Anandians, let us do our national duty together!

Recently a business magazine cover portrayed 50 Sri Lankan business leaders. Inserted to the photos were the miniature sized school flags. Bit snobbish, but the message was clear. The only Anandian was Ashok Pathirage of Softlogic fame. Nearly 20 were from either Royal or St. Thomas.

What does this mean? Are Anandians not talented as Royalists or Thomians? Was anything wrong with the education we received?

I do not think so. Anandians have excelled in every field including business and politics. Especially in arts and science. Still no Anandians reached the top in either business or politics. No matter how talented they were, it was always till the second tire they could climb. Why?

Sad, but the class formation during the colonial period was the culprit. Royal and missionary schools were not just educational institutions. They were social entities that created the neo-bourgeois class in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. That was a huge network, and exclusive club, more powerful than we ever imagined. The old school ties helped the Royalists, Thomians, Peterites, Josephians and Trinitians climb the corporate ladders. We were left out. Even the much hyped ‘Revolution of 1956’ didn’t bring anything to Anandians. If the 1956 reforms gave Anandians their deserved position in Sri Lankan society we would not have ended up with jokers like Dullas Alahapperuma and Rajitha Senaratne, whose only job is to run errands for their master.

True. There were N. M. Pereras, Philip Gunawardenas, S.A. Wickremasinghes and Karu Jayasuriyas. For different reasons none of them reached to the top. Certainly not because they were not capable. There are also Gotabhaya Rajapaksas and Basil Rajapaksas. But they were not self made. They are there because their brother was there. Pedigree should not count.

Gen. Sarath Fonseka is the first Anandian Presidential aspirant. He is not there because of his pedigree. He is there because he is smart and worked his way to the top. He is there because he put a full stop to the thirty year ‘unending war’ with the able help provided by few more Anandians. (The two troops that pinned the last nail in Prabhakaran’s coffin were led by two Anandians, Brigadier Prasanna De Silva – ‘Prasanna aiya’ to us – and Major General Kamal Gunaratne – ‘Gunaratne aiya’ to us – Both were 5-6 years senior to me at college. They were doing Advanced Level when I was in Grade 6 or 7 in early 1980s.)

Gen. Sarath Fonseka is honest. Having led the army when it did procurements of unprecedented levels, Gen. Fonseka could have made fortunes for seven more generations, even with 1% cuts. He did not. All he owned at retirement were a 15 perch land at Bokundara, Piliyandala with a house – that cost LKR 1.2 million for construction, a Mercedes Benz, and LKR 641,000 in bank. His wife has bank balances of LKR 23,307 and USD 2,952 and jewelry worth a little more than LKR 1.6 million. He is much poorer than Wimal Weerawansa, MP.

Given the opportunity, Anandians have always done their share to the nation. Unlike others we have never attempted to build our own private networks blocking everyone else. That is what makes us different. Being Anandians we have learnt to respect the plurality of the society. We have provided leadership to multiple communities. We don’t condone religious extremism. That is why you do not find a single Anandian among religious extremists like Jathika Hela Urumaya.

Gen. Sarath Fonseka is an Anandian who have learnt such qualities from Ananda matha. He is guided by Metta, Karuna, Muditha and Upekkha – the qualities of a good leader. Given what his achievements and what he did for all of us, nearly sacrificing his very life for the nation, he certainly deserves and opportunity. Frankly, I cannot think a better person to lead us at this moment.

I am sure all true Anandians will do their duty. Not only voting him, but doing whatever they can ensuing his victory, with the highest percentage of votes ever received in a Presidential Election.

සොයුරු ආනන්දියයනි, අනඳ මවුන් වෙනුවෙන් ඔබේ යුතුකම ඉටු කරන්නට කාලයයි මේ!

