Review

A prayer for my daughters...

By Shezna Shums and Dhananjani Silva  

The mother who gave birth to the conjoined female twins can hardly speak of her joy before tears well up in her eyes, knowing......

More......

> Heart-broken mother of Habarana gets a new bundle of joy

> Violence in the home: A medical point of view

> A different kind of a May Day

> On the path to natural fibre crafts...

> Dignity of all labour 

> Rajani Thiranagama: A true heroine of our times

> A thought for working animals

> Going for a movie - A'must do' thing (....Balder dash)

> Imelda Marcos and the scandal of the shoes

 A prayer for my daughters...

A mother in tears and Twins are conjoined from the abdomen

By Shezna Shums and Dhananjani Silva  The mother who gave birth to the conjoined female twins can hardly speak of her joy before tears well up in her eyes, knowing the uncertainty that surrounds her two in one bundle of joy. The parents, Priyadarshini and Tharaka were shocked when they were told that the twins were conjoined. "We were expecting twins, but we didn't know that they are in this condition," said Priyadarshini, a worried mother in tears.

When The Sunday Leader caught up with her she was only thinking of her first born babies who were lying at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital surrounded by a number of doctors and nurses. However, the infants were without the warmth of the mother as young Priyadarshini was at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital receiving treatment.

Pain and anxiety

Priyadarshini overwhelmed with emotion, simply could not speak, but her face spoke volumes of her joy as well as pain and her anxiety to be with her children - to feed them and to look after them in every possible way.

She could hardly tell the names she had chosen for her children as tears were streaming down her face, longing to be with her kids. Even a couple of kind words could not console this mother who wants her children's lives to be saved and for them to be healthy.

The conjoined twins were born on Friday, 22, through Caesarean surgery at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital and were transferred to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital on Monday. It was later that their mother, Priyadarshini was sent to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital.

"I took my children to my arms only twice before they were transferred to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital," said Priyadarshini speaking to The Sunday Leader, while at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital.

Also with Priyadarshini was her mother, R. M. Malani who complained that she did not even get a chance to take the babies in to her arms.

Priyadarshini's mother-in-law, W. Leelawathi too was grieving at the plight of her grandchildren. "We keep on praying for these two innocent kids. There is nothing that we can do other than have faith in god and doctors," she said, wiping her tears away.

All of them had such longing and searching looks in their eyes, hoping that someone will give them a better reassurance about the future of the twins. In fact all three women in a way are also a strength to each other at this crucial moment. The three women said that they are happy about the birth of the children, hoping that everything will be done to save the twins.

Priyadarshini is a housewife but her husband, Tharaka Sanjeewa works as a helper in a shop. Despite the challenges he has, this traumatised father constantly visits the hospital to see his new born infants.

The conjoined twins who were screaming at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for their mother's warmth least realise that not only are they the centre of attention of their immediate family members but the whole country and the medical world.

No baby shirts

They lie in the hospital bed wearing only nappies as all the baby shirts that were made for them are single, and will have to be altered and stitched together to fit both their bodies.

The conjoined twins have certainly made their mark and will certainly be prayed for by many people for their health and well-being.

Hailing from Sapugaskanda, this family is praying in one voice that the doctors can help them take both girls home in good health.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader about the twins, Director Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Dr. R. Wimal Jayantha said that their first task is to investigate the position of the organs - that is to see if they share the same liver, the heart etc. "According to the information we have received the conjoined twins are only 34 weeks - being premature they have to be treated until they are stronger.

"We are doing an echo test and these investigations are important to identify the required standard before carrying out further treatment. After these investigations we will be able to decide if we are in a position to perform surgery, and at what age, whether we have the facilities and doctors necessary to perform surgery here, or if we need to send them abroad," Dr. Jayantha said.

Premature

The doctor said that they would be able to take a decision in another three to four weeks time. "Even in six months we cannot perform surgery. We have to allow them to mature and for that we need time," he added.

Apart from the premature status the doctors are confronted with additional problems such as feeding. According to the doctor, exclusive breast-feeding during first four months and interaction between the mother and the child is of great importance. "We don't normally separate the mother and the child, which is why the mother who is undergoing treatment at the De Soysa Hospital should soon join her babies at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital.

Speaking about previous conjoined twins, Dr. Jayantha says that in his 10 years at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital he has come across three such cases, this being the fourth. However he noted that the three previous conjoined twins had not survived because they had shared some of the main organs. "Presently tests are being carried out to see if these twins have separate organs or are sharing some of the main organs," he added.

Agony

However, the hospital authorities are concerned about the mental trauma of Priyadarshini and Tharaka and are taking care of the babies to the best of their ability to reassure them that they are striving to save the twins in every possible way.

These poor parents need the support of society to ensure the future of these rare twins. And then to continue the treatment thereafter will all depend on the love, care and concern that we, human beings are willing to give them.

 "You had three little brothers: but they died before you were born"  

Heart-broken mother of Habarana gets a new bundle of joy

By Ranee Mohamed in Sooriyagama, Habarana 

Twenty six-year-old Palakotuwagedera Asoka Kumari who experienced the horrible nightmare of losing her three sons to a bomb when they dug up and pulled apart the hidden 'treasure' which they watched a neighbour bury; is today lying on the same floor on which her three sons played - with a new bonny baby.

