Home

News

Politics

Issues

Editorial

Spotlight

Sports

Business

Review

Nutshell

Interviews

Fashion

Archives

 "If  I  didn't become an executioner, I would have joined the navy

Face to face with the executioner

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema 

With much ado about the re-introduction of capital punishment, the role of an executioner has suddenly come in to the limelight. Since the last execution conducted in 1976, the existence of an executioner in the country went unnoticed with some even thinking that Sri Lanka did not have an executioner.

But right along he was there. An ordinary person living a normal family life existed in the dark, known only by his family and colleagues. More than two decades later, the executioner has come back into the limelight.

Walking into the prison compound for the first time, seeing inmates going about their duties under the supervision of the jailors, I was trying to conjure up  a picture of the executioner. What would he look like? Will he be a fierce looking man mountain? Or would he be some old eccentric man? After all, the lives of those convicted depended on him, for it would be this man who would pull the lever that will put an end to a life, even though in accordance with the law. Trying to come up with  a picture in my mind, I walked in to the prison superintendent's office.

When the dreaded executioner was called in, the figure that appeared before my eyes was somewhat unbelievable. The man that stood in front of me did not fit any of the pictures I had created in my mind. The doom and gloom   that many associated with the 'hangman' was hardly visible in his pleasant countenance. He looked too well disposed and amiable to be the 'dreaded' executioner.

Youngest executioner

He walked towards me with a smile and introduced himself. I shall call him Sunimal. Aged just 23, Sunimal undoubtedly is the youngest executioner ever in the country as he was employed in his job when he was 21 years old. Well, I guess that made  him a 'hangboy,' not a 'hangman.' The eighth in a family of nine (six brothers and three sisters), Sunimal has studied up to the ordinary level examination. If he was not appointed as executioner, Sunimal would have joined the Sri Lanka Navy to fulfill his childhood dream. "I passed all the tests and I would have joined the navy if I did not become the executioner," he said. For Sunimal, the job of executioner runs in the family.

Before Sunimal, it was his father who was the official executioner. His father served as the hangman from 1979 - 1999 till he retired and it is interesting to note that during his entire tenure as executioner he  never had to execute anyone as capital punishment was commuted to life imprisonment since 1976. As a young boy, Sunimal recalls hearing his father speaking of being an executioner, but it was only when he was about 15 that he realised who an executioner really was. Before his father retired, it was one of Sunimal's elder brothers who was to take on the job next, but when his father ultimately retired he had already joined the army. As fate would have it this made his father ask Sunimal whether he would like to become the executioner instead. "My father asked me and I said yes without any hesitation," Sunimal said. 

A general idea

Sunimal has been the  executioner for two years now. However since executions are not conducted  Sunimal works under the chief jailor at the prison headquarters. According to Sunimal, he has no experience when it comes to executions except for what his father has told him and what is told to him by others in prison. His opinion is that if the death penalty is to be re-imposed,  a training programme on executions would make his job much easier. "I just have a general idea of what I have to do, that is all," he said. To receive training on carrying out the death penalty at the gallows, Sunimal will have to go to India and sending him on this training programme is still under discussion.

Speaking of the whole execution process, Sunimal explained that two days before a scheduled execution, he has to conduct a mock execution at the gallows using a sand bag similar to the weight of the prisoner  to be executed. "If the prisoner is 65 kg, I conduct a mock execution on a 65 kg sand bag two days before, so that nothing would go wrong during the execution," Sunimal observed.

He then went on to say that he has to report to work the day before an execution is scheduled and he would then be locked up and guarded till the end of the execution. This he said is done for the executioner's safety. On the day of the execution, the executioner together with his helper and jailor would go to the prisoner's cell to tie three belts (one around his hands and two around his legs) on the prisoner. He is then escorted to the gallows and once he stands on the wooden planks, his head is covered with a cloth. The execution is then conducted in front of a doctor, the prison SP and judge.

Since Sunimal is the country's only executioner, if capital punishment is re-imposed, he will have to conduct executions at Welikada and Bogambara, the two prisons that have facilities to carry out capital punishment. When asked what would happen in case there are executions scheduled at both places on the same day, Sunimal said that it would not be so as authorities look in to all those details before scheduling an execution.