වසරකට පමණ පෙර එක්තරා ව්‍යාපාරික සඟරාවක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රමුඛ ව්‍යාපාරිකයන් පනස් දෙනකු මුල් කර ගනිමින් කවරයේ කතාවක් කළේය. එහි මුල් පිටුවෙහි පළ කරන ලද මේ පනස් දෙනාගේ ඡායාරූප වලට පසෙකින් ඔවුන්ගේ පාසල් කොඩි කුඩාවට යොදා තිබිණි. පුදුමයකට මෙන් ඉන් ආනන්දියයන් වූයේ එක් අයෙකු පමණකි. ඒ සොෆ්ට්ලොජික් ව්‍යාපාර ජාලයෙහි කළමනාකාර අධ්‍යක්ෂක අශෝක් පතිරගේය. පනස් දෙනා අතුරින් විස්සකට ආසන්න සංඛ්‍යාවක් වූයේ එක්කෝ රාජකීයයන්ය. නැතිනම් ශාන්ත තෝමසුවන්ය.

මින් අදහස් කෙරෙන්නේ කුමක්ද? ආනන්දියයන් වන අප රාජකීයයන් හෝ ශාන්ත තෝමසුවන් සේ දක්ෂ නොවන බවද? නැතිනම් අප ලබා ගත් අධ්‍යාපනයේ යම් ලුහුඬුතාවයක් ඇති බවද?

අනඳ මවුන් තුරුළෙහි අප ලද අධ්‍යාපනය අන් කිසිවකු ලැබූ අධ්‍යාපනයට දෙවැනි වේ යැයි මම විශ්වාස නොකරමි. ආනන්දියයෝ ව්‍යාපාර කටයුතු හා දේශපාලනය ඇතුළුව හැම ක්ෂේත්‍රයකම දස්කම් පළ කොට සිටිති. මින්ද විද්‍යා හා කලා ක්ෂේත්‍රයන් ප්‍රධානය. එහෙත් තවමත් කිසිදු ආනන්දියයකුට ව්‍යාපාර හෝ දේශපාලන ක්ෂේත්‍රවල මුදුනටම ළඟා වන්නට පිළිවන්කම ලැබී නැත. ඔව්හු කෙතරම් දක්ෂ වුවද දෙවන තලයෙහි නතර වී සිටිති. කිසියම් අදිසි හස්තයකින් ඔවුන් නතර කළාක් සේය.

මේ සංසිද්ධිය අවබෝධ කර ගැනීම සඳහා දහනවවන සියවසෙහි මැද භාගයෙන් පටන් ගෙන විසිවන සියවසෙහි මැද භාගය දක්වා දිවෙන යටත් විජිත අධ්‍යාපන සමය වෙත ගමන් කළ යුතුව ඇත. මේ යුගයේදී රාජකීය විද්‍යාලය, ශාන්ත තෝමස් විද්‍යාලය, ශාන්ත පීතර විද්‍යාලය, ශාන්ත ජෝශප් විද්‍යාලය හා මහනුවර ත්‍රිත්ව විද්‍යාලය ප්‍රමුඛ එවකට ‘කිතුණු’ විද්‍යාල බිහි වන්නේ අධ්‍යාපනායතන ලෙසින්ම නොවේ. (දැන් වන විට මේ මුහුණුවර මේ සමහර විද්‍යාල සම්බන්ධව වෙනස් වී ඇත.) මේ අධ්‍යාපන ආයතන ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඉංගිරිසි උගත් මධ්‍යම පංතිය නිර්මාණය කරති. මෙසේ බිහිවන බටහිරකරණයට නැඹුරු මධ්‍යම පංතිය ඉතා පරිස්සමෙන් තම අනන්‍යතාව සුරකිති. ඔවුන් එක්තරා ආකාරයක Exclusive Club එකකි. ඊට පිටතින් ඇතුළුවීම දුෂ්කරය. නිදහසින් දශක හයක් ගතවීත් තවමත් මේ පංතිය දැඩි බලයක් ඇතිව අප පාලනය කරනු ලබයි. එතුළ ආනන්දියකුට ඉහළ නැඟීමට දුෂ්කර වී ඇත්තේ එනිසාය. ලොකුවට කෑගැසූ 1956 පෙරළියෙන් පවා ආනන්දියයන්ට තවමත් අපේ සමාජය තුළ ලැබිය යුතු තැන ලැබී ඇති බවක් නොපෙනේ. ආනන්දියයන්ට එසේ ලැබිය යුතු තැන ලැබුණා නම් අනුන්ට කඩේ යන ඩලස් අලහප්පෙරුම, රාජිත සේනාරත්න වැනි ජෝකරයන් ආනන්දය තුළින් බිහි වන්නේ නැත.

ඇත්ත. ආනන්දයෙන් එන්. එම්.පෙරේරලා, ෆිලිප් ගුණවර්ධනලා, එස්. ඒ. වික්‍රමසිංහලා, කරු ජයසූරියලාද බිහිවූවෝය.එහෙත් මෙ කිසිම කෙනකුට රටේ ඉහළම තැන දක්වා ගමන් කළ නොහැකිවිය. ඒ ඔවුන්ගේ දුර්වලතාවයකිනියි මම නොසිතමි. එසේම ඒ ආනන්දයෙන්ම ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂලාද, බැසිල් රාජපක්ෂලාද බිහිවූහ. ඔවුන් යම් මට්ටමකට බලයක් ලබා ගැනීමට සමත් වුවද ඒ ස්වශක්තියෙන් නොව තම සහෝදරයාගේ බලපුළුවන්කාරකම් මතය. දේශපාලන ඥාති සම්බන්ධතා මිස අන් කිසිවක් නැති මොවුන් ජීවිතයේ යම් වැදගත් ඉලක්කයක් අත්පත් කරගත්තවුන් සේ සිතීම වැරදිය.

සේනාධිනායක සරත් චන්ද්‍රලාල් ෆොන්සේකා වූ කලී රටේ නායකත්වයට තරග වදින පළමු ආනන්දියයාය. ඔහු එතැනට පැමිණ ඇත්තේ රාජපක්ෂ සහෝදරවරුන් මෙන් පවුල් බලයෙන් නොව ස්වශක්තියෙනි. ‘ලෝකයේ හොඳම සේනාධිනායකයා’ සේ විරුදාවලි ලත් සේනාධිනායක සරත් ෆොන්සේකා වසර තිහක කාලයක් තිස්සේ දිග් ගැසුණු නොවිසඳිය හැකියැයි උපකල්පිත යුද්ධයක් නිමාකළ සෙන්පතියාය. (තවත් ආනන්දියයන් ගණනක් මේ මෙහෙයුමේදී ඔහුට සහාය වෙති. ඉන් දෙදෙනෙක් ප්‍රභාකරන් හා මධ්‍ය LTTE නායකත්වය අල්ලා ගැනීමේ මහඟු මෙහෙවරක් කළ බ්‍රිගේඩියර් ප්‍රසන්න ද සිල්වා – අපට ප්‍රසන්න අයියා – හා මේජර් ජනරාල් කමල් ගුණරත්න – අපට ගුණරත්න අයියා – ය. මේ දෙදෙනාම ආනන්දයේදී මගේ ජ්‍යෙෂ්ට සොහොයුරන් වූහ. ඔවුන් උසස්පෙළ පන්ති වල සිටින අවස්ථාවෙහි මා සිටිවේ සයවන හෝ සත්වන ශ්‍රේණියේය සිතමි.)