But there seems to be no joy in her heart, no smile on her lips and no complete happiness in her life as she sits there mourning for her lost sons while holding close her newest baby.

In the house are framed photos of Asoka Banadara (11), Nishath Sandun Bandara (10) and Anushka Sanjaya Bandara (3).

In her anguish she says she has got her youngest son back in the form of her new baby. "So I named him Anushka Sanjaya Bandara, my three year old baby who died while I was away in the Middle East," she said. And in the same breath she goes on to explain that this new baby is her second son Nishath Sandun Bandara. "Three months before this baby was born I felt my second son come to me and hold me around the stomach. I woke up with a start and still felt the heaviness around me. This has to be him," she goes on.

Losing a child is a nightmare, but losing three children, the only three children that you had is an anguish that cannot be compared.

"When I look around this house, I see my sons playing. Sometimes when I sit on the floor holding this baby, I see my three sons walk into the home, one by one, but they never talk," she cries. Thoughts of our children may give us great joy, but for this poor woman in her 20s, thoughts of her children seem to guarantee a lifetime of sorrow.

'A problem at home'

Asoka Kumari who went to Lebanon in October 2003 was recalled home two months later in December, because of 'some problem' at home. "My salary for the month of October was paid to the agency and the salary for November was sent home. It had brought immense happiness to the family and with it they were able to buy essentials for the three children. The pair of shoes that was bought for the scholarship examination of my son Sandun is lying in this house. It has been worn just once," she cries.

Clad in pink, Asoka Kumari arrived in Sri Lanka on December 11, 2003. It was when the bus she was travelling in stopped in the town of Habarana that she saw the death notices of her three sons pasted all over the road.

When she came home there was more heartache, for in three little coffins lay her children, waiting for her, as if they were fast asleep. Just like they were just before she left her on that sad day in October.

"It was a bomb belonging to the government, it was brought by a soldier called Roshan Pradeep but no one came to see us or comfort us or explain things to us. This bomb ripped the lives of my three precious children but nothing has yet happened to the man who brought it home. He says he brought it and buried it in the backyard to take vengeance over a family feud," went on Kumari. Money cannot replace lost lives, especially lives of children, so this may be why the issue of compensation has never been considered by the authorities.

Asoka Kumari's three children had watched the soldier bury the bomb. When they had asked him what it was he had told them that it was a balloon. The children had later, in a burst of adventure dug out the bomb and had been prying into it when it exploded killing two children on the spot and fatally injuring the youngest, three-year-old Anushka, who later died in his father's arms.

No children, no life

"My youngest son Anushka was being breast-fed when I had to leave in search of a better life. Today, I have no money, no children and no better life," said Asoka Kumari. Here in her poverty stricken home in Irigeoya, Sooriyagama, Habarana, she sits on the floor of a house held together by concrete blocks.

"I try to make a living by making these concrete blocks. I have a machine, but there is no electricity. We do not have any money in the house. We borrowed money to have the funeral and alms giving of our three sons, today we have nothing to spend on this new born," explains Vijitha Bandara who just returned from the chena.

"But everything we have is spent on this littlest one. Everything that is picked from the chena is sold and the money is used to buy baby rusks for our little son. I will not be going anywhere. The search for employment is over. I will not be going abroad again," cried Kumari.

Kumari who says that her decision to go overseas to earn money made her lose her most precious possessions. "It is the most regretted decision of my life. I will regret it and cry for my children for as long as I live," said Kumari.

"It is hard for us to live with the memories. We are very poor people and our greatest happiness was our children," said Vijitha Bandara.

It is easy to imagine this house set in the jungles when dusk falls - there will be darkness all around - quiet and still will everything be, till the dark nights fill in all the blank spaces - ironically a fitting setting for Kumari and Vijitha  Bandara, for that is how one will describe the lives of this poor couple, who lost it all when they lost their children.

Violence in the home: A medical point of view

Battering in the family environment has gone on for ages, in all societies. It is therefore not a culture based phenomenon - it happens all over the world. Many years ago, the famous Radiologist Caffey described non-accidental injuries after querying into the aetiology (cause) of the many x-rays of bones that were referred to him for review. This came to be called Caffey's syndrome.

Since then, pediatricians all over the word have become mindful of his report, and learned to be conscious of the possibilities of parental or non-accidental injuries. At the same time, there was much discussion regarding sequential action. Police action and court proceedings were initially avoided unless there was a recurrence of such non-accidental injuries in the patients. This was done usually to preserve the family unit - along with counselling, probation and childcare.

Confidentiality was strictly observed to avoid publicity, with the expectation that there would be a change in the behaviour of the offender. It was only when there was a murder that court action became necessary.

Parental violence

As a pediatrician of many years experience, I have come across some of these non-accidental injuries. These include head injuries, broken thigh bones, burns, etc., which I have reported in medical journals. Other parental violence recorded includes putting an infant in a drawer and closing it on the child. Colleagues would agree that as medical practitioners, they have seen much of such non-accidental injuries. Consequently, we cannot necessarily say that this is of Western influence or that domestic violence is a Western concept.

