visit the temple to pray, then he will buy me a snack for lunch before I head to school, and he will go to his office.

The Manicka Vinayagar Temple, Bambalapitiya.

Later, I started walking to school on my own, but I was afraid to cross Galle Road.  A police man, on duty daily, will help me cross the road.  He will hold my hand, and walk me across, and I started calling him uncle.  I think he liked it.    

During those days, the only entertainment was going to the movies.  When my mother and the rest were away in Jaffna, I recall my father and I going to the Plaza theater for a movie.  He bought himself a packet of cigarettes – Three Roses.  I insisted that I, too, should have a pack – he bought me a pack of candies that resemble cigarettes.  Their tips were in red.  I was happy.

It was in late 1950s or in early 1960s, escalators were installed for the first time at the CEYLINCO house.  At that time, it was the tallest building in Colombo.  My dad took me there, so that I could go up and down the escalator!

On another occasion, my parents trained me to sing a movie song at a Children’s program presented by the Radio Ceylon.  The song was about how parents appreciated children and never felt them as burdens.  One of my uncles, who knew the presenter, arranged for me to participate and took me to the recording.  All was well until I was in the soundproof booth with the presenter.  I got scared to be with a stranger and started crying uncontrollably.  There was no recording, and my uncle had to bring me home.

I also remember the day we as a family went to see Charlton Heston's Ben-Hur at the Liberty Theater.  My dad bought balcony tickets, because my mother was with us.

Liberty Cinema, Colpetty

I recall my younger sister was much braver than I.  When we went for walks along the coast, we had to cross a narrow pedestrians bridge.  About 10 m below was where a drain met the ocean   I had to hold my parents' hands as we crossed, but she does not have to.  She will swing her arms and danced her way across the bridge.  She died in 1971, when she was thirteen. 

It was also the house where my parents had twin girls in September 1961, one of them died as a three-month-old baby in December 1961.  It was then that the family moved to Jaffna, where I began my schooling at Jaffna Hindu College in January 1962.  I continued my education at Jaffna Hindu College until I went to the University, although my parents and the rest of my siblings moved back to Colombo briefly.  All settled as a family back in Jaffna in 1967 for good.

I got help all the way

I had to travel from Pune to Mumbai by train recently.  My train was to depart at 6:45 pm, but I reached the train station at 4:30 pm.  The station was PACKED.  Passengers were spilling to about 50 m away from the station.  I managed to find my way through the crowd and reached the first platform.  Again, there was standing room only.  I noticed signs for AC Rooms and AC Dormitory two levels above the platform, and I found my way there. 

At the reception, I was told that all rooms are occupied, but I can have a bed in a dormitory.   I wanted to see it before I pay for it, and I was taken in.  It was a spacious hall with about twenty bunk beds.  Each had a storage box.  I decided to stay there for the two hours.  I paid 5 USD for a bunk bed for three hours.  The attendant brought washed sheets and pillow cases, and showed me where the bathroom was.  Thinking of public restrooms in developing countries, I was not keen on using them.

 Pune Train Station Dormitory with Bunk Beds

There were four male passengers, all engrossed in their devices.  I removed my shoes and lay down to rest.  After an hour or so, I had to relive my blader.  To my surprise, the toilets were clean, and if I wanted, I could have a shower.

I returned to my bunk, and by 6:I5 I got ready and went to the platform.  There was a LONG train, but the train number displayed on the screen was different from my train's.  I thought, once this train leaves, my train would come.  However, by 6:30, the number changed to my train's, but the destination, was not Panvel, was not on display.  Then I realised that mine is one of the stops on its 30-hour journey.

                                        A sign posted at Pune Station - Note the sign for Cancer

Now I need to find my seat, which means I need to locate my compartment.  The compartment number was not clear on my ticket.  The ticket was an A4 sheet document in which my seat number was buried.  I looked for an officer, but, despite 1000s of people, there were none.  Most people couldn't understand why I was asking for the correct compartment in English.  Then, a person pointed me to a compartment, and I looked for my seat. 

