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People and Events
Increasing ferocity of natural disasters

by Nan
No less a person than Kofi Annan, dynamic, articulate and humane Secretary General of the UN, has made known his thoughts on the disasters that have been battering the world in the recent past.

When watching world news on TV and reading newspapers that give news other than the brightness of economic prospects in Sri Lanka, one is confronted with the rhetorical What’s next? What will hit humanity next? I for one found it impossible to watch as the search went on for persons buried in the quake-hit area of Turkey. True, there was admirable bravery and tenacity among the rescue workers; nations rallied demonstrating again that mankind is one, petty or major differences forgotten in the face of disaster. Stories of tenacious clinging to life by some who lay buried for days, keeping intact their sanity, slaking their thirst with urine and flexing muscles as much as possible with doors and tables upon them, diminished our own troubles to little dots with salutary effect. But seeing the deaths suffered and sorrowing, one could hardly sit in the comfort of one’s home and watch. We in Sri Lanka hear of, mourn or get angry by man- made, politically motivated blunders and disasters, but what are they in comparison to what nature does?

Rain, wind and fire

Kofi Annan gives some startling facts. The costs of weather-related disasters in 1998 exceeded the costs of all such disasters in the decade of the 1980s. I am sure that the costs of 1999 exceed those of the previous year. In Bangladesh in 1998, two thirds of the country was inundated; hurricanes George and Mitch killed more than 13,000 people in the Caribbean and the cost of destruction and devastation left by the flooding of the Yangtse river is estimated at an astonishing USD 30 million.

Fires ravaged forests in Brazil, and closer home in Indonesia ,such that not only was precious timber and wild life lost but economies and people’s health were affected even in countries far from the places of devastation.

Those who suffer

One wonders whether this is nature’s way of controlling population growth, or retribution for man’s inhumanity to man and insatiable greed. Even a child knows that disasters are natural, they occur from time to time, but what one feels is that recent disasters are almost as if Nature is trying to teach mankind a lesson. The lesson translates itself to the axiom: don’t you avaricious creatures tamper too much with me. I will teach you a lesson.

Most unfortunately as often happens, it is not the tamperers and the greatest consumers who suffer but the weak, the poor, the underprivileged, the marginalized.

It is an accepted fact that the rich western nations consume more, invent more, pollute the environment more. It is the third world poor that suffer the consequences. As Koff Annan says in his article: " What we have witnessed over the past decades is not nature’s variation but a clear upward trend caused by human activities. There were three times as many great natural disasters in the 1990s as in the 1960s, while disaster costs increased more than nine-fold in the same period."

Ninety percent of disaster victims live in developing countries where poverty and population pressures force growing numbers of people to live in harm’s way - on flood plains, on unstable hillsides, in earthquake prone zones, in shoddily built tenements.

Causes

As mentioned it is too much developmental activity and too high degrees of consumption that are the principal causes of greater manifestation of the rage of nature. Unsound development plans and environmental abuses have exacerbated the risks that the poor have to face. Massive logging operations and the destruction of wetlands reduce the soil’s ability to absorb heavy rainfall, making erosion and flooding more likely.

Many scientists believe that the recent upsurge of weather-related natural disasters is the product of increased global warming, much of which is caused by human activity. The earth is supposed to have always experienced natural cycles of warming and cooling. The 14 hottest years since measurements first began in the 1860s have occurred in the past two decades. 1998 was the hottest year on record.

Don’t we know of the deleterious consequences of illicit felling that goes on apace, presumably with political patronage and of power wielders in the area. Consider the damage done to the Nuwara Eliya lake - all that silting and diminution of the expanse of water due to, they say, growing of flowers and potato farming on formerly soil binding tree covered hills. No human disaster here of a sudden nature, but disaster there is in the extensive diminution of the beauty of the hill station.

Prevention

Annan is optimistic in all the pessimism of recent occurrences. He believes that disaster prevention methods which are feasible can stem the tide, if not turn the clock back.

There is an organisation in place to work for disaster reduction - the staff of the UN International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction. The main thrust of their activities is lobbying for better early warning of impending disasters to give vulnerable populations time to move out of harm’s way. Disaster response policies are also required as is disaster reduction and preventive legislation. More important is, of course, the implementation of such legislation fairly and squarely.

Wide area satellite surveillance is revolutionizing disaster early warning. The Internet can provide instant dissemination of such warning data. Disaster reduction activities should be in place, plans to be effected in a hurry. One example is quoted in the article by Kofi Annan. He points out that in China, where extensive disaster control policies have been introduced over the years, the death toll from floods has fallen dramatically. Flooding cost around 3000 lives in China is 1998 but similar floods in 1931 and 1954 cost 140,000 and 33,000 lives respectively. Stunning when you consider these statistics against the growth of the Chinese population and the certainly increased ferocity of recent floods.

One recollects the picture in the local newspapers of a bridge broken in the middle and collapsed with the caption telling us the bridge was very recently built. Remember the outcry when a building in which was a popular department store collapsed in South Korea due to shoddy building? Contractors and builders often are murderers by default.

Sri Lanka has been spared the utter ferocity of natural disasters, thank goodness. But are we at all prepared for them? I wish to point out one instance of unpreparedness. How many institutions have in place emergency plans for evacuation etc. in the instance of a bomb going off within the place? Very, very few; in spite of bombs being a common hazard in this paradise of ours. Another instance of Sri Lankan take-it-easy!