සේනාධිනායක සරත් ෆොන්සේකා අවංකය. ඔහු යුද හමුදාව මෙහෙය වන්නේ එය අන් කිසිදු කාලයකට වඩා යුද අවි මිළට ගත් සමයකදීය. ඉන් සියයට එකක් කොමිස් ගත්තේ නම් ඔහුට පහසුවෙන් පරම්පරා හතකට ධනය උපයා ගන්නට තිබුණේය. එහෙත් මේ අවංක රාජ්‍ය නිලධරයා විශ්‍රාම යන්නේ නිශ්චිත දේපළ ලෙස පිළියන්දල, බෝකුන්දර (කොළඹ හතේ නොව) ඉදි කිරීමට රුපියල් ලක්ෂ 12 වැයවූ නිවසක් සහිත, පර්චස් 15ක ඉඩමකටද මර්සිඩීස් බෙන්ස් රථයකටද පමණක් හිමිකම් කියමිනි. බැංකුවේ තැන්පත් මුදල රුපියල් 641,000 කි. භාර්යාව සතු වත්කම් බැංකු ගිණුම් වල රුපියල් 23,307 ක් හා ඩොලර් 2,952 කි. ඇගේ ආභරණ රුපියල් ලක්ෂ දහසයකි. දේශපාලකයන්ගේ වත්කම් හා සංසන්දනයේදී මේ ඉතාම පහළ, ‘දුප්පත්’ මට්ටමකි. කොටින්ම කෝටිපතියකු වන විමල් වීරවංශ පවා මින් කිහිප ගුණයක ධනවතෙකි.

සේනාධිනායක සරත් ෆොන්සේකාගේ අරමුණ දේශපාලනයෙන් තමන්ගේත් පවුලේත් බඩ වඩා ගැනීම නොවේ: පවුල් ගස් ලාංකීය දේශපාලනයේ සුලබය. දැනට ගොඩ නැඟෙමින් පවතින්නේ අතුරින්ද දැවැන්තම එකය. මේ විනාශකාරී පවුල් ගසට අතු ඉති දිගුකර වැඩී අපේ මහ පොළොවේ පොළොවේ සාරය උරා ගන්නට ඉඩ තැබිය යුතු නැත. මේ ඒ පවුල් ගස කපා ‘මට පෙර රට’ ගැන සිතන අවංක නායකයකුට රට භාර දෙන්නට කාලයයි මේ පැමිණ ඇත්තේ.

අවස්ථාවක් ලැබුණු හැමවිටෙකදීම ආනන්දියයෝ දේශයට තමන්ගෙන් ඉටුවිය යුතු සේවාව නොපිරිහෙළා ඉටු කළෝය. ඒ තමන් තනිව බුදු වීමට නොව සියළුදෙනා එකට එතෙරට යෑමටය. අනෙකුන් සේ අප කවර විටෙකත් අපේ පුද්ගලික සමාජ ජාල ගොඩනඟා නැත්තෙමු. අපි සමාජයේ විවිධත්වය අගය කරමු. ආනන්දියයන් හැටියට අපි අන්‍යජාතීන්ට, ආගම්වලට, ප්‍රජාවන්ට ගරු කරමු. ආගමික අන්තවාදය බැහැර කරමු. (ජාතික හෙළ උරුමයේ ආගමික අන්තවාදීන් අතර එකදු ආනන්දියයකු හෝ දැකීමට නැත්තේ එනිසාය.) බුදු දහමේ හරයන් මත පදනම් වූ සහජීවන සමාජට රටාවන්ට අනුව, සමාජයේ කොටසකට නොව, සමස්ත සමාජයට නායකත්වය දෙමු.

ආනන්ද මාතාව සෙවනෙහි සිප් කිරි බිව් සේනාධිනායක සරත් ෆොන්සේකා මෙත්තා, කරුණා, මුදිතා, උපෙක්ඛා ගුණයන්ගෙන් පරිපූර්ණවූ නායකත්වයේ ගුණ දනිතැයි අපට සහතිකය. ඔහු මෙතෙක් තම ජීවිතයේ සාක්ෂාත් කරගෙන ඇති දෑ, ඔහු අප සියළුදෙනා වෙනුවෙන් කර ඇති දෑ හා තම දිවිය පරදුවට තබා ඔහු රට වෙනුවෙන් කර ඇති කැපකිරීම් ගැන සලකා බලන කල්හි මේ මොහොතෙහි ඔහුට වඩා සුදුසු නායකත්වයක් අපට සොයා ගත හැකි වේදැයි සිතනු අසීරුය.