There are parents who fly into a rage and abuse their children. A friend of mine of British origin (who was the chairman of Accidents in the UK) once told me the story of a soldier, who put on his army boots and stomped on his child's abdomen, because the child was noisy one Sunday afternoon when the father wanted to sleep.

In Sri Lanka, child abuse (especially the abuse of girls) has increased in terms of incest and rape. Especially due to the heightened incidence of narcotics and alcohol usage from monies received from migrant workers in the Middle East etc. Furthermore, incest is not at all uncommon, even in the villages. In crowded homes, with the whole family sleeping together, fathers make mistakes about wives and daughters.

Once, there was a case of a father who brought his pregnant daughter for a consultation. On delivery of the newborn, he gave his own name as the father of his daughter's child. His words on the subject were "She belongs to me. I can do anything with her or to her." Those were his words. Many gentlemen in this country would be shocked by such sexual abuse by a man.

Why should we blame the United Nations for resuscitating the incidence of domestic violence, as has been done in the newspapers of late? Many of us have come across domestic violence in our daily experiences as doctors and have gone on to research this phenomenon.

My own work on the subject found that domestic violence is another determinant of malnutrition. In studying positive deviance, my research team chose two schools from the lowest socio-economic growth in an urban area. Those malnourished were identified by scientific standards. Trained investigators were specially chosen for their experience with and previous performance of social interviewing (with consent). We discovered that 50% of the latter came from homes that had fathers battering their spouses. The psychologist who helped me had to observe utter confidentiality.

 Consequently, individuals were called up without publicity, and interviewed within closed doors. No nurse was allowed to enter the room, in which the interviews were carried out, and the interview had to cease temporarily if the door opened. Nor did the staff know the nature of the research.

Even though women in these situations of domestic violence leave their homes, temporarily, to seek refuge in their own parental homes, they end up going back to their families - to be battered again and again. These women return for the sake of their children and to avoid publicity about domestic violence. Furthermore, they are in economically unstable positions. The children were traumatised and anorexic (not eating).

Effects of slaps on the face

But this is not only a phenomenon affecting the poor. Orthopaedic, as well as ear, nose and throat surgeons see the effects of slaps on the face in the form of burst and bleeding eardrums and resulting deafness (if not repaired). Broken noses are horrible to see. Women come to hospitals, accompanied by their husbands with stories of falls, knocks on concrete poles etc. where it is only after gentle persuasion, and deep history taking, that the diagnosis is made and corrective surgery accepted. Violence occurs in higher socio economic groups as well, and does not always end in divorce. A professional once told his mother-in-law who requested for non-recurrence of violence: "I will beat her black and blue and leave her on your doorstep."

Some victims of domestic violence plunge into silence, and the violence continues unabated.

Physical problems that arise as a consequence of domestic violence include chronic pelvic pain and disease, premenstrual distress and inadequate or excessive parental weight gain. I am quoting from the Health Network when I say that adverse mental effects include emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, and even substance abuse.

The effects of domestic violence are also evident when it comes to reproductive health. Women are vulnerable to HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases without any knowledge of the source. Because, in many instances of domestic violence, as a recent health journal describes it, "there is a lack of free choice in the decision to engage in sexual relations."

Sexual abuse

The WHO quotes that the overall percentage of sexual abuse in the family is 25% for girls and 8% for boys - although these figures differ in different populations. However, this quotation is made only for statistical purposes, and not because we follow UN organisations blindly. Although in the same breath, I say, that successive governments rush to international meetings, and are signatories to various conventions, but there is very little or no follow-up activity.

I regret that the Family Health Bureau is not very effective in this direction. I have participated with women's groups in Kalutara, Kurunegala etc., where family health workers seemed to be well aware of this problem. However, sometimes, these women are chased out of their homes. It is still another onerous duty for them and they are helpless. I have heard many depressing stories, including one of a father, who delivered seven children on his own, and bathed one newborn in a nearby river, with the result of neonatal death.

Obstetricians have also noted physical injuries during pregnancy for known or unknown reasons indicating that domestic violence occurs even when women are pregnant. The incidence of Chlamydia infection and low birth weight babies are also documented in African and Sri Lankan MD dissertations.   

How can we train our doctors to screen for domestic violence at outpatient consolidations/admissions, or during counselling?

A study in Peru, discusses how men are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour, and trained in techniques to avoid violence, and resolve conflicts with women and children. This is one possibility that needs to be explored. We suggest adequately trained counsellors, who should be able to counsel men on alternative means of alleviating anger and frustration rather than through resorting to violence.

Violence in school

In the Committee on Monitoring Children's Rights, we have worked against corporeal punishment. One principal in Colombo has set a wonderful example of avoiding violence in school, with strict discipline. Others are unwilling to participate, though Dr. Tara de Mel has sent out repeated circulars, reminding them. This of course is not domestic violence - but is one instance where violence is recognised as an unacceptable phenomenon in our society.

The empowerment of women as well as respect for women needs to be encouraged in schools and at all religious levels. Christ had a special interest in the welfare and empowerment of women. So did the Buddha, who recited stanzas on the usefulness of educating women.