A school for expatriate children used to conduct fire drills very often during the JVP fear psychosis times, and expect all children to be quickly out in their allocated places in the playing field, with teachers taking head counts by calling out names from the class registers they had to carry when evacuating. Five minutes was too long, the principals said. You just switched lights and aircons off and ran for your life, not even delaying to pick up your handbag. They even stocked dry rations for four days for the entire school population.

We sleep nonchalantly until a disaster hits us. Then we start locking doors and taking precautionary measures Instances? The Central Bank bombing and the Maligawa destruction. Warnings were given; it was known they were prime targets; but access was easily available, almost given to intruders. Now they are cordoned off sites, cordoned off to genuine clients and worshippers. We are great at closing the stable door after the horse has fled, slapping us in the face and killing plenty.

That’s Sri Lanka for you!

Canadian monk’s way for peace of mind

by Kirthi Abeyesekera
In the backyard of a Toronto home, a Canadian, Theravada Buddhist monk sits cross-legged on the grass. Before him, is his alms-bowl. With a gavel, he gently taps the bowl, chanting, ‘Ohm; Ohm.’ A chorus of voices responds; ‘Ohm, Ohm.’ Then, for 15 minutes, they close their eyes in meditation - and all is still.

Punnadhammo Bhikku, as he is known, is on a visit to Toronto from his forest hermitage in Thunder Bay, some one thousand miles away. He’s here to conduct a week’s, live-in, intensive Meditation Retreat at the Sri Lankan, Westend Buddhist Centre. On the eve of the retreat, a group of Canadian devotees are hosting this welcome for one who has forsaken the faith of his forefathers and eschewed the mundane. The Bhikkhu’s ‘daval cane’ has been a bowl of soup and a slice of pizza. The meditation done, he asks the small group to relax.

‘The Emptiness of the World’ is the theme of a brief talk to this compact circle. "It is the mind that creates the world," There is no self, he tells the group born as believers in an immortal soul. He exhorts them: "Don’t be seduced by external attractions. It’s easy to lose oneself in the world." Then, he has a little time for me.

The venerable Bhikkhu was born Michael Dominjmyj to Catholic parents. At 13, he lost his mother. From early days he sought answers to questions that were baffling him. He majored in history. Out of university, he didn’t know what to do with his life. "There was no turning point in my life," he says. "I always had a rebellious mind." Hitchhiking one day, an American woman, Ruth stopped to talk with him. "Come with me," she told him. "I’ll show you the way." And off they drove to Thunder Bay. There, another Canadian, Eric James Bell, a former Canadian Air Forces Officer, had been ordained as Bhikkhu Kema Ananda. He was living in a log cabin in solitary retreat. A small group of people, attracted to the Buddhist Teaching, had supported Kema Ananda in setting up a meditation centre. Among the early pioneers was Jennifer Rockburne. She tells me how, in the mid-70s, a few of them raised $ 5,000 to purchase 98 acres of forest land from its Swedish owner. It was bear and wildcat infested jungle. From scratch, they converted the almost non-usable log cabin into a livable ‘Stewards Cabin.

"There was no running water and no electricity," says Rockburne. "There still isn’t. There’s no telephone even today." The closest city is 50 miles away. "Through floods and fires, and a fatal accident, we built the place." Their objective was to create the right environment for meditation. She herself lived at the centre for 12 years. They named it the ‘Arrow River Community Centre,’ after the river that flows by. Rockburne quotes Ven. Kema Ananda as saying that preaching the ‘Dhamma’ is like selling water by a stream. "It’s there all the time. One must know when and how to use it."

It is to this Community Centre that the young University Graduate and his new-found American friend, Ruth, drove to. They came under the guidance of their spiritual leader, Kema Ananda, described by Ven. Punnadhammo as "not primarily intellectual, but a dynamic personality." Rockburne says he was "a brilliant teacher and a gentle disciplinarian. His teaching was demonstrative of his love of the Dhamma and the Sangha."

During the years 1985 to 89, Dominjmyj visited the Centre "off end on." He spent several months in study and meditation. In 1989, he went into solitary retreat for a year. "At the end, I was no longer interested in the lay life," he told me. He went to Thailand where the "Forest Tradition of meditation is more vibrant than in Sri Lanka." In 1990, he became a ‘Samanera’ The following year, at age of 36, he received ordination as ‘Punnadhammo Bhikkhu’

His only sibling, Marianne, says, "No, I have not lost a brother. I have gained something new." The mother of two teenage daughters and a son, Marianne adds, "We are very proud of him." In l995, Ven. Punnadhammo returned to Canada, hearing that Ven. Kema Ananda was gravely ill. The following year, the ailing founder of the Arrow River Community Centre passed away, and Ven. Punnadhammo became its Chief Incumbent, the only full time monk in residence

"We now have limited accommodation at the Centre," says Ven. Punnadhammo. "Seven is a crowd." His robes are of a dull brown shade, in the tradition of our Vajiraramaya monks, Narada, Madihe Pannasiha and Piyadassi. Mostly alone with the jungle and the beasts for company, he has a lay aide, "since the ‘Vinaya’ does not allow a monk to store food."

"Westerners are interested in Buddhism because of its emphasis on meditation - purification of the mind," says Ven. Punnadhammo who spends his time at the Centre in meditation and study. His family who do not call themselves Buddhists are interested in meditation. In the summer he teaches at retreats - ‘Kuti,’ as they say in Thailand.

He says that over the last 20 years, he’s seen a growing interest in Buddhism in the Western world, particularly in the last decade. All over the world, the big threat is materialism and consumerism.

