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Appreciations

Monk with a vision and mission
Ven. Soma Thero
I was grieved to hear of the death of Ven. Soma Thero, who passed away on Friday, in Russia. He was ordained in 1974 under the tutelage of one of the most revered monks in Sri Lanka, Most Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha Maha Nayake Thera and he wrote Buddhist texts in Pali and did a lot of restoration work on the teachings of the Buddha.
Ven. Soma Thera established a new temple in Noble Park in Australia in 1993.

I, as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, visited this temple in 1994. I was accompanied on this visit by my wife, Rodney Arambewela who was the Consul in Victoria, and the Australian Foreign Minister.

Ven. Soma Thera was glad to meet us and told me that he wanted to raise some money from the Sri Lankan community in Australia to buy a land as his premises were not big enough to provide the Buddhist services on a larger scale.

I found later that he had bought a five-acre land with the help of the Sri Lankan community and founded the Sakyamuni Sambuddhi Vihare in Melbourne, Australia.
He came to Sri Lanka and realized the need to revive Buddhist teachings. He worked hard and undertook that task earnestly. He travelled widely in Sri Lanka spreading the message of the Buddha. His preachings were accepted with venerence.

In May this year, I met him again at Weralla, Deniyaya, when he delivered bana at the death anniversary of my father-in-law. When I asked him to conduct a Bana Preaching in Peradeniya where I reside, he told me he could come only after November.

He had to go to Russia where he was to accept an honorary doctorate from a Russian institute. But alas, he passed away after a heart attack. The country has lost a monk who could converse in Sinhala and English. My family and I have personally lost a friend and a teacher. Sri Lanka has lost a Venerable monk.

May he attain Nibbana.
Nissanka Wijesundera

He pleased many people most of the time
Anil Moonesinghe
I first met Anil Moonesinghe in his capacity as Sri Lanka Ambassador to Austria, when I had my first ever exhibition at the 'Business Federation' in Vienna. He was the guest of honour. We later became close friends as both Mr. and Mrs. Moonesinghe were great admirers of my paintings.

Being born into the line of Anagarika Dharmapala, he used every opportunity in his position to share his knowledge on Buddhism with others. It has to be mentioned that Mr. Moonesinghe set a milestone at the only Buddhist temple on the Danube river bank in Vienna. We were thinking about a project to bring the Dharmapala message through a booklet, but unfortunately his sickness hampered a lot of such things and remain unfinished business.

He was devoted to his duty in spite of his sickness and always wanted to bring his message of solidarity across. People liked to listen to him whenever he spoke. As an experienced politician and a good historian, he was able to tell us interesting stories to people like us who live away from the country.

Our beloved Mr. Moonesinghe will remain unforgettable in our hearts. "Die Menschen sind nicht nur zusammen, wen sie beisammen sind, auch der Entfernte, der Abgeschiedene, lebt in uns." Goethe.

You didn't aim to please everyone all the time but did please many people most of the time. We in Austria think of your kindness and interesting ideas and will appreciate them all our lives.

Kamal Wankmuller
Austria

Compassion her forte
Fazreen Izzadeen
Today December 28 should have been darling Fazreen's 17th birthday, but it was not to be. Two years ago, on a picnic to Yala, along with her family members while awaiting their return to Colombo, as fate would have it, their transport was delayed and young Fazreen who always had a love for the sea, suggested to her Dada, "Let us go to the beach till the vehicle arrives".

A mundane exercise of wetting their feet ended the youthful and exuberant life of 15-year-old Fazreen, ironically by the very sea she loved so much, when a freak giant wave engulfed her. The others miraculously escaped.

Within a short period of time young Fazreen's body was recovered from the angry sea, thanks to the heroic and undying efforts of the Kirinde youth led by Rajim of the National Aquatic Research & Development Agency. The Muslim youth in accordance with Islamic principles shrouded the body in white cloth and brought it ashore.

This tragic and sudden death shocked and saddened everyone who wasnear and dear to her. Bubbling with joyfulness and energy, a budding flower ready to bloom was cruelly and senselessly snuffed in the prime of life. Only Allah has the answer to this.

Fazreen was pleasant, bright, religious and popular among her circle of friends. She was compassionate by nature particularly among children of her age group. She would happily part with her clothes, toys and trinkets to make the less fortunate happy and later tell her parents, "their need is greater than mine".

At the time of the tragedy, Fazreen had intentions of growing her hair as she was to be the bridesmaid at her sister's wedding. The irreparable loss to Nillangani and Fazal, her loving parents who cherished and lavished their whole hearted love for 15 years, and her sister Fazeela, friend and companions whom she so sadly lost, my heartfelt and profound sympathies.
May Allah grant her "Jennathul Firdouse".

Uncle Duleep

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