Good men are strangers to the ways of the world
I found the statement made by a spokesman of the National Movement for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation, appearing in "The Island" of Monday, 29th March, most welcome because it is timely.
I would like, if I may, to make some observations on what has been said.
On a deep sense, good governance, which was the subject matter of the spokesman's interview, can only be brought about by "good" men. Only good men will "govern" according to the moral and spiritual values the N.M.J.P.R. has in mind for the simple reason that they alone will, in their personal lives, personify the standards which the spokesman of the movement has referred to Dharmishta societies are not created by people whose only claim to spirituality is their ability to make occasional references to the sermon on the Mount or the Dhammapada.
Now, who is a "good" man? I venture to think that he is an individual who is a strang to the ways of the world. He will be "in" the world, yet "out" of it. Put differently, he will not be contaminated by the norms and standards the vast majority of us live by. Easier said than done, most would say. I agree. But there is no other way out, if we are to ensure good governance in this country or, for that matter, any where else.
One opts out of the ways of the world, spontaneously and without any effort, when one awakens to its vanities and their transient nature. This awakening, if it is not superficial, will result in tremendous hardship and entail enormous sacrifice, but these will be taken in their stride because of the deep conviction that is a concomitant of seeing the difference between appearance and reality, the spurious and the genuine.
Many in our present day society rightly consider the pursuit of power and wealth as being the main cause of the turmoil and violence we encounter in our land. But these very same people worship and cringe before those who wield power and have money, if such conduct will help to promote their own personal agendas. The importance of being important occupies the top place in our hierarchy of values.
A few days ago I saw a notice in a newspaper inviting people to attend a lecture by my brother, Neville, on some aspect of Christianity. The notice advertised the speaker as being a former Government Agent and a Director-General of Broadcasting. I failed to see the connection between his knowledge of the content of the talk and the positions he had held many years ago as a public servant. So I asked him whether that was the way the organizers of the meeting, who were supposed to be strangers to the ways of the world, set about spreading the message of Jesus. May be he said it is difficult to attract people to their meetings without mentioning the "status" and "position" of the speaker. That is the crux of the problem. Why does one want to be a somebody? Even those who ask others to be strangers to the ways of the world and be out of it, are themselves guilty of exploiting man's love of the vanities of the world to convince people of the need for spirituality.
One despairs for the country when one becomes aware of the numerous "educated" people who, even in their dotage, cannot get over their adolescent love of status and position, which, in effect, is a manifestation of their deep-seated egos.
I know of a female who goes about town, dropping hints at social gatherings, that her husband is the "king" of a particular executive arm of the government. And all that her husband, who is now in his late sixties does, when someone writes to him about a problem he has, is to send a routine reply. "I see no reason to intervene in the matter". Why? Because if he does intervene and do justice, the government will dethrone him from his "kingly" pedestal.
I am a member of a particular university Alumni Association, sensitive people will be aghast to know how much jockeying for posts there is prior to the Annual General Meeting when new office-bearers are elected. Some years ago, I remember being plagued by telephone calls from some members who thought they had a right to become President merely because they had served as Vice-President for several years. What kind of governance will a country get when such people occupy the commanding heights of the administration?
The heart of the matter is that we who constitute the ruling elite are very 'ordinary' in our essence, despite our so-called education and scholarly qualifications.
The politicians alone are not entirely to blame for the situation in the country today.
The N.M.J.P.R. is quite right to point out the selfishness of certain sectors of the 'educated' and professional classes. Their lack of concern for the country is appalling. As a founder member of 'Avadhi Lanka' I have had first-hand experience of the utter callousness of many members of these two sectors.
In a country where four great religions are said to have taken root, it is unbelievable that the ruling elite (we are all part of it) is so insensitive to the need for moral and spiritual values to constitute the basis of governance.
Be that as it may, one is inclined to think that it is the clergy that must be held largely responsible for the moral decay in the country to which the spokesman of the NMJPR has drawn public attention. The reverend gentlemen of all the four religions have singularly failed to live up to the demands of their calling. Far from being strangers to the ways of the world, they have been, collectively, more worldly than the worst of us laymen.
So it was gratifying to read in The Island of Wednesday, 31st March that some of them have now awakened to 'the need for them to give leadership to the people in the task of putting an end to the degeneracy and violence so widely prevalent in the country. One hopes that their intention is not a mere flash in the pan. Let them turn the searchlight inwards and find out where they have failed the people of this country.