"But the pendulum swings," says Ven. Punnadhammo. "People will soon find out how hollow the material world is. The realization will be, more in the West than in the East." He says we need more educated monks to carry the Teaching, because there is a thirst for ‘intellectual religion.’

Ven. Punnadhammo, now 44, is a columnist for ‘The Toronto Star’ Religion Page. Recently, he wrote: "If we look around the world today, it is hard not to fall into despair about human nature. Greed, selfishness and violence seem to rule unchallenged. Whereever we look, we see crime, corruption in high places, poverty and homelessness in the midst of plenty".

American Jazz Ambassadors to perform in Colombo

Colombo September 28, 1999 — American Embassy in Colombo presents a musical performance by American Jazz Ambassadors — Doron Johnson (keyboard), Aaron Thurston (drums) and Ian Martin (bass guitar) — on Monday, October 4, 1999 at 7.OO p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. The concert is being held to commemorate the birth centenary of jazz legend Duke Ellington, who was born in 1899 on April 29.

Doron Johnson has been described by Bob Blumenthal of the Boston Globe as "a propulsive player akin to what one expects from a veteran." He is a new and upcoming artist who has performed alongside Herbie Hancock and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble. With the national release of his debut CD "Stride Ways" he is poised to take the Jazz scene by storm. Doron has had the pleasure of working with many jazz legends such as Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter, Jon Faddis, Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Donald Harrison, Vanessa Rubin, and Aretha Franklin just to name a few.

At the age of twenty-one he obtained his masters degree in one year from the Boston Conservatory of Music and immediately entered New England Conservatory of Music to begin work on his doctorate degree. He recently finished his residency as the Pianist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute Sextet at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA and has also participated in their South American tour under USIA auspices alongside Herbie Hancock.

Doron Johnson’s newest trio consist of Ian Martin on bass and Aaron Thurston on Drums. Ian Martin is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. While at Berklee he studied acoustic and electric bass and having done so he received the opportunity to play numerous styles of music with many musical giants. Two of these giants are Javon Jackson, and Donald Harrison. Aaron Thurston is also a graduate of the Berklee College of music. Aaron and Doron Johnson met for the first time in 1991 while attending the same high school. Ever since then Aaron and Doron have been playing together and separately in different jazz settings around the world. Thurston has also performed with jazz greats such as Christian McBride and Roy Hargrove, and he has his own trio.

Tickets priced at Rs. lOO/-, are available at the Lionel Wendt Box office and at the American Center, 44 Galle Road, Colombo 3.

Meliksha - another view

by Valerie Ekanayake
OCEAN CENTRE

What happened to the ship "Meliksha", reported in the Island newspaper on Monday, 13th September, which foundered outside of the 200 mile sea limit which surrounds Sri Lanka’s coast line?

The "Meliksha", a Turkish owned ship was reported as sinking and it attracted much attention as it was reported that the salvors had disobeyed the Port Authority order to leave the ship in waters beyond the 200 mile ocean territory - Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone. It is reported that the tow-rope from the salvage tug had parted with Meliksha under-tow, eventually setting her adrift to run aground on the Southern coast, before she could be taken to the safety of Galle harbour.

It is not clear why the authorities did not themselves physically monitor the maritime casualty from the point of its first being reported - as a national marine pollution prevention centre should do, until the danger has abated, but instead allowed a private salvor to meddle in the 200-mile EEZ and pollution prevention zone, apparently without supervision and intervention until after the event. The Navy and Port authorities are located at both Kirinda and Tangalle, well poised to assist.

Presently, the Meliksha lies approximately 600 metres off the shores of Bundala National Park several miles west of Kirinda where she finally ran aground - this time, with her back broken on a submerged rock. Being severed amidships, her bow section now detached, is lying upside down almost parallel to the coast, with only the bow tip still slightly exposed. The after-section holding the bridge and superstructure, now with stern facing the shore, is perched high above water on the submerged rock. Surrounding the wreck, the water showed signs of possible pollutants (fertilizer residue?), a sheen on the surface and a slick with an oily appearance. There was no froth or bubbles visible.

The beach inspection for the Ocean Centre revealed a small amount of fresh "heavy oil balls" -tar ball pollution on the surf line of the beaches at Urani Pt., off Bundala and bands of oil solidified as a tar residue on the high-water line along Amaduwa. It was apparent from inquiries from fishermen in these areas, that the shipwreck "Meliksha" had not caused fishing to be affected in a significant way. Although effects were reported to have reached the shores of Yala National Park, being spread eastwards by the trend of currents at this time. Adverse effects and possible death of marine creatures directly overcome by concentrated pollutants, appears to be very limited. Having observed these effects, our view in the Ocean Centre, is that given time, the ocean will churn and dissipate these residues in its tireless pounding of beaches, and roiling surf and sand. Yet, some tar residues may remain buried on the beaches, although they have a low recreational and occupational use by fishermen. Underwater effects of oil and the fertilizer cargo on water quality are yet to be observed. Given the active processes of wave and currents in the vicinity, gradual dilution and dispersion of the contaminants is likely.

Local fishermen fishing from a settlement close to the wreck, reported a reduction in prawn catches they were getting before the Meliksha arrived. Although there were no signs of mass mortality on the beach, it is possible that leaching fertilizer and the oil slick affecting water quality would have caused the prawns to move away from the area. An unusually bright and luxuriant growth of green algae - seaweed of the ulva type, was observed in the inter-tidal area adjacent to the wreck. Possible beneficial effects of the Meliksha’s cargo fertilizing the sea?