This review cannot be prolonged for the lack of space. But let us all meet and design strategies to help men (and rarely women) to abandon violence against their spouses. Children must be provided with a happy and peaceful environment in the home. Religious and other leaders need to take domestic violence seriously and lead the way in reducing this phenomenon. Then only can we have a society to be proud of in our wonderful land of Sri Lanka.

- Prof. Priyani Soysa

A different kind of a May Day

By Jamila Najmuddin 

As political parties in the island gear up for May Day celebrations today, for the crowds in Colombo, this year's celebrations are dull.

Just four months since the December devastation with thousands of victims continuing to live in temporary camps and welfare centres, for many, this year's May Day is a day of mourning, remembering the thousands of workers that were washed away by the massive tsunami waves on December 26.

Day of mourning

With thousands of rupees spent on political campaigns and rallies and separate venues selected for each party, for those who have lost their livelihoods as well as their loved ones, this year's May Day only brings with it memories of the previous year where the May Day was spent with their friends, fighting for their labour rights.

For A. G. Thilak, life has never been a bed of roses. Working for 10 hours each day for a salary of Rs. 3500, May 1 is a day of significance.

Thillak used to attend political rallies and campaigns with his brother and friends for more than 11 years, but this time he will spend this day at a temple, offering an alms giving for all those who have lost their lives.

"May 1 is a day for labourers to fight for their rights. Therefore due to this, it was a very important day for my friends and me. We are supporters of the United National Front and each year I took part in various campaigns and rallies along with my brother and my friends. However, this year I am all alone as I lost my brother and many of my friends due to the tsunami. Therefore, I decided not to attend May Day celebrations this year," Thilak says.

Thilak also adds that the idea of spending thousands of rupees on political campaigns is a waste of money.

A foolish act

"With thousands of people still residing in over heated camps, it is foolish for the government to spend money on political campaigns. Instead of having May Day celebrations this year, we should all protest against the government and their lack of help for the tsunami victims," Thilak says

According to 57-year-old Charles Royster, he will not participate in any May Day rally this year, but will spend that day at home with his family.

"I stopped participating in May Day rallies ever since the assassination of Ranasinghe Premadasa. He was a true leader and if he was alive today, he wouldn't have allowed the people to suffer this way. Today, all parties have spent thousands of rupees on political campaigns. Instead of shouting at the top of their voices at these campaigns, this money should be spent to build permanent homes for the victims living in tents," Royster says.

While Thilak and Royster will boycott May Day celebrations today, they will be joined by many in remembering colleagues and friends who were present to celebrate May 1 celebrations last year.

On the path to natural fibre crafts...

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema 

Natural fibre and hard leaf crafts have undergone many evolutionary stages and is today an industry that has developed with much space for more improvements.

Mat weaving occupies a predominant position in the natural fibre craft industry.

Mat weaving used to be practiced by every female villager because the craft was considered a necessary domestic accomplishment. Mats, after all, were essential items, used as both floor and bed coverings.

A cottage industry

Today, mat weaving is still popular among villagers but is a cottage industry with few established sales outlets. Instead, weavers generally peddle their mats at festivals, fairs, and pilgrimage sites. Visitors may see them during the Kandy Perahera in July, when the pavements of the city are colourfully lined with rolled up mats for sale. The mats of the highest quality with the best designs are made in the villages of the Dumbara valley in the Kandy District. These mats are traditionally woven on a simple loom using fibres from the bowstring hemp, mostly of white or black colouration. Often they are decorated with stripes or bands, or animal or floral motifs.

Dumbara mats, also known as kalala or Dumbara rata paduru are today produced in a solitary village known as Henavala in the Pata Dumbara Division of the Kandy District. The traditional mat-weavers known as the kinnaras who inhabit this village still employ an age-old weaving process to produce the mats from the fibre of the hana or sann hemp (Crotalaria juncea).

'Niyanda'

Although Ananda Coomaraswamy observed in his Medieaval Sinhalese Art published in 1908 that the Dumbara mats were made from the niyanda or bowstring hemp (Sansevieria zeylanica) this no longer appears the case, as we found out in our visit to Henavala early this month. The reasons attributed to the decline of niyanda by the villagers were the scarcity of the plant and insufficient fibre for large-scale manufacture.

The fibre extracted from the hana leaf is processed and dyed to enable the weaving of colourful mats and wall hangings. These are gaily decorated with stylised floral, animal and geometrical patterns preserved through generations of craftsmen. The new generation of craftsmen also produces cushion covers, hand bags, shopping bags, letter holders, fans, screens etc. to meet the demands of contemporary society, mostly using the same traditional designs and motifs.

Strips extracted from a bark of a two year old hana tree is used to weave Dumbara mats. The strips are dried for two days before the fibre is extracted using an instrument known as the 'gavilla.'

Once the fibre has been extracted begins the process of weaving.

Convenience and time efficiency

As for dying, the traditional weavers used locally manufactured dyes. As a result, they had to make do with a limited number of colours - blues, yellow, red, white and light green. Venivelgeta, tumeric powder, patahangi wood, kora kaha leaves, aralu, bulu, bark of damba trees, etc. were used to manufacture the dyes of their desired colour.

