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People and Events
Aging is fine!

by Nan
It looks as if it is only now that the Americans have awakened to the delights of aging. "The Americans are really enjoying middle age", says the International Herald tribune in a recent editorial and article. This discovery is consequent to a tenyear study carried out on 8,000 people by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development.

Midlife Crisis
The director of the research says: "On balance, the sense we all have is that midlife is the best place to be. The years between 35 and 65, and in particular, the two decades between 40 and 60, are when people report increased feelings of wellbeing and a greater sense of control over many parts of their lives. Men feel more in control over their marriages than women, while women feel more in control of their sex lives."

The study also found that contrary to general opinion, the socalled midlife crisis is more the exception than the rule. Only 23 percent of the participants in the study said they experienced emotional upheavals around age 50, and only 1/3 among these said the crisis was directly related to the fact they were aging. The people surveyed also said, in the majority, that they were in good health and 95 percent agreed that "keeping healthy depends on things I can do."

Lucky Sri Lankan Senior Citizens
We in Sri Lanka knew this fact long ago, at least we women. By fact I mean that aging is fine and good. I cannot speak for men (and don't want to) since some of the more important things to men in general are so different to what is important to us women. Their vanity increases with age and they want to maintain their manliness and virility throughout life. We women prefer to subside and enjoy the less impassioned, more prosaic events of life, and life we allow to pass gently on, like a river that once was in spate but now is a meandering shallow flow.

It looks to be a real development or advance for the American woman to be happy as the years roll by and she loses her good looks and has less men to dally with. Those aspects of life seem to take precedence over others, as soaps and glossy magazines depict. The impression created by TV and magazines is that being well groomed, slim and attractive to the opposite sex are the be all and end all of life. So to hear them say they are happy to get older is surprising, to say the least. But there is truth in this fact. They do not have strong family ties and commitment, no strong religious support and a lack of appreciation of the mundane and nonmaterial aspect of life. So they are led to flippancy and resultant moaning over getting old. I generalize, and maybe what I say applies to artistes and such like.

I have spoken to many women in my circle of friends and observed carefully others' reaction to aging and consequent fading away of good looks. On the whole I find them unperturbed by the wages of aging and compensate very adequately with other interests.

No stopping the Process
Buddhists particularly are conditioned from very early on to the inevitability of jaati, jaraa, marana. We recite these words included in stanzas, and though mindless mouthing is what happens in youth, as one gets older the words carry meaning and warning. So we are prepared for our hair to turn grey, wrinkles to appear, cheeks and other parts of the body to sag and the inability to exhibit what we wear as we used to.

I often tell my friends that the first time I went to the Kathleen School of Dressmaking and drafted a saree blouse and underskirt block for my self and sewed them and wore them, it looked and felt as if I was poured into them. Later children being born and ravages of living and working and battling adversities had their toll. I had to get myself new blocks periodically and pleats and puckers appeared however carefully the instructor tucked a bit here or let out one tenth of an inch there.

We gave of ourselves most generously to our husbands and children and expect them to appreciate us: old, haggard, hanging and ugly though we be. My second son sends me lots of stuff and wants me to warpaint myself, which I do not do. He also admires a mother of a teacher of his who, toothlessly jokes with the students and seems to be ever so happy in her armchair. So there is hope that I will be appreciated, even in my despicable old age!!

We substitute, as I said, other interests for passionate love and fashionable dressing. The loss of our slim tight figures does not devastate us. We walk and swim and some exercise vigorously, more to keep healthy than look sleek. We tolerate the bulge and the sag, as long as we keep healthy.

Of course there are a few who fight ferociously the losing battle, emerging horribly battlescarred: hair terribly black, dark lipstick smudging and spreading across the lip line, and looking terribly stressed up in these days of easy support and no whalebone.

Life Expectancy
The MacArthur study concentrated on the baby boomers those born in the '50s and '60s the people who had the Beetles for their rock band and John Kennedy for their philandering president. They are now in their middle ages, but one for which Viagra is available and some even able to tote tots around kids of their own born 'scientifically' to them.

Women who dreaded with trepidation their biological clocks slowing down starting in the 40s are now remaining youthful at 60. They are into careers, one in the early years, another up until say 50, and then a third in their declining years.

Time was when a woman was old and ready to die at age 50 or so. Life expectancies of men and women according to the Department of Census and Statistics in their publication Women and Men in Sri Lanka are startlingly revealing.

  192022 1946 1962 1991
Women 30.7 41.6 61.4 74.2
Men 32.7 43.9 61.9 69.5

The Glories of Aging
There's so much to do when one gets old and such freedom to do it in. For instance one can talk to any man without his ogling you and you suspecting he has ideas about getting to you, or at you and over you, running through his mind. The trouble is we oldies cannot catch their attention now!