There was a family, seated, which included a young girl.  I asked her if she spoke English, and she nodded affirmatively.  Then she showed me where to look for my seat number on my ticket.  The seat number was a string of alphabets and numerals, separated by forward slashes.  She told me that I was in compartment B3, and I need to go to compartment B1.  Good enough, I rushed towards B1, and felt that someone was following me closely.  It was the young girl who wanted to ensure that I found my seat.  Together, we found the seat.  I thanked her, and she left.

Seated in front of me was a middle-aged man who reminded me of Tamil movie actor MS Baskar.  We started conversing briefly.  He asked where I was from, and I said I am from Sri Lanka.  He inquired about Sri Lanka's debt crisis and whether China had captured markets in the country.  The conversation was pleasant.  He owned a factory that produced a component for Bajaja Scooters.

Then I wanted to recharge my phone, which I desperately needed to find an Uber from Panvel station to the hotel.  The international adopter I had would not stay in place, as the train traveled.  He took his charger and offered it to me.  I wanted to recharge my second phone, as I had the Indian SIM on one to hotspot the phone, which had the UBER app.  He offered his powerpack.  The EXPRESS train took 2.5 hours to travel 120 km.  India is far, far away from China in this regard.  The train reached Panvel, and the passenger in front of me (passenfer-1) told the passenger (Passeenger-2) next to him, who was also getting off at Panvel, about me, and my lack of Marati language skills. 

At the Panvel station, I thanked passenger-1 and got down with passenger-2.  Passenger-2 did not speak much English.  We walked silently to the road, negotiating our way through crowds.  I ordered UBER.  Passenger-2 stayed with me until the Uber arrived.  He located it among hundreds of cars, auto rickshaws, and pedestrians, and explained to the driver where I had to go.  I thanked him, and he went on his way, trying to reach his detsination, after losing 15 minutes, helping me about.

I was helped all the way on this journey.  There are too many good people around, willing to help without any return.  They keep the world liveable.

The 4A-JHC Club: All good things come to an end

It was in 1962, approximately 62 years ago, that a group of boys, aged between 7 and 9 years, met at Jaffna Hindu College in Year 4, Division A, which would later become the 4A email club in 2001.  For some of us, our parents fed us, dressed us, packed our school bags, and walked us to School.  I was one of them.  For many, their parents did not accompany them; instead, suitable arrangements were made to ensure they could reach and return from School safely.

Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna. Sri Lanka

We did not have a classroom, but a class verandah.  We had comfortable wooden benches to sit on, but no desks were available.  Some of us kept our books on our laps, while others had small suitcases that they kept on their laps and used as their desks.  Our class teacher was Mr. N. Somasundaram, who taught us English.  He seated us in alphabetical order, from A-Z, from the first seat to the last.  Each day, the student seated last will move to the top seat, and the rest move one seat backward.  That was his way of ensuring all students had equal access to teaching.  I sat next to Sivarajapilai, and to this date, we are in touch with each other.  

During the same Year, another Teacher, Mr. Sivanesarajah, who was in charge of Cub Scouts, encouraged us to join the Cub Scouts.  Some of us joined and learned to work as a Team, as well as to lead Teams.

At the end of each Year, students who have performed well in all divisions will be grouped into the A division, and those who have not will be moved to other divisions.  Hence, the A division always had students who performed academically.  Some who were in 4A remained in the A divisions from Year 4 to Year 8.  

When we finished Year 8, we split along the lines of the higher education we sought.  Students who wanted to learn physical sciences, biological sciences, commerce, and humanities were grouped accordingly.  When we reached Year 10, our performances at the GCE O/L exam brought about another split, as some students could not meet the requirements to join Advanced Level Education.  Once we sat for the GCE A/L exams, we left JHC altogether.  Consequently, from 1962 to 1973, we moved Divisions, met with new friends, lost contact with many, but retained associations with those who joined the Cub Scout squad, met, socialized, and co-learned until we left JHC. 