However, today the industry has evolved and due to convenience and time efficiency, weavers prefer to use ready made dyes available in the market. This has resulted in the availability of a wide variety of colours for the weavers to work with.

Craftsmen (and women in particular) in the Kandyan region also specialise in making utility household articles from tala leaves - from a locally grown variety of a palm tree. Mats, shopping bags, food baskets, grain storage bags etc are produced out of this leaf or using other locally grown reeds, such as vetake and pung.

The tender leaves of indikola or wild date palm is boiled and used to produced coin purses, summer hats, etc.

Leaves of the Talipot palm is also used to produces ola books, mats, market bags, hand bags, etc.

Cane works also fall into the category of natural fibre crafts as the cane is naturally grown in Sri Lanka. Cane work has been practiced since ancient times. Radawadunna near Pasyala on the Kandy Road is famous for these crafts.

Going for a movie - A'must do' thing

There is nothing I like better than watching a good movie. One essential requirement is that both protagonists are exceptionally good looking. Various imaginary situations can be thought out which include the gorgeous guy featured. Nothing wrong with wishful thinking, is there?

Nowadays movies are on disc and easily accessible. So youngsters can go to someone's house to watch a movie. We, poor deprived things, had to go to a cinema. So going to a movie every weekend was a "must do" thing. First, we would eagerly scrutinise the newspapers. Then, after a lot of discussion and consultation, we would decide on the best option. One of our parents provided transport. On some days, we would walk back home after the film. We would stroll along, chatting animatedly, stopping for a snack in between. It sort of rounded off the perfect outing!

Not one, but three!

Sometimes we would watch three movies in a day! I Know this sounds crazy, traipsing from one cinema to the other, but we loved it! At the movies you never knew whom you might bump into, so the thrill of anticipation was there as well. I used to wear round, blue tinted glasses, which I thought made me look real cool. I also tried out weird hairstyles, and had a fondness for very bright coloured clothes! I must have looked an absolute fright, one wonders that my friends didn't refuse to be seen with me!

Once, we had planned to go for a movie after a concert practice. Alas, we had to repeat certain items. It happened to be a day that all the musicians were free, Sister Principal sat through the proceedings, supervising us with an eagle eye. Finally, we decided to slip away, one by one, so that suspicions wouldn't be aroused. After about three of us left, Sister asked the next one, "Where are you going?" extremely loudly. Of course, she just ran outside without an answer. Someone was sent to investigate. The rest of us were in a quandary. We had to do something drastic! So we counted, 'one, two, three.' and bolted!

'Gallery'

Sister thundered after us, "Will you all get back here 'immediately!'" We all acted hard of hearing, and throwing all caution to the wind ran shrieking and giggling up the road ! After frenzied discussions, we decided we were in trouble anyway and we might as well go the whole hog. Raced to the cinema, since we were late, the only seats available were in the gallery, right in front! Making a quick decision, even though we were a wee bit scared, we decided to go for it.

So there we sat, amidst all the rowdy characters, our necks at an unnatural angle since the screen was almost directly above us! After we had relaxed a bit, some of us even joined in the whistling and catcalling! The next day, we had to troop into Sister's office individually, to give an explanation for our atrocious behaviour. She said it was worse since there were outsiders present, we showed we were indisciplined and unruly. She said she would have allowed us to go if we explained matters to her, though I am not too sure of that!

On another occasion, Woodstock was being screened at the Liberty cinema. We decked ourselves out, flower power style, peace pendants and all! We gathered in a bunch at the foyer, and in walked this rock musician, who had a huge afro hairstyle. He was supposed to be 'interested' in one of my friends. He saw us, and started coming over maybe to try and speak to her. We all glanced wildly at each other, and dashed off shrieking in a stampede upstairs, leaving the poor guy looking bewildered! Everybody kept accusing the other of starting the dash. So uncool! Needless to say, he avoided us like the plague after that!

A friend of ours had to take her naughty brother along to the movie as her parents were going out. We reserved box seats. We found out it was the worst thing to have done. He had brought his catapult together with paper pellets, which he kept firing at regular intervals. The people in front of us kept glaring at us and in the end we were forced to hide as we simply could not control him! Yet another hasty exit was made! Hope there are good movies this week.

Dignity of all labour

By Lakshman de Silva

All work is full of dignity and nobility. Ever since the beginning of history man has been struggling to improve his lot. In this world either a man works or he and his family will starve. Man has to work in order to live.

Work can be of two kinds. Mental or manual. White collar workers are those who use their heads.

Unlike in other countries in Sri Lanka white collar workers generally regard themselves superior to manual workers. The higher and the middle class are apt to look down upon those who do manual work.

By dignity of labour is meant work done mentally as well as manual work. In these hard days when the struggle for existence is getting keener and keener, the old ideas about respectability are fast giving place to new ones, yet school educated young men are still very slow in appreciating the dignity of all labour.

They would rather starve than earn their living by honest labour by taking to humble pursuits like dairy farming, poultry etc., in which illiterate people have been generally engaged.

