Letters to the Editor - Wednesday, January 25

A world without leprosyJANUARY 30 marks the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the preeminent Indian Statesman.

Picture: Mark Lynch

A world without leprosy

JANUARY 30 marks the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the preeminent Indian Statesman. Ghandi had a life-long interest in the disease of leprosy and his compassion for its sufferers is well documented.

Observing the last Sunday in January as World Leprosy Day is just one of the legacies of the man who once said; "Action expresses priorities".

This global day of awareness, observed in over 100 countries, aims to create a stream of prayer and support for those affected by this debilitating disease. Although Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) has become an effective cure for leprosy since 1981, as many as 200 000 new cases are reported each year. The Leprosy Mission Australia (LMA) is a non-government organisation committed to providing care for leprosy affected people.

This body is one of 31 member countries which form an international network whose aim is to eradicate the physical trauma of the disease and the stigma so often accompanying its victims.

Partners of the LMA are the Australian Council for International Development and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Visit leprosymission.org.au to gain a greater understanding of leprosy and how this organisation is striving for a world without leprosy.

Richard Rees,

Moonee Beach

Headwater not deadwaters

ON Saturday Kalang Progress Association held a meeting with a group of committed community stakeholders and environment groups which came together to voice their grave concerns about NSW State Forest Corporations' proposal to log a massive 3,000 hectares of the headwaters of the Kalang catchment.

It is integral for the health and preservation of Kalang's ecosystems especially the catchment waterways and Kalang River that these are protected and this logging does not happen.

Our rivers are the heart to our communities lifestyle and economic sustainability.

Degradation to our rivers headwaters will have broad reaching effects across the Bellingen shire.

Representatives from The Bellingen Environment Centre and Secretary, Jeremy Buckingham Greens MP, Bellingen Shire mayor Dominic King, KPA president, North East Forest Alliance Secretary and local residents all came together to share their vast knowledge and to support the locals in saying no to logging Kalang's Head waters.

Catherine Jones

Kalang Progress Association President

Parole or public protection

A DRIVER of a car deliberately runs down pedestrians and takes away the lives of at least five innocent people.

I do not live in fear of terrorists, their agenda or propaganda.

I do live in fear of criminal acts such as the one committed above. I have a son who is married with a five month old daughter...my first grandchild.

The promise of a beautiful life could be snuffed out at any time by such a criminal who this time happened to be out on bail.

The prisons are full and the taxpayer gives them a better deal than they deserve.

I will now only vote at elections for politicians who want to reinstate the minimum sentence of hard labour for life. Breaking rocks is all they are good for and should be doing it until they drop dead where they stand. They can do this without TV and all the other luxuries we allow them.

Politicians should now start asking their electorates to find out if the voters really want the government to start trimming the herd of this excrement.

Politicians and welfare recipients are on notice now to tighten their belts.

Coming down hard on criminals is a way to save money.

A brave government needs to step up now and say "these are the laws now, it's what society expects"..."When everyone knows the laws, if you are guilty of murder, you immediately die at the end of a needle"...no mucking around.

So start chest-poking your local pollies, MP's and federal representatives to begin the process.

Mark Linney