ISSN: 1391 - 0531
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Vol. 41 - No 37
Plus

Healing the wounds of tragedy by reaching out to others

11th Anniversary of the Central Bank bombing

"Time heals every grief, but memory brings back every leaf.”

For the last 10 years “Indrakhilaya” a society formed by pensioners, employees and well-wishers of the Central Bank has focused its attention on community based projects for the benefit of the needy.

On January 31 2007, the members gathered at the auditorium of the Cancer Hospital, Maharagama, to remember their beloved dead and also those who are permanently disabled due to the tragic event.

The day’s proceedings started at 9.30 a.m. Two former Governors of the Central Bank A.S. Jayawardena and H.B. Dissanayake were present along with the medical staff of the hospital with their Director, Dr. Kaniska Karunaratne and Deputy Director, Dr. Mrs. Paranagama. Religious ceremonies were conducted by Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim priests.

The important messages conveyed by them were to cast out hatred and to treat every human being equally, irrespective of race, creed or caste and to respect the other person’s life as that of one's own; whatever traumatic situations we have to face, to live with expectant hope and that in a consumerist and globalized society, generous contributions by the members towards the suffering have to be appreciated.

Two minutes silence was observed at 10.43 a.m. Photographs of those who sacrificed their lives were unveiled. An Aloka Pooja was conducted.

Earlier, a delegation headed by the President of ‘Indrakhilaya’, Leslie Ranasinghe, met the Director of the hospital to ascertain their pressing needs. Their aim was to give priority to the paediatric section. ‘Indrakhilaya’ was able to tile the floor fix aluminium windows, refurbish & partition the area to accommodate a mini theatre for children, a chemotherapy mixing room, doctors conference room, a rest room for nurses and a room for minor employees.

A touching moment was when Piyadasa Wijesinghe (who lost his sight) presented a gold plated ‘statue of Justice' moulded by himself to the director.

Director of the Cancer Hospital Dr. Kanishka Karunaratne in his Vote of Thanks said a new leaf has been turned in the history of the Cancer Hospital. He appreciated Indrakhilaya’s contribution towards the needs of 120 children who are resident patients. These facilities would help to relieve the pain of these children and minimize the problems faced by parents having to stay for long periods until treatment is completed. He advised us to live with forbearance (upeksha) in an unshaken spirit like an “Indrakhilaya”

Dear friends, ‘Though you have gone you are immortalized in our hearts by lighting up the lives of those who are less privileged in this beloved land.

By Berney Fernando

 
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Copyright 2007 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka.