By Camelia Nathaniel

Relaxing in the dining area

Not so long ago we lived in fear of being killed in a bomb attack, or amidst some form of terrorist activity. Parents did not travel in the same bus fearing that if terrorists were to explode the bus their children would lose both parents. Yet four years ago after 30 years of bloodshed, our valiant soldiers were able to end a three decade long war and make our motherland a safer place to live in. However it was not easy. It was an extraordinary achievement that our brave soldiers sacrificed much to accomplish.

While almost 120,000 soldiers have sacrificed their lives to free the motherland from the clutches of the brutal terrorists, about 300 service personnel were disabled and totally dependent on others now.

Many of them have sacrificed their eyes so that others can see the beauty of the world, they have sacrificed their hands and are today deprived of the pleasure of holding their loved ones so that we can be free to hold ours, and they have sacrificed their legs and are today wheelchair bound so that we can walk our children to school. Disabled, many of them cannot enjoy the peace for which they scarified so much. In order to ensure that the sacrifices of these brave personnel are never forgotten, the Mihindu Seth Medura in Attidiya was the first project under the Ministry of Defence.

An evening of music and song and Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa during the presentation of special wheel chairs

The serene, picturesque location is designed to cater to the special needs of these men sine their needs are not such that can be fully provided for within the confines of a hospital or even at their homes. The concept of Mihindu Seth Medura is to establish a ‘Home Away Home’ for severely disabled war heroes, who require continuous care and assistance. In this special setting, their wellbeing is looked into and their dignity is restored whilst ensuring physical, spiritual and mental care with their family, the army and the society at large joining hands as equal partners.

The facility is on a land of 46 acres bordering by a bird sanctuary and the buildings comprise computer laboratory, library and psychotherapy unit.

The classes of creative works, mystery paintings, IT and Yoga provide opportunities for the occupants to improve their talents. The rooms have attached washrooms, TVs and other basic facilities and each occupant is provided with an assistant.

The Commandant of Mihindu Seth Medura, Col. Vajira Kariyawasam said the facility was equipped to cater to 50 patients. It now accommodates 50; five army officers, two navy personnel and 43 army soldiers. “Established on May 30, 2011 under the Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development (MOD&UD), it is managed and operated by the Sri Lanka Army with a special Board of Management nominated by the Secretary. The facility also aids to uplift its occupants’ psychological and spiritual well being. About 99% of the occupants were paralyzed and three are totally bedridden, but some have improved after the treatment.”

He added that after treatment and care at Mihindu Seth Medura some of the disabled personnel are able to even walk and perform minor tasks. “When the Pakistani tri-forces commander visited the facility he was really impressed with the facilities provided for our injured soldiers. He said that in his country the relevant authorities have not even identified how many of their soldiers are injured. He said that he has never seen this concept anywhere else in the world,” added Col. Kariyawasam.

According to him, a team of Indian doctors had visited the facility and identified five disabled soldiers paralysed due to spinal cord injuries, to conduct stem cell transplant surgery. “The doctors have agreed to perform the operation free of charge and the negotiations are under way, he said.

He further added that there are plans to conduct musical shows in the USA with 1st and 2nd winners of Rana Viru Real star contest, and build an ayurvedic centre at Mihindu Seth Medura.

One of the Army officers at the facility, 35-year-old Lieutenant Wanigasinghe, the father of a five-year-old son, reminiscing how he sustained injuries on that fateful day said “It was the November 20, 2008 in Kilalli near the lagoon. I served in the 5th Vijayaba infantry regiment and was assigned to destroy an enemy bunker located on high ground. We lost several soldiers in the operation. That fateful day, about 2 am I went crawling with several others on a path with electric mines to accomplish the task. We had to crawl removing the mines, and suddenly a blast occurred and I only felt my face heat up and when I touched my face I could feel it in pieces, next I realised that my right hand was in shreds. The only thought that crossed my mind at that point was not the pain of my injury, but of never being able to see my infant son”.

Even at that point Wanigasinghe had not realised his eyes were injured. “I felt that the whole area was dark and could only hear my comrades shouting to evacuate me saying that I was hit. I vaguely felt that I was being dragged away and put into a vehicle, and air lifted. While on the flight one of the other soldiers had seen my tag and realised that I was from his village and had informed my family,” he said.