If the death penalty is re-imposed, authorities will look in to employing a helper for Sunimal. According to him, his helper should be someone whom he is well acquainted with as he has to be 100% trustworthy. He explained that it is the helper who prepares everything for the execution and all what the executioner has to do is pull the lever. When asked what course of action would be taken in case Sunimal is unable to conduct an execution due to unavoidable circumstances, he said that he is not sure, but according to what he knows, a jail guard will carry out the execution.

Maintaining the gallows

As for the maintenance of the gallows, Sunimal explained that a jailor handles the maintenance work. It is up to him to oil the lever and keep the gallows in good condition. The gallows at present is in good condition and the old wooden planks have been replaced by new ones since the recent visit of the Interior Minister.

When asked whether his religion would affect his job, Sunimal was quick to respond that being a Buddhist will not hinder his work in any way as he would not let his religion obstruct his duties. According to Sunimal he believes in carrying out his duties well.

If the death penalty is re-imposed, Sunimal says he would be more than happy to carry on with his work. When asked whether he would feel hesitant to start executions if the death penalty is brought back, Sunimal observed that he would have no such feelings because one look at the number and nature of crimes committed in the country would make him feel that executions are a must. According to Sunimal, these criminals have reduced society to such low levels that they have to be punished, for others intending to follow in the same path to learn a lesson.

When asked how society looks at him as an executioner, Sunimal said that most often than not, people are happy to speak to him and treat him with respect. Citing an example, he went on to say that when he went for a medical check up several months back, when the doctors and nurses got to know that he was the executioner, they had walked up to him and spoken to him. According to Sunimal, it is a common occurrence as many who find out that he is the executioner take time to speak to him. In some ways, they treat him like a celebrity. However, Sunimal observed that it is up to the authorities to look in to his safety.

As for his personal opinion on re-imposing the death penalty, Sunimal was quick to respond that he is 100% for the death penalty. "Look at the crimes, murders, rape, incest,  that takes place. There has to be a stop to all this. The world has become such a dangerous place to live in," he said.

According to Sunimal, if the government re-imposes capital punishment, they should also take measures to introduce several new methods apart from the gallows. He went on to say that they should try to introduce less painful methods for executions. Explaining further he said that by hanging, a person would take from three to five minutes to die, while by using a new method of execution, the time could be reduced by half and it will also be less painful.

Finally, when asked whether he would one day prefer his son to become the next executioner, Sunimal said that we will have to wait and see. "Only time will tell," he said.

For now Sunimal seems ready for the task ahead of him if capital punishment is re-imposed. But whether his opinion and  frame of mind would change after conducting several executions, we will have to wait and see. 

Dance to stay in great shape

By Hemamala Wickremage

So you want to shape up and lose some weight. We all know that exercise is really important, but does the idea of a visit to the gym make you run for cover? But have you thought about dancing ?

Dancing is a great way to stay fit, healthy and enjoy yourself at the same time. Of course regular exercises would help you burn fat more but keeping the fun and enjoyment in exercise is sometimes challenging, especially on those occasions when your body may be willing but your brain is saying 'I absolutely cannot run another step.'

Well for those people, dancing certainly is a more fun and enjoyable way of doing it.

This week The Sunday Leader speaks to an experienced dancer and a pioneer in the field of dancing in Sri Lanka, Deanna Jayasuriya about the benefits of dancing.

"With dancing the first thing you'll realise is how much fun it is to learn to dance! The rhythms, partnership, atmosphere, movements, and music, come together to make one of the most satisfying experiences you'll ever have," says Deanne.

"Simply put, dancing is a form of exercise," says Deanna adding that "the more you dance, the more exercise you get." However what should be kept in mind according to Deanna is that no amount of exercise can compensate for eating a lot of junk food or drinking a lot of alcohol. For those who are really overweight "a balanced diet is part of the winning formula," says Deanna.

