Lt. General Denzil Kobbekaduwa Trust
52/1 Rosmead Place, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Tel: 693882/693036

Secretaries Corproate Services Limited
C/o FJ & G de Saram, P.O. Box 212, Colombo 1. Tel: 27414/26636, 447737

Appeal for help to supply artificial limbs

You would be surprised to learn that over 5,000 young men, most of them boys still in their teens or barely out of them, have lost their limbs in the brutal war that continues to take its deadly toll every day. They are the landmine victims whose lives and dreams have been hopelessly shattered by the blasts that have in most cases claimed a lower leg and both legs in a few.

All these boys who come from different ethnic backgrounds have one thing in common, they come from desperately poor homes and have gone to war not only to fight for the integrity of our country but also to earn a wage that would help support their families. You will agree that they have paid a terrible price for their patriotism and their poverty. Not only the victims, but also their parents have been shattered by the crippling injuries their sons have suffered.

The Denzil Kobbekaduwa Trust helped the Chairman of the Upali Group of Companies by identifying 25 from among several hundred now ready tobe fitted with prostheses. The Group and its employees have already provided them with limbs. Anybody who saw these young people who came on crutches and walked proudly without even the trace of a limp once they were fitted with the best artificial limbs available today, would have shared the joy of that moment. In fact, one of those boys said he wished his parents were there to see it all.

The trust has now tied up with two suppliers of the best quality limbs. One is a factory owned by a German that is located here in Sri Lanka and the other is a British Company with a branch in Malaysia which is servicing the needs of Cambodia where also, landmines have taken their deadly toll. Fitting these limbs enable the wearers to enjoy as near normal a life as possible and continue to help their families.

I am the Chairperson of the Trust and the co-trustees are Messrs. Chandra Wijenaike, Faiz Mustapha, James Mather and Kavan Rambukwella. The Upali Group has pledged their fullest co-operation to assist this formidable task that requires the support of all Lankans. But we need funds and that is why I am writing to you to ask you to contribute generously. We are an approved charity and all contributions made are tax deductible.

All cheques should be crossed and made payable to:

'Denzil Kobbekaduwa Trust'

All donors' names will be acknowledged through the columns of "The Island" and "Divaina" on a weekly basis. The Times Group is also supporting this appeal.