Appriciations

Today, September 17 marks the 100th birth anniversary of former President J.R. Jayewardene

The film was over and the entire audience was stirring prior to standing up to the strains of the national anthem ‘God Save the King’. I moved in my seat to stand up when my father’s large restraining hand came down gently but firmly on my forearm. He explained in that characteristic subdued voice of his that had to be obeyed, “We no longer stand for this anthem as we do not consider it our anthem.

“One day we will stand and respect our own national anthem, when we are free.”

I was too young then to realize the full significance of this statement. I was too concerned about the people around us. All were standing up to attention and some of them turning around to hurl racial abuse at my father who was seated. All of them were white and I presumed British. To me they all looked big and some bigger than others. I was nine and if there were a confrontation perhaps my only line of defence would have been to kick the big white man directly in front of me for him to go tumbling down over the rows immediately before him. Perhaps tuning into my thoughts, my father again touched my hand while sitting in stony silence as though he himself could not see or hear anything.

This was Sri Lanka in 1945 and my father was a freedom fighter. Unlike most of the liberation struggles of today that fight for freedoms they already possess, with guns, grenades and mortars, my father’s liberation struggle had started over 25 years before, using only the power of passive resistance.

He did not believe in the shedding of blood. He explained to me the significance of names like Kotelawala and Senanayake in this long struggle against foreign domination spanning over quarter of a century. He told me how he planned to take the struggle for Independence to its final conclusion following the principles of non-violence, similar to that, which was then being practised in India by the great Mahathma Gandhi. I keenly followed the progress of the protest marches and demonstrations that he planned against the British. He filled my youthful heart with confidence that one day I would grow up in a Lanka that was free and totally independent of foreign rule.

The pages of time have recorded the history of our country since that great day in 1948 when my father’s promise was fulfilled to this nation and to me. As far as he was concerned the fighting was over and it was the time for peace and prosperity. But as we all know, this was not to be. I have often spoken to him in the quiet moments of his retirement after 11 years as the first Executive President of Sri Lanka about his achievements and failures.

He was large enough to admit his failures and mistakes, but some of his lesser achievements he had surprisingly forgotten. When I reminded him of the pension scheme that he set up for the soldiers, the salary benefits for the widows of soldiers and the allocation of special wards for injured servicemen, he asked me “Did I do that?” So I continued to refresh his memory about all the other minor things that he had accomplished including sending his able minister as an emissary to get Test status in cricket for Sri Lanka, and setting up the President’s Fund. Perhaps in his time he was able to see a degree of prosperity but the peace that he so dearly wanted for his country did not seem to come.

He was unable to comprehend the mind of the modern terrorist and the callous nature of the senseless slaughter that is his hallmark of accomplishment. The battle that he fought and won did not have the remotest resemblance to the carnage today, the same rules did not apply, and in him an underlying sense of sadness remained, when on a sunny morning during his 90th year the curtain came down, and Sri Lanka’s last freedom fighter stepped off the stage.
( First published in Past Times - The Sunday Times Millennium Magazine.)

D. Amarasiri Weeraratne, the well known propagator of the Dhamma, passed away in Kandy after a brief illness on March 1, this year at the age of 82 years. Educated at Kingswood College, Kandy, he served as a Government Officer in the Health and Forest Departments. After retirement he devoted his time mainly to the study and propagation of Dhamma.

With his wide reading and knowledge of the Dhamma he was a prolific writer on the subject, publishing articles in established Buddhist journals, The Buddhist of the Colombo YMBA, Vesak Lipi and the Vesak Sirisara that has been published annually without interruption over the last 71 years and is now published by the Government Servants Buddhist Association. Fluent in both English and Sinhala, his presentations on the Dhamma were also published from time to time in English and Sinhala newspapers of the country.

In the 1960s, Mr. Weeraratne was the Secretary of the Servants of the Buddha Society and was closely associated with the late Deshabandu Alec Robertson, who was the President of the Society for a long period of time.