It is interesting to note that the salvors -obviously motivated by the prospect of a lucrative return from the shipowners, were perhaps careless in their attempt to bring the ship to shore, as it has been brought too close to the coast which is clearly depicted on Admiralty Map No. 63230 with its treacherous reefs, rocks and low tide elevations.

Further, a greater degree of care was warranted, considering the environmental sensitivity of the area which is bordered by Sri Lanka’s premier National Parks Yala and also Bundala National Park - Sri Lanka’s only internationally recognised Ramsar Wetland site. It is particularly sensitive and vulnerable with its complex of lagoons frequented by migrant birds especially during this season. Moreover, the tow had apparently been taken in the vicinity of yet another very sensitive ecosystem - the region of the Basses reefs. Presently, proposals are under consideration for declaration of the Basses as a marine sanctuary -finally recognizing its ecological importance. The ocean Centre is actively engaged in this process, attempting to bring conservation and multiple use economic benefit to the area under a new ocean management framework.

Perhaps the best solution now is to empty the wreck of all oil and fertilizer and sink her under the water. In years to come, the once unsightly wreck will be a haven for fish and lobsters and eventually minute zoo-plankton will adhere to the surfaces and a light coating of coral will begin to form and thus become a new Reef. The wreck will attract many fish and provide protection from predators, acting as a nursery or fish farm. One man’s folly is another man’s gain - and in this case the fishermen will benefit in a small way. If left above water, the superstructure will be a blot on the coastline, eventually rust, and attract the illegal salvors -who will bring dynamite, and perhaps take the lives of some of the young men who will seek adventure on the rotting hulk. Oil and fertilizer residue will continue to affect the marine environment for years to come. Perhaps the salvor can help undo the damage?

This accident has not caused major environmental impact due to the relatively small amounts of oil and fertilizer. If, however, this would have been a tanker full of heavy, sticky, gooey, black oil, it would have spelled disaster for the fishing industry in this area.

Where is the reported 26,000 tonnes or 2,220 lorry loads of chemical fertilizer and the 100 tonnes of heavy oil now? It would appear that the pollutants have been dispersed and diluted. Small amounts have been recovered and buried on the shore by the authorities

This time too Sri Lanka has been lucky!

How long can we continue to rely on luck as an apology for poor performance, and protection for our coasts by the authorities ? It has been said before that a major maritime casualty is probably waiting to happen.

I hope the Marine Pollution Prevention Authority has earned good media mileage from (this wreck and perhaps for the public to insist that more muscle needs to be exercised for) real protection of the ocean and fishing industry (Valerie Ekanayake for the OCEAN CENTRE

[The writer is a leading marine environmentalist who is also internationally qualified as a diving instructor, with many years of experience diving off these coasts and leading expeditions to the Basses Reefs. She is a co-director of Under-water Safaris Ltd., and regularly leads beach clean-up campaigns for promoting marine environmental awareness]

Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home

The Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home was opened on 5th March, 1959 by Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who was then the First Lady, being the Wife of the Prime Minister. This was the Ancestral Home of Mr. Singha Weerasekera, which he gifted for this worthy cause. It was the first Charitable Institution affiliated to the All Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress. It’s President at that time was Lady Chrysobel Rajapakse. She continued to take an active part in the formative years of the Home until her husband was appointed as Ambassador to London and she left our country to accompany him. Those who participated actively from the All Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress during the formative years of the Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home were its Founder President Mrs. B. S. Jayawardena, Lady Evelyn De Soysa, Mrs. J. R. Jayewardene, Ms. Cissy Cooray, Mrs. H. S. Gunasekera, Mrs. D. L. Wijewardena, Mrs. Hema Basnayake, Mrs. Somie Meegama, Mrs. Daisy Seneviratne and Mrs. F. S. Piyasena, to name a few.

In the more recent years, Mrs. Nobel Kiriella, Mrs. Illika Karunaratne, Mrs. Srima Dissanayake, Mrs. Cressida Senanayake, Mrs. Semitha Tennakoon, Ms. Chandra de Zoysa and Mrs. Maya Senanayake from the All Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress continued to have an interest in our Home and attended its Functions and Meetings.

The Home which started with 28 destitute girls occupying the Main Home has now a Nutrition Centre for malnourished, abandoned infants and a Toddlers’ Home.

The Nutrition Centre was opened in 1980 by Hon’ble J. R. Jayewardene, the then President of Sri Lanka. This is managed with the assistance of the International Children’s Aid, Australia. We are probably the only Home in Sri Lanka that cares for abandoned, malnourished infants. These infants, as well as other children are sent to us by the Department of Probation & Child Care Services. As they are admitted, they are taken to a Doctor at the Gampaha Hospital, where an independent Medical Report is given, as very often, the children are highly malnourished. There is a Qualified Nursing Sister in charge of the Nutrition Centre, and she and her Staff are well trained to look after the day to day needs of the Centre. Before the appointment of a local Nursing Sister, International Children’s Aid of Australia sent qualified Australian Nurses. A Nurses Cottage was built to accommodate them with the financial assistance of the Canadian High Commission. The Australian High Commission, The New Zealand High Commission and International Children’s Aid. This was opened by the Honourable Gamini Dissanayake.

The opening of the Nutrition Centre was initiated by Mrs. Penny Brune, the then President of the International Children’s Aid of Australia. Qualified Australian Nurses were sent from International Children’s Aid, Australia to look after the malnourished infants, whilst stocks of medicine and funds for its maintenance were sent on a monthly basis. The financial support from the International Children’s Aid, Australia which commenced at that time is continuing up to date. Mrs. Penny Brune continues to visit our Home on a regular basis and the Home is indebted to the International Children’s Aid, Australia and for the support they have always extended.