One is freer of family responsibility. The little birds have flown the nest and one does not have to worry about a meal for this kid and substitutes to what is prepared for the finickier one. Now they give only gladness and fulfilment as they become and remain good human beings. They may have children of their own, elevating you to grandparent status, and showing you a softer, tender caring, with hopefully, appreciation.

You are definitely able to work better at the job you may be doing since jealous imagining about your husband are much less and worry about this child's home work or that other one's flu do not enter the picture.

Aging is really fun as long as one is free of a dread diseases. Diabetes, hypertension and aches, pains and protests from the body can be controlled medically; also by the right mind attitude and meditation.

Jaati, jaraa, marana inevitable, but need not be frightening nor devastating.

His good aim saved our Harbour

For a twentythree year old to receive the Rana Sura Padakkama an age when other lads are concentrating on excelling at cricket or other game speaks well for the training given by the Sri Lanka Navy to its crew.

Such a well trained seaman is P. A. Sugath Jayaweera of Watupitiwela, Nittambuwa, who finished his schooling at the Nittambuwa Roman Catholic school and decided to give his services to his country by joining the Sri Lanka Navy.

With a natural bent for scientific matters, he went into the engineering division of the Navy, where he learned, among other things, how to lob grenades with accuracy. While doing so he little realised that the day would not be far off when his skill would come to the rescue of a vital part of the country the Colombo Harbour.

April 12, 1996, almost three years ago, when Jayaweera was barely out of his teens, he was on duty in the Colombo Harbour when he was alerted, like the other Navy men, of the presence of a Tiger boat approaching Colombo Harbour.

Jayaweera had already spotted two mines dropped by this boat near the harbour, which appeared to be the target of the boat.

While in another boat in which the Navy had decided to take on the Tiger vessel, Jayaweera found his skill at throwing coming to his aid. With two grenades, lobbed by him at the two mines, he blew them up and then he concentrated on the Tiger boat itself, which, he saw, had five men in it.

A third grenade, flung with all his might at the boat, Jayaweera succeeded in blowing it up, killing all five Tigers in the boat.

At the time he had no idea that he was being a hero. All he knew was that the enemy was trying to cause damage to his workplace, the harbour, and it was up to him to stop such rot.

His determination has now resulted in his being awarded the Rana Sura Padakkama.

C.V.W.

Dr. B. S. Perera Oration
World's oldest working anaesthetist?

by Baron de Livera

For the first time the Dr. B. S. Perera Oration was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on the 23rd of January, 1999. The oration was given by Professor Chandra Rodrigo, MBBS (Cey), FFFARCS (Ire), FRCA (Eng), FHKCA, FHKAM (Anaes). He is Associate Professor in the Anaesthetic Department Medical faculty, University of Hong Kong and Honorary Consultant Queen Mary's Hospital in Hong Kong. The subject of his oration was on " Sedation and Anaesthesia in Dentistry".

Professor Rodrigo has over 100 publications to his credit and it was a signal honour to Dr. B. S. Perera that he decided to come all the way from Hong Kong to give this oration.

Dr. B. S. Perera, MBBS (Cey), DA (Lond), FRCA (Eng), is 81 years old and in his retirement is still doing honorary work at the Military Hospital in Colombo as a Consultant Anaesthetist. He is perhaps the oldest working Anaesthetist in the world. Having graduated in 1945 he is more than 55 years a Doctor having obtained his fellowship in England in 1954 he is more than 45 years a specialist Anaesthetist.

Having served twenty seven years in the Medical Department he retired prematurely in 1971 as the Senior Consultant Anaesthetist of the Colombo group of Hospitals.

He is Sri Lanka's first Cardio Thoracic Anaesthetist. He and the Late Dr. Ponambalan were the first to be trained in Cardio Thoracic Anaesthesia. Dr. Perera worked in the Thoracic Unit for seven years.

He was the first Anaesthetist to successfully anaesthetise a patient under Hypothermia in Sri Lanka.

He was also the first to anaesthetise patients under Hypotension, a technique where the Surgeon had an almost bloodless field to operate by lowering the blood pressure to very low levels.

In 1971 he was elected President of the Association of Anaesthetists Sri Lanka.

In 1973 he was appointed Vice President (President elect) of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka. Most of his work was done at a time when there was hardly any monitoring and there were no ventilators.

Dr. Perera having always had a love for surgery was privileged to be allowed to do a great deal of major and minor surgery by the surgeons with whom he worked. He was known as the Operating Anaesthetist.

He left Sri Lanka at the beginning of 1974 to accept a position of Senior Consultant Anaesthetist at the United Christian Hospital in Hong Kong.

