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| The 'Great Van Robbery' of 1966 at the
Victoria bridge Kirthie Abeyesekera The 1966 adventure when a gang waylaid a CWE van was dubbed 'The Great Van Robbery' by Crown Prosecutor, A. C. (Bunty) de Zoysa, as good a Sherlock Holmes as any. When the wires hummed with the news, 'Observer' editor, Denzil Peiris, despatched a three-man reporting team comprising Manik de Silva, Stanley Wickremasooriya and myself for the initial investigation, after which I took over, as crime reporter. The robbery had three salient features, The plot was hatched in Welikade Remand Prison where the players, some of whom had met for the first time, were awaiting trial for their other roles. The 'Modus Operandi' of the robbery resembled London's well-known, 1952, 'Great Train Robbery'. On their exit from 'Graduation School', the eight actors staged two dress rehearsals before their final performance on the Victoria Bridge in November. Cutex Piyadasa Crime, like history, has a strange way of repeating itself. Like his British counterpart, Ronald Biggs, now a fugitive in Brazil, Cutex Piyadasa, the main architect, left no finger prints either. Tyrrell Goonetilleke, head of the criminal investigating team, who successfully steered through the investigation which culminated in the conviction of the accused, said the robbery reflected a new trend in Ceylon crime. The planning was precise and meticulous, said Goonetilleke. The top police sleuth added that Cutex Piyadasa and his men were 'the elite of the underworld'. As dusk falls on the Victoria Bridge, its environs become a hive of activity where hundreds, after their day's work is done, gather for their evening toddy. Yet, this very place was chosen for the robbery, for good reasons. Traffic on the bridge is heavy, and movement extremely slow at this hour of the day. Rs. One million Shortly before the van reached the bridge, the Zephyr overtook it and obstructed its movement. The armed police escort in the van, thought it was a normal traffic jam. By the time realization dawned on him, it was too late. Before he could draw his weapon, it had been snatched away from him at pistol point. At the same time, the driver was stabbed in the neck and held at knife point. The other occupants of the van were liberally sprayed with chilli powder on their faces. Apart from the driver and police escort, the others were the CWE chief cashier and two orderlies. Two of the gangsters smashed up the rear glass of the van. The others carried away the suitcases with the hard cash. The most ingenious part of the plot was the technique used to pull the wool over the eyes of the hundreds of bystanders. While the robbers fired gunshots in the air, terrorizing the occupants of the van, they yelled, 'Ado, jathi danda epa, api game kollo'. And, while the suitcases with the big loot were being loaded into the waiting car, the gangsters shouted 'Ehema karanda puluwanda ape genunta?' The audience to the drama thought it was a domestic dispute. In the old Lake House Volkswagen, cameraman Chandra Weerawardena and I followed police cruisers, night and day, to the deep South. In 30 days, police recovered cash hidden in clay pots, buried in paddy fields, and in empty Nestomalt and biscuit tins. Some of the money was under deep litters of fowl runs, in brick kilns, inside pillow cases and torch battery cells, in paper bags, and even within the pages of a 'Pirith' book. Captured Chief Colombo Magistrate, B. G. S. David, before whom some of the arrested men were produced, was later, to tell me about the ways of men who lived by crime and easy money. They lived by the poet's philosophy: 'He lives a fool his whole life long 'Who loves not women, wine and song'. In a sensational trial, all eight men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms totalling 308 years. The youngest, J. S. Sirisena, popularly known as 'Cheena', for his Mongolian looks, was 21 on the day he was sentenced — July 3, 1969. The judge told him he was giving him a birthday gift. In 1981, on a sojourn in the homeland from Canada, I visited Cheena at the Pallakelle Open Prison Camp where he was serving the final stages of his captivity. A five-time jailbreaker who got a 40-year sentence for his role in the CWE robbery, he was growing vegetables at Pallakelle on the day of my visit. In khaki prison shorts and shirt, he sported a beard. His left thigh was tattooed with a tiger. On his right, flower. While on remand in 1967, he had walked out of his Welikada cell, throwing chilli powder in the eyes of his guard. In 1970, he had scaled the walls of the maximum-security Mahara prison walls and jumped to his freedom, with two prison mates. Two years later, he had darted through a train window on his way to Vavuniya courts, cutting off his handcuffs on the railway track. The next year, he jumped the Jaffna train. In 1975, he scaled Mahara's prison walls for the second time in his fifth bid for freedom. His share of the CWE loot was Rs. 48,000 of which police recovered Rs. 35,000. 'I am now prepared to take my place in society,' Cheena told me that day at Pallakelle. 'I have paid my price', Released a few months later, he married Sumithra Padmini, a childhood sweetheart. 'She will help change the course of my life'. Cheena had told me at Pallakelle. President J. R. Jayewardene was attesting witness at the marriage in Kelaniya, the President's former electorate. Cheena had said he wanted to pull his life together and leave his crime career behind him. He certainly did. Shortly after his much-publicized wedding, Cheena died. On the Honour Roll of the country's University of Crime, Cutex Piyadasa and his gang stand out as its distinguished alumni. Strangely, their final act was staged on the Victorial Bridge which is now 'Coming Down'. |
People
& Events by
Nan We celebrate more festivals than many other countries being multi-ethnic and multi-religious. The good thing is that many of us celebrate most of the festivals like Christmas, December 31 and January 1, and the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, disregarding the fact that we are non Christian or non traditional Sinhalese and Tamil. American Independence The celebrations in Washington D C are more cultural - pageants, fireworks and a reminder of what is being celebrated: the birth of the United States. Atlanta selects a park to send its fireworks to the skies while Macys, the big department store, lights up the waterfront in New York and draws crowds in the thousands to the water's edge, the highrise apartment windows/balconies and the rooftops of skyscrapers. Thanksgiving is the giving of thanks. It dates back to the year when the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Rock, Mass., cultivated land and suffered a failed first harvest. The Indians gave them food for which the immigrants gave thanks. It continues to this day - thanks now for the good life. It marks the start of the Christmas season too. Lucky, lucky to witness the display, to savour the various flavours of the occasion, to mix with a somewhat sober rooftop crowd and share drinks and dinner in a Sri Lankan home right near the waterfront in full view of the four Macys' barges. The 28th floor was reached by elevator quite early in the evening. After that one had to climb 10 flights to reach the top for a magnificently panoramic view. From 6.00 onwards the elevators only zoomed from G to the top. A place had been staked for on the rooftop with chairs for the older visitors. Looking down one saw the crowds, cars streaking yellow or taillight-red. The fireworks themselves were fantastic, truly stupendous lasting from 9.30 to 10.00 with colour, light, sound and universal oohs and aahs. The Americans celebrate well and truly. They remember the past and commemorate both the good and the bad - never to be forgotten, whether it be a historical event, an achievement, or a catastrophe. The Holocaust Memorial The Holocaust Memorial in Boston is specially touching. Six glass rectangular structures rise six storeys high, about 72 feet, one for each of the concentration camps. The pale blue glass panels are inscribed with numbers, from bottom to top, the numbers being those asssigned to the prisoners. Each also has an inscription of what a prisoner wrote. On the ground too are reminders of what happened in WWII. The architect, Stanley Saitowitz, inscribed the one word "REMEMBER" on the ground as you enter the memorial. One inscription has a girl writing about how she found a berry by the fence of the camp, picked it, wrapped it in a leaf and had it all day until she was able to give it to her best friend at night. Another : "Nothing belongs to us anymore. They have taken away our clothes, our shoes, even our hair. If we speak, they will not listen to us, And if they listen, they will not understand. They have even taken away our names. My number is 174567. I will carry it on my left arm wrist until I die." |
| A gentleman politician by M. Haleem Ishak The man who led the down-trodden people of Raja Rata to emerge with fresh confidence and enthusiams and the man who was a leading light in the political arena of Sri Lanka is no more. The demise of Maithripala Senana-yake is yet another loss to the entire nation, a nation struggling to bring sun shine to all, irrespective of ethnicity, religious belief and all other instruments of division. To the credit of the late Mr. Senanayake lie many an achievement made during half a century of Parliamentary politics. He was a man representing the then backward Madawachchiya where mostly the families of peasants steadfastly placed their confidence and elected him as their member of parliament without a break since 1947. One of his greatest achievements was the inauguration of the Mahaweli Development scheme fulfilling a dream of his political mentor, the late leader Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. In the field of economic development he was sincerely and honestly behind the leader in the implementation of the policy of economic emancipation, bottom line of which was then the nationalization. The transport industries and the harbour stand out among many other schemes in this respect. A gentleman politician and a leader with an open heart, Mr. Maithripala Senana-yake happily gave a hand of co-operation and kindness to the upcoming generation of politicians. As a Vice President of Sri Lanka Freedom Party it was he who selected me as a candidate to contest the Colombo Municipal elections. In 1962 which I honourably did and won thus