P.A.Samaraweera, Australia.

Izeth Hussain in an articleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to anƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ EnglishƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ DailyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of 26th March on ‘Reconciliation and Triumphalism’ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  refers to one of the greatest moments in ancientƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ history and says, “…I was reminded of it when after the May 18th victory, I saw on TV President Rajapakse descend from the plane and make obeisance to the tarmac…”
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
In fact this occurred a couple of weeks before the victory on his return fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ an overseas conference and definitely not after the 18th of May.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

IzethƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ comments that the President was paying homage to the tarmac, a product of western technology and not the sacred soil of Sri Lanka. It is of course a matter of opinion if it was the right thing to do. But in the past, we have seen a Pope paying respect in the same manner whenever he visited a foreign country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Everyone admired His Holiness for the noble gesture and heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ commanderedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  great respect forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ being soƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ humble.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
He also compares President Rajapakse’s paying respect,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to that ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a conqueror of 1453, who crossed over to Constantinople, dismounted from his horse, scooped upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a handful of earth and poured it on his head andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he adds that heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ expects a TV image of the President doing the same!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
We are in 2010, and President Rajapakse is no conqueror but he defeated terrorism which ransacked the country for thirty years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Just because a conqueror in the 15th century did somethingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to his liking,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ does Izeth expect the President as wellƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ after disembarking from the planeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to walk around the airport looking for a plot of earth to go on his knees or scoop some soil and pourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ over his head?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Izeth may look down upon the President for going downƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on his knees on the tarmac. In the same way there are many who admire him for coming forward to the rescue of Sri Lanka despite immense pressure from various quarters.

P.A.Samaraweera,
Australia.