Appreciations

Dr. Bede Jayaweera, whose fifth death anniversary was on July 28, had his education at St. Benedict's College, Kotahena. Having graduated from the Colombo Medical Faculty, he served in several outstation hospitals. After post-graduate studies in Britain, he assumed duties as consultant pathologist at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital in 1962.

From humble beginnings, he rose to dizzy heights to become the most-sought-after pathologist. His diagnoses were always beyond question and endorsed by all. Experts abroad always agreed with his diagnoses, when relatives of cancer patients sought a second opinion. The more famous he became, the humbler he was. That was Bede, the gentleman, who never forgot his roots.

Laboratory technologists who worked under Dr. Jayaweera recall with gratitude the expert guidance they received from him.

Bede had a way with the technologists. He showed regard for their long experience and had no qualms about getting their advice on technical matters. He took a personal interest in their family problems and often went out of his way to do what he could to solve them. He respected their sentiments and they in turn reciprocated by extending their unstinted loyalty to him.

Bede was also well-informed on any subject and could speak on mundane problems at length and provide ways and means of solving them. During a short stint as Acting Director at the Cancer Hospital, he rooted out lethargy, corruption and procrastination amongst the staff.

Though he was a strict disciplinarian, the hospital staff had great regard and respect for him as he was honest and straightforward.

Dr. Jayaweera had a heart of gold. As a devout Catholic, he contributed his share to the end. After retirement in 1995, he took charge of 'Shantha Sevena', a non-fee levying home donated and maintained by the Captain family for terminally ill cancer patients, under the auspices of the Cancer Society.

Dr. Jayaweera had great satisfaction working for these unfortunate patients, comforting them in the last few months or weeks of their lives.

Simplicity in all aspects of life was the hallmark of Dr. Jayaweera's character and he abhorred pomposity, ostentation and publicity.
Dr. Anandi Samarasekera

He helped many with a smile
M.C. Zainul Hussain
The demise of Mohamed Casim Zainul Hussain was a shock to all his relatives and friends.

Having learnt that he was due to leave for Mecca to perform Haj with his wife on February 16, I gave a call home that evening only to hear that he had died.

I knew Zainul from childhood. He was born in Hulftsdorp and lived in the area.

Educated at St. Sebastian School at Hulftsdorp, Zainul worked in two leading newspapers. He first joined Thinakaran in 1960 and worked there for more than 25 years as a reporter and sub-editor.

After retiring from Lake House, he worked in Qatar for a couple of years, returned home and joined the Island as a sub- editor.

Zainul was soft spoken and simple. He helped many, irrespective of caste, colour or creed and I was one of those who often went to his house to hand over articles for publication. He accepted them with a smile and got them published.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs honoured Zainul with the Kathir Al Haq award in 1994 in recognition of his contributions.

The day before his departure for Haj, Zainul had visited the Island office to bid goodbye to his colleagues. On the day of the flight, he had looked cheerful. He collapsed and died while waiting to emplane.

May Almighty Allah grant him Jennathul Firdouse!.
M.S.M. Saleem

A duel unto death
Ran Banda Seneviratne

Maradankalla was a jungle village,
Nestled under the shadows of Mihintale,
Where King Tissa's royal chase,
Changed Lanka's history and fate.

Wannihamy Ran Banda's father,
Was the brave patriarchal leader,
He was teacher cum medicine man,
Vel Vidane and head of a clan.

They shared their labour,
In toiling and tilling,
They shared their produce,
In community living.

Timely rain brought,
Plenty and prosperity,
Beast and drought,
Ruined them to penury,
They consoled themselves
With eightfold law of universality.

When green paddies are smiling,
With savoury milk seeds,
Wild elephants are scenting
Their delicious seasonal meal,
They are drawn by these magnetic fields.

Message was received by jungle mail,
That a wild herd was on its way,
The braves of the village, the patriarch mustered,
With their heavy muzzle loading muskets,
They donned their doeskin sandals
To rush through jungle.

The elephants were greeted,
On their trail,
With deafening gunfire,
To turn their tail.

A magnificent tusker veered,
From the stampeding herd,
Crashed through a different track,
Wannihamy too with raised gun,
Ran to drive him back.

Suddenly a yawning precipice so deep,
Cut its panicked effort to flee,
Its feet screeched to break the speed,
Wheeling round it charged the same ground,
Tusker saw him and unable to elude,
Curled the trunk a deadly foreboding prelude.

Wannihamy reined his strides,
He could not sidestep had not time to retreat,
For steep embankments reduced his options,
A desperate being and a desperate beast,
Propelled by a surging karmic compulsion,
Few seconds stretched their impending fate.

Tempered by danger with knack for survival,
With steel nerve and reflex action,
Aiming at forehead of target in motion,
In split second time he fired in a gamble.

Lumbering with raised trunk,
It collapsed and buried the tusks,
At the feet of the patriarch.
Tension released he heaved a sigh of relief,
He felt remorse at the fallen beast,
He plucked a branch and hung on a bough,
A ritual for Aiyanayake, the jungle god.

- G.H.A. Suraweera.
(Ran Banda Seneviratne was an Attorney-at-Law who hailed from Anuradhapura. He was a dramatist, TV and radio presenter, poet and writer in both Sinhala and English.)

We're bound to meet again
Colonel Upul de Lanerolle
Three years ago a gunshot took you darling
The glorious sun went down with you, putha,
Yet you left behind a loving gentle warmth
And the vibrancy that was always part of you.
Pinkamas were held in your name by all your kith and kin
with love and deep sincerity.
We're certain of one thing Upul Putha
That in the vast sea of Sansara
We're bound to meet again and yet again.
- Sorrowing mother Yasa de Lanerolle
(Colonel de Lanerolle passed away on 31.07.99)

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