In 1975 he was appointed Senior Consultant Anaesthetist of the Mersey general hospital in Tasmania Australia. He held this position until he retired in 1985. He continued to do locums at the Hospitals in Tasmania, and do a little private practice until 1994 when he returned to Sri Lanka.

He works two sessions a week and does a weekend a month at the Military Hospital in Colombo on an Honorary Capacity.

He is a life member of the IMPA.

He is a life member of the SLMA.

He is a life member of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka.

He is a life member of the Asian Kennel Union.

He is also Vice Patron of the Catamarans Sports Club in Moratuwa.

He has bred and exhibited Boxer dogs for over 50 years here in Sri Lanka and also in Australia, He has the unique distinction of having exhibited and made Champion of a Boxer dog in Australia. While Dr. Perera was in Australia he had done a lot of horse riding and played a lot of competition golf.

Today he still has an imported Boxer dog and is very interested in kennel affairs besides working at the Military Hospital he spends much of his time reading and playing Contract Bridge.

Don't hate, educate

by Lorna Wright
Ugly words. Ugly thoughts. Ugly deeds. The Spiritual and social capital of a society should exist nurturing citizenship and community. More especially here, as an expression of the deeply held Asian belief that friends and FAMlLY are vital. But no Rabble rousers, thoughts often locked in the past, some bankrupt of an optimistic vision, and some superficially nice people, living shallow lives make life for others a nightmare. All around everyone begins to live in crisis.

In the convulsions of the times, trusting relationships and East West rapprochement broke in Orissa India. Perception of Nation contains no aspects of aggression, hate and conflict among people, but nationalistic or religious fanaticism lead to hatred, especially when political imperatives of the day dictated so. Innocent lives were brutally lost in Orissa. The world was shocked and pointed an accusing finger cat India. But reflect. Not long ago a Hindu nation, powerful 960 million people paid a glorious tribute to a CHRISTIAN nun Mother Theresa. THEY GAVE HER A STATE FUNERAL.

Ungenerous words in sweeping condemnation "Christianity and Christians had an ugly record in Sri Lanka" Portuguese Dutch British in the dock, . An obsessive zeal for documented excesses. Research is often for the privileged few. With Leader balanced qualities, and spiritual maturity it should essentially open the gate to a hearts journey for constructive action. Never to provide the incentive, or material to embark on what is destructive.

A Christian, of Dutch and British descent I was hurt. Words written or spoken should be humane with a committed concern for the future and feelings of others. Fortunately recently in print was compensation "The Burghers and theirs was a remarkable and epic record which is rare in history" the greats of the Community Lorensz, Ludovici, Drieburg and many, many others in affirmative action and contribution reflected Christian belief as a profoundly unifying force in the Legislature and professions. Again there were hundreds, nay thousands of simple everyday Christian families with neither greed nor ugliness, who contributed in education, medicine, sports and did much and made trusting and warm relationships

Mine My own father Cassius a lawyer playing the role of adviser, problem solving for Dr. Mary Rutnam assisted that great Canadian Christian missionary and gynaecologist in her work among the Muslim women.

His brother the Rev. Canon Lucien Jansz, the Linguist and scholar placed men in intellectual debate with each other. Lakdasa de Mel, Sundaralingam, Lyn Ludowkye, and the list is long. Thousands of young graduates were assisted to form personal identity, interpret life often with a sense of humour, instil values and defend morality.

His wife, a sister of Dr. R L Spittel, the surgeon and well known Veddah friend opened the first Cuisine Milagiriya. Another sister Agnes, Principal of Milagiriya emphasised in Christian belief the primacy of order and discipline over freedom, the values of hard work, respect for education, social harmony and human dignity. My father's sister Bertha ran the Amarasekera school of Art almost till she died. His elder sister's son the Surgeon Noel Bartholomeusz and at his memorial service Bishop Fernando said "no man had served humanity with his head and his heart and hands as Noel had done." So we had the minus and the plus. The exploiters and exploited. Decades slipped into centuries.

Today in Sri Lanka the brutal link between poverty, crime and social distress could hardly be clearer. What we need urgently is to infect people with a spirit built on optimism. We need to look for the wonderful positive things about most human beings, or we stand at risk of descent into worsening turmoil. Suffering is worst at the bottom. Rural population below the poverty line has changed from 13% in 1965 to 46% by 1988, while absolute poverty in rural areas changed from 1,163,000 in 1965 to 6,101,000 in 1998. The hard line economic view will eventually with leechlike bleeding drain the vitality of the nation. The World Bank, IMF and the country having been forced to lose its freedom over development strategies.