Some dance classes give you a more vigorous workout than others thus, we asked Deanna's advise on the most effective methods of dancing to lose weight. Not wanting to discriminate against any form of dancing, she said as an artiste she appreciates all types. However she believes that oriental dancing gives a lot of exercise and also that Latin American and ballroom too are good as they get the dancer's entire body moving. However Deanna said that out of all dance forms, classical ballet is the closest to her heart.

She says that classical ballet is more or less the cornerstone of all forms of dancing. "If a child has some knowledge in classical ballet any other form of dancing becomes very simple," she says. Deanna also stressed the fact that if a child takes up dancing from around the age of two and a half he or she is sure to become the proud owner of an extremely good figure as they grow up. "It's not only the looks. It's part of being healthy," she adds.

According to Deanna ballet dancing is not just for the girls. Her dance show scheduled for September this year has a group of around 20 to 30 males, all of whom are currently under her training.

Deanna says nowadays more and more boys are getting interested in dance forms.

However, taking up the issue of male ballet dancers she said "male ballet dancers are something of a taboo in our world."

"This should not be so. There is nothing funny about boys in tights and doing classical ballet. It's wrong to believe that boys would become more feminine if they engage themselves in ballet. This may be because it challenges the social conventions," she added.

Dancing improves the self discipline and the self confidence of a person. For young people who are interested in dancing Deanna said that that sort of self discipline would help them become successful in whatever the other fields they are engaged in, be it higher studies or career.

Challenging another myth she said some parents believe studies come first and dancing will interrupt studies. "This is all rubbish dancing can go side by side with studies. This sort of talent helps them concentrate more on their studies," she explained.

So there you have it, from an expert, the benefits of dancing

People could take up dancing for various reasons. It could be that you're determined to start a new hobby you have been promising yourself for sometime, or that you want to lose weight, increase self-confidence, or simply have more fun.

Just take that first step... go on, get fit and enjoy yourself!

"If he asked us for a chain, we
would have given him one"

By Ranee Mohamed

Mallika Lane, Colombo 6, is a hive of activity. Workers are cutting down trees and light-ing up dark corners. But it is a bit too late for the family living at No. 26 B. For darkness has already set in to their lives, almost forever.

It is one week since, and the tears still remain. Their house which had been cleared to place the coffin of Vinodini was being put into order. There were tears in everyone's eyes. The women were still crying and the men were numb with grief.

Their twenty two year old daughter, Vinodini Thileepan, an employee of the newspaper group of Suduloli and Udayam was stabbed to death last Thursday before her chain was snatched from her neck.

"Why did they do this to us? My daughter was so innocent. She and her husband lived a quiet life - going to work, coming back home, cooking and living a peaceful existence," cried her father, 53 year  old Arumugam Vinayagaratnam.

"There are no lights on this road, only lamp posts. We have lost our daughter so suddenly and now there is nothing anyone can do for us," he said.

"Rogue in the corner"

Vinodini Thileepan had returned after a tiring day on Thursday, March 6 and around 7.50 p.m. had gone to a nearby boutique to buy some rice to cook for dinner.

When they were approaching their lane Vinodini had told her mother "Amma there is a rogue hiding in that corner, please run." But before they could do anything, the man had run towards Vinodini and had pushed her against the wall. Vinodini had begun to struggle. It was then that he had stabbed her and snatched her chain.

When Vinodini's father Arumugam and husband Shivapadasundaram Thileepan (23) heard a commotion outside, they did not in their wildest dreams think that young Vinodini had been stabbed. But all the neighbours around, responding to the cries of Vinodini's mother had rushed out of their homes.  As if at the same time, Vinodini's mother appeared at the doorstep of their house and had wailed that Vinodini had been stabbed.

When Thileepan rushed in search of his wife, he had found her soaked in blood, fallen near the wall. It was then that she was rushed to the Colombo South General Hospital.

Gone in 45 minutes

Vinodini had been calling out to her mother all the way. But 45 minutes later there was silence. Vinodini had died of the stab injury to her chest.

The question that this family is asking is why the thief had to kill their daughter to take away her chain. "If he had asked us for the chain, we would have given it to him," they cry. "Why did they kill our precious little girl?" they cry.