Myself, during GCE A/L - 1972.

We followed different paths and lost our way until the year 2000, when Muhunthan, a 4A-JHC 1962 friend, started putting together the 4A email club.  By then, we were married, had families, and children at different ages.  However, the email club made us all feel and behave like school boys at JHC in 1962, although all were in our late forties.

With Murugs, Muhunthan, Aras, Amarnath, Perananthan, Kunchu and Selva in Sydney, 2022

With Hari in Colombo, April 2023 (Top), With Sivarajapillai and Rabin, Toronto, Aug 2024 (Bottom)

With Amarnath, Sathiyananthamoorthy, Kandan in London Jul 2023

The Club discussed global politics, technology, economics, religion, and the existence of God.  The discussions reflected lessons we learned during the intervening period.  We wrote about our thoughts on the issues, without imposing our views on others.  We realized that the differences in opinions at School remained to some extent, and our perspectives on macro issues reflected our paths from 1973 to 2000.  None of us followed the same path from 1973 to 2000.  So, plenty of different perspectives on every issue.

  With Para, Sivarajapillai, and Ravi in Toronto 2024

With the advent of WhatsApp, the email club morphed into a Chat group.  Our exchanges continued, but instead of expressing our views, we mainly shared reels.  In hindsight, we should have continued with the email club.  Nevertheless, I must admit, I regret the decision to quit the email club.  Now, I have quit the Chat Group, a decision I may regret later.

During the past week, I had been reflecting on my decision to quit.  It feels like I have done the right thing, as I wasn't learning anything.  I could predict the response of every member on every issue.  Maybe because we had been exchanging emails and chats for nearly 25 years,

I am glad that Muhunthan brought us together, and over the past 25 years, I have met with most of the members; most live in Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, the UK, and the USA.  Every time, they received me with affection, and arranged for me to meet with many other JHC friends, who are not part of the Chat group.  

We reminisced about our days, our teachers, and there were very few issues and incidents where we had a difference of opinion.  We only wanted to remember the good things.  Yes, remembering them is delightful than reflecting on the differences.  Our differences are minuscule in comparison to what we have/had together.  

When we meet in the future, we will reflect on the good times we had through the email club and the chat group.  My time with the email club and chat group has come to an end, but I will look back on our conversations fondly.  

All good things must come to an end, leaving us with fond memories to cherish forever.

Ella, Sri Lanka

I was born in Sri Lanka and did not leave the island till I turned 26.  I have lived in Jaffna for most of my life, but I have also lived in Peradeniya near Kandy for six years, and I lived in Colombo for about two years.  I have heard of Badulla, a city where one of my aunts taught; Gampola, another city where one of my neighbors taught; Bandara Wela and Hatton, where two of my classmates in Jaffna came from.  Other than these cities, I have heard of Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kataragama, and Galle, which are other major cities in Sri Lanka.  I have never heard of Ella, a town between Badulla and Bandara Wela, now the poster child of Sri Lanka, attracting hoards of tourists in recent years.  I first learned of Ella on a YouTube clip in which the Ella train station was promoted as a Green Station.  The Station Master and the Staff spent two hours a day when trains were not passing through, mending its gardens and keeping the station clean.  I travel through Sri Lanka often, and I added it to my bucket list and went there recently.

At Ella Green Train Station

The best way to travel to Ella from Colombo is by train, which will take about seven hours, or from Kandy, which will take about four hours.  Tickets are sold out months ahead, so anyone who wants to travel to Ella by train must plan and book tickets well ahead.  The next best thing to do is travel from Nanu Oya to Badulla via Nuwara Eliya and Ella.  The scenes are spectacular.  Unfortunately, I could not make any of these trips.  Instead, I had to take a bus ride from Colombo to Ella, which took four hours, sans most of the scenic beauty.  I had to settle for the views between Mattala and Ella, which were beautiful as well.  I intentionally took a daytime bus so I would not miss the views.  The bus reached Ella around 2 pm.