Take the REALlTlES of today,

The price rises of essential commodities for the people are having severe consequences on the rural and urban poor. Price of milk gone up 823%, 60% of children under 5 years suffer from malnutrition, 28% of babies born are below minimum weight, potential dropouts Sri Lanka rated 3rd highest in the world. Between 1977 and 1990 prices have increased 600% for rice, 825% for flour, 500% for sugar, 367% for coconut, 700% for bread 875% for Kerosene, 475% Electricity, 500% bus fare, Gas prices increased twice, Health and Education expenditure cut Education from 10.7 in 1977 to 3.96% in 1992. War costs 51 billion. Every Religion builds on the rock foundation of FAMILY, yet 70% of women going abroad for dollars as housemaids are Mothers. There are 1,000 to 1,500 abortions a day. Approximately 487,000 children are living in 470 refugee camps. We hold the highest individual consumption rate Of alcohol, the highest rate in suicides. Heroin addiction and youth 15 to 25 years spend an estimated Rs. 18 billion on it, murder, rape, theft escalates. Corruption is rife.

The place for remedial action is undoubtedly at the top, dismantling the network of interlined interests, to reconstruct economic progress over political expression. Tirades against injustices, interminable raking up of history. Personal and political will not provide the incentives for Sri Lankans to embark and remain committed to specifics, Thrift, ambition and hard work.

Kathy Walker, the famous Australian Aboriginal poetess grappling with the complex web of emotional, social and economic considerations for her people said "Don't hate, educate".

King Suddhodana invites Buddha to Kimbulvatpura
The Significance of Medin Fullmoon Day

by Danister I. Fernando
Medin fullmoon was gradually taking shape. Buddha, The Shakya Muni, was residing at Veluvanarama, the monastery offered by King Bimbisara at Rajagaha. King Suddhodana, the father of Prince Siddhartha had heard that his son having attained Englightenment was living at Veluvanarama, with his retinue. The king who had not seen the son for seven long years, was extremely anxious to see Him.

In order to get his anxiety fulfilled, the king wished to invite Him to Kimbulvatpura. So, he sent a minister accompanied by a thousand others, to get his invitation delivered to the Buddha. They reached Veluvanarama when the Buddha was still disseminating the Dhamma to a large audience. The minister and his men also listened to the Dhamma and were so impressed and convinced that they immediately realised the Truth and became members of the fraternity of Bhikkhus. However it so happened that the king's invitation was not presented to the Buddha as expected.

Having failed in his first attempt, King Suddhodana sent similar missions on eight more occasions, but could not still get his wish fulfilled.

He was extremely unhappy. In his desperation, he summoned Minister Kaludayi, who is said to have been born on the same day as Prince Siddhartha and told him: "Son, Kaludayi, I have a grave desire to see my son, Siddhartha. They say that He has attained supreme Buddhahood. I have already sent nine missions to invite Him to my kingdom. But I have so far failed even to get any concrete news in His regard. Death is quite uncertain. I wish to see my son before I die. Can you, therefore, do me the favour of successfully inviting Him here? He consented and undertook to carry out the king's orders, provided he too would be given permission to enter the 'sasana'.

Minister Kaludayi and his men reached Veluvanarama. Having arrived, they had the good fortune to listen to the new philosophy after which they too opted to join the order immediately. A few days after the ordination Thera Kaludayi thought that time was opportune for him to place the king's invitation before the Buddha.

Having respected the Buddha in the proper manner, he began by describing the route from Rajagaha to Kimbulvatpura in fair detail a long way of nearly sixty 'yojanas'. He said that there were spreading trees covered with fragrant blossoms all along the road on either side; the weather proved to be very congenial neither hot nor cold, for pleasant travel.

He went on describing the route and finally placed the king's invitation before the Buddha. He said, "O, Lord, King Suddhodana has received good news that the Tathagatha has attained Supreme Budddhahood. He is much concerned about seeing you before he dies. We have been sent purposely to invite You, Lord, to Kimbulvatpure?

The Buddha accepted the invitation with compassion. He decided to go the entire distance of sixty 'Yojanas' on foot, so that He would be of service to all those who lived on either side.

The Buddha, with a retinue of twentythousand Arahats started on this long journey from Rajagaha to Kimbulvatpura on MEDIN FULLMOON DAY and after two full months, reached Kimbulvatpura on the Vesak Fullmoon Day to be received by an eager fatherking with due respect.

(Reference''Buddha Charitaya'' by Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Maha Thera)

The Royal class of 1949

by T.D.S.A Dissanayaka
In 1949 one hundred and seven boys aged approximately eleven years were admitted to Royal College. In 1999 on the week end before the Royal Thomian Cricket match they will get together at a leading beach resort in Wadduwa to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their enrolment in what they consider to be the best school of them all. Of those one hundred and seven, sixteen are now no more. Of the survivors more than half and their ladies will participate in this joyous reunion, with many of them gravitating to Colombo from different points on the face of the Earth.