The Toddlers Home was opened in 1987 by R. Premadasa, the then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. This Home takes in children from the Nutrition Centre, when they are brought to a suitable state of health. They are looked after by a Matron and their education by a Monteesori Teacher.

All Children taken to the Peter Weerasekara Children’s Home Complex are only with the authority of the Department of Probation & Child Care Services. Officers of the Department visit our Home regularly and when the children reach the age of 18 years, they are handed back to their kith & kin, if any, with the approval of the Department of Probation & Child Care Services. The Management of the Home endeavours to find employment for the older children before they leave the Home. The Home arranged for the marriages of 2 girls in 1997 and 1998. All expenses connected with their weddings were met by voluntary funds, raised by the Management of the Home.

It is interesting to note, that Mrs. Namawathie Wickremarachchi, one of the first Girls to be admitted to the Home by Hon’ble Sirimavo Bandaranaike, is now the Matron of the Main Home.

Over the last 3 years, we have been fortunate to have the assistance of the Ravi Kundanmal Trust, in helping the administration of the Complex, with an Administrative Co-ordinator and concentrating mainly on the education of the children. This has shown tremendous results and we now have one girl attending the Advanced Level Class and a further 17 Girls attending one of the leading Schools in Gampaha.

The Ceylon-Australia-New Zealand Association funded us recently to establish a Culinary Centre and several of our Girls are now being trained there and they have reached a good standard in culinary preparations. The maintenance and management of the Garden is assisted and supervised by the Department of Agriculture. Whilst several fruits and vegetables are grown for the use of the inmates, there is also a section where Pepper has been grown to be harvested commercially.

We must not forget the exceptional interest extended by Mrs. J. R. Jayewardene in presiding over the monthly meetings of the Committee of Management, almost from its inception, till recently when she requested to be excused from attending the Meetings. It was during her tenure that we received Electricity, Water Supply and Telephone Services to the Home. Further, the main road leading to the Home from Batagolla Junction to Wathurugama Road (about 4 miles) was metalled and tarred at her insistence.

The Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home Complex has been a proud achievement in the standards of social service in Sri Lanka, so much so that our Foreign Ministry has often directed wives of VIP Dignitaries visiting Sri Lanka, to visit our Home (which is situated 2 1/2 miles from the Yakkala Junction) on their excursions to Kandy.

Behind the scenes, working in Colombo, is Ms. Surani Ruberu, under the overall direction of Mr. Singha Weerasekera. Mrs. Ruberu has given her time and effort from the inception, for this voluntary cause.

With the assistance of the Ravi Kundanmal Trust, Mrs. Nimalee Weerasekera handles the overall running of the Home, and is now in charge of its Administration and wellbeing. From small beginnings it has grown to be a well managed Complex, caring for almost 100 inmates. It is Mrs. Nimalee Weerasekera’s enthusiasm and dedication, along with that of Mrs. Srimathie Perera, the Administrative Co-ordinator (a retired Principal of Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha) and Mrs. Rasika Hettiarachchi the Accountant, that has brought the Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home Complex to the highest rungs of social service standards in Sri Lanka. Recently, it won the 1st Prize awarded by the Department of Probation & Child Care Services as the "BEST RUN CHILDREN’S HOME IN THE COUNTRY"

Finally, we must not forget the effort and enthusiasm extended by the Weerasekera Family at all times, from the very inception, for which we are always grateful.

This year, the Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home celebrates its 40th Anniversary.

The Secretary
The Committee of Management
Peter Weerasekera Children’s Home

An expert on railways has a vision for the new Millennium
An electrified circular railway loop for Colombo’s suburbs

by Cecil V. Wikramanayake
Ten years ago, Sri Lanka’s greatest expert on railways proposed the electrification of a circular line for the Railway that would incorporate a vast majority of Colombo’s suburbs. He proposed laying down new tracks which would connect Negombo with Veyangoda, Veyan-goda with Homagama and Homagama with Kalutara South. When coupled with the already existing railway line between Kalutara and Negombo, this would take the trains through the entire suburbia, carrying commuters from their suburban homes to the city and back.

His plan envisaged adding 90 kilometers of new railway, and was estimated to take five years to complete at a cost of around twenty billion rupees. Such a suburban railway system, he argued, would see a drastic reduction in road transport, minimising congestion, pollution and the import of buses, and would provide an efficient system of linking the suburbs to the city, easing congestion in the city itself, with commuters having their homes in the suburbs, and would also save the country a tremendous amount of foreign exchange.

But for reasons best known to the government at that time, this scheme, which would have really benefitted the country and the people, was shelved. This writer is constrained to ask "For whose benefit was it shelved?"

Last week, this writer met the expert. None other than 86 year old P. Rajagopal, still as active as he was when he was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Ceylon Government Railway, and later General Mana-ger,Railways (Technical).

Rajagopal still believes that his plan for the electrification of a circular suburban railway, is the answer to many of the problems now facing the country, vis-a-vis over-population of the city, congestion of our roads, and the other problems that go with them.

Rajagopal told "The Sunday Island" that there is still a huge market of commuters who will definitely travel by train, provided the government offers them a convenient and efficient railway system. Sri Lanka’s railway is one of the most under-utilised resources, used only by seven percent of the travelling public and accounting for as little as 15 percent of the country’s total haulage.