Today Mihindu Seth Medura has accommodated him so that he would not be a burden on his family. “There isn’t much I can do now as I have lost both my eyes and also my right hand. I have severe scars on my face as well. My son could not understand at first my blindness and asked why I walked with a white cane. But now he says that he loves me because I keep looking for stuff on the road with a white cane while walking,” he said.

Thanks to facilities set up for injured war heroes, today he is recovering and learning to face life. “I am now learning to play the organ and function without much support. I visit home once a month to be with my family, and I am determined not to let this injury hinder my life. I have made this sacrifice for a noble cause and I am proud to have been able to be part of the liberation of my motherland,” he said with great pride and satisfaction.

Another brave young man who has sacrificed his tomorrow so that we could all enjoy the fruits of freedom is 25-year-old Lance Corporal A. Edirisinghe. He was injured in the Mannar area on April 2, 2008. Having partially lost hands and feet he is now wheelchair bound at the prime of his life. “I was injured in an attack in the Adampan area in Mannar while on a mission with six other soldiers. We were crawling toward the enemy line and I suddenly felt that I had been hit. At first I thought I was hit in the shoulder area by the mortar. I was in a daze for a moment and I wanted to tell my colleagues that I was injured, but the words did not come out. However after several attempts I managed to tell them that I was injured. By then I could feel my whole body going numb. I faintly heard one of my comrades shouting to evacuate me and felt them dragging me away by my head.”

He said that he had regained consciousness some time later when he heard his commanding officer’s voice. “He checked me, but as I was wearing the body armour he did not see my injuries and said that I had not been injured. However I had blacked out again and only regained consciousness at the hospital in Colombo. My stomach was bloated like a balloon and I felt that someone inserting a tube into my stomach. However I later found that I had sustained injuries to my spine and had lost the use of all my limbs. I could move my arm, but I cant move my fingers,” he lamented.

However the doctors have told Edirisinghe that he was improving and that he might be able to regain movement and use of his limbs to a point of being independent one day. “I joined the army because I loved it, I still love the army. If I was called to serve again I would never hesitate. I have not given up on a normal life yet and I am hopeful that someday soon, I will be able to walk freely and carry on with my life without depending on anyone,” said determined and hopeful Edirisinghe.

It is heart wrenching to see a young man like Thilina lying helpless on a bed, totally dependent on others. Had he not been injured he would have been an active young officer. Thirty-year-old Major Thilina Chandrakumara’s life has been restricted to a bed or wheelchair for the past five years. Explaining his life and traumatic experience that shattered all his dreams he said that he was the eldest in a family of three. “On the September 27, 2008 I was ordered to destroy an enemy strong point in Muhamalai. We had tried on several occasions but failed with many casualties. I engaged in reconnaissance for around four days prior to the assault. On the day of the assault I set off with 16 others about 1 am to attack at 6 am. However having noticed enemy movement around 5 am we decided to launch the attack. After about half hour of heavy assault we managed to creep into the enemy trench and destroy their bunker complex. I then gathered my troops and returned to our forward defence line. However on the right another eight man team was engaged in combat with the enemy, and I had lost communication with them. After sending my troops to our FDL I went forward to get the other team,” he said recollecting the horrific moments.

Unfortunately Major Thilina could not reach his comrades. “I could not get to them because I suddenly felt this severe pain in my neck. I just collapsed. I vaguely knew that they were dragging me away and I regained consciousness three weeks later in the ICU of the Colombo Army hospital, where I received treatment for the next 4 ½ months before I was transferred to Rana Viru Sevana in Ragama and then to Mihindu Seth Medura.”

He said he has suffered cervical fracture that made him a quadriplegic. He has no specific future plans and he despises people’s sympathy. “I did my duty toward my country, and joining the army was my dream since my childhood and I was prepared for the eventuality. I have no regrets and I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. My only mission now is to settle my brother and sister. In my condition I won’t fool myself into believing that I could have a normal life and future. If I had to do it all over again, I would not hesitate to take the same decisions,” said the determined Major.

These are only a few of the many brave soldiers who have sacrificed much and are paying the price for the freedom they gave us. It is our duty to remember them, and their sacrifice for you and me. Let us retell their tales, lest we forget, that all gave some, but some gave all.