The Class of 1949 was indeed very ordinary when they joined Royal College. Of them only four were extraordinary while at the Royal Primary School. They were Chelvanayakam Vaseeheran, who had averaged over ninety per cent in all examinations, Nihal Weeratunge who had broken every record in the Long Jump, Ranjit De Silva and Brendon Gooneratne who were superb cricketers.

Academic
Principal J.C.A. Corea had a poor opinion of the academic prowess of the Class of 1949. He systematically extolled the virtues of the Class of 1948, (Lalith Athulathmudali was amongst them,) and claimed that the Class of 1950 was even more brilliant. (They produced eight Firsts at the University of Ceylon including one by the intentionally renowned astronomer N. C. Wickremasinghe.) When Principal Corea resigned, his successor Principal Dudley K.G.De Silva endorsed that opinion.

As the years rolled by Chelvanayakam Vaseeheran continued to be brilliant and came first in the Island in the G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) Examination. Nihal Weeratunge continued to break every Long Jump record including the Public Schools record. To the surprise of everybody a member of the Class of 1949 who was not known to be an athlete in his younger years, broke a Public Schools record while still a fresher in the Royal College Athletics team. He went on to Captain the Ceylon Athletics team, eventually. Both Ranjit De Silva and Brendon Gooneratne continued to shine in cricket. The former Captained the Royal College Cricket team and was deservedly appointed Head Prefect. The latter was easily the best allrounder in the Royal College team and in the Combined Schools team. Besides he was an allrounder in every sense of the word. For example while studying Science subjects he won prizes for History and Religious Knowledge. The Class of 1949 excelled in Rugby and produced two Captains of the Royal College team, namely Lionel Almeida and Ratna Sivaratnam, and six other coloursman. Of them two, Lionel Almeida and Tyrrel Muttiah, went on to play for Ceylon. Alavi Mohammed had the unique distinction of being the first Captain of Rowing at Royal College. He went on to row for Ceylon.

Examination
Towards the end of their years at Royal College, the class of 1949 blossomed out academically . Sixty one of the one hundred and seven passed the stiff competive examination to enter the University of Ceylon. Upa1i Wijewardene entered Cambridge University and W. V. De Thabrew won a scholarship awarded by the University of London to study Pali and Sanskrit. Five who could not gain admission to the University of Ceylon did so to Universities in India and in the UK. In retrospect the admission of two thirds of the Class of 1949 to various Universities marked their meteoric rise. They had already eclipsed the Class of 1948 and the Class of 1950, admitted Principal Corea and Principal De Silva.

What the Class of 1949 achieved in life is too good to be true. Upali Wijewardene who was born a millionaire died a billionaire when his executive jet exploded in mid air. At the time of his death not he but Lal Jayasundera, the Chairman of Hayleys, enjoyed the reputation of being the best Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the private sector in Sri Lanka Ratna Sivaratnam is the current CEO of Aitken Spence . V. Manikavasgar is a Director of a multinational Company in Colombo and Beverly Vandergert, who migrated to the land of his ancestors, is a Director of a multinational Company in The Netherlands.

Architect
Twenty one, nearly one fifth on the Class of 1949, are medical practitioners. Of them Dr. J. B. Peiris (Neurology), Dr. Henry Rajaratnam (Medicine), Dr. Ranjit De Silva (Surgery), Dr. Gamini Jayakuru (Venereology) Dr. Ranjit Ratnapala (Obstetrics and Gyaenocology) Dr. C. L. Mendis (Entomology), Dr. R. S. B. Wickremasinghe (Microbiology) and Dr. Tissa Cooray (Public Health) were amongst the best in Sri Lanka. Besides Dr. G. P. Goonetileke (Surgery), Dr. Leslie Muthukuda (Anaesthetics) Dr. P. L Samarasinghe (Surgery and later Venereology), Dr. A. S. Rubasingham (Surgery), Dr. G. R. L. Vanden Driesen (Surgery), Dr. D. Subasinghe (Paediatrics), Dr Rudra Hoole (Medicine), Dr. D. M. H. De Kretser (Pathology), Dr. Yasa Rajapakse (Community Health) and Dr. N. T. De Silva (Family Health) have well established reputations in their domiciles abroad.

Dr. Brendon Gooneratne, who is a medical practitioner, has represented Australia in the highest international for on the Environment. The eminent lawyers, Chula De Silva, Jayantha Gunasekera and S. W. B. Wadugodapitiya were elevated to President's Counsel. Justice S. W. B. Wadugodapitiya serves on the Supreme Court and Justice Punyadasa Edusuriya on the Court of Appeal.