In more recent times he was a crusader for the establishment of a Bhikkhuni Order in Sri Lanka and wrote numerous articles on the subject in newspapers. He appeared to be more dedicated to that cause than the women themselves. He readily participated in debates on the controversy regarding the establishment of a Bhikkhuni Order in this country.

He was firmly of the view that women should not be deprived of the opportunity to lead a totally Buddhist spiritual life enjoyed by the male Sangha of the country. He consistently contested the argument of some that the Buddha conceded the establishment of a Bhikkhuni Order in His time under pressure and that the Buddha felt that males were more suited for spiritual life than women. It would have been a matter of great satisfaction to him that the Bhikkhuni Order was eventually established during his lifetime.

Mr. Weeraratne in his younger days was interested in evidence of rebirth and engaged in hypnosis and age regression.

He also participated actively in the monthly public Buddhist panel discussion, conducted by the Colombo YMBA every third Sunday morning of the month, starting from mid 1990s. Moreover, from time to time, he was a member of the popular Buddhist Forum of the SLBC that is broadcast weekly on Tuesdays.

He wrote articles on subjects such as the establishment of a Bhikkhuni Order, the Anatta doctrine, and meditation being confined to monks. He was of the view that the Abhidhamma was not a part of the teaching of the Buddha but a later development. On the Anatta doctrine, he argued that it was not possible to maintain that there was no self or personality at all.

Having strong views, he would not let go of an argument easily. Another matter on which he disagreed with many was his conviction that Bhavana or Meditation was only for the monks and not for laymen. My efforts to persuade him to practise meditation himself to test its beneficial impact here and now proved unsuccessful. Despite these disagreements he was always polite and considerate and responded positively to most of my requests for help in Buddhist activities.

Thus, to some extent he was a controversial personality and many including the writer did not always agree with his views.

Recently, Mr. Weeraratne was not in the best of health and had a premonition that the end was near. During his final illness he was warded at the Kandy Hospital where he indicated to his doctors that it was better to go before things became too difficult both for himself and others.

On the last day he was seated on a chair by the side of his bed in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital where he was engaged in a pleasant conversation with his niece who was serving as a Nurse. He had spoken very well with a clear mind and just after she left he had collapsed and died.
May this keen propagator of the Dhamma realize early the bliss of Nibbana.

A lovable ‘Loku teacher’

Eva Jayasekara, the beloved wife of Emeritus Professor U.D. Jayasekara passed away recently, at the age of 86 years. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.P. De Silva of Colombo and had four brothers and two elder sisters. Mrs.Jayasekara was a student of Musaeus College, Colombo, and after her higher studies, joined the teaching profession, being attached to Clifton Girls’ College, Colombo.

After her marriage to U.D. Jayasekara, she joined him in England when he left to pursue his doctoral studies.

There she successfully completed the London exams and the AMI Montessori diploma. In 1962, she decided to prematurely retire from teaching while she was on the staff at Clifton Girls’ School. She also served as a relief news reader at Radio Ceylon and was chosen to give commentaries in Sinhala on the visit of Queen Elizabeth. As listeners we enjoyed her narration and even as tiny tots, we would anxiously wait glued to transistors on weekday evenings for the children’s programme ably conducted by Siri Aiya and Somi Akka.

Somi Akka, as Mrs Jayasekera was known, was a lovable teacher and as a mother herself, her commitment to Montessori education was evident.

Her residence at No 35, Mount Mary was popularly known as Mount Mary Pre-School. Fondly known as ‘Loku teacher’, she was always concerned about little children. Despite her failing health over the past six months she played an active role in their affairs. Her afternoon and weekend English classes were also well patronized.

In the midst of her busy schedule, she always found time to attend to family matters. She was concerned about her husband’s welfare and that of the five boys, Kithsiri, Jayantha, Ajith, Prasanna and Chandana. She always found time to help and guide them in their studies, sports, extra curricular activities etc.

A pioneer in epidemiological work

Dr. A.V.K.V. de Silva

I first met Dr. A.V.K.V. de Silva in 1977 soon after joining UNICEF. It was a period in UNICEF’s history when maternal and child health including nutrition was the major focus of UNICEF programmes.

UNICEF had just started working with both the Epidemiological Unit and the Family Health Bureau on planning and developing the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

Prior to this, immunization was given either in the form of “mass” immunizations particularly in the case of polio, or administered if and when it was requested by parents on the referral of a paediatrician or a general practitioner.

UNICEF was also working closely with WHO which provided technical expertise and had many discussions with the Ministry of Health to develop a comprehensive plan for EPI. A particular challenge was establishing a viable cold chain for vaccines from the time the vaccines came by air right down to the central stores to provinces and districts, and Medical Officer of Health areas and finally a Public Health Midwife who administered vaccines to infants.

I recall the numerous discussions he had with me and also with Dr. N.W. Vidyasagara and many others dedicated to immunization at the Family Health Bureau - people such as Dr. Malini de Silva, Dr. Sybil Wijesinghe and Dr. Kamini Alahakoon. Few will know that in those early days when we started the EPI we did not even know what cold chain items or injecting equipment would be most suitable.

The most important aspect of AVKV, as he was fondly referred to among all of us who were involved in public health activities, was the professional manner in which he conducted all aspects of his work. Technical consideration dominated his decision making and he was never swayed in his judgement by any other consideration. He was joined by other eminent epidemiologists such as Dr. Ranjan de Sylva and Dr. Wimal Jayakuru who continued the “AVKV” tradition of technical competence.

Many significant decisions were made during this time in relation to the immunization schedule, introduction of measles vaccine in 1985 to the already existing one covering Diphtheria, Pertusis (Whooping cough) and Tetanus, and giving tetanus toxoid to pregnant women to prevent neonatal tetanus.

It was during AVKV’s tenure that UNICEF launched an island-wide programme on Oral Rehydration Therapy in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Until then Oral Rehydration Salts were imported. I remember how I contacted AVKV and we worked out a plan to tie up with the State Pharmaceutical Corporation and the Chairperson at the time Dr (Mrs.) Gladys Jayawardene to produce local ORS using the local brand name of “Jeevanee”.

Wider access to Jeevanee meant that many infants and pre-schoolers were saved from the effects of dehydration.

At all times AVKV’s advice and technical direction were based on sound epidemiological principles and standards.

He was never swayed by petty considerations. I remember in the 1980s when UNICEF planned mass immunization campaigns with a “campaign style approach” AVKV discussed this with Dr. Vidyasagara who was then Director (MCH) and me.

We always worked as a team. We agreed collectively that we should only provide immunization through the Primary Health Care network of services and that we should strengthen the system to deliver immunization on a methodical and systematic basis.

How correct this decision was. Immunization became sustainable because of this and Sri Lanka has been able to eliminate immunizeable diseases such as polio, whooping cough, tetanus and measles. Establishing the practice of immunization itself was a great achievement which was supported by the Health Education system and a variety of field public staff such as Public Health Midwives and Health Education Officers.

AVKV will not only be remembered for his contribution to establish an Epidemiological Unit with high standards of technical proficiency but as a true Public Health professional he was a man of integrity and a team player with others like me who fought hard and strong to control and prevent immunizeable diseases among children in this country.

It is important to mention that both the immunization as well as the Oral Rehydration therapy programmes commenced in the early 1980s and were successfully implemented in all parts of the island including the conflict affected areas of the North and East.

Dedicated health professionals continued to provide services in those areas in spite of the prevailing war situation, collaborating with all of us to ensure the delivery of service to children. We travelled as a team to many parts of Sri Lanka to check on the effectiveness of both the immunization and ORT programmes.

It was always a team of the Epidemiological Unit, Family Health Bureau and I from UNICEF. Personally, I learnt the best of epidemiology not from a textbook but from AVKV and the work we did together for Sri lankan children.