Ella's business district is the main road (A23), about 1 km long.  Cafes, bars, bakeries, boutiques, creameries, and restaurants are on both sides of the road, and almost everyone on the street is a tourist.  Finding a restaurant that served Sri Lankan rice and curry was hard, but they were there.  The cafe I had lunch was built on the side of a rock, on man made platform.  Getting up was an excercise itself, but fun.  I had lunch and decided to walk to the train station I saw on YouTube.  

Rice & Fish Curry Lunch

There were tourists and guides taking photos and waiting for a train to arrive.  It turned out that a train from Badulla was about to come, which would go over the Nine Arch Bridge, the poster child, which gets rave reviews.  The Nine Arch Bridge, between Ella and Demodera, is 2.5 km from Ella.  Some wanted to see the train crossing the bridge, so they walked along the tracks towards the bridge, aiming to arrive before the train crossed.  A one-way ticket from Ella to Demodera is 50LKR (15 US cents).  I got one and waited with others to board the train.

While waiting for the train to Demodera

As the train arrived, there was a bit of excitement among those who wanted to board the train.  But, they have to give way to those who were deboarding.  The train emptied itself at Ella.  I found a seat in the ordinary class (it used to be third class as I knew it), along the side from which I could have a good view of the train as it bends its way over the Nine-Arch Bridge.  Next to me was a Ukrainian couple, two of their children, and their guide.  I tried to have a small conversation, but their English was poorer than my Ukrainian, so the conversation was limited.  They offered me a piece of milk toffee, a Sri Lankan sweet, and I courteously accepted.

 From the train - while passing onlookers at the Nine Arch Bridge

The train departed Ella and crawled its way to Demodera.  A six km journey took 15 minutes.  No one was in a hurry.  Youngsters leaned outwards from the train, hanging their bodies in the whizzing air.  I had done this before; I was much younger then.  I took plenty of photos and videos, anything still and everything that moved.  

The Train on the Nine Arch Bridge

I arrived at Demodera, took an auto rickshaw, and went to the hotel at Ella.  The name of the hotel is Ravana Range, named after the demon king who abducted Sita from Rama.  Despite the villification of Ravana else where, he is celebrated in this part of Sri Lanka.  A water fall and a bar are named after him.

The hotel was about 4 km from Demodera, and the auto fare was 1500 LKR.    Compare this to the 50 LKR I paid to get from Ella to Demodera.  There's a price to pay if you are a tourist.  The hotel room was grand for the price I paid and its location.  It was meant for a small family.  The view from the balcony cut through several valleys and was delightful.  At a distance was a waterfall – Kittal Alla Waterfalls, I could see.  I sat on the balcony and watched the darkness engulfing the landscape.  As the night submerged the landscape, so was tranquility.  I could only hear an occasional three-wheeler whizzing a few kilometers away.

My Hotel Room

The Ravana Range Hotel, Ella

Kittal Ella Water Falls

A Tea Estate

Despite a long day of travel and a comfortable room, I could not sleep and was on the balcony by 5 am, waiting for the sun to come up.  I was glad that I did so, to witness every shade of every color change minute by minute.  The best was seeing the sun rising on top of a mountain.  As a kid, when we drew sunrise, the sun always came up from the valley, not on top of a hill.  Not sure why we drew so.  I was not alone; there was another middle-aged European couple, and a squirrel gave me company.

  

Sunrise at Ella - Views from Ravana Range

I then had breakfast – hopper with honey for the first time in my life and then went to bed.

Hopper with Honey

The checkout time at the hotel was noon, so I called a three-wheeler to get back to the city via a visit to the Nine Arch Bridge.  I wanted to stay on the ground and watch the train pass this time.  The luck was with me, and as I reached the bridge, I saw hundreds of tourists eagerly waiting for a train to enter through a tunnel.  A young couple was on top of the bridge, embracing each other - very romantic.  As the train exited the tunnel, the crowd clapped and cheered, and to my surprise, this train stopped on top of the bridge.  Some passengers got out of the train, and some onlookers got into the train.  It was surreal.  