Women wearing gold seem to fall prey to these snatch thieves. But they seem to do more than merely snatch their chains away. More and more thieves and more deaths seem to be the order of the day. Residents in this area were not surprised about these thieves who snatch chains. "This is a frequent occurrence in this area. This is not the first instance," they pointed out.

Gold jewellery may be in eternal fashion, but is it worth it, especially if it takes you to eternal rest?

Going deeper into The Sanctuary

By Ranee Mohamed

Enemies may throw mud at you, and some friends may hurl mud at you in their discreet little ways, but nothing compares to the mud that The Sanctuary bathes you in. It is the kind of mud treatment that you want to wallow in forever. Besides, it is great for arthritis, rheumatism, eczema, obesity and several skin problems. However the mud bath and the mud body wrap at The Sanctuary is specially geared to fight cellulite. Mud therapies and aromatherapies have entered this sanctuary in a big way.

Some spas open up with a splash and then go underground. But to the Omprasadhams this spa concept seems to come naturally. "We would love to come and spend a day in The Sanctuary," dreams the couple whose brainchild that is The Sanctuary has turned into any man's dream. But the duo  are too busy soothing the thousands of customers who walk into The Sanctuary at Jawatte Road, to think about themselves. Johann Peiris of The Cutting Station has also been responsible for The Sanctuary's success.

Natural pools, natural settings, out-of-this world sandwiches for the health-conscious which can be washed down naturally by The Sanctuary's array of fruit juices are all some of the finishing touches of this place.

The Sanctuary which opened about one year ago could easily be mistaken for a spa in Europe. This is why many people thought that it may not fit in to our Sri Lankan life.

But hiding under the veil of serenity, Sri Lankans seem to be most harassed - difficult life, rising cost of living, mounting office work, super-market shopping, getting meals together. Our housewives are the most neglected,  their work is continuous and their lives are difficult. This is why The Sanctnary has given them special consideration.

But jump into the jacuzzi or go into the sauna and steam bath at The Sanctuary and feel your tired body come alive. Take the Balinese massage, done by a professional or the Tibetan energising therapy which concentrates on healing through therapeutic touch or the Japanese Shaihatsu facial to feel the difference.

"The aromatherapy treatments are amazing. There are therapies to invigorate your mind to prepare you for any occasion," confides Chairman K.  Omprasadham. The spa's aromatherapy treatments go from head to toe and the cost itself is soothing.

Be it for circulation, aches and pains, fatigue, jetlag, rest, stress - The Sanctuary has a special way of dealing with them all with aromatherapy.

Walk on tip toe down the soft-hued interiors of The Sanctuary and one is made to realise that peace and quiet can be a reality, experience the treatment and know that comfort and care are possibilities in this rat-race existence.

"These are fresh flower petals," says Veronica as she points out to a stone bath filled with coloured petals. She sits there and we touch the cool waters. From the steam bath to in here sounds like getting into the waters of paradise.

While inside, the phone rings in muffled tones and people rush in here, some carrying their briefcases others in casual clothes and huge bags tucked with fresh clothes. It is like coming in for a day out. People come rushing in here and then relax on the white sheets with flowers and turquoise towels for company.

"These are our gift vouchers," says Veronica as she shows me the ideal way to give a gift to the busiest person, the most successful businessman or woman who has everything.

"This place is for everyone. Our prices are very reasonable" explains the Omprasadhams. But they seem not to be worried about the profits they are making. They are more concerned about how satisfied their customers are. As women sit lounging around, reading books while being manicured and pedicured, this place reminds one of  high places. But nothing seems high and mighty here. The smiles, the flowers and the soft gushing of water from the natural pools go well with the Omprasadhams' nature.

It is amazing how a successful businessman can be so down to earth, so concerned and so close to nature and all things natural.

His wife Veronica who has been to almost all spas  over the world seems to know this spa concept like the back of her hand. Responsible for handpicking only the best, Veronica is fastidious on behalf of her customers. Facials, hydrating floral baths, scrubs, hair treatment are all part of the magic.