No servant class

When we mean manual work it is the work done by the cultivator, the artisan or the craftsman. Even for the food we eat, we are dependant on the hard labour of the farmers.

In the Western countries people do recognise the dignity of labour. There is no servant class in the West. No profession by itself is high or low, dignified or undignified.

The achievements of science in various fields are the fruits of continued human effort. Man, a small, weak creature, is today the master of the world, because he has worked hard. He has always gone on advancing in to new worlds.

He has tamed the air, the sea and the land. He has conquered the animal world. He has brought out marvels such as rockets that soar into the sky. Airplanes that can fly in no time. Massive ships and aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and sea planes.

In the land, cars, trucks, trailers and bulldozers help to ease the work in less time.

For the workers in offices computers are a marvelous invention which helps them in their work and in many other ways also bringing instant information from around the world plus easing the postal system through e-mails. Television brings instant events to the viewer.

Rajani Thiranagama: A true heroine of our times

By D. B. S. Jeyaraj  

More than 15 years  have passed since Rajani Thiranagamanee Rajini Rajasingham was brutally gunned down at Thirunelvely, Jaffna on September 21, 1989 as she was cycling back home from the Jaffna university. She was professor of anatomy at the Jaffna university medical faculty.

The 35-year-old mother of two daughters was also a human rights activist, feminist, critic of narrow nationalism and opponent of irresponsible militarism. No one has officially claimed responsibility for her killing and several attempts have been made by those close to the perpetrators to deflect blame elsewhere. Despite these moves the people at large know who the killers were though not many dared to say it publicly.

Murder not forgotten

A decade and a half however fails to erase the indelible memories of Rajani among those who knew her. Her brutal murder has not been forgotten. Whenever the human rights violations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are referred to in detail her name always crops up. Whenever the tragic plight of women caught up in Sri Lanka's long drawn out 'Machismo' war is highlighted her murder is usually focused upon. Whenever the story of the Tamil liberation struggle going terribly wrong is discussed the murder of Rajani Thiranagama is always an issue cited.

She was truly a heroine of our times and an unforgettable symbol of its enveloping tragedy. As former UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and current Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy observes, "Rajani had a vision for her people, the Sri Lankan Tamils. She envisioned a time when they would live in peace and dignity, enjoying democratic rights and freedom. Standing against oppression and brutality in all its forms, she is a beacon of light for a community living in fear and struggling for self-respect. She will never be forgotten; an icon for everyone in Sri Lanka fighting for freedom."

One agency that has remembered Rajani is the National Film Board of Canada. The land of the maple leaf has made a name for itself in the realm of documentary films. No More Tears Sister - the anatomy of hope and betrayal is the title of an 80 minute film on the life and times of Rajani Thiranagama produced by the Canadian Film Board. It is written and directed by Montreal based Canadian Film Maker, Helene Klodawsky. The narrator is Michael Ondatatje, the Sri Lanka born reputed author now domiciled in Canada. A novel feature in recreating the life of Rajani is the portrayal of her mother by Sharika, the younger daughter now in her early 20's.

The Canadian feature documentary will have its world premiere at theHot Docs International Documentary Film Festival being currently held in Toronto.

A challenge

Unlike most recreations of a contemporary personality, the story of Rajani provided a stiff challenge for the filmmakers. There was very little documentation or authentic correspondence. Many of those who knew her or were associated with her were too scared to be filmed. Moreover filming in Jaffna where Rajani grew up, lived and died was out of the question because of the political climate. One also supposes that an element of secrecy had to be maintained at all times due to the sensitive content and theme of the film.

Despite these problems that would have defeated most film makers of cinema verite Helen Klodawsky has accomplished her task well. She was fortunate that family members and a few fellow human rights activists and feminists were courageous enough to come out openly. Rajani's parents the Rajasinghams, sisters Nirmala, Sumathy and Vasuki, daughters Narmada and Sharika, husband Dayapala Thiranagama and some unnamed activists have all been interviewed and the life of Rajani unfolds on screen through their accounts mainly.

Hidden elements

The vivid and perceptive comments made by Nirmala and Dayapala are the chief  strengths of the film. The story of Rajani is inextricably inter-twined with that of her elder sister Nirmala, a political activist cum feminist in her own right. Rajani's story cannot be told without relating the story of Nirmala. In that sense this film is as much about Nirmala as it is about Rajani. Nirmala has broken her long 'public' silence on Rajani's death in this film. While not dwelt on forcefully the film leaves no doubt in the viewer's mind about the forces behind Rajani's assassination.

Dayapala Thiranagama comes off very well. Both Rajani and he came from contrasting, different backgrounds.He provides many fresh insights into Rajani's life. The scenes showing Nirmala and Dayapala in conversation are illuminating. A revealing moment of truth for anyone familiar with the rise and fall of the Tamil liberation struggle would be the one where the comment is made that political activism is no longer the armed struggle but that of upholding human rights.