සමස්ත අනඳ පුතුන් මේ අවස්ථාවේ, රට වෙනුවෙන්, අනඳ මෑණියන් වෙනුවෙන් තමන්ගෙන් ඉටුවිය යුතු මෙහෙය ඉටුකරන බැව් මම අවංකව විශ්වාස කරමි.

ලකෙහී බෝ ආනන්දේ පතුරා – අනඳ තෙරුන් සේ ලෝ වැඩ සලසා
පේවී සේවා නිසා වෙසේවා – පමාද නොවෙමූ තිලෝනා දෙසුසේ
දින දින කිතු ගොස බෝවී වැජඹෙනු අනඳ’ප මාතා

Premakeerthi De Alwis: Twenty years since JVP terrorists brutally killed him

On the night of July 31, 1989 few masked gunmen led Premakeerthy De Alwis out of his house. Next morning his cadaver was found in a nearby trench with gun wounds in his mouth and hand – symbolising what Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna terrorists wanted to silence.

Twenty years after it was happened, two reasons make this event personally significant for me.

First, just like me, he was an Anandian. He belonged to the same generation of talented Anandians –  A. D. Ranjith Kumara, Ranjith Lal (who directed the movie ‘Nim Walalla’ – a first for a school boy) and Bandula Padmakumara – all who later made their marks in art and media.

Second, and more importantly, he was 42 years when died – close to my own age and with a son close to the age of my youngest.

Enough had been written about Premakeerthy’s talents. Not that he did master pieces like Mahagamasekera, but every song he wrote was momentous in its own way.

Premakeerthy wrote some of his best lyrics for Victor Ratnayake. These include the popular songs ‘Adaraye ulpatha vuu ammaa…’, ‘Kurullanta gee gayanna…’ and ‘Sihina sathak dhutuvemi mama…’. With no TVs and cassette recorders in widespread use the only way we could then enjoy such creations was through radio. I can remember how we were glued to radios when they were broadcast.

Premakeerthy’s other talent was his sarcasm.  This has resulted in some of the unique songs sung by Freddie Silva including ‘Nikan innepaa koema koemahari gahapallaa ban pethsam…’. In another song (which I do not remember the words) he compared human being to other animals and concludes that it is the most dangerous of species.

Gunadasa Liyanage, the veteran journalist, in his autobiography describes how the song ‘Pankiriththaa…’ was born. This was when Riviresa, the Sunday newspaper then edited by Liyanage started criticising a radio programme done by Premakeerthy, who took the criticism in the positive manner. Thus born one of the most popular songs of our times. ‘Pankiriththa’ in the song was Premakeerthy while the ‘Kendheththa’ who critisised others without doing his job was Gunadasa Liyanage. The latter said it never was a barrier to their friendship.

Premakeerthy’s creations never died with him. Even today my kids enjoy the songs he wrote for ‘Dosthara Hondhahitha’ – a children’s’ cartoon series dubbed to Sinhala by Titus Totawatte.

‘Anduna’ was his entry to the visual media. When the authorities decided Pramekeerthy’s face was not photogenic for the visual media, he started this programme without ever showing his face.

There are so many anecdotes about this interesting character.

He was interdicted once, says one. So for a short period Premakeerthy had to stop doing his usual radio programme. He was found not guilty in the inquiry but was strictly advised not to mention anything about the incident on air. Premakeerthy entered the studio while the programme was running live and at an unexpected moment kicked the chair next to him making a loud noise. Then he started the programme saying “ea putuwa vatune, mama neveyi.” (Only the chair was fallen, not me)

It is sad that JVP decided to end the life of such an innocent and talented character. The story goes that he begged for mercy in the name of his kid, who was too small. Unfortunately JVP was not a political force that took such concerns into account. Cold bloodedly, he was murdered. His fault: Announcing at a ‘Gam Udawa’ exhibition and getting into an argument with JVPers at the local bar.

I personally know his family had to live a difficult life after the death. Once Principal of Ananda College invited the Centenary Group of Ananda old boys to do a musical show in support of the family. I remember it was organized and we even had a press conference but the event did not materialize for some reason.