But it is easy to fall head over heels  in love with Chaminda's  reflexology session. For 45 minutes, he works on your feet and legs, pressing and activating the so-called nerve points. Your feet feel wonderful, your legs feel like they have got a burden off, besides you just don't feel like walking away when everything is over.

What is significant about The Sanctuary is that it is within easy access, easy reach - be it the housewife, the top business executive or the man or the woman with a modest salary-this spa's price list has had everyone in mind.

He should have been a little tactful...

So when I met Lalith and Gamini (I met them sepa-rately) I told them what I thought they should do. (Mr. Premadasa knew that I was friendly with those two; he did not mind me meeting them for political discussions of this sort since he knew that I was completely loyal to him). I remember I told Gamini specially: "Gamini, I know this man. This is the way he sees it. He wants you to be loyal to him and so far you have not been so. Do it; defend him in parliament. Then he will never forget you. That is his way."

Gamini was not responsive at all, though Lalith was a little better. I still remember what Gamini said: "Siri how long are we going to live?" I did not understand then that he was making a reference to the fact that in his family people died young and therefore he felt that time was running out for him. He had lost his privileged status he had in the previous administration as a favourite of President Jayewardene; now he was just another cabinet minister. He also knew that with Mr. Premadasa he did not stand much of a chance of getting to the top.

But I think he had the wrong attitude from the very beginning. Mr. Premadasa initially gave him a very responsible ministry. However he did not do any work with it. He used to come to cabinet meetings with a book and while deliberations were going on he used to read the book quite openly. I think he was trying to demonstrate his lack of care and concern, his indifference. He hardly ever participated in the cabinet discussions. I must admit that Lalith behaved differently, in a far more mature way.

First cabinet meeting

I remember the first cabinet meeting after the parliamentary election-now with hindsight I can say that it signalled what was to come. By this time Mr. Premadasa had appointed permanent secretaries to the ministries (he was entitled to do so by the constitution). Gamini Dissanayake was not satisfied with Mr. Premadasa's choice for his ministry. He brought it up at the cabinet meeting. Mr. Premadasa said: "You work with him for six months and see how he performs. If you are not satisfied then we can talk about it again." But Gamini was not happy with that. He said: "I'll talk to you later." Mr. Premadasa's reply was: "There is nothing to talk about. If you do not agree with me then there is a way out."

Some time later Gamini wanted three months leave. Mr. Premadasa had imposed a restriction preventing ministers from being out of the country continuously for more than two weeks. This rule applied to every one. So as soon as Gamini asked for three months leave, I knew that something was going to happen. According to the constitution when the prime minister resigns the entire cabinet stands dissolved. What Mr. Premadasa did was to get Mr. Wijetunge to resign. When the cabinet was reappointed Gamini was not re-appointed. That way Mr. Premadasa avoided either sacking Gamini or asking him to resign. If someone asked him why he did it his reply used to be: "Gamini has to study."

* * *

Mr. Premadasa knew that many people within the party, the old elite were against him. When a leader is trying to do something radically different there is bound to be serious repercussions and I warned him about that. There was a lot of dissatisfaction about what he was trying to do. Not among the people; the people were satisfied; they wanted to control the ministers and parliamentarians, to make them work. And that is what Mr. Premadasa tried to do.

In that sense he was being responsive to the needs of the people, to public opinion. But unfortunately such huge changes cannot be carried out overnight. President Jayew ardene allowed these people to do what they liked and they had got used to it. So they did not like Mr. Premadasa's attempts to get them to work.

There was no doubt that Mr. Premadasa's thinking was correct. The changes he was trying to implement were the changes the country needed. We can see that very clearly now. But he should have been more cautious, more patient. All these ministers and parliamentarians have been used to a certain way of doing things. And though Mr. Premadasa's mandate was to change these old ways, he still had to work with these people. He was trying to introduce a new way of doing politics. He saw that the old way had failed; that was one reason for the insurgency. But he was not tactful. It was not that he was trying to control anyone; he was just trying to make sure that the right thing got done, everywhere. Mr. Premadasa did not interfere in the judiciary, in the police and in the army. He did not care where good ideas came from. He responded enthusiastically to any good idea and tried to implement them, irrespective of who proposed them. That way he was very open.

