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Appreciations

He acted as the voice of the marginalized and beaten majority

It is not easy to come to terms with the fact that 1977 marks a watershed in the affairs of Sri Lanka. It was in that year that a political revolution placed in power a regime that sought to blunt and redefine the revolutionary contours of the socio-political restructuring that the post-independence nationalists had struggled to make part of the ethos of governance of a country newly liberated from the colonialists.

Among the lessons of recent history, perhaps the most poignant is that which tells us of the astonishing ephemerality of this nationalist adventure. The western-educated (and, largely Christian) elite that had our nation in its thrall for long years under the aegis of the foreigner found little difficultly in re-establishing its erstwhile dominance and artfully setting at naught the hard-won achievements of the Sinhala Buddhist partriots.

This new phase in the effacement of Sinhala-Buddhist power was ushered in by a concealed revolution that successfully enthroned in high office people who were nominally (and craftily) Buddhist but were in reality the socially engineered products of Christian schools.

While a public disavowal was not feasible given the strength of the Sinhala-Buddhist vote - the stage was set for a creeping repudiation of the values that were linked with the favour and fortunes of the majority race. To a large degree, the Sinhala-Buddhists became victims of history through their own negligence, lack of articulateness and a forlorn want of spirit.

The first half of the century was a period of vigour and patriotic stirring with high-spirited men prepared to speak on behalf of the true indigenous people of our country.
The second half (we exclude the decade after independence) was marked by a pathetic succumbing to the revamped forces of imperialism (in the guise of modernism) and a weak-kneed compliance in the face of the claims of those who championed the cause of the minorities. The Sinhala Buddhist intellectuals adopted a laid-back approach that facilitated the near-extinction of patriotic mass-movements in a land renowned in history for the sturdy independence of its people and pride in their historic achievement. Indeed, some went beyond this and actually sided with the enemy.

A few bucked this trend and no better example of intellectual honesty and courage can be found than in that exemplified by the life and work of Gamini Iriyagolle. In a dismal age when the upholding of Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism was regarded as a sign of backwardness and intolerance, Mr Iriyagolle acted as the voice of the marginalized and beaten majority. He never wavered in the execution of a task that others shunned for fear of being accused of extremism or racism.

Mr. Iriyagolle used as his weapons his mighty erudition in matters historical, his logical acumen honed over the years as seasoned debater and lawyer and, last but not least, his pride in his Sinhalaness.

Although the illustrious product of a school famous for its high learning and radical denationalization, he had the strength of conviction to break free from that pedagogic mould that the foreigner had created in our best institution of learning.

His father was a famous Sinhala nationalist and his well-known fervency in matters of language and culture must surely have inspired the son.

Sadly, he fought alone and experienced the agony of spirit that surely afflicts all who have the misfortune to see their best expectations belied and the reinstallation in power of persons and forces that were thought to be on the brink of defeat.

Perhaps he had a premonition of this catastrophic reversal.

In an article published the day before the general election that led to the famous victory of Chandrika Kumaratunga, he wrote prophetically that D.B. Wijetunga would be the last Sinhala-Buddhist to fill the high office of President of Sri Lanka.

He has been proved right. All the indications are that in the future no genuine Sinhala-Buddhist can ever hope to be the leader of Sri Lanka.
R. Chandrasoma

Those golden memories will linger forever

It is hard to believe that our dear doctor, counsellor friend and advisor is no more.

Our association with Dr. Christopher Canagaretne goes back to the late 1960s when he assumed duties as the chief surgeon of the Panadura Base Hospital.

During his stay in Panadura we developed a close friendship with him and Chitra. Their son Amrit was then a little boy. We remember visiting them quite often for a chit-chat. He nicknamed us "the Great Walkers". He used to call Indra, "Indira" and addressed him so, even in the last Christmas card we received. Both of us remember the day we decided to marry. We were on the Panadura beach and so were Dr. and Chitra. When we officially announced our engagement he was happy and took his chance to tell our friends how they saw two shadows at sundown on the beach one day. He said he saw the shadows coming closer and closer till they finally became one. He then asked them to guess whom the shadows belonged to.

The Canagaretnes' were special guests at our wedding and after they left Panadura we continued our friendship. They invited us for their parties and they were always included in our get-togethers.

We consulted him for medical advice and during the course of last year our friendship became even stronger with Indra having met with an accident and being confined to bed. When Dr Canagaretne came to see him, he stroked Indra's head and shed a silent tear. He wanted to do something to ease Indra's pain. So he replaced the plaster with a scotch plaster. The very next day he wanted Indra brought with an X'ray, as he had found a donor to cover the cost.

It was sometime later that we discovered that the donor was none other than Chitra his beloved wife. He had spoken to Dr. Wijesiriwardene, the orthopaedic surgeon at Durdans who had been his student. This was providence because a grave mishap at the accident ward was discovered just in time to save Indra's leg from amputation.
Dr. Christopher kept a close watch on Indra monitoring his progress and recommending medicines until he recovered fully.

His surgical skills were admired by one and all. May be only a few knew the dexterity with which his gentle fingers handled the violin enthralling us at get-togethers.

Those golden memories of Dr. Christopher will linger forever. We have lost a precious friend, but we have no doubt he is safe in the arms of Jesus.

"There's an open gate at the end of the road, through which, each one must go alone.
And there is a light we cannot see, Our Father calls His own.

Beyond this gate our loved one, finds happiness and rest.

And there is comfort in the thought, that a loving God knows best.
Sharmini & Indra Tennekoon

He was a great sportsman

A.L.M.Jazeel passed away in the first week of March. He was 77.

The late Mr. Jazeel retired as a Class I Station Master. He had worked at many railway stations including Avissavella, Moratuwa, Alawwa, Polonnaruwa, Ratmalana and Colombo Goods.

I came to know him when he was a student at St. Andrew's College, Nawalapitiya and I was studying at Anuruddha College. He first studied at Trinity College, Kandy before moving to Nawalapitiya.

Later both of us worked together at Avissawella and our children attended St. Mary's.
Mr. Jazeel was a good sportsman. He played cricket for the Railway Up-country team when I was Sports Secretary. He was well built and used to hit sixers to the delight of all.

When I was Senior Station Master at Kollupitiya he was the Senior SM at Ratmalana.
His beloved wife and children are yet to reconcile themselves to his loss.

May Allah grant his soul Jenathul Firdouse.

V.K.B. Ramanayake

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