A train exit from a Tunnel to go over the Nine Arch Bridge

A Train on Nine Arch Bridge

A Couple on Nine Arch Bridge

Once the train started to move, the tourists left, and I went to the town to catch the bus back to Colombo.  I kept wondering what has changed since I left Sri Lanka in 1980, which has made Ella a popular tourist destination.  The mountains, the bridge, and the trains were all there when I left, right?  I reckon it is the Tourism Industry, which was not well developed in the 1980s.  The tourism industry has become one of the country's leading sources of foreign exchange, largely due to the efforts of industry leaders who have developed Ella into a prominent destination.

Appeal for Global Cooperation to Advance Science and Technolgy

Science and Technology have significantly advanced the quality of life in numerous ways, impacting health, communication, education, transportation, increasing connectivity, making daily tasks more convenient, and providing vast range of entertainment.  Despite the progress in Science and Technology, many problems, such as climate change, clean energy, pandemics, food insecurity, etc., have no solutions yet.  By isolating each other, China and the US delay solutions reaching the masses.

Competition among researchers is good to some extent, so is collaboration among researchers.  However, the chase for supremacy between China and the US, by banning each others technology, is hurting all.  China was the first to ban US technology (e.g. Google), because it would not allow the required censorship by the Chinese.  Now it has been both ways.    

There are many benefits when powerful nations collaborate to develop Science and Technology.  Combining the strengths can lead to faster breakthroughs for the global community.  

The recent release of DeepSeek AI Chatbot showed that China can develop a Chatbot without superior chips.  Science progresses incrementally by improving what is available or thinking entirely out of the box and new.  In this case, the Chinese have taken the second path, partly because they were denied NVIDIA super chips.  This battle between the US and the Chinese confirms the adage - a pen is mightier than a sword.  

US companies wanted to use brute force, faster chips that consume large amounts of energy.  Bill Gates started promoting nuclear reactors to power AI.  I think some other tech companies have invested in nuclear reactors.  A more intelligent algorithm that uses slower chips and requires less energy has won the battle.  This also supports the thesis that the primary resource of a country is its people.  1.4 Billion Chinese will always be greater than 350 million Americans.  Of course, the population needs to be educated and disciplined - Chinese are, and Indians are not there yet.  

On the other hand, suppose superior NVDIA chips were available to the Chinese scientists?  The DeepSeek would have been even more efficient and comprehensive than what it is now.  An opportunity missed.

The sad truth is that the US and its allies ban new and efficient technologies from China (solar panels, smartphones, electric vehicles, social media (Tik Tok), or AI (DeepSeek)), citing National security when they are more worried about losing markets in the short term.  The Australian government recently banned DeepSeek from being on government phones.  It does not want its employees to use an efficient chatbot when it intends to make them more efficient and competitive than their contemporaries around the world.  Why ban proven and efficient technologies from your own workforce?  Why compete with one hand tied to the back?  What an irony! 

When the West is boycotting the Chinese Technolgy, China progresses, so, are many third world countries, who have no qualms accepting the latest (Chinese) Technologies.  Many of them have better internet facilities, EVs etc. than what we have in Australia.  That's a sad fact.

Collaboration can open up new markets for China and the US.  When globalization was promoted in the early 1990s, the case West made was that globalization would open 100% of the global markets instead of a mere 5% in the US.  This had been a very positive move, which lifted about 1/3rd of the global population out of poverty within 30 years.  China had a significant role – it made technology affordable to the masses in the third world.  A typical example is the cheaper smartphones made in China, accessed by people experiencing poverty who could not afford iPhones.  

Of course, there were Chinese phones, such as Huawei, which rivaled the iPhones and Samsungs.  Instead of competing with Huawei, the US and its allies chose to ban Huawei on the grounds of National Security.  

BTW, I think the reason given for banning Chinese technology is that the Chinese will access our data, and it is detrimental to our National Security, is pretty weak.  I doubt there's hardly any data that is not available in public databases, which will only be available if we use Huawei.  All Governments publish census data, including home addresses, demography, income data, and data on share market performance, all available publicly.  All scientists publish their findings, and their peers' acceptance of their conclusions leads to career advancement.