He was angry with Lalith and Gamini because he knew that they were trying to undercut him; that they were doing that from the beginning. Lalith and Gamini used to complain to me those days. But I did not think they would do anything. I think Gamini convinced Lalith to join the impeachment. The deaths of Richard de Soysa and Lakshman Perera would have helped.

I think Mr. Premadasa should have expected this kind of backlash. What he was trying to do was correct and necessary. But I think his style was wrong. And he was moving too fast. You cannot change things overnight.  Of course you have to work for the masses; but you cannot ignore your political associates either. And when they are dissatisfied they talk about it all the time.

Perhaps Mr. Premadasa should have tried to explain things to these people, tell them why he was doing what he was doing. He should have said: this is what we are trying to do; this is what you have to do; we would be checking and double checking on you; don't misunderstand, don't get angry; because this is for your own good. That kind of approach would have helped. But he did not do it. And the parliamentarians felt that they were not consulted. It was not really true. Mr. Premadasa was always willing to listen, to compromise. He did not dislike people coming and telling him things, especially about mistakes and inadequacies. But somehow that was the impression, which was created. 

Why did some members of his own party go against Mr. Premadasa? He was working for the people and he was working for the party. He was popular and he was winning elections. What more do you want from a political leader? He was exemplary; he was methodical; he was not corrupt; his personal life was above reproach. What more do you want? But these politicians had got used to a certain type of life,a certain way of doing things.

If Mr. Premadasa had been a little tactful I think the impeachment could have been averted. But he was in too much of a hurry. He felt that the country was being left behind, that it was not fulfilling its potential. I think the insurgency and the destruction caused by it also contributed to this sense of urgency. The masses were talking about the way the politicians were conducting themselves; there was general dissatisfaction about the activities of the politicians; it even contributed to the insurgency. For all these reasons he felt that reforms were an urgent necessity.

Class and caste reasons

The people who joined the JVP did so for certain class and caste reasons. Mr. Premadasa was trying to eradicate this situation, through his development programmes and his political reforms like the Youth Commission. He was also trying to set an example as to how political leaders should conduct themselves. I agree totally with what he was trying to do. But the way he did those things was wrong. After all these parliamentarians were people who were not concerned about the past or the future but only about the present. The majority is like this. And it was not that he did not know the impact his actions were having on these people. I remember once I asked him: "why are you doing this? These people are getting angry with you." He said: "I know that these people are blaggarding me. And I am going to do everything I can to make myself unpopular with these people." So he knew that he was antagonising them. That is why I say that he should have expected the impeachment.

I was in China when the news broke out about the impeachment. I was at a discussion with President Jiang Zemin when the message came-Peter Perera had called Mahalingam with the news. Not that any one of us knew what impeachment really meant then. It was while we were in transit in Singapore that our Ambassador, Jayasinghe explained the whole thing to me.

I have to admit that initially I was not much concerned. It was perhaps because I had great faith in Mr. Premadasa's ability to overcome any challenge. As soon as I got back I met him. He was angry, upset. He said: "I brought these people into power." It was true because if not for him they would not have won in 1988 and 1989. He explained the situation to me and put me in charge. I think he was worried even though the charges against him were ridiculous. We also heard that it was Lalith and Gamini who persuaded Mrs. Bandaranaike to agree to the impeachment motion by convincing her that they can get enough UNPers to back it.

First priority

Our first priority was to make sure that the motion was not put on the order paper. If an impeachment motion is put on the order paper the President is unable to dissolve or prorogue  parliament. Chaos and paralysis would follow. We heard that the Speaker M.H. Mohomad had given Minister Thondaman a letter addressed to the President, informing the President that the motion will not be put on the order paper because the requisite number of signatures was not there. Given that fact he should not even have accepted the motion but I think Lalith and Gamini prevailed upon him to do so. Mohomad had given this letter to Thondaman just before he went abroad and told Thondaman not to give it to the President until Mohomad got back.