CLICK HERE FOR COVER PAGE… Weekend cover

By Easwaran Rutnam

Internationally renowned Sri Lankan fashion designer Dinesh Chandrasena, who has designed clothes for Hollywood Stars like Halle Berry, Cindy Crawford and more, says the fashion industry is a global power house, and for those like him who are involved, it is not just the “frocks and fabulousness”, but the ethical standards that need to be upheld, while nurturing the next generation of creative talents.

Dinesh was influenced by great style, and his maternal Grandmother, Erin Don Carolis, was an absolute style maven who influenced him from a very young age.

“When I was 17 years old, the local schools were shut because of internal unrest in the country (1989), and my mother who knew I loved the arts, and that I was good at sketching, said I should take part in the “Designer of the Year” contest… I participated as a complete amateur, and was placed first runner up. Of course I still continued my studies completed my London A/L’s and when it was time to go to college, with my parent’s advise decided to pursue a degree in fashion design. I went back to Los Angeles, attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and got my advanced fashion design degree from there,” he said.

Dinesh says his sister, Dinushka Chandrasena, is usually his best adviser, and also a great style arbiter who gives him insight  into the realities of what a client may want.

“My niece Tehani Chandrasena is quite up to date with youth driven trends, and that also gives me an insight into a whole other area of the industry. Along with them, my dad is constantly supportive and until my mother passed away, she was always the “go to” person in any situation when support was needed,” he said.

Dinesh did Halle Berry’s wedding gown, Dressed Dame Julie Andrews for the movie “The Princess Diaries”, dressed Sandra Bullock for the movie “Miss Congeniality”, dressed Miss America 2008, Miss USA 2007, Eugenia Silva, Cindy Crawford, Dayana Mendoza, Jennifer Aniston, and in the Asian region, Jacqueline Fernandez for the IIFA Green Carpet, Sonakshi Sinha for the cover shoot of L’Officiel magazine, and the list goes on.

Asked if he has any regrets in life, Dinesh says “NONE” because in his book a person cannot drive his or her life forward looking in the rear view mirror.
“Every step that I have taken has been with conviction that it was the right step (at that time) and thus do not have any regrets. I have learned many a lesson, and look back on many instances in life with a smile,” he said.

Looking at Sri Lanka and aspiring designers Dinesh says his advice to them would be firstly for them to be themselves instead of aspiring to be someone else.

“Like the saying goes “be yourself as everyone else is taken”… Truly identify who you are, what your passions are, and what makes you “tick”… take this all into account and amplify your strengths, and grow as a designer. If you love a certain genre, a certain area of design, have the conviction to commit to it, and see it through… that I think is the recipe for success,” he said.

These days Dinesh is working with French couturier Georges Hobeika. He started working with Georges Hobeika in 2009 and handled his brand Asian debut in 2010. He has also been a guest lecturer to some amazingly talented students at the Raffles Design Institute (Pvt.) Ltd. in Sri Lanka, and seen some of the best rising stars in the many areas of the creative industry, nurtured under the guidance of Julie Ross the stellar Academic Director.

He also works with a company based in Kuwait, on a high-end ready to wear line that is showcased in Europe, and as their principle designer, has been overseeing the process from the very start. The brand’s new collection will be launched during the London fashion week in February 2013.

Dinesh has also been a creative advisor to many organizations in Sri Lanka, including Event Concept (Wizcraft) which is the premier event organizer in Sri Lanka.

“I also design under my own label, and have my private design clients, mainly in the EU, but a growing number in Asia as well,” he added.

As a person Dinesh says he is absolutely content, living in gratitude for all the amazing gifts that have been bestowed upon him, deeply spiritual, a realist, a pragmatist, always prioritizing his family, deeply moved by fine arts, a museum buff, jogging enthusiast, positive thinker, non-judgmental and blessed with wit and humor.

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL PAGE

CLICK HERE FOR COVER PAGE 

By Sherwani Synon

The name ‘Anup Vega’ has made its rounds in the art scene in and around Colombo for over a decade. His work has gained local and international recognition and has progressed and matured from his first art exhibition of a random collection of drawings at the Hermitage Gallery in 1997.

