2009-03-19 23:47:16 UTC
Compounded by the fact that India has not arrested or prosecuted any of the known links from India that participated in Mumbai. This can also be said for known links to the LTTE. To the cricketers I say that we were very FORTUNATE as a nation that none of you were killed. I remember you well from 8/27. The amount of mystic cultism, religious fervour, ethnic separatism and lack of national responsibily/extension of national denial in India is at a high pitch. Every one of these elements is going to grow in their pre-election atmosphere.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_re_as/as_india_incest_rape;_ylt=Au7gbblLEO.p.s5Fly1mJWwBxg8F
I find it highly inapprpriate that when a story breaks today about pre-election terrorist threats in India that the Indian board makes comments such as their rep spoke to one of our cricketers a few days ago and that our team did not express concern at that time. Though child's play has been transformed into a multi-billion dollar industry through cricket let us not confuse it with depleting billion dollar potential by treating terrorism as if it were child's play. Regardless of how much security may be increased the political collateral being placed unjustly on your shoulders for the want to be able to play cricket is a stressor that you are undeserving of after your recent experience at Lahore. I understand that some of you are developing cricket in the North and East that is wonderful. I ask you to consider how much you can promote equality through desegregation by promoting it as a Sri Lankan thing vis-a-vis a Tamil thing. If you can do that, then you are one step closer to making it a Cricket Thing (as it should be) that has universal identification and attracts great players and conferences from around the globe. If I recall correctly, that is what you said you wanted as a team. For sports is one of those marvelous liberators that build teams based on talent and potential not ethnicity, political persuation etc. I hope that you will promote something that is inclusive because I am sure that raw cricket talent extends to moors, burghers, chinese,and all other ethnicities on island. We cannot afford to separate, isolate or marginalize anyone. Indian cricket is not ethnocentric nor can it afford to be, for by being so more than half the talent pool would be excluded.