That night itself Mr. Premadasa and I went to meet Mr. Thondaman. Paska ralingam also went with us. Though Thondaman showed us the letter he did not want to give it to us. I took him aside and managed to persuade him to give the letter to Mr. Premadasa. I gave Thondaman an undertaking that it will not be made public without checking with him first. When Thondaman gave me the letter I gave it to Mr. Premadasa and said: "You keep it." He put it in his bag.  

Alcohol - a weapon of mass destruction

By Shezna Shums 

Alcohol related accidents from around the island are relatively high according to  statistics recorded by the Police Headquarter's Traffic Statistics Branch.

According to Director Traffic, S.M.Wickramesinghe last year there were 6040 detections made by the traffic police.

This figure accounts for drunken drivers arrested and charged by the police. The number of alcohol related accidents from around the island for the year 2002 is 1218.

Wickramasinghe states that these figures are high because during holidays, weekends and the new year, the police detect many drunken drivers. The majority of these detections are made during the night.

Under a new programme initiated by the police - 'C4 operation' - more officers are being deployed in certain selected areas around the island. Once a person is stopped for drunken driving and asked to take a breathalyser test, if he is found to be over the limit (.8) he is arrested and kept in custody until sober.

The police will hand over the vehicle to the offender only when the person is sober or else to a person who is not under the influence of alcohol.

According to the Police Headquarter's Traffic Statistics Division OIC S.I.Senadeera, for the year 2000 there were 55,000 accidents reported from around the island and for the year 2001, 52,057 accidents were reported.

Last year 55,031 accidents were reported from around the island. An additional 1218 accidents were related to drunken driving.

Alcohol apart from causing accidents results in health problems. Heading the list is cirrhosis of the liver.

Director, Colombo National Hospital, Dr Hector Weerasinghe says that admissions of intoxicated patients have not increased but the hospital receives a constant flow of intoxicated patients throughout the year. Many of the patients come to the hospital after getting into drunken brawls and fatalities have been recorded from amongst this number.

The hospital receives intoxicated patients from various age groups and they are predominantly males says Dr Hector Weerasinghe.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, nurses at the Colombo National Hospital say that the number of patients admitted after alcoholic brawls increases during weekend and holidays.

Effects on the family

Apart from these problems alcoholism causes several other problems such as the economic burden if a breadwinner of the family dies of excessive drinking. Studies carried out by Alcohol and Drug Detention Center (ADIC) show that one third of a person's income is used for alcohol consumption.

According to ADIC the estate population has the highest number of alcohol drinkers and these workers say that they drink for comfort and relief.

Social problems also arise. Children may feel fear when a parent is drunk, and parents can end up fighting which affects the children.

When an elder drinks the children are also likelier to start drinking which will start a cycle of economic and social problems repeating themselves in families.

Excessive drinking can also result in a loss of productivity. A drinker cannot work as much as he could have and this results in families suffering.

According to Shantha Kulathunge and Sampath de Seram at ADIC, although alcohol may not always be advertised in newspapers a lot of shows and races are sponsored by alcohol companies.

There are T-shirts that advertise alcohol brands and Shantha Kulathunge and Sampath de Seram say that these companies even target five year olds.

According to their studies beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Sri Lanka. Arrack comes after it in popularity.

A survey carried out by ADIC also enumerates the various reasons people give for taking to alcohol. Some of them are: 'a habit', 'Pressure of friends', 'tiredness', 'to socialise' and 'for enjoyment'.

Coconut oil can help reduce weight

One of the remarkable things about coconut oil is that it can help you to lose weight. Coconut oil can be called the world's only low fat oil.

When you go on a diet to lose weight, the foods that are most restricted are those which contain the most fat, as when we eat fat, the fat is broken down to individual fatty acids and carried to the blood stream where it is deposited directly into our fat cells. Other nutrients we consume such as carbohydrate and protein are broken down and used immediately for energy. When we eat too much of carbohydrate and protein the excess is converted into fat. Excess fat in our food always ends up in fat cells. When we take exercises extra fat stored in cells are removed from storage and burned for fuel.

Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) found in coconut oil are different. They do not circulate in the blood stream like other fats, but are sent directly to the liver where they are immediately converted to energy, like a carbohydrate. So when you consume coconut oil, the body uses it immediately to make energy rather than fat. You can eat much more coconut oil than you can other oils before the excess is converted to body fat. The weight - loss effect of coconut oil has been reported by many researchers (Geliebter A, 1980, Clinical Research 28, 595 A, Bray, G A et al 1980, Int.J.Obes. 4, 27-32; Geliebter, A et al 1983, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37, 1-4)

Different foods affect differently

Overeating any food including cashew and avocado will add additional pounds to our waistline. Fortunately none of the Sri Lankans I have met so far eat more than one avocado a day (although Americans eat one to one and a half avocados which are very much larger in size compared to ours) and I am yet to meet a Sri Lankan who eats more than half - an - ounce of cashewnuts per day. But different foods affect us differently. Fat is restricted in most low fat diets because one gram of fat contains more calories than either carbohydrate or protein. When broken down in the body, one gram of carbohydrate and one gram of protein provide four calories each; but a gram of fat provides nine calories - more than twice as much. So fat is twice as fattening as carbohydrate or protein.

All fat, whether they are saturated fat from a pig or unsaturated fat from corn oil contains the same amount of calories. Coconut oil however contains a little less. As you may be aware all fats are made of briglycerides - three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. Because MCFA (found in coconut oil) are smaller than other fatty acids, coconut oil contains more glycerol per gram than oils. Glycerol is an alcohol and as such yields only seven calories per gram. So coconut oil has less fat than other oils. Coconut oil has at least 2.56 per cent fewer calories per gram of fat compared with that of long chain fatty acids. (P. K. Thampan 1994, Facts and Fallacies about coconut oil). This means that by using coconut oil instead of other oils your calorie intake is less.

The reduction in calorie content and the fact that MCFA are burnt as energy rather than deposited as body fat is not the only reason for coconut oil's status as a low fat oil. Perhaps the best reason is its effect on our metabolism.

Often people have weight problems as their metabolism is slow and burn calories at a slower rate than those who have a higher metabolic rate. A person with slow metabolism will put on more weight as less food is needed to fuel the bodily functions. This is why one person can eat like a gorilla and look as skinny as a bird, while someone else can eat like a bird and still become obese.

If you could increase your metabolic rate and burn up more calories and eat more without adding excess weight, MCFA can do that for you. In fact, MCFA promotes weight loss and shifts the body's metabolism into a higher gear. i.e. you burn off more calories when you consume coconut oil which is easily absorbed and rapidly burnt and used as energy for metabolism.

Promotes weight loss

Coconut oil contains the most concentrated source of MCFA available. Substituting coconut for other vegetable oils in your diet will help to promote weight loss. The use of refined vegetable oil actually promotes weight gain; not just from its calorie content but because of its harmful effects on the thyroid gland that controls our metabolism. Polyunsaturated oils depress thyroid activity, thus lowering the metabolic rate, just the opposite of coconut oil. Eating polyunsaturated oils will contribute more to weight gain than any other fat known, even more than beef tallow and lard. According to Ray Peat PhD, an endocrinologist (who specialises in the study of hormones) unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulation and response of the tissues to the hormone. When thyroid function is depressed, metabolism becomes depressed (Ray Peat's newsletter 1997 Issue, pp2-3). Polyunsaturated vegetable oils are in essence high fat oils and encourage weight gain more than any other type of fat.

Obesity has become one of the biggest health problems in the USA and other developed countries. In the USA as many as 25 per cent of all teenagers and up to 50 percent of all adults are obese. The typical Western diet is loaded with sugary, polyunsaturated fat filled foods. Substituting coconut oil for polyunsaturated oils would be advisable if you are obese.

Health problems associated with obesity are abdominal hernias, gout, hypertension, varicose veins, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, heart attacks, respiratory problems, atherosclerosis, gastrointestinal disorders and gynecological irregularities.

Courtesy: The Healing Miracles Of Coconut Oil by Bruce FIFE M.D.

- Dr. D. P. Atukorale