enabling me to continue as a representative of the people not only in the municipality but also in Parliament. The late Mr. Senanayake was a man of quality, ethnicity, religion, cast or creed was no matter to this exemplary leader of a rare calibre. The constituents, particularly those of the Raja Rata, were a treasure to him unlike some who dread to see in the morning those who fought to get them elected. It was this contrast in attitudes that made Maithripala all the way in the four corners of Raja Rata when he met the people whether they were from Madawachchiya, or any other part of the country, and talked to them on a matter of importance, they saw that it was in firmer hands at the helm and they knew for sure that it was not at all a window dressing. Thus his influence among the people had always to be rated high by all concerned. It was through this sincere attitude that Maithripala who had a small beginning came to the centre-stage of politics of Sri Lanka. With such excellence in public life, since he was elected in 1947 as an MP, he continued to serve the people holding positions of responsibility such as Junior Minister, Minister and at times as the acting Prime Minister. He was the right man in the right place at the right time until his death. Years have not dimmed his integrity. He was a touch stone in the party and was able to bring the past into the present and set an example to take it into the future by the up-coming generation of politicians. Best part of the life of the late Mr. Senanayake, beloved son of Raja Rata, was dedicated to uplift the people who treasured him. In turn, what was uppermost in his mind was the liberation of them from the shackles of deprivation and poverty and his approach was never off course. Politics apart, he as the Governor of the North Central Province, proved his statesmanship by being in the service of the people whose progress mainly in the economic field to which he dedicated himself long years ago. Raja Rata has lost a great pioneer and a beacon light and the country has lost an exemplary politician who always lived upto the trust of the people. If the younger generation of politicians realize the urgency of creating a political culture of quality found relatively in the days of Maithripala Senanayake, and for which there is today a public outcry, it will certainly be a fitting tribute to a remarkable personage. |
| Could governance give rise to perversions? by Rohan Jayawardena If any modern individual, whether female or male, is thrashing about in governance without a clue to statecraft, statesmanship or stateswomanship, such peculiar (and ill-qualified) person should make a start with the times of the wise old Pericles of ancient Greece, but it is not recommended however that there be too much dalliance with the period of the succeeding Romans. Why? Because it is a downright factual but peculiar thing that after the Greeks had given the Humans (man and woman) such a jolly good start about the facts of civilization, the Romans who came later got quite drunk about the matter and went to become perverted! A backward trend, you might call it. The naked facts of history are absolutely stark and revealing! The first of several queer happenings was when the first Roman emperor Augustus Caesar married Livia who was already the mother of his successor, the second emperor Tiberius. (Reminds me of the old song "I'm my own Grandpa", but I don't know that much of Roman history to tell the full tale). According to the tale of later emperor who actually was literary-minded (by name of Claudius), the empress Livia had poisoned the first and second emperors of Rome,"in the usual course of business", which in modern parlance means "looking after one's backside" in the interest of being secure. The bloke who succeeded as the third emperor was the crowning achievement of this perverted process of governance, because he was stark raving mad! His name was Caligula and he firmly believed himself to be divine. So he moved about in the glittering manner of an elegantly turned out god, and insisted on being addressed as one! In due course he cohabited with his own sister, and when she became pregnant he murdered her and consumed the foetus because somebody (a bigger fool) had told him that the child would be greater than the father. Emperor Caligula also appointed a horse to the Roman Senate, and insisted that the others address the creature with respect, rather than ride it. Perhaps this was the original forum in which some precedent elements of modern (un) parliamentary language and behaviour commenced? Such as neighing like horses, barking at each other with un-civility, and generally behaving like irresponsible animals? Fortunately for the Romans, the leaders of state had Caligula murdered and thereby ended a reign of four years (37-41 A.D.) which was characterised mostly by vice and unseemly excesses. The recorded history also states that the elite social elements of Rome specialized in orgiastic frenzies and sexual perversions of extended sorts, lasting many hours and even days. We do know that they would also eat to great excess, then vomit to clear the belly, and start eating all over again. Their pleasure - related activity gave rise to the famous expression of the English language "Bacchanalianism", concerning the infamous god of wine named Bacchus, thus deifying a human disorder! When the Romans looked about for a fourth emperor, after bumping off the madman Caliugula, heir-apparent Claudius initially refused, probably because he was intellectual and highly literate, and ironically was without the usual qualifications suitable for governance! History was to prove that his own initial misgivings were soundly based because the wife that he trusted duly "did away" with him after he had ruled Rome for thirteen (lucky) years! The stench that seems to thus arise through perversion of the human spirit by the wielding of power is available elsewhere in history too. In England of the times of yore, it became a quite "physical" matter for one of the "merry" Kings George of the House of Hanover, when his wife refused to ever do a wash (bath) and the stench (from all over) was so over-powering that it probably drove him round the bend. It is intriguing that he did not seek a divorce on the grounds of extreme mental cruelty, which leads one to wonder about such other matters as extreme self-inflicted pain (called masochism), or impotence, and so forth. Altogether a jolly queer and peculiar bunch, you might say! I suppose we could allow our imaginations to roam freely and even discover modern similarities. But the irresistible thought keeps "jumping" to the fore that the power of position allowed within governance of state provides a green pastureland for frolicking if the wrong sorts of persons got elected. Perhaps a fine spiritual discipline for everyone would be to regularly wonder "would my mummy approve" of this hijink? |
| Review The foreign expert The play "The Foreign Expert" by E. M. W. Joseph was staged at the Frazer Hall at the Teachers Training College, Peradeniya. It was directed by Professor Ashley Halpe and included a cast ranging from the sweet sixteens to the grand sixties. Since the production of the play followed the Kolam style, it was enacted in the centre of the hall with the audience sitting around on chairs. An open-air performance with the spectators seated on the ground would have fittingly enhanced the Kolam style. The Kolam style was further illustrated by the somewhat caricaltural characterization. "The Foreign Expert" is an interesting satiric comedy that looks caustically at the Lankan political scene. It satirizes the absurd veneration of foreign "expertise", instant revolutions and political chicanery. The double standards maintained by the revolutionists, politicians and even by the foreign expert is highlighted with subtle sarcasm. The fact that a major part of the play's action was set within a middle class sophisticated urbanized family adds to its enjoyment. Humour was the major component of this play and interestingly it was at different levels. Humour, as illustrated by the policeman, which could be enjoyed by persons of any level was a universal feature. But the humour behind "the stud bull" and references made to Thomians, Visakians and the Warden was not caught by all. It was humour to be enjoyed by those at a particular level. Therefore, it was felt that this play catered to a specific audience, namely, to an educated urbanized class. The audience broke into peals of laughter at Amaresh Pereira acting as the policeman. His excellent performance aptly illustrated the limited mindedness, promotion-seeking nature and the inefficiency of the policemen. The manner in which he handled the ungrammatical language and the local pronunciation was really amusing. Sidath Samara-koon's performance as the Colonel in the people's army too was commendable. His ability to maintain the deep commanding voice and the stiffness of typical army personnel was remarkable. The double standards maintained by the revolutionists were clearly demonstrated through his talented performances. Andrew Samara-koon as the senior Batman in the Peoples Army was very accomplished. The quickness with which he filled the gaps whenever the Colonel spoke added much humour and very subtly illustrated that the bureaucracy of the peoples army was in the habit of playing the same song every day. Andrew Perumal who acted the role of George Cleveland was commendable. He did not fail to exhibit the reserved composure of a typical English gentleman. Further, his speech to a considerable extent had the clarity and the accent of a Britisher contributing much to his great performance. But the accent of the rest of the cast sometimes overshadowed Cleveland's quality of speech. The language spoken by the policeman was appropriate. Judging by this yardstick the language spoken by the members of the middle class family and the members of the peoples army sounded rather inappropriate. The speed at which some of the characters spoke was another drawback. Andrew Samarakoon for instance was too speedy when he was in conversation with Soma at the Jayatilleke residence. Had the concluding action taken its own course of time, the play's ending would have been clearer. However, despite these remediable trivial shortcomings the play was largely enjoyed by the teacher trainees. The untiring efforts of the producer and the great dedication of the cast to bring on stage "The Foreign Expert" is undoubtedly praiseworthy. A. S.