Women and war

The story of Rajani is interwoven with the violence of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. What made Helen Klodawsky, the daughter of a concentration camp survivor herself take up this tale? This is what she says - "I wanted to understand how ethnic conflict and national struggles impact women - be they victims of war, militant fighters or peace builders. I wondered whether there was a feminist critique of both state and guerilla violence. It was well known that the Sri Lankan military and the opposition Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were both guilty of torture, illegal detention, disappearances and extra-judicial executions. I wanted to explore whether women were, on the one hand, torn between loyalties to their ethnic communities and on the other hand the community of women. Did oppressed minority women imagine fighting injustice in different ways than their male counterparts?

"The story of Rajani Thiranagama - her courageous life, unique vision and tragic assassination - offered a compelling narrative to pose many of my questions. Rajani's evolution into a spirited champion of the Tamil people's rights in the '70s and '80s paralleled the escalation of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Moved by her people's complex struggle against ruthless state violence, she believed Tamil militancy was the answer and joined the liberation movement. But when she witnessed the corruption and cruelty within, she felt compelled to document what she saw and urged her people to resist blind adherence to any leader or movement. Embracing feminism and a belief in human rights, she felt that women in particular were the primary casualties of war.

Themes

"I believed that by following Rajani's life story and the circumstances surrounding her untimely death, several themes could be explored. Nationalism, anti-nationalism, the lives of women as both participants and innocent victims of war and the belief in armed struggle vs a critique of militarism.

"Though No More Tears is set in Sri Lanka, a similar story might have been explored in Africa, other parts of Asia, the Middle-East, Eastern Europe or Latin America. In the '60s and '70s, Rajani was part of a generation of young political activists in post-colonial societies around the world - activists who dreamed of radically transforming their societies to achieve equality and justice for all. But this idealism continues to be ruthlessly thwarted by narrow nationalist agendas in countless countries.

"Cinematically, I wanted No More Tears to reflect the passion and beauty of Rajani's ideals. Together with my talented team including Francois Dagenais (Director of Photography), Patricia Tassinary (Editor) and Bertrand Chenier (Composer) I aimed at making a film that is political, feminist and aesthetic."

A thought for working animals

By Risidra Mendis 

A monkey on a leash trailing behind its master, a cobra in a basket waiting for  its next show or a cart bull trying hard to cope with the heavy load in the cart behind are just a few occasions where innocent animals are exploited to the maximum.

Similarly there are instances where domesticated elephants, dogs and horses are also used for work purposes. However, the animals most exploited and put under severe pressure are the cart bulls, the domesticated elephants and cobras. Domesticated elephants are forced to work during the day, carrying heavy logs from one place to another while cart bulls have no choice but to drag heavy loads for hours under the scorching sun. Monkeys and cobras most often owned by gypsies are trained to perform at the wave of a stick.

Strict laws

But while animals continue to be exploited by humans irrespective of their rights and the mental trauma forced upon them, strict laws to protect animals in Sri Lanka are yet to be implemented.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, an animal rights lawyer and activist said the use of animals for intense labour work is not a necessity anymore. "I cannot address the cultural areas such as peraheras and other religious functions where animals are used as this is a very sensitive issue. In the past animals were used for hard labour because there wasn't any alternate transport at the time. But today, especially in the urban areas since there are alternate transport arrangements, animals should not be used for hard work," says the animal rights lawyer.

According to the animals rights lawyer, the latest machinery available in the country can replace the hard labour that elephants are put through every day. "Machines can be used to transport heavy logs and other equipment from one place to another much faster than an elephant. The work carried out by cart bulls can also be replaced by modern transport facilities," the animal rights lawyer said.

Used and abused

But despite the constant criticism by animal rights activists and animal rights organisations with regard to the rights of animals in Sri Lanka, animals continue to be abused and exploited for man's selfish gain. While the Animal Welfare Draft Act (AWDA) was last updated in 1955, the amended AWDA is expected to be implemented end of this year.

The new AWDA if implemented will envisage higher penalties and imprisonment for violation of animal rights. While the current AWDA penalty for the violation of animal rights is Rs. 100, the new penalty would be Rs 50,000. Also imprisonment for animal rights violations will be increased from three months to three years.

Imelda Marcos and the scandal of the shoes

Imelda Marcos, the long-serving First Lady of the Philippines, will always be known for the 3, 000 pairs of shoes she left behind in Manila when she and her unscrupulous husband, Ferdinand, were driven from power in 1986.

However, these are a symbol only of the scandalous self-indulgence of a regime that had systematically robbed the National Bank of billions and had the temerity to gun down the opposition leader, who was returning from exile, in front of a plane-load of journalists.

Ferdinand Marcos was born in Luzon in 1917. In his highly fanciful autobiography, Rendezvous With Destiny, he claimed that he had distinguished himself as a highly decorated resistance leader during the war against the Japanese. In fact, he had collaborated with the Japanese, but that did not matter: as President of the Philippines, he could give himself any decoration he liked. Not only that, as a fervent anti-communist and one of America's few allies during the Vietnam war, he forced the Americans to award him the US medal of honour, as well as a vast amount of foreign aid, even though they knew the truth.

Marcos, as a politician

As a politician, Marcos had already done the seemingly impossible. He had got himself elected to Congress after being convicted of murder. Jailed for killing a political opponent, Marcos had used his incarceration to study the law. He had passed the Bar exams and argued his own case in front of the Supreme Court. There he got lucky. The chief justice himself had been convicted of murder at the age of 18 and had successfully argued his case in front of the Supreme Court. Marcos walked free.