Harsha Wickremasinghe became Secretary to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Austin Perera Secretary to the Ministry of Industries and Daham Wimalasena the General Secretary of the UNP, at the height of its power. Channa Amerasinghe was the CEO of the Electricity Board, Dr. Lochi Gunaratna became a renowned architect and the bohemian Lucky Senanayake a renowned painter. C. L. V. Jayatilleke who took a double First in Engineering became a young Professor and later a Vice Chancellor. W. V. De Thabrew who took a First became a Professor at the London School of Oriental Studies. B. S. Wijeweera who took a First, Harsha Wickremasinghe, who narrowly missed a First, and Gamini Seneviratne, who won every conceivable prize in English at Royal College, joined the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service. One somehow became a young Ambassador. Dr. Brendon Gooneratne . Dr. P. S. C. Goonetileke and another, who never wrote anything while at Royal College, became well known authors in the fields or Ancient Ceylon, Sociology and Political Science, respectively.

Dr. J. B. Peiris was President of the Sri Lanka College of Physicians and more recently the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Dr. H. N. Rajaratnam the President of the Sri Lanka College of Physicians, Dr. Ranjit Ratnapala, the President of the Independent Medical Practitioners Association, Jayantha Gunasekera was the Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and Ratna Sivaratnam has just been appointed to the prestigious World Travel and Tourism Council based in London.

Record
On the matrimonial front, the record of the Class of 1949 is rather interesting. One eloped at the age of nineteen and became a grandfather before forty, one lived simultaneously with his wife and his motherinlaw, one was trapped l.b.w. when he bowled over a maiden, one produced eight children in blissful wedlock, one who was a Muslim eloped with a Sinhalese, one who was not a Muslim had four wives legally, taking them on one at a time. He died not of exhaustion but of kidney failure. The one who entered the Buddhist priesthood ended up as the husband of a European beauty and the avowed bachelor who entered a lunatic asylum eventually turned out to be a devoted husband to a village damsel .

The camaraderie in the Class of 1949 is indeed great. They meet at least twice a year, on the second night of the Royal Thomian Cricket match and on the night of the Colombo leg of the Bradby Shield. Many have helped in organising those happy re unions. They include J. G. P. Perera, L. J. A. D. Perera, Harsha Wickremasinghe, Channa Amarasinghe, Upatissa Attygalle, Dr. J. B. Peiris, Ratna Sivaratnam and in the recent past M. N. B. Pieris. In 1983 at the height of the racial riots, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Jayawardena of the Armoured Corps, patrolled the streets of Colombo with a squadron of armoured cars. He had instructions to shoot to kill, if necessary. Despite such responsibility, on his own initiative he detoured to ensure that nobody killed Dr. Chelvanayakan Vaseeheran or G. G. Ponnambalam Jnr. both members of the Class of 1949

In 1996 when Ratna Sivaratnam was appointed the C.E.0 of Aitken Spence, he invited the entire Class of 1949 and their families for an all expense paid week end at the Kandalama Hotel in Dambulla, the pride and joy of his Company . His hospitality was unlimited . In 1998 one of the three authors of the Class of 1949 celebrated his twenty fifth anniversary as a writer. He wrote his ninth book and dedicated it to the Class of 1949 at Royal College, the dearest of my friends "

The launching of the book was from the home of Dr. C. L. Mendis who is now bedridden after suffering a massive stroke. Despite impediment to his speech, somehow he can still sing . When he received the first autographed copy, with tears in his eyes he led the singing of the Royal College anthem ~ The School of our Fathers "

Decision
The Class of 1949 is indeed very united. The only disunity in recent times was when a decision had to be taken on whom to invite for the fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Some wanted to restrict it to the Class of 1949, many more wanted their wives invited, others wanted their mistresses invited, still others wanted both their wives and mistresses invited. Those meetings were both stormy and bawdy . The final compromise was that the happy reunion will be confined to the Class of 1949 and their ladies. Accordingly at the splendid celebrations over a weekend there will be about one hundred adults and adulteresses.

In adversity the Class of 1949 has stood together magnificently . Those who fell by the wayside were supported financially by those who were affluent, with all such contributions made anonymously . The powerless, when in trouble, were shielded by the powerful. When death takes its inevitable toll, the Class of 1949 has almost always carried the coffin at the funeral, with many wiping tears from their eyes.

Indeed the Class of 1949 is one of the very best Royal College has ever produced. Now the shadows have begun to lengthen on the lives of the surviving members. Accordingly many have informed their next-of-kin that when they eventually die they must be dressed complete with the Royal College tie. That is their final tribute to their beloved Alma Mater, which they loudly proclaim can never be thanked adequately.

Review
Tales for posterity

by Vijita Fernando
Best Loved Folk Tales of Sri Lanka by Manel Ratnatunge Sterling Publishers, New Delhi. Price Rs. 150.