"To remedy this, an electrified circular line which will incorporate a vast majority of Colombo’s suburbs, is what I proposed as far back as 1992. When coupled with the already existing line between Kalutara and Negombo, this creates a complete circle which will take the train through the entire suburbia," Rajagopal said.

"This will be a modern network plied by electric trains which will efficiently and speedily take commuters from their suburban homes to the city and back. Being a circular track, trains will continue to do the round at all times of the day, thus providing a service during off-peak hours as well."

Rajagopal explai-ned that the passenger transport facilities within Colombo city and the suburban areas were designed several decades ago, when the size and complexity of passenger transport was only a fraction of what it is today.

With the rapid expansion of the transport needs over the years, consequent on the socio-economic development of the country, the inadequacy and inefficiency of the transport infrastructure became quite pronounced and eventually continued to form one of the most severe constraints of further economic expansion.

In 1995, according to statistics, there were one million and twenty six thousand passengers travelling daily in the metropolitan region, both by bus and by train. The bulk of this traffic, totalling 883,710 travelled by bus. This massive road traffic of buses and other vehicles created unbearable congestion over the roadways, seriously affecting the socio-economic life of the people.

This grave situation called for a dynamic change in our mass transport system for the metropolitan area. The government at that time had decided on electrification of the railway for suburban services, and in November 1995 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the implementation of a project for suburban railway electrification.

The approved stage of railway electrification was to cover a total route length of 145 kilometers. The route from Colombo to Homagama was to be extended and new rail tracks would connect Negombo with Veyangoda, Veyangoda with Homagama and Homagama with Kalutara South.

The network so formed, serving the Greater Colombo area, would constitute a new ‘Circular electrified railway system"

The area of control and operation of unified railway, he suggested, should come under one single authority — the Metropolitan Region Mass Transport Authority, whose area of control would be within the Greater Colombo area. This area, he suggested, be divided into three zones, Inner, Outer and Greater zones.

The inner zone would cover areas within Colombo, Kandana, Raga-ma,Mahara Angoda, Kotte, Nugegoda, Maharagama, Mt Lavinia and Colombo.

The outer zone would cover areas outside the inner zone and within Kandana, Seeduwa, Kotagoda Gampaha, Malwana, Homagama, Polga-sowita, Panadura and Mt. Lavinia.

The greater zone would cover areas outside the Outer Zone and within Seeduwa, Kochc-hikade, Katana, Divulapitiya, Veyan-goda, Kirinda, Kosgama, Padukka, Homagama and Kalutara South.

Rajagopal had then suggested that zone tickets be issued on a daily basis, valid for the day of issue and for travel by train as well as by bus. The inner zone tickets to be for travel in the inner zone only, the outer zone ticket for travel in that zone and the greater zone ticket for travel in the greater zone, and would include travel in the inner and outer zones as well.

Tickets would be issued through ticket machines installed within the Greater Colombo area at bus stations and railway stations. Special tickets could be issued for travel in the electrified route from Veyangoda to Polgahawela.

Rajagopal pointed out that by the year 2000 a daily total of around one million three hundred thousand passengers within the Greater Colombo area will travel in and out of the Metropolitan region with half that number purchasing daily zonal tickets. At the end of fifteen years the total receipts for such travel would exceed 80 billion rupees.

Speaking on the electrification of the suburban train services, Rajagopal said that adequate power is required for the operation of electric trains. With the fast increasing demand for electric power, it is estimated that Sri Lanka would have to double its current power generation capacity to 2700 megawatts by the turn of the century. The Ceylon Electricity board would not be able to accommodate the power needs of the railway for such operation, he said. It was therefore necessary to establish a power generating project to ensure uninterrupted supply of power needs of the electrified train service. Excess power could be sold.

Rajagopal explai-ned that for an efficient, fast, frequent operation of electric trains, arriving and departing at short intervals, it was necessary to have the main suburban train service terminal station, free to operate such a service.

The present Railway station at the Fort, he said, serves both suburban and long distance trains. With the introduction of electric trains operating at frequent intervals, it will not be possible to accoommodate long distance trains also on the present main Fort railway station.

Therefore, another main terminal station building will be necessary to accommodate long distance trains, built on the D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha side. The present station will serve as a terminal for the suburban trains.

He proposes that the new building be a high rise one, with twelve or more floors, all of which could be leased out. In the new Millennium, he says, it is necessary to transform the present Fort Railway station as a terminal for both the Main Line and the suburban trains. The roof of the present Fort Railway station, which is about 30 to 40 feet high, be replaced with a concrete floor and over that two to three floors can be built as car parks, making use of the open roof top to cater to sports and other activities, like a swimming pool.

The present Fort Railway station, he said, was built at a time when there was plenty of land available. Today, he stressed, land is at a premium in Colombo, and highrise buildings were the answer.

He proposes that the first three floors for a modern mainline station on the D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha side could provide facilities for train travellers with rest rooms, restaurants, cafeteria and so on. Floors beyond the third floor could be leased for a Star class hotel. The implementation of this project would enable the operation of an efficient suburban electric train service.

The vision Rajagopal has for the millennium is that Colombo will be served by a suburban electrified railway which he estimates will cost 45 billion rupees, a power generation, which could provide power for the electrified trains and also have excess power for sale, all of which would cost around 5.5 billion rupees, and a property development scheme for developing the land between Olcott Mawatha and D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha, owned by the railway, which would cost a further one and a half billion rupees.