Whatever labels by which they identify themselves, - Buddhist, Catholic, Anglican, Hindu, Muslim and what have you, their calling requires that they have one thing in common - that is, that have awakened, at least, intellectually, to the vanities of the world and that, therefore, while being in society they must be out of it. Theirs is not to seek power, status, position, wealth and most importantly in the present state of this little island, identify themselves with political parties and politicians and pay pooja to them. In short, they must prove to the people whom they seek to guide, that in the manner in which they live, they are strangers to the ways of the world. It is only then that they will be entitled to point out to us ordinary laymen, the error of our ways. Today, however, behind the yellow robe, the cassock and other similar cloaks, one finds, in many cases, plain huntings and importers, who are no different from scheming and power-hungry politicians.
They must opt out of this horrible system of hypocrisy and sham and help create a force in our land that will compel good governance. They must cease to co-operate with a system that has brought about the degeneracy and violence that stalk the land. Briefly, they must help to ignite a total revolution morally and spiritually - the social, political and cultural fall-out will be obvious.
But such an effort calls for tremendous sacrifice and suffering. This should not be difficult for those who claim to be the true followers of the man who took the road to Golgotha, and of the Man who gave up his wife and child and kingdom to find the formula to end suffering, and of the several others who showed, in their own way the path to liberation. The common badge of their tribe is self-transcendence with all its shattering consequences.
Stanley Jayaweera
Avadhi Lanka
An Appreciation
Dr. B. M. A. Balasooriya
- Structural Engineering GuruDr. B. M. A. Balasooriya, who died a few weeks ago, was not only one of the most respected Structural Engineers in Sri Lanka but also a man with a particularly sharp sense of social responsibility and a remarkable lack of attachment to material acquisitions. He contributed freely of his skills time, energy and money to many philanthropic endeavours. Above all, although he was a giant in his profession, he gave generously of his time and immense specialised knowledge to innumerable young engineers, both at the State Engineering Corporation where he was Chief Engineer (Designs) for some years and, later, at Stems Consultants Ltd., where he was the Chairman until his premature death. The satisfaction of helping those who were less, fortunate or knowledgeable than himself was the sole reward he sought.
Balasooriya Mudiyanselage Amaradasa Balasooriya was born on 8 September 1940 at Kuliyapitiya. Both his parents were schoolteachers. He was the third of six children and, at a very early age, began to show those characteristics which led him to become what he was in later life.
Almost the entirety of his school life was spent at Ananda College, which he entered in 1948 in what was then the Standard 2 Class. He shone academically from the very beginning, winning prizes in General Proficiency, Art, Mathematics, General Science, Handwriting and Physics. He was adjudged the Best Student in the Middle School. He obtained his Senior School Certificate in 1956, being the student with the best results in the whole Island. In 1958, he passed his Higher School Certificate in the First Division. He won the Challenge Cup and the Dewar Shield as the Best Rifle Shot (Senior). His Excellence in Workshop Practice yielded a Gold Medal. He was awarded the Fritz Kunz Challenge Cup as the Best Young Citizen at Ananda, as well as the Rupasinghe Scholarship.
He continued to do brilliantly at the University of Ceylon, where he obtained an Exhibition Award in his first year. He obtained First Class passes in both Parts 1 and 2 of the Bachelor of Science (Engineering) examinations.
On passing out in 1963, he joined the State Engineering Corporation, where he worked for two years gaining practical experience in Civil and Structural Engineering.
In 1965, based on his earlier excellent results at the University, he was awarded a Government University Scholarship to carry out postgraduate studies at the University of Leeds, UK. There, he obtained his Master of Science in Structural Engineering in 1966 and then went on to do research work on Structural Concrete for which he was conferred the title of Doctor of Philosophy.
He was employed by the University of Leeds as Assistant Lecturer for a short time and then returned to the SEC, where he was promoted to Project Engineer and, later, Chief Engineer (Designs).
Professionally, he obtained Corporate Membership of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers, UK Institution of Structural Engineers and Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka. He was elected a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, in 1990 and of the Institution of Structural Engineers, UK, in 1997. By this time the letters after his name were: BSc Eng (Ceylon), MSc (Leeds), PhD (Leeds), MICE, FlStructE, FIE (SL), Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer.
At the State Engineering Corporation, he was responsible for the Structural Designs of the Colombo Planetarium, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Building, Summit Flats Complex, Balangoda Walltile Factory, Maho Fertiliser Stores Complex and Kandy Hospital OPD Building. After spending a total of twelve years here, he decided to broaden his horizons and worked in Nigeria for a firm of Consulting Engineers as a Senior Structural Engineer before returning to Sri Lanka.