These are indeed well loved tales from Sri Lankan folk genre narrated and retold through the generations. In this handy little volume Manel Ratnatunge has selected several that have a special appeal from this vast repertoire. Andare, for instance, has a timeless appeal though one wonders at times whether today's children bred on television fare and Tin Tin may find him just a little awkward, shall we say?

But he certainly takes the older readers back to a fading past when his ingenuous wit as the court jester and in more mundane situations as when he was challenged to remove a mountain are still vivid.

Andare was, despite his shrewd wit, a bit of a bumbling oddity at times. But he had a knack of improvising verse as when he was rejected in love, a quick sharp come back which delighted though the reason was tinged with the sadness of lost love.

"Pala athi rukhe vavuloth ellethi penu
Ruva athi nam apatath bas deti gaanu
Dasin eyi kandulu bindu nahakiya vanu
Ithin motada mevaysata nathi ganu..."

Folk tales are also full of autocratic kings, beautiful and submissive princesses and handsome princes bent on marrying them. These suitors had not only to scale walls and cross moats but answer complicated posers from the fathers of their hearts' desires. These situations are often tragi comic but they do give an insight into the social realities of those far off days.

The book abounds with a wealth of tradition steeped in incidents from history. You may not find these in the history books. They have survived through the spoken word of the folk tales which have been passed through generations and survived remarkably well.

The author has set out not only to entertain. She has tried to answer the need to preserve these tales for posterity especially when there is a danger of a slow death and extinction of folk tales if they are not revived in written form. In the narration she has also given the reader the wit and humour and a glimpse into the lives of the people a time long past. One does not need a careful reading to peep into the lives of ordinary people, the power of royalty, the place of women, the importance of tilling the land and traditional festivals and ceremonies some of which may seem quaint to today's younger readers.

As an added bonus the author has some modern tales, of Sardiel, the "Black prince", the legend of Mount Lavinia, the nadagam players and a selection of delightful carters' songs.

The writer's style is vivid, the narration intelligent and laced with a racy wit in the telling which certainly adds more to the pathos, humour, romance and those delicious incidents of illicit love in the folk tales.

An 'operation' with a difference

by Suresh P. Perera
On the island of Mannar, eclipsed by the infinite groves of palmyrah palms, they are silently building a bridge. As sturdy as the causeway which links this beleaguered northern town to the mainland, the viaduct that is placidly emerging is a valiant attempt to win hearts and minds. It's an 'operation' with a difference - to capture the trust and confidence of a tormented civilian population rescued from the clutches of the Tigers.

The 'action' is within the Mannar police complex. Seated inside a hall, under one roof are a group of police and military personnel. They have come to grasp what, in all respects, is as imperative as curbing the LTTE threat. The uniformed men, of divergent ranks and representing all communities, who troop into the lecture hall, suddenly find themselves to be students. The importance of respecting human rights and what emergency regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are all about, dominate the agenda. It's a thought-provoking exercise. Emergency laws, as they are now in force in the North-East, are promulgated to deal with an extraordinary situation and it's certainly not an open licence to do what should not be done, no matter what the circumstances may turn out to be. Equally important is the question of respecting human rights. Most of the participants are apparently hearing all this stuff for the first time. For them, it's a seat of higher learning.

At the Inservices Training Unit, as it's called, there is a battle to broaden the horizon of knowledge. As Napoleon Bonaparte once declared: "In war, moral considerations account for three-quarters, the balance of actual forces only for the other quarter". Confronted with a disturbing situation that's persisting, confidence-building is top priority not merely for this entity at the other end of Sri Lanka, but for the entire country as a whole.

The objectives of this unit, in addition to educating the rank and file on human rights, emergency regulations and PTA, also encompass the Firearms Ordinance, Explosives Act and transportation of banned goods to the Northern peninsula and Mannar island.

Ironically, the Inservices training unit is the brainchild of a senior police official who was suddenly uprooted from police headquarters and sent to Mannar, ostensibly on a 'punishment transfer'.

He went, he saw and got down to tackling a daunting task in a district that is woefully backward, after assessing the situation at hand.

'It's our duty to help these innocent, defenceless people in every manner possible', says Mannar's Superintendent of Police Lalith Lekamge.

It's no secret that civilians in Mannar are living in agony. There is suffering and misery all around. The island is undeveloped and unemployment is at its peak. Perhaps, other areas in the troubled North-East must be no better under the prevailing circumstances.

It was due to SP Lekamge's indefatigable efforts that this unit became a reality. Brigadier Ranjith de Silva, commanding officer, 212 brigade based at Thallady, officially commissioned this outfit a week back.

The brigadier was invited as chief guest, to formally open a creation of the police, in a symbolic gesture of the co-ordinated role both these defence establishments play in protecting a mass of humanity struggling for survival.