These projects, he stressed, which will have to be further integrated with the bus transport service within the greater Colombo area, controlled and operated by a single Mass Transport Metro-politan Region authority, envisages that the maintenance and repair of buses be also under this authority, and railway property can be used for the building of buses, with the railway and the bus transport services co-ordinating with each other for this purpose.

Rajagopal is of the view that before two decades of the new millennium are out, the activity so generated will ultimately reach full status when the Southern Develolpment auth-ority implements its development programme in Ruhunupura around Hambanatota, with a Southern Corridor connecting Colombo region with Ruhunupura, with super-highways and high speed electric trains.

 About the Visionary....

P. Rajagopal was born on June 17, 1914 and attended school at Central College, Jaffna before entering the University and later the Ceylon Technical College. He holds the professional qualifications of a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, London, of which he is a life member. He has been an engineering consultant for firms in Sri Lanka, West Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Malaysia.

In 1978, for the first time in the history of this country, six railway passenger coaches were built, by Rajagopal, and handed over to the railway within six months. After the satisfactory completion of this order, he produced a special coach for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on her visit to this country in 1981.

Up to date he has built a total of 174 coaches for the railway besides repairing 146 coaches and 116 wagons.

He held the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Ceylon Government Railway for 15 years and General Manager, Railways (Technical). He was also General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Government Factory, and Chairman of the Third Working Partry of Experts on the Trans Asian Railways at the ECAFE Sessions in Bangkok in June 1972.

Free thinking critique in Buddhism

by Sita Arunthavanathan
Radio talk on SLBC on 26.8.99

Every world religion firmly believes that its Holy Scriptures contain teachings or revelations which should not be questioned or doubted. The Vedas for example say ‘Whatever in the Vedas is absolute, it is an established fact (idam vedapramanyat siddham). As such no doubting or argument is necessary.

On the contrary, Buddhism is unique in this respect. The Tripitaka evinces much evidence to prove that Buddhism considers free-thinking and a critical outlook salutary and not detrimental to its progress.

The Buddha was the Enlightened one, the awakened one, the Teacher, a Torch-bearer to mankind. (ukkhataro manussanam). The Buddha described himself as only a guide. "Tumheni kiccam atappam akkhataro tathagag’ - you yourself must tread the path, the Buddha merely guides the way. The Buddha was not a divine incarnate or a prophet. He was not an agent of God either. He was only a man who had attained wondrous spiritual attainments by developing the mental faculties. Under these circumstances there was ample room in Buddhism to develop a critical attitude towards your own religion.

If we examine the Dhamma itself, it was a ‘Come and See’ doctrine (ehi passiko). There was no compulsion to follow it or demanding, for blind, unquestionable belief or forcible conversion. It was left for each individual to examine the veracity and the clarity of the teaching, analyse, investigate and then follow the Dhamma. In the Brahmajala Sutta of the digha Nikaya the Buddha says:

"If anyone were to speak ill of me, my Doctrine or my Order of Monks, do not bear any ill-will towards him, be upset or perturbed at heart; for if you were to be so it will only cause you harm. If on the other hand, if one were to speak well of me, my Doctrine and my Order of Monks, do not be overjoyed, thrilled or elated; for if so, it would only be an obstacle in your way of forming a correct judgement as to whether the qualities praised in us are real and actually found in us."

This passage shows the Buddha’s enlightened attitude towards both constructive and destructive criticism and the equanimity with which it has to be treated. In so many instances the Buddha had proclaimed: "I do not declare that all other Sramanas and Brahmanas cannot attain Liberation. Anyone who gets rid of the three defilements of Raga (passion), Dosa (animosity), and Moha (delusion) can do so." Buddha does not monopolize the Truth (Sachcha), nor declare that he alone has discovered the truth. His was a Doctrine devoid of all mythological, mystical and mythical adornment. Dhamma is only a conceptual framework showing the way to reality. It is a means - an instrumental mean and not an end. Dharma has only a relative value with regard to the intrinsic worth of its realization. Dhamma itself has to be abandoned, leave alone what does not constitute the Dhamma, (dhammopi pahatabbo pag’eva adhammo). The Buddha has preached the Dhamma comparing it to a raft to get to the other shore and thereafter not cling on to it or carry on the shoulder (kullupamam bhikkave dhammam desessami taranattaya no gahanattaya).

At the time Buddhism arose in India, Brahmanism was the leading religion. The Brahmins followed the vedas which derived their authority from the assumption that they were not products of humans (purusha) but revelations of a divine origin (apaurusheyya).

In the last and tenth Mandala or Book of the Rgveda called Purusha sukta (Hymn 129) there is a concept of wonder and doubt evolving with reference to Creation (visrishti) which etymologically means emanation and not creation.

It says, "Whence this creation has arisen; whether it has been made or not, he who surveys this world in highest heaven, he may knoweth. Or it may be that he knoweth not." These philosophical ideas reached efflorescence in the Upanishads which were the culmination of vedic studies. "Was creation spontaneous? Was Creation not spontaneous?" This was a dilemma in the later strata of the Rgveda. In the time of the Upanishads which were a kind of reaction against the formalism of the Brahmins who claimed to be the gods on earth by virtue of the fact that they were the custodians of the incantation to the gods and they alone could propitiate them. ‘Devadinam jagat sarvam’ - the universe if subject to the gods.