The US companies successfully used the manufacturing strengths in China to produce their products on a mass scale, cheaply, and make them available to the rest of the world.  Once, the CEO of Apple lamented that if he summoned all US technicians with a particula expertise, they would fill an auditorium, but in China, he would need an athletic stadium.  Another US commentator said there are more honors students in Chinese universities than all University students in the USA.  

Technological competition between the US and China leads to tensions and mistrust.  Collaboration can help build trust and reduce the risk of conflict.  By working together on shared goals, both sides can foster a more cooperative and stable international environment.   Collaboration fosters cultural understanding and intellectual exchange, which can lead to more creative and inclusive solutions.  It also helps bridge differences and build mutual respect between societies.

The potential benefits of collaboration between the US and China in technology development are immense.  By working together, both sides can drive innovation, leverage their strengths, and fill gaps in their capabilities to address global challenges and create a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.  

Discontent in my Homeland, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

A week ago, a National Party (NPP) won 21 out of 22 electoral districts in Sri Lanka.  The 21 includes four of the five districts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka.  A mainstream national party, not one based on communal lines, has won the people's confidence in the North and East.  These provinces are traditionally considered the homelands of Tamils, an ethnic community I belong to.  Such a victory for a National Party has never occurred since Independence in 1948.  How so?  Here's my two cents worth.

Jaffna Bus Stand

First, some statistics:  Nationally, 68.93% of registered voters voted in this election.  This is regarded as a low turnout for Sri Lanka, while it is comparable to or better than the voter participation in other democracies.  Many reasons are given – voters expected NPP to win, i.e., they knew the outcome; or because the election was held on a weekday, voters had other things to do.  However, in the Jaffna District, the percentage of people who voted was less than the national turnout, and it was 60.37%.  It is almost about 10% less than the national statistic.  The 40% of the Jaffna voters have already rejected ALL candidates who contested the elections, despite there was no shortage of candidates.  There were 43 candidates for each seat in the Parliament.  The voters probably felt (1)  Voting makes no difference, (2) No one deserves my vote, or (3) my grievances are so strong I can't bring myself to vote for a National Party.

Landscape along the Coast

The common reason provided by observers for the NPP's victory is that the Tamils were not united, as they had been before.  Tamils have been contesting under a united banner for the past 50 years, which included 30 years of the Civil War that ended 15 years ago.  The common and the ONLY goal of the United Front was to obtain a Federal System of Governance within Sri Lanka, and secure Tamil Nationalism.  

Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple

In this election, the United Front (TULF, TNA, etc.) was split into five groups, and two of the traditional parties, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), won a seat each.  Three of the remaining four seats from Jaffna District went to the NPP, and the fourth went to an Independent Candidate.  

Ariyakulam Buddhist Temple, Jaffna

How did the NPP convince Jaffna Voters, who never trusted a National Party?  The NPP offered a clear manifesto:  First, address the economic (inflation) and Governance (waste and corruption) issues that ALL Sri Lankans face.  The second is to increase Tamil Management/Leadership in Government Agencies and Factories in the North and East, including a promise to increase Tamil Police Officers in the North and East.  The voters realized this deed would allow the local population to engage with government officials without dealing with language barriers.  The third is to make Provincial Councils active by holding elections soon.  This one, combined with the second one, goes a long way in meeting the requirements of the Federal System demanded by the United Front parties.  And finally, the NPP has offered to repeal constitutionally sanctioned discrimination among Sri Lankans.

Yet, the votes received by the NPP are less than the votes cast against them (to other parties) in this election.  But large enough to secure three seats.  The opposition to NPP was split in many ways, despite the expectation that Tamils should be united.  