In 1981, he got together with a few fellow engineers and set up Stems Consultants Ltd., which is highly recognised professionally by Sri Lankan Structural Engineers, Architects and Contractors. This firm, under his guidance, was responsible for the structural designs of the Nawaloka Hospital Buildings, Sampath Bank Headquarters Building, Ceylinco Seylan Towers and host of other structures.
Dr. Balasooriya carried out the designs of the Ananda College Main Pavilion Building, Central Administration Building, Swimming Pool Complex, Hostel & Kitchen Buildings and the Principal's residence without payment. As a dynamic member of the Ananda College Old Boys' Union, he helped collect funds for a number of the College's projects. Similar honorary services were rendered in respect of the Kandy Mahamaya College Hall, the Dharmavijaya Foundation Headquarters Building and Devi Balika Vidyalaya buildings. He gave of his services also to develop the design concepts for the restoration of the Mirisavetiya Stupa at Anuradhapura.
He was the President of the Peradeniya Engineering Faculty Alumni Association and Vice-President of the Ananda College Old Boys' Association.
He was a Trustee of the Dharmavijaya Foundation and helped greatly with the collection of food, clothing and books for refugees in the Vavuniya, Ampara and Trincomalee areas, and assisted with the reconstruction of housing there. On one occasion, he was even seen travelling on the roof of a truck which was transporting goods carrying supplies to badly-affected villages!
The contents of unsolicited hampers received by him during the festive seasons were sold by him and the proceeds were used to help various causes. Receipts were sent to the donors of the hampers!
In the professional realm, he served on the Council of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, and was also the Editor of its publications. He served on the Civil Engineering Divisional Committee of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution. He has acted as Visiting Lecturer at both the Universities of Peradeniya and Moratuwa, as well as the Institute for Construction Training and Development (ICTAD).
He was one of the founding fathers of the Society of Structural Engineers - Sri Lanka and played an important role from its very beginnings in February 1990. By November 1990, he was elected President and is bound to have continued in that post to this day, by popular acclaim, but for his increasing ill health. He resigned as President in May 1993 but continued to send to the Committee many valuable written opinions on professional matters. In fact, the Society decided at its last Annual General Meeting to award him its highest accolade by electing him an Honorary Fellow but, sadly, he was not destined to receive it formally.
Dr. Balasooriya was not an "all work and no play" person either. He was a leader in the lively "baila sessions" of his University days. His renderings of "Nurse Nona" and "Wade Kaha Sudiya" are still remembered by his contemporaries. Moreover, whilst studying in the UK, his nostalgia for Sri Lankan food turned him into a rather excellent cook. He was a determined hitch-hiker and saw much of England by this economical means because foreign exchange remittances from Sri Lanka were really strictly controlled in those days.
In 1971, he met Indrachapa, a colleague of his sister Malanie, both of whom were working at the Department of Inland Revenue. It was case of love at first sight despite the rather unromantic venue!
Dr. Balasooriya was very unlucky to have had his vocal cords, salivary glands and other organs damaged by poor medical treatment begun, by his own account, in 1977 when he was only 37 years old. This caused him progressively increasing discomfort and disabilities to the point where he was reduced to a completely liquid diet for the past several years. His suffering was such that he had prayed, each time that he was hospitalised, that he would not come out alive. His wishes were answered on 12 February 1999. Other than for the days he spent in hospital, he continued with his professional work despite progressively increasing physical debility. In an essay under the title "Kamma, Cancer and Doctors", he states that his failure to receive competent medical treatment was probably due to his non-meritorious actions in his previous life!
He also suffered other calamities in his life but never allowed them to interfere with his duty to his family, his alma mater, society and the profession.
He leaves behind his loyal and loving wife, Indrachapa, who spent twenty-two years of wedded life ministering to her beloved husband, and daughter Amanthi and sons Cherantha and Nadun. His wife, a busy professional in her own right, was a tower of strength to him. She and their children can look back on Dr. Balasooriya's life with a degree of pride and satisfaction not given to many.
Our sympathies go out to the four of them and his siblings Mrs. S. Balasooriya, Mr. D. Balasooriya, Mrs. M. Ratnayake, Mrs. N. Dassanayake and Mrs. S. Samaranayake, the other members of his extended family, his colleagues and friends.
May he attain Nibbhana!
A. C. Visvalingam, S. A. Karunaratne & Ajith Jayasinghe
SOCIETY OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS - SRI LANKA