Every monetary donation contributed towards making a soldier's life easier is a small appreciation of his supreme sacrifice. The thousands of soldiers who lose their limbs in the war do not want the country to forget them - or, the horrors they have gone through for the sake of national security. "Sadly, however, most people in Colombo haven't a clue about the agonies soldiers have to undergo," noted Chairperson of the Lt. General Denzil Kobbekaduwa Trust, Lali Kobbekaduwa. Through her work on behalf of the trust, Mrs. Kobbekaduwa has come into contact with and been touched deeply by the tales of woe of our soldiers. She feels that more awareness needs to be spread about the travails of these men and women, on and off the battlefields.

The trust is run entirely on the donations it receives, performing various services for soldiers - both able and disabled - and the families of deceased soldiers. Initially, the money came quick and aplenty. Eager donors, stirred by memories of the brave Lt. General who loved his men dearly, kept the money flowing in. Every cent was utilised: in providing artificial limbs, in building houses for severely disabled soldiers, in providing the rehabilitating border villages, etc. Today, some money still makes its way to the trust but it is 'the old faithfuls' of the Lt. General who make regular contributions. "There are some donations... but more of them could increase the number of beneficiaries," said Mrs. Kobbekaduwa.

Upali Newspapers Ltd. (UNL) has taken up the cause of the Lt. General Kobbekaduwa Trust and will help it in its endeavours to secure more funds for the conduct of its services. UNL will publish in its columns the names of donors to the trust, in acknowledgment of their contributions. A well-know Colombo businessman has already pledged a sum of 1.5 million rupees to the trust.

One of the main activities of the trust is the provision of artificial limbs to disabled soldiers. Many soldiers lose their limbs to mortars and mines every year. Left without their legs or arms, they are dealt a severe psychological blow coupled with their physical difficulties of moving around. Their families, meanwhile, have to face the reality that their son or husband is a cripple, dependent on them. An artificial limb makes the pain a little easier to bear.

The limbs presented to soldiers by the trust are different to the ones given by the government. The latter are cumbersome and heavy. The former are of a lighter variety and easier for the disabled to utilise. They are also rather expensive, ranging between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 20,000 a limb. At the end of 1997, more than 92 artificial legs had been provided by the trust while two artificial arms (between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 60,000) were also presented. Unfortunately, the high cost of the limbs makes it difficult for the trust to support as many soldiers as they would prefer to.

The provision of a limb to a soldier is not the end of the story, however. A man without limbs has to learn again how to walk, how to balance and how to live with his disability. He cannot use a squatting pan, either, and another of the trust's services is the installation of commodes in the homes of disabled soldiers. Most people feel that once a limb is given, they have given a man a new life, said Mrs. Kobbekaduwa. But it is only the beginning, one small step: he has to re-learn life. She explained that by giving him that chance, we - the people who are not directly affected by the war - are doing their duty in a very small way. "They have sacrificed their youth for us," she stressed.

The boy in the street, the men in the nightclubs - they all have to awaken to the reality of the war. Men their age are on the battlefields, falling under bullets. Turning a blind eye should not be an option. - (NW)