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Appreciations

An impressive speaker and legal luminary
Kesera Karunatillake
My uncle, Dr. Kesara Karunatilleka was born in Aranayake, Kegalle in December 1927. He had his early education in Colombo at Nalanda and Royal College. After obtaining a preliminary certificate in French from the University of Ceylon, he studied law and practised as an Attorney-at-Law (Proctor of the Supreme Court of Ceylon) from 1956 -1959.

In France, he specialized in International Law and obtained a Doctorate in Law with honours from the Sorbornne University in 1966. He was awarded The Hague Academy of International Law in 1969.

After working as a consultant to UNICEF in 1966-1967, he joined the Secretariat of Interpol in 1967 as a legal attaché and was appointed Deputy Chief of Division. He made important contributions to many international conferences and congresses in different parts of the world, and in 1995 participated in a United Nations Congress in Cairo on Criminal Justice issues. His noteworthy publications are "The United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF" (in French) 1967, "The Role of the United Nations Agencies in the promotion of the ideals of peace and international understanding among youth" 1967, "Some aspects of the role of Interpol in the prevention and suppression of the traffic in women and children" 1985 and "Theft of cultural property and the illicit traffic in art" 1988. He was the author of a book in French on the history, legal status and activities of UNICEF. An impressive speaker, he lectured to magistrates, lawyers, police officers and law students on International Criminal Law including extradition and judicial assistance, and on legal aspects of international organization. His interests were Literature, Egyptology, travel and Japanese language.

His latest novel, "Crest of Wave: A Voyage Through Life" is a story of a Sri Lankan child, who learns from many cultures and places, and finds his destiny in the world. He leaves behind his loving ex-wife Marie - Claude, son Milinda and daughter Wasantha. He was laid to rest in Paris, France on June 14.

Rukmal Karunatillake

I feel you by my side
Maurice Paul
Another year of remembrance my darling son has arrived. It's like yesterday that you left us. We pray and think of you everyday and miss you so very much. I feel you still by my side walking beside me, whispering words of comfort and guiding me.

My tears keep flowing at the thought of you, my precious gem.
I know I am getting closer to you and long for the day I'll see you again.

Loving mum

We all looked up to him
Arulanandam Aruliah
Our dear eldest brother, Tainanyagam Arulanandam Aruliah, breathed his last on July 27 last year. He was born on October 19, 1919. There was another, an older brother, named Maruthanayagam Arulanandam, born earlier on August 29, 1917. He had succumbed to an epidemic, the so called 'three days fever', that had apparently swept across the world. T.A. Aruliah became therefore the nominal eldest of six sons and one daughter in the family.

He assumed that role and was looked up to for leadership by us younger siblings. Entering S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia, he left his mark as an all rounder in the classroom as well as on the field. On to University College, Colombo, where after passing his Intermediate examinations in Science, he was lured into an engineering discipline at the Kolonnawa Workshops.

This was followed by a round of civil engineering duties in different parts of the island as an Engineering Inspector with the Public Works Department. T.A.A. left for England towards the end of the 1940s' and as a structural designer with British Railways, was elected Chartered Engineer, before returning to Ceylon, as it was known then.

After many years as an independent Chartered Engineer with his own building construction company, he assumed duties as deputy chief engineer on the construction of the Kotmale dam. Thereafter, he was elected to a Fellowship of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London.

In late life although alert as always, his physique sadly descended to an unhappy state. On July 27, 2003, he breathed his last, not unaware of a fulfilled life.

Panchanayagam Aruliah

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