How unfortunate the same JVP that killed artists like Premakeerthy de Alwis now expressing their support to art. It is sad that JVP never remembers him, even when they organize pretentious political party events ostensibly to commemorate artists.

I am sure those who still love Premakeerthy like myself, have forgiven the JVP terrorists, but not certainly forgotten.

OLD ANANDIAN’S CENTENARY GROUP: Annual General Meeting – 2008

Century group of old Anandians consists of those who completed their A/Ls in 1986, 87 and 88. They will be having their seventeenth Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday 22, 2008 at the college Centenary Building at 10.00 am.

The Inaugural meeting of the Centenary Group was held in 1988 at the Kularatne Hall. Mr. A.P. Gunaratne, then Principal and Mr. Sithendra Senaratne – representing the main OBA were present as guests. The founder President of the Group was Samantha Rajapaksa, Secretary Sujeewa Karunasekera and the Treasurer Lalith Perera.

Today Centenary group has a membership of more than 700 old boys out of a potential of 1,500.

Following are some of the key tasks carried out by the Old Anandians Centenary Group last year.

• Organising the ‘Alms giving’ at Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura parallel to the Olcott memorial ceremony.
• Conducting a training program for the college clerical and minor staff held at Ambalama Hotel.
• Maintenance of the PABX system in college at a cost of Rs. 120,000.
• Renovation of Dental clinic at college at a cost of Rs. 300,000. (The services of the clinic are open to other schools too)
• Repairing hundred tables at the college library.
• Donation of video cameras and other equipment worth Rs. 400,000 to the video club of the college.
• Donation of 10 scholarships to the deserving out station students. A student receives Rs. 1,400 per month under this scheme
• Donation of Rs. 25,000 each to Carom and Gymnastic clubs. These are two sports the college has excelled in recent years.
• Donation of Rs. 200,000 worth medical equipment to Colombo South Hospital jointly with the old Anandians in UK

Ananda College Centenary Group get-together 2008

The days I have spent at Ananda College were among the best in my whole life. (The photo below was taken with some of my classmates immediately after we have done A/Ls in 1986, with me in the middle.)

Though we can never go back to that past in reality, it is great to meet some of my schools friends annually at the group get together.

Last year we had the Centenary group get together at the Holiday Inn Hotel. (We call ourselves ‘Centenary Group’ because we completed our studies on the same year the school completed 100 years) This year too the venue is same and the date will be July 12, 2008. These are some of the photographs taken during the last year’s event.

Reggie Ranatunga no more

Parliamentarian Reggie Ranatunga passed away today at a private hospital in Colombo after a brief illness.

I never knew him personally but as an Anandian just few years junior to Arjuna Ranatunga (Arjuna aiya to most of us) I knew about the Ranatunga family. The first time I saw Mr. Reggie Ranatunga was at a felicitation for Arjuna we had at the Kularatne hall at Ananda College immediately after the first test where he scored half a century against England. He was just 18 and the youngest of the team.

Mr. Ranatunga’s wife Ms. Nandani Ranatunga too was a teacher at Ananda College though she taught only to Arts students. I have heard when our then Proncipla Col. G. W. Rajapakse invited her to join the staff the only condition she put was to take her sons to the college. He agreed and it was a vice decision. That was how Ananda College could produce a test captain who brought glory to motherland by winning the World Cup in 1996.

I wish Mr. Reggie Ranatunga attain Nibbana. I pass my condolences to the family.

‘My Pulse’ (මගේ හද ගැස්ම) by Imthiaz Bakeer Markar

 I was delighted to hear the launch of the book ‘මගේ හද ගැස්ම’ (literally ‘My Heart Beat’ but a more meaningful translation might be ‘My Pulse’) by my former school-mate (few years senior to me at college) and present colleague former Minister of Mass Communication, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, at the Kularatne Hall at our alma mater yesterday. This is a compilation of his speeches in parliament.

