Serene salute to death and strife

By Hiranthi Fernando
A place of serenity. Located in a picturesque valley overlooking the backwaters of the Victoria reservoir, surrounded by hills, the National Remembrance Park at Mailapitiya, Kandy is where memories are kept alive. It is a tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives for their country.

The names of all members of the armed forces and police, Killed in Action (KIA) or Missing in Action (MIA) are inscribed in granite here so that future generations may remember their services to the nation.

In a little house on the hillside lives Indika Dissanayake, a young ‘able patrolman’ of the Sri Lanka Navy. He was injured twice in the war. In 2000, he suffered neck and eye injuries when he was caught in a bomb blast aboard a bus.
A year later, he suffered injury to his leg and fractures in his hand while engaged in a clearing operation in his range. Dissanayake, who needs a walking stick, is the father of a five-month-old baby.

Rifle Officer N.H.L. Silva from the Sri Lanka Army also lives in a house across the road from the park with his wife and little son.
He too was disabled by an injury to his leg in 1997. Thereafter, he worked as a clerk in the Army Headquarters. These two young men are now the custodians of the National Remembrance Park, overseeing its maintenance. A police post has also been set up for security.

"The Remembrance Park is a very good concept especially for the future," Dissanayake says. "If there is peace, the dead and missing servicepersons will soon be forgotten. It is good for the children to know their fathers are remembered here. The families of these members of the armed forces, who have lost their lives in the service of their country, are very happy about it, although they can't help crying when they first come here."

Dissanayake, who is assigned to the Remembrance Park for a 3 - 4 year term is happy to be hereand plans to bring his wife and son to the small house allocated for him as soon as they get the water and electricity connection.

"When I was in the operation areas or even in the headquarters in Colombo, my wife and son were living with my parents in Moneragala. I had very little time to spend with my family,” says Rifle Officer Silva.

He added that many colleagues he had worked with had lost their lives in the war. "Seeing their names inscribed here, I feel that I am close to them. I feel I am doing them a service by looking after this place, which a memorial for them.”

Silva said apart from family members of the servicemen, only a few casual visitors passing through, visit the Remembrance Park. "Sometimes, visitors treat this like a picnic site, putting their legs on the plaques and so on. When I see this I always tell them to treat the dead with more respect." Silva’s family members are among the dead. His brother was killed at Mankulam and his wife's elder brother at Elephant Pass.

At the entrance to the park are three stainless steel pipes soaring to the skies, meeting at the apex, in salutation of those who have died or are missing in action.

The monument stands over a pool of running water, which depicts life and peace. At the four corners are altars of the four main religions in Sri Lanka. On each altar is a symbol of the religion and a relevant quotation from its scriptures.

The names of the KIA and MIA of the three armed forces and the police are inscribed on rows of granite slabs placed at a 45 degree angle. They are placed according to the regiments.

In one corner of the park are names of 18 members of the Women's Corps., who lost their lives in the war. Sgt. Kumari and Lance Cpl. Deepani were at the park, supervising the maintenance of the Women's Corps section. They come there daily to tend the plants and supervise the cleaning. "We think it is good to remember our dead in this way," Sgt. Kumari said.

The park is well maintained with neatly clipped hedges, bordering the rows of granite slabs and several trees planted at intervals. A workforce of disabled servicemen, 49 from the Army, two from the Navy and one from the Air Force, handle the maintenance work.

They sweep, weed, care for the trees and plants and water them, keeping the park clean and attractive. In the next stage, it is planned to plant a tree in memory of each person missing in action on the next hill.

Lance Cpl. G.G.W. Dharmawardena, a member of the workforce, now living in Kandy was injured at Tiriyai in Trincomalee. "I lost an eye when we went to hit a LTTE base camp," Dharmawardena said.

"I am happy to work here because transport is easy for me. I can be home by 6.30 every evening."

Near the entrance an information centre is being set up. Photographs and biographical details of those who are commemorated at the park will be available on computers at this centre, which is maintained by the Ceylon Tobacco Company assisted by the Armed Forces and Police. Details of those disabled will also be available so that anyone who wishes to assist them could contact them.

Adjoining the Information Centre are four shops run by disabled service personnel. M.S.T.B. Marasinghe of the Navy who runs one of the shops was injured at Mullaitivu. "Going by sea from KKS to Trincomalee we came across a Dvora being attacked by the LTTE," Marasinghe recalled. "We went to their assistance and managed to save 10 sailors.” Marasinghe has a weak leg due to a gunshot wound.

Marasinghe obtained a bank loan to purchase supplies for the shop, but says sales are still low because the Remembrance Park is still not known among the public.

The next shop is run by Jayanthi Gunasekera, whose husband, a member of the Air Force, was killed in a missile attack in 1995. The mother of two, Jayanthi is from Peradeniya. Another shop is run by a disabled policeman. The shop allocated to the Army will also be opened soon. Articles made by families of the disabled, those killed in Action and Missing in Action, will be sold here.

The Remembrance Park, the first of its kind is based on the theme, 'Peace and Life comes from Death and Strife'. The flowing water, the trees and plants, the breezes blowing over the valley amplify this theme.

It is a living memorial to all those who sacrificed their lives for future generations to live in peace.

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