Marcos first met Imelda when he gave an address at her high school in Tacloban, on the island of Leyte. Although she was one of the island's powerful Romualdez clan, her side of the family was poor. For a time, they had lived in a car port and, as a child, she had gone barefoot - which might explain why she needed so many shoes later on.

'A beauty'

At 16 she was considered a beauty. She fell in love with Victoriano Chan, the heir of a wealthy Chinese family. They considered her unsuitable. Then she was pursued by a rich saw-mill owner, Dominador Pacho. To escape his attention, she fled to Manila with just five pesos in her purse.

She got a job in a bank, where one of the customers was Ferdinand Marcos. He paid her no attention. However, the editor of the Sunday supplement This Week noticed her and put her picture on the cover of the magazine's Valentine Day's issue. Suddenly, she was a star, an a welcome visitor at the Manila home of her kinsman, Congressman Daniel Romualdez. There, she was courted by an up-and-coming young politician named Benigno Aquino. But when he learnt of her humble origins, he dropped her.

In an attempt to make her way in the world, she entered the Miss Manila competition. Her family, who were strict Catholics, were shocked. They assumed that she would have to sleep with the judges. Presumably she didn't, as she lost to 20-year-old Norma Jimenez from Pangasinan Province.

Realising her mistake, Imelda appealed to Mayor Arsenio Lacson, who was well  known for  his wide-ranging interests. It was said that he took 'Chinese tea' every afternoon with two Chinese girls thoughtfully provided by a constituent - a case of two for tea, perhaps?

When Lacson tried to overturn the judges' decision, it was assumed that Imelda was his latest conquest. However, the judges stuck by their original choice for Miss Manila, so Lacson simply named Imelda the 'Muse of Manila.' Both girls went forward for the Miss Philippines' contest, but neither won.

Imelda consoled herself by becoming the mistress of Ariston Nakpil, one of Manila's wealthiest men. Unfortunately, he was married.

It was then that she met Ferdinand Marcos once more at an ice-cream party. He began pursuing her. The following week, when she took off to Baguio with two girlfriends, he followed with a marriage licence that he had already signed just in case.

Wedding ring

A religious girl, Imelda would go to Mass each morning. Ferdinand would sit beside her and tell her how golden their future would be together. She did not believe him, until he took her to see his bank deposit box, which contained the best part of $1 million in cash. They had a small, private wedding conducted by a justice of the peace. From meeting to marriage had taken just 11 days. Her wedding ring had 11 diamonds set into its white gold, one for each day of their courtship.

Imelda thought her father would be angry about the marriage, but he took to Ferdinand immediately and forgave his daughter - provided they had a proper church wedding. Marcos did better than that. He arranged a wedding in the cathedral in Manila in the presence of the President of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay. Imelda wore a couture gown, comprising acres of white satin and tulle, embroidered with seed pears and sequins. Among the 3,000 guests at the reception in Malacanang Park, across the river from the presidential palace, were numerous senators and congressmen. The wedding cake was a mode of the Congress building.

"It was a very political wedding," said Imelda's sister, Conchita.

The Marcoses had a very public honeymoon in Baguio. This was vital since there was already one Mrs. Marcos. Her name was Carmen Ortega. Four years before his marriage to Imelda, Ferdinand had offered to sponsor Carmen for the Miss Press Photography contest. When she became his full-time mistress, he moved her into the house he shared with his mother, Dona Josefa. Marcos even announced their forthcoming nuptials in the press. Neither a civil nor a church wedding ever took place, but around Manila she was known as Mrs. Marcos. Even Imelda knew her as such. Marcos had once brought her into the bank where Imelda worked to withdraw $50,000 for a shopping trip to the USA and had introduced her.

A political mistress

Dona Josefa considered Carmen her son's real wife. Imelda was merely a political mistress in her eyes. At the time, Marcos was planning to run for the Senate. He needed the backing of the Romualdez family, both politically and financially.

This fact was brought home painfully to Imelda. While they were away on their honeymoon, Marcos had Carmen and their three children moved out of the family home into a larger house in the suburbs. Imelda would now move in with Marcos and Dona Josefa. If the associations with Carmen there were not bad enough, the house was on Ortega Street. Imelda insisted that they sell up and move immediately. Marcos and his mother refused.

Worse, Marcos continued to see Carmen. Imelda paid her a visit and insisted that Carmen stop seeing her husband as she was destroying her happiness. Carmen said that it was Imelda who was ruining her happiness. At the time, Carmen was pregnant with Marcos's fourth child.

Imelda was now between a rock and a very hard place. In a Catholic country like the Philippines, she had no chance of an annulment, so there was no chance of making another lucrative match. She had no money of her own, and she could not stop her husband seeing his mistress.

Imelda had a nervous breakdown. Marcos sent her to New York for treatment. She spent three months in Manhattan's Presbyterian Hospital, but no amount of therapy changed the situation. She must either leave her husband and return to a life of penury or bite the bullet.