I find this an unrealistic expectation, and as it has happened in the past, it was not beneficial to people in North & East.  People have different aspirations and requirements.  Nationalism is one of them, but not the only ONE.  A total of 8800 candidates contested 196 seats Nationally in the last election, an average of 45 people per seat.  In Jaffna district, there were 43 candidates per seat, just as the rest of the Country, where Nationalism was not an issue.  People think differently, and their needs and expectations are different.  

Pizza Delivery Vehicle, Jaffna

For some, Nationalism is important, but for many, just a peaceful life, the ability to afford quality food, education, and healthcare for their family is more important.  We need to recall that the causes of the Nationalistic Movement in the North and East were a lack of economic and educational opportunities in the 1970s.  Consecutive National Governments wanted to develop Sinhala Districts by depriving opportunities for Tamils.  Had they resorted to developing the Sinhala districts WITHOUT depriving the Tamil districts, the leading cause for resentment among the communities may not have developed.  

The NPP is now offering to treat all Sri Lankans the same, and the voters have placed their trust in them, ignoring their politicians who also played the race card to get votes.  However, ITAK and ACTC vow to pursue Tamil Nationalism in opposition.  Together, they received only 28% of the votes, while 72% went to other candidates.  I hope they understand the aspirations of Jaffna voters and play a constructive role – a good opposition is vital in any democracy.

Pooneriyn Bridge, Site of fierce Battles

A unique result is the election of an Independent Candidate from the Jaffna District.  He will be the only independent candidate among 225 in the National Parliament.  His platform vows to eliminate corruption and improves Governance, especially in Jaffna's healthcare system.  This should receive a perfect reception within the NPP.  Good luck to him.

This week's voting pattern of the people in the north, where the National Peoples' Power (NPP) secured three seats, surprised and raised many eyebrows in diaspora circles.  Several business people and groups among the diaspora were actively involved in this election by financing candidates and parties.  Some businessmen were financing Tamil Parties to satisfy their Nationalistic intentions and National Parties to improve their business opportunities in Sri Lanka.  They even financed campaigns against specific candidates within the party they endorsed.    

Palmyrah Trees - Without them, There's no Jaffna

Foreign financing of elections is usually prohibited in the West, but not so (and impossible to implement) in developing countries like Sri Lanka.  I believe we, the diaspora, left Sri Lanka for many reasons, and we should leave Sri Lankan politics, too.  There are a few calls from Jaffna requesting the diaspora to stop insulting Jaffna Voters, stay out of Sri Lankan politics, and stop sending funds to bad elements within the diaspora.  We should use our money to help improve the day-to-day lives of those who have paid a severe price during the Civil War – to get their children housed, fed, and educated.  I think many would agree with me.  Interestingly, some individuals in the diaspora are accused of collecting funds in the name of developing North and East but benefitting personally.  

Such widespread is the discontent within Jaffna and among the diaspora.  40% of registered voters did not vote, traditional Tamil parties win 2 of the six seats, the only independent to the parliamnent elected from Jaffna and a National Party wins 3 of the six seats. 

The NPP justifiably takes pride in winning handsomely in the North and the East.  It will retain its popularity in the North and the East if it can implement the four steps for reconciliation they have articulated in their manifesto.  They are requesting time to show what they can deliver – and we should give them the time they need.  After all, we have pursued other pathways, without much success over the past seventy-five years!

Uzbekistan – Then & Now

I went to Uzbekistan’s Capital for the first time in April 1999.  It was a few years after the Soviet Union collapsed.  That was then.  My last trip to Tashkent was in Feb 2024.  That’s now.  Since April 1999, I had been to Uzbekistan about ten times, travelled to Karakl Pakstan in the North, to Ayakchi and Termez in the South, and to Samarkhand and Bokhra in between.  I reflect on changes over these years under selected issues in this blog.

Samarkhand

Arrival 

Then:  I went to Tashkent with a Sri Lankan friend from Lahore, Pakistan.  We arrived in Tashkent on a Friday afternoon, and the airport arrival was very chaotic.  Hardly anyone spoke in English.  Arrival forms were issued only in Russian.  We approached an officer in uniform and sought help to fill out the forms.  He demanded 2 USD to help us complete the form, and we obliged.