I was invited for this event, but unfortunately could not attend as I was busy with campaigning in the East.

Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, was a Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2004 and represented the Kautara district. He was one politician who can speak Sinhala, Tamil and English equally well.

The event was graced by Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and speaker W J M Lokubandara.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My gentleman neighbour in politics – Prof. Ravindra Fernando

Like in many other fields the team work counts in politics too. For that I am lucky to have a distinguished gentleman politician like Prof. Ravindra Fernando as the organizer of my neighbouring electorate Panadura.

Prof. Ravindra Fernando is a product of my own alma mater Ananda College, Colombo, and had an outstanding career as a medical undergraduate. In addition to being a conscientious student, he immersed himself in the activities of the Buddhist Society (an ardent participant and organiser of Vesak Bakthi Gee!) and the Medical Student Union. He made an early decision to specialise in Forensic Medicine and joined the Department of Forensic Medicine, Colombo, as a Lecturer soon after his pre-registration jobs. He then proceeded to the UK to specialise, working in London (Guy’s) and Berkshire, and returned as Senior Lecturer (also acquiring postgraduate qualifications in Clinical Medicine along the way). He was appointed Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in Colombo in 1996.

Image: Both of us learnt ‘Appamado Amathapadam’ at the same place, the highest Buddhist educational institution in Sri Lanka, Ananda College.

Prof. Ravindra Fernando’s abiding interest has been toxicology. While being a clinical teacher he also found time to set up the National Poisons Information Centre in the National Hospital, Colombo in 1986 and has been its head from its inception. In a country where self-harm from drugs and chemicals is very common, the Centre has been a source of great strength and encouragement to all physicians who access it. He has published extensively in his own field and is the author of 12 books. He is also the Director, Centre for the Study of Human Rights, and the Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board. His national standing is reflected in numerous awards (Lion’s, Sri Lanka Jaycees and a Presidential award) he has received.

Prof. Ravindra Fernando was the President of the Ceylon College of Physicians in 1997 and will be the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association in 2004. Prof. Ravindra Fernando has represented Sri Lanka in UN and British forensic teams (investigating the Thai Airways crash in Nepal) and was a member of the Presidential Task Force on Child Abuse. He is philosophical about his foray into the field of politics in Sri Lanka. “No amount of training in Forensic Medicine could have prepared me for the carnage in the political battlefields of Sri Lanka” he says.

Prof. Ravindra Fernando was also the author of two famous books. ‘Murder in Ceylon, A : The Sathasivam Case’ a Vijitha Yapa publication, objectively examines and presents the pertinent facts, and expert evidence led at the 57-day trial of this landmark case in the history of law and forensic medicine in Sri Lanka.

‘Sri Lanka LTTE and the British Parliament’, another Vijitha Yapa publication his first work on a national issue. T he debate on ‘Sri Lanka’ in British Parliament on 2nd May 2007 led to passionate, sensitive, emotionally charged and sometimes irrational responses from Sri Lankans living in the country and abroad. A few days later, the Parliament in Sri Lanka held a debate on this issue in a highly charged atmosphere. The author has compiled this book including, for the benefit of the readers, the entire debate of the British Parliament. He has then documented the Sri Lankan reactions. The book has references and explanatory notes enabling readers to have clear overall picture of the tragic ethnic conflict spanning more than two decades in Sri Lanka.

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process reviewing the latter book says:

Prof. Fernando’s measured account will help to diffuse some tensions that arose when the debate first occurred and it was assumed that this was unwarranted interference by Britishers. After all, with Sri Lankan constituents, it is understandable that British MPs should want to debate the situation.  The book will help to make clear the relatively balanced discussion, whilst highlighting areas in which there were misconceptions that must be cleared.

As the British High Commissioner said at the launch in Colombo, Britain continues to ban the LTTE and, while assistance with the peace process will continue, it is based on the sovereignty and unity of Sri Lanka. It is up to us to take advantage of this commitment without allowing those who seek the division of Sri Lanka to benefit from inaccuracies and an adversarial approach.