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Ruwan's
journey for peace When LTTE cadres
stopped a lorry at their checkpoint at Omanthai they saw something
extraordinary. An elephant was being transported with the peace
convoy to Jaffna. Srilal Perera who was in the same lorry as Ruwan
Raja, the handsome tusker remembers the reaction at the first checkpoint
at the LTTE controlled section of highway A9. As soon as
the leading lorry of the convoy arrived at the barricade, a LTTE
soldier shouted " Pullayaar, Pullayaar" pointing towards
Ruwan Raja. The expression on the young man's face was devoid of
fear, hatred or suspicion. It was happiness at seeing the living
icon of Lord Ganesh. Very quickly the rest of the LTTE's cadres
came over to see Ruwan Raja. He was most welcome. The peace convoy
was in Jaffna thanks to the efforts of Minister Dr. Jayalath Jayewardene
and Galaboda Gnaniswara Thero (Podi Hamuduruwo) of the Gangaramaya
temple who organized a peace march from Kataragama to Jaffna during
the last Vesak week. The march was to end in Jaffna on Vesak Poya
day. Ruwan Raja
was resident at Gangaramaya temple under the care of Podi Hamuduruwo.
It was Podi Hamuduruwo who asked Srilal Perera to accompany Ruwan
Raja in the lorry to Jaffna. Srilal Perera who is the son of the
late Ambassador and Parliamentarian Reggie Perera was happy to oblige.
Srilal felt that he should help the priest in his efforts to make
the march a success. Previously Ruwan Raja alias Dela Kotta had
been in his care at Imbulana in his ancestral home for two years.
The elephant was known to be strong, proud and rebellious! After the reception
at Omanthai Srilal was now sure that the peace convoy would be able
to go through the A9 to Jaffna with the blessings of the LTTE. And
indeed whenever the convoy was stopped at an LTTE checkpoint it
was given a warm reception. The convoy was travelling at noon and
the heat was severe and as usual the elephant needed to cool off.
LTTE cadres joined in giving Ruwan Raja a shower ! When the peace
convoy arrived at Killinochchi, there was a festival at the Ganesh
Kovil. It was an appropriate time for an elephant to arrive at the
temple of the deity that the animal symbolizes! It was 'welcome'
all the way and Ruwan Raja paraded in the streets of Jaffna with
the crowds greeting him with great reverence and affection. The
children followed Ruwan through the streets till he arrived at the
Sri Lanka Army camp at Jaffna where the animal was to stay at the
night. The Army was looking after Dharshini, a cow elephant. Dharshini was the LTTE's elephant and had been named by the LTTE leader, having been his favourite. She was left behind when the forces took control of Jaffna. As soon as Ruwan entered the camp it was "love at first sight". Both Ruwan and Dharshini seemed to like each other. During the night Dharshini got loose from her chains and had come over to Ruwan and untied his chains too. As morning came it was time for the peace convoy to return to Colombo. Ruwan was put into the truck. Dharshini seemed bereft, rolling on the ground. Srilal Perera told me how when Ruwan reached home, a young soldier who had fought in the war and lost a leg came to him and said "Sir, this elephant has laid the foundation for peace." Remembering
St. Francis Xavier Francisco Do
Yasu Y Javier was a Basque from Biscay in northern Spain. Born in
1506, driven by an ambition to make the name of Javier famous, he
went to the University of Paris at the age of 19 to become a Master
of Arts. This would qualify him to be a Professor and draw the "intellectuals"
of Europe to his feet. Bright and vibrant with a zest for life he
put more effort into sports and the city's night life than into
his studies. He lacked a clear focus. Ignatius of
Loyola was looking for a small group of committed men to be presented
to the Pope who could send them to "preach the good news". Under his influence,
Francis Xavier directed his ambition to bringing people to the feet
of Jesus Christ. He joined Ignatius, and five others, in the Society
of Jesus (Jesuits). In 1541, Francis
sailed with two companions from Portugal to the Portuguese colony
of Goa. He set about learning the language and writing a Catechism
for those who wished to follow Christ. He visited prisons and hospitals,
held worship services among the lepers, and walked the streets,
ringing a bell to call the children for religious instruction. Francis
found to his dismay that the Portuguese settlers and soldiers were
brutal. He wrote to the King of Portugal to complain. After five
months in Goa, Francis went to the east coast of India where he
preached to the Paravas until the ruler of neighbouring Jaffna became
alarmed and suppressed his mission by force. Francis preached
in Malacca, another Portuguese colony near the Malay peninsula.
Here he encountered the Japanese, Anjiro, and became interested
in the possibility of a Japanese mission. Christians in Japan remember
Francis Xavier today with great love and gratitude. Francis, then
became determined to carry the Gospel to China, at that time closed
to outsiders. He managed to persuade a ship's captain to take him
there but before he could reach China he was stricken with fever
and died on the lonely island of Sanejan on December 3, 1552. His
body was brought back to Goa and buried there. When Francis
was in South India, the people of Mannar had invited him to come
over. Not being able to come at once, Francis had sent a secular
(diocesan) priest to instruct and baptize the people. The King of
Jaffna, had then sent his soldiers to put to death the Christians
of Mannar who had appealed for foreign help. Francis, appealed to
the Portuguese Governor of Goa to avenge the death of the Christians. In 1545, the
King of Portugal had written a letter to Bhuvaneka Bahu, King of
Kotte, which he wanted Francis Xavier to deliver personally. This
was the first time that Xavier came to Colombo. On his way back
he had stopped in Mannar and Neduntivu. At the end of 1551, when
Xavier was returning to Goa from Malacca, he was forced to stop
in Galle for repairs to his ship. According to
Fr. V. Perniola, Francis visited Sri Lanka at least three times.
Every visit was marked by a physical or spiritual miracle. In Galle, Francis
"visited Migues Fernandez who was seriously ill. Francis went
to offer Mass for his recovery and when he went back to enquire
how he was, he found him coming out of a second stroke - a cerebro-vascular
accident - which had lasted 24 hours. He then began to get better
and was completely cured, as he himself testified in giving evidence
later". Tradition has
it that Miguel Fernandez was staying at Kalegana (Galle) and the
visit of Francis Xavier is commemorated by a church in his honour.
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
a
peace convoy was on its way to Jaffna. It was difficult to imagine
the sort of reception the delegation of Sinhalese civilians and
Buddhist clergy would receive. Would there be guns pointing at them,
shouts of hatred? Even though a ceasefire had been declared, a ceasefire
was not a guarantee that the hatred had ceased!
