Tragic lessons

By Hiranthi Fernando 

On Sunday, July 29, the school grounds had been used for a political meeting, attended by the President. A stage had been erected and temporary toilets put up for the public on Saturday night. On Monday, the lorry sent to remove the materials had rammed into three young schoolboys playing in the compound killing seven-year-old Charith Abeysinghe- an innocent young life needlessly snuffed out.

Charith was playing in the grounds with his classmates, Lahiru and Kalinda, waiting for his van after school. Suddenly, seeing a loaded lorry driving towards them, the three little boys moved towards the wall in alarm, but the lorry rammed right into them. All three suffered head injuries. Bits of hair could be seen on the wall, where the boys' heads had been smashed by the lorry. They were rushed to hospital. Charith succumbed to his injuries within three hours, but his two friends are thankfully now out of danger. 

Parents and old boys who gathered outside the school on Tuesday morning were critical of the Principal for allowing the grounds to be used for political meetings. However, others said the Principal had no say in the matter since the grounds were commandered by the President's security officials. The parents and old boys displayed banners and posters, but dispersed peacefully before school closed to ensure that the children were not involved.

Principal S.M.J. Seneviratne, said the accident had occurred at about 1.10 p.m. on Monday. The lorry had been parked at the school on Monday, while the stage was being dismantled. "I told the driver not to move the lorry till school was over and the children had left. But, the driver started the lorry and though three teachers had shouted and run behind it, it was of no use. When the teachers reached the lorry the damage was done." The three boys were rushed to Kurunegala Hospital. Two who were serious were taken to Kandy. 

The Old Boys Union had earlier written to the authorities on two occasions to request that the school grounds should not be used for political meetings. They had visited Charith's family and promised to undertake the funeral arrangements.

At the Kurunegala Hospital, Kalinda Sajintha Abeykoon, one of the injured, was on a saline drip when we saw him, still complaining of pain in his abdomen, although his injuries were not very serious. "The school van picks Kalinda up at 12.45 p.m.,"said his father Srilal Abeykoon. "The children always play inside the school until the vans arrive. We had no fears because we thought they were quite safe there. The gate is closed and the security does not allow any boys out until the parents or vans come for them. We never thought such an accident could happen."

Meanwhile at the home of seven-year-old Charith Dananja Bandara Abeysinghe, a distraught mother and grieving grandmother awaited the body of their little boy. A younger brother, Pasindu, although not quite comprehending the situation, yet bemoaned the loss of a playmate. The boy's father, who had recently taken up employment in West Asia, was on his way back home.

"As a mother I ask that this tragedy does not happen to any other mother," sobbed Asoka Wijeynayake, Charith's mother. "We send our children to school with hopes for their future, expecting security inside the school premises. It is the responsibility of those in authority to ensure that this kind of incident does not occur. The van driver who brings him from school came to give us the bad news and I ran to hospital. I wanted to accompany my son to Kandy in the ambulance but I was not allowed to. When I reached there I saw him die. No one knows the joy the child has given to us. It is our greatest loss not to see his face ever again," moaned the inconsolable mother.

Officer in Charge, of traffic at Kurunegala Police, Ananda Ratnasooriya, said the lorry driver responsible for the tragic accident had been remanded till August 13. He had been employed two weeks ago as a cleaner and was not authorised by the owner to drive the lorry, having no licence for lorries only a dual purpose one for cars and vans, IP Ratnasooriya said. The police are awaiting a report on the lorry from the Examiner of Motor Vehicles. 

The question of safety haunts parents. "Our children are not safe even in school,"they lament. "Why can't the politicians leave the schools alone so that our children can carry on their studies and other activities in safety? There are several large halls and grounds in Kurunegala where political meetings could be held. Surely they can secure one of those for political meetings instead of interfering with the schools,"they say.

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