‘Manthradhinam tadarvatam’- gods are subject to sacrificial incantations; ‘Tam manthra brahmanadhinam’ - these incantations are in the custody of the Brahmins. Brahmana mama devata’ - hence the Brahmins are the real gods (on earth). Again, we find in the Upanishads the search for the Truth or reality of creation, "What is the First Cause? Is it Brahma? From wherefore are we Born? By what power do we continue to live? (kim karanam brahma kutahsma jatah - jeevana kenakva cha sampratishtah). By the time Buddhism arose the intellectual stance was anti-sacrifice in the earnest and relentless quest for immortality.

‘Asatho ma sad gamaya’ - lead me from non-reality to reality. ‘Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya’ - lead me from darkness to light. ‘Mrityor ma amirtam gamaya’ - lead me from death to the state of immortality.

Buddhism with its teaching of Causality (patichcha samuppada), non-violence, culture of the mind as against the culture of animal sacrifice for spiritual attainments and free - thinking appealed to the intellectual Brahmins. There are numerous suttas where Brahmins engaged in argument with the Buddha on the superiority of their caste, spiritual duties connected with it and the inability of the low castes to attain spiritual heights, being finally convinced that the Buddha and his Dhamma were more superior. Many Brahmins joined the Sangha and became celebrities of the day. The Buddha’s two chief disciples, Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Moggallana, Ven. Maha Kassapa, Ven. Punna and a host of other great elders were all Brahmins, not to mention the first five disciples.

Buddhism eliminates all views - ditthi and draws a distinction between ditthi and vision (dassana). Ditti (Drishti) includes all forms of concepts, ideologies, knowledge, dogmas, theories etc. whereas dassana encapsulates insight and wisdom. In Karaniya Metta Sutta we come across, "Ditthingcha anupagamma seelava dassanena sampanno" which means that ‘the virtuous gains insight without entering into views. Right vision (samma ditthi) is the sheet anchor as it were of Buddhist deliverance, and the Buddha placed it at the very beginning of the Noble Eightfold Path, Sammaditthi Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya as its name implies, analyses the Right vision which constitutes the right understanding of the Dhamma Dogmatic adherence to speculative views is an obstacle to wisdom and becomes an obstruction to understanding your own religion. This is called ditthiparamasa raga and is very much condemned in Buddhism. When one is obsessed with views of one’s own religion or tenaciously and passionately attached to one’s own ideologies then it gives rise to religious suicide and political fanaticism respectively. They tend to think, "What I believe alone is the truth; all the rest constitute that which is foolish" (idham’eva sachcham magham ajnana). This is self-elevation (attukkamsana); the condemnation of other religions is called paravimbhana. Both these views are non-acceptable to Buddhism.

About 300 years after the demise of the Buddha, the Edicts of Asoka the Great reflected this same idea. Rock Edict XII of Bulner’s Translation says:- "One should not only honour one’s own religion and condemn the religions of others but one should also honour the others’ religions so doing one helps one’s religion to grow and renders service to the religions of others too. In acting otherwise, one digs the grave of one’s own religion and also does harm to others’ religions."

The Kalama Sutta of the Anguttara Nikaya aptly called the Buddha’s Charter for Free Inquiry, is a mirror that reflects the Buddhist attitude towards developing a stance for free-thinking. This Sutta illustrates a teaching which is totally devoid of fanaticism, bigotry, blind faith, intolerance and dogmatism. The Kalamas of the township Kesaputta once approached the Buddha and complained that some religions praise their own religions and condeman those of others and that a doubt has arisen as to whom they should believe. Since they were in a dilemma they requested the Buddha to help them to sift the truth from the false.

This was Buddha’s reply:

"Now look you Kalamas, do not be led by reports, traditions or hearsay. Be not led by the authority of religious texts nor by mere logic or inference; nor by considering appearances; neither by the delight in speculative opinions, nor by the idea, ‘this is our teacher’. But oh Kalamas! When you know for yourselves that certain things are wholesome (kusala), right and good, then accept and follow them."

This reply reflects the lucidity and clarity of Buddha’s teachings, lofty ideals and his greatness as a teacher. He admonished the Kalamas not to consider the teacher but the sanctity of his teaching.

In the Vachchagotta Sutta of the Majjihima Nikaya, Vachchagotta questioned the Buddha as to whether he had any theories. Buddha replied in the negative but stressed that though he was free from theories he knew the nature of materiality, how it arises and how it ceases.

In the Rohitassa Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya the Buddha says, "In this fathom long body which is endowed with perception and consciousness I declare the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world and the path that leads to its cessation."

Buddhism accepts only sensory experience - empirical reality. Man form the central theme of study; it has more of psychology and less of metaphysics. In other words no theology but anthropology. Investigation of the Dhamma is a prime necessity for one who seeks the Truth. In developing Right Vision one should analyse the Dhamma carefully in its right perspective (yatha bhutha jnana dassana) in all the stages of the Path to Nibbana. To attain the goal in Buddhism, there is no blind following of theories, dogmas and adherence to the authority of religious texts etc:

All this clearly show that the free thinking critique in Buddhism was something novel and also highly advanced in comparison with the religions of the time. The advice given in the Kalama Sutta especially would have undoubtedly opened the eyes of the entire intelligentsia of the sixth century before the common era to broader vistas of free inquiry, intelligent assimilation of religious ideals and directed the way to truly enlightened thinking.

We are at the extreme end of the 20th century with its revolutionized but often confused thinking. Buddha’s psychological analysis of how to accept or reject an idea, the stance to develop in constructive and destructive criticism, equanimity with which both should be faced and his advocacy of free thinking, remain profound and perennially relevant as an ideal standard for the over-changing, progressive universe of the next millennium, nay for all times far, far beyond.

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