Now:  My last trip was in Business class on Uzbekistan Airlines.  When we landed, all Business class passengers were transported by a limousine to immigration.  The immigration hall was neat.  There were hardly any passengers except us.  The officer was curious to see the security features on my Australian Passport, made some small talk, and stamped the Passport—no forms to fill.  Our luggage came to a quasi lounge, where refreshments were available at no costs.  Comfortable seating while our luggage arrived.

Visa

Then:  I had Australian Passport, yet I need to get prior visa.  Once I landed in Tashkent around noon, but my visa came into effect from midnight that day.  There were no flights on the day the visa became effective, so I landed without a visa to enter Tashkent about 10 hours before the visa would become effective.  I was sent to a detention center with an armed guard.  In the meantime, a message was sent to my hosts, and I was allowed to enter after 5 hours of detention.

Now: Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Uzbekistan and stay for 30 days.

Accommodation

Then: We could not communicate with anyone when we exited the airport.  We identified a young man who looked like a Pakistani.  We approached him for help.  He did not speak much English, but it was sufficient for us to communicate.  He hired a Taxi, took us to a money changer, and then to Tashkent Hotel.  The Tariff was about 20 USD per night.  It was not maintained well at all.  Barely liveable.  Each floor had a bar, and prostitutes were knocking at doors at night, soliciting sex.  Most of them turned out to be hotel employees.

Posh Hotels in Tashkent

Now:  The hotel I stayed in 1999 is now run by the Korean Company Lotte.  It’s a super 5-star hotel.  There are many good hotels to choose from, and the price of a decent hotel would start at around 50 USD.  Most of the hotels built during the Soviet period have been refurbished and managed to international standards.  There are strict dress code to use swimming pools at hotels.  Men's swim wear must cover from the wait to the knees.  Female workers at hotels will not enter your room, if you are a male, and present when they come to clean.

Alcohol

Then:  Excellent quality vodka was flowing freely then and was sold at every corner shop, and half a liter would cost about 1 USD.  Almost everyone I met would have a drink.  One of my hosts would drink during office hours.

Now: The sale of alcohol is restricted to specialized shops, and there are rules where they can be located.  In particular, alcohol can’t be sold at supermarkets, and liquor shops can’t be located near schools.  A half liter of vodka would cost about 6 USD.  The quality still remains excellent.

Religion

Then:  Although Islam is the main religion in Uzbekistan, there are hardly any mosques or religious insignia to note.

Islamics Institutions in Uzbek Cities

Now:  Almost every city in Uzbekistan has newly built mosques.  Many restaurants would not serve alcohol.  Several tuition centers teach Arabic and the Quran, and tour operators specialize in Haj and Umra in Saudi Arabia.  Uzbeks have been the second most common pilgrims to Mecca and Madina in recent years.

But there are things remain the same:

Natural Beauty:  The landscape vary tremendously across Uzbekistan.  It's borders with Afghanistan and Tajikistan are rugged and BEAUTIFUL.  The mountains are grazed by mountain goats are shepherded by young men on horses - a sight not to be missed.

The Wilderness of Uzbeks border with Tajikistan

Public transport – Intercity transport by speed trains and road infrastructure are some of the best I have experienced. 

Trains Travel at 250 km/hr, connecting major cities

And there's always the traditional means of transport

Food & Drinks:  Uzbekistan offers the best of cooked meats, fresh salads, fruits, bread, and, of course, alcohol.

Soups, Smosas, Salads, Kebabs and Bread - delicious 

Culture:  

Operas are a regular part of Uzbek's life - Then and Now

Heritage:

Uzbekistan is home to Samarkhand and Bokhara, but, less known is a Budhist Monastery along the border with Afghanistan.

Budhist monastery 2000 years ago at Termez

Friendship and hospitality:  Uzbeks are second to none in this area.  The blend of Soviet customs with Islamic values is still potent when they host friends.  Nothing but the best is reserved for their visitors.