History it did create, because hardly anything solid and substantial had emerged over the long by-gone years to afford an opportunity to policemen and soldiers down the line, to sit together under one roof and come to terms with the other side of the story. Above all, they are told that civilians are precious and the highest regard must be attached to their rights. Without winning their confidence, the ultimate objective of defeating the Tigers will turn out to be elusive.

The programme the unit has lined up starts with 'C'. Courtesy, without which the exercise in its entirety is defeated. 'What is foremost is being civil and polite to civilians. That's where the process of winning hearts and minds begins', Lekamge explained.

Being rude and cruel only helps to add to the misery and bitterness and it generates acrimony among the civilian population, participants are told.

Scores of policemen, mostly from platoons, serving in operational areas are unaware of normal police duties. Strange, but true. In a shocking disclosure, it has also come to light that they know next to nothing about recording statements, conducting raids, visiting a scene of crime and making observations, inquire into a complaint and handle an investigation. From the day they were given a weapons training and inducted into the North-East theatre of operations, they have been at the front. Operational duties are their forte. All this was due to no fault of theirs or the police department for that matter. These men were recruited, given a swift arms training and sent to the battle zone because strength in terms of numbers was a dire necessity. Adequate personnel to keep Prabakaran's boys on the run, still remains a challenging task.

Psychological conditioning is also of utmost importance because these men are away from their near and dear ones. Depending on the contingency at hand, the wait to go home on leave could turn out to be endless. All these contributory factors should be taken into account to tackle the situation effectively.

'What a policeman or a soldier learns from this unit will continue to influence his behaviour, whether he remains in Mannar or in any part of the country', SP Lekamge pointed out.

The duration of the course is one-month and awards and certificates will be awarded to those participants who excel at the written examination. 'We take in 50 each month, that's 40 from the police and the balance from the military, and it's an on-the-job training', he said.

Police and army personnel from Mannar district are drawn for training each month and after the day's programme they return to their posts. All duty points they are drawn from are reinforced with additional personnel to off-set their absence.

Specialised police and military officials, lawyers, human rights activists and experts in the respective spheres will be invited to lecture at this unit. 'We attach immense importance to human rights and we want to get down some experts from Colombo as well', Lekamge stressed.

There had also been instances where some policemen were ignorant of the items, the transportation of which is banned, to Mannar island. Certain items that are banned in the Northern peninsula are however permitted in Mannar. Hence, the situation is different. Recently, one police post in the area cleared a lorry transporting some items, but at the next point, it was placed under arrest as the goods were found to be those under the 'banned' category. The policemen concerned were interdicted as an allegation of bribery is under investigation.

'The subject of 'banned items' has been included in the agenda to shed more light on the factual situation', the SP said.

'There are two aspects here. It either happens as a result of ignorance of the law or due to bribery. Both situations cannot be tolerated', he added.

At the solemn opening of the unit, police personnel of all ranks representing the three communities joined in the lighting of the traditional oil lamp with Brig. de Silva and SP Lekamge.

Lekamge is happy that police-public relations had improved tremendously in Mannar. People no longer fear to come to the police to seek redress. They have reposed faith in the khakied gentry and the reason for this transformation, it's widely believed, was the positive attitude of the police. 'We have even resolved most of the problems referred to us by the Mannar citizens' committee', he noted.

SP Lekamge's unit has a long way to traverse, no doubt, but the fact that a bold attempt has been made to set in motion a productive process is in itself commendable.

In the past, many were the ugly incidents where helpless civilians had to pay with their lives. One could argue that under the ground situation any protracted and ferocious war creates, particularly when the enemy happens to be the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), one of the most ruthless killing machines in the world, excesses are a grim reality. Be that as it may. What matters is how much more is being done to prevent them.

Brig. Ranjith de Silva, a respected officer, has joined hands to make this unit a success story. As commanding officer the role he plays in this endeavour is significant. 'The army is also contributing to this productive exercise', he said.

'It's very good to educate police and service personnel and polish up their knowledge on the laws of the land', the Brigadier said when contacted at Thallady brigade in Mannar.

Attempts to reach members of the Mannar citizens' committee for their observations proved futile.

The unit is operating on its own steam with no additional funding involved.

Amidst the arid territory and the vast expanse of sandy wastes, the 'bridge' is gradually taking shape. To construct them is laborious and time-consuming, but their destruction by enemies of peace, is easy for those who are deranged and demented.

Mannar has a rich crop of myth, legend and history. It's indeed symbolic that profound concern for the rights of a populace, caught up in a vicious grip, has spouted from a terrain that had enriched history.

For a defenceless people, battling for survival, it's not where Prince Vijaya landed or what Ravana did that counts at this point of time, but how much more remains to be done to ease that intense pain which has clutched their disrupted lives.

Otherwise, Mannar's rich history may not repeat itself.........

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