Seneviratne |
| The value of vegetarianism By Mahendra Siriwardene This attitude is one that also makes many become vegetarians in order that by doing so any kind of guilt (even if it is indirect) of the slaughter of animals is unable to be attached to such a one. Sensitivity to the suffering of animals and a principled objection to their slaughter has motivated vegetarians for centuries. Henry S. Salt, an ardent British vegetarian of the 19th century formulated his own vision of how the human race would be shaped by an awakening of compassion for animals. 'Vegetarianism is the best diet of the future, as flesh food is the diet of the past. In the striking and common contrast, a fruit shop side by side with a butcher's we have a most significant object lesson. There on the one hand, are the barbarities of a savage custom — the headless carcasses stiffened into a ghastly semblance of life, the joints and steaks and gobbets with their sickening odour, the harsh grating of a bone-saw and the dull thud of the chopper — a perpetual crying protest against the horrors of flesh eating. And if this was not witness sufficient, here close alongside is a wealth of golden fruit, a sign that makes a poet happy, the only food that is entirely congenial to the physical structure and natural instincts of mankind, that can entirely satisfy the highest human aspirations. Can we doubt, as we gaze at this contrast, that whatever intermediate steps may need to be gradually taken, whatever difficulties to be overcome, the path of progression from the barbarities to the humanities of diet lies clear and unmistakable before us'. Suffering He says: 'Animals are not raised in farms anymore, but in animal factories. They are seldom cared for by a small farmer running a family business, but by factory management seeking ways to increase profit and decrease overhead. At this time virtually all poultry and better half of the cows, pigs and cattle live in total confinement, never to see the light of day until they head for the slaughter house. Hens are frequently crowded into tiny cages which they do not leave for a year or two. Pregnant cows are tightly housed to control their movement. They can barely squeeze their bodies into the minute stalls that are their homes for three months at a time'. Many people are of the mistaken belief that a vegetarian diet is harmful for its lack of protein so vital for building blocks. However The American Dietetic Association has this to say in their findings: 'Although most vegetarian diets meet or exceed the recommended dietary allowances for protein, they often provide less protein than non-vegetarian diets. This lower protein intake may be associated with better calcium retention in vegetarians and improved kidney function in individuals with prior kidney damage. Further, lower protein intakes may result in lower fat intake with its inherent advantages, because foods high in protein are frequently high in fat also...' In another part of their study such unfounded fears are laid to rest when it reports: 'Studies of vegetarians indicate that they often have lower mortality rates from several chronic degenerative diseases that may be attributed to diet as well as to other lifestyle characteristics. One study demonstrated reversal of even coronary artery disease without use of lipid (cholesterol) lowering drugs by using a combination of vegetarian diet..., smoking cessation, stress management and moderate exercise, vegetarians have lower rates of hypertension and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus than do non-vegetarians'. Prohibition It is generally understood that compassion (metta) which is the first of the Brahma Viharas (Divine Abidings) and forms the underlying thread in the Buddha Dhamma would militate against even the thought of the killing of beings whatever the state of evolution in the sansaric process is in which the being is in. In the Pali Canon though the Buddha has laid down that the Sangha should not refuse the generosity in the form of food on the part of the laity during begging round (pindhapatha) the Lord stresses in the Jivaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya that knowledge that any flesh that had been served had been deliberately killed for the specific purpose of alms giving should prompt the Sangha to refuse to eat such servings. In the Sutta referred to above the Blessed One has mentioned that there are three instances where meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard or suspected that a living being has been slaughtered for the Bhikku. Demerit Therefore the Bhikkus sustain themselves only with 'permissible' food. Therefore it may be seen that refraining from the consumption of flesh is fruitful for one not only from the ethical standpoint but also from the aspect of one's physical well being. If the quality of compassion and the thought of one's own well being does not make one become a vegetarian it is difficult to surmise what would. |
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