His name is familiar to those who appreciate art in all its forms and his work is identified instantly by those who move closely with the art circle. We have come to know him as a bearded, eccentric looking artist who is able to create exquisite pieces of art. But is he as eccentric as most of us perceive him to be? Where does he find the inspiration to create and continue creating different types of art over the years? And most of all what motivated a son of a photographer and a school teacher, to be Anup Vega, the artist and the being, we have come to know of.

The answers to these exact questions led us to Pannala, which borders the Kurunegala district and falls within the coconut triangle in Sri Lanka. As we neared the final leg of the journey we encountered a smiling Anup in his hardy Volkswagen van ready to guide us to his abode.

Born into an artistic background on the outskirts of Kurunegala, Vega, (the name given to him by his father) is the youngest boy of five. He was introduced to art as a child as his older brother dabbled in painting, and therefore giving Anup the opportunity of playing around with colours to his heart’s content.

Speaking to Anup about his childhood, he said that he was unhappy during most of his school years.

He explained saying, “I did not want to go to school but since my mother was a school teacher, I did not have an option. I attended a village school close to my house but I was very unhappy with the whole set up and the way schools functioned. I psychologically survived my schooling years by escaping to Waduragala which was located nearby. There, I would spend time with nature which later on became one of the biggest inspirations for my art.”

Although Anup did not agree with the ways of organized education, his mother thought otherwise and sent him off to a popular Christian school in Kurunegala and thereafter to Isipathana College in Colombo, hoping she could encourage her son to take education seriously.

Her attempts had very little effect on him and by then he had already made up his mind and his thoughts had developed to an extent which most human beings only achieve during the latter stages of their lives; that too if they are lucky.

“From a very young age I understood that there is more to life than the one we live on a daily basis. There are only two purposes in life – one is celebration of life and the other is learning. I follow both and this leads to self-realization and until you get to that point you relive the cycle of life,” he explained.

When questioned about how he balances his day to day activities as a husband and father of two and his outlook on life, he said that his attitude towards it is different and he witnesses the activities as a function and not a responsibility. He went on to say that we live in a system and we need to function collectively in this system and that he understands the importance of these things but tries not to let it interfere with his freedom and outlook on life.

Two of his main inspirations in life and his paintings are the divine and human beings. When asked whether he was religious, he flatly said that God has no religion but has a master plan in which we participate as beings.

“In the category of beings, humans are the most interesting as they are the most intelligent. I consider to be born as a human a blessing; we have been bestowed with a powerful gift, the gift of mental capacity. Humans are not just physical bodies, each is made out of four different bodies – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, and all of these create the character in a human. We are all the same as we are all made out of these bodies but the individual growth in these bodies make you function differently and that’s what separates people from one another,” Anup said explaining his fascination with the human race.

Continuing with stories from his early years, Anup explained that after completing school, he stayed at home for seven years trying his best to unlearn what he was taught in school and to be normal again. During this time, he came across Master Osho, a famous Indian mystic and spiritual teacher, who he considers one of his principle masters apart from his parents. With the knowledge of Osho’s teachings, Anup engaged in dynamic meditation techniques which helped him connect with his roots.

“For seven years I wondered about my destination and eventually I found grounding through the teachings of Master Osho and through meditation. That is when I realized that I wanted to engage in the aesthetic medium and get involved in art,” he said.

After this realization, Anup decided to leave home and go to Colombo to make a living as his parents had had enough with their confused son, who grew his hair and beard and weaved his own clothes and shoes. After arriving in Colombo, Anup was introduced to the hotel industry through a close friend and took up his first job as a food and beverage artist at a hotel.

“My job required me to work on sculptures and the presentation aspect of dishes. I worked at the hotel for around six years and then started getting offers from different hotels and then eventually I moved on to Ramada, which is now known as Cinnamon Lakeside. While working there, I was offered job opportunities in the Middle East. Unlike in Sri Lanka, the job was quite a challenge overseas as the ice blocks were massive and I had to be cautious when sculpting,” he said.

However, his stays at these stylish hotels were very brief as he would return to the island periodically. During one of his visits, he managed to purchase some art material as he was on the verge of seriously pursuing art.

“I had a lot of fun during my working years. I got the opportunity of meeting a lot of people but I also managed to preserve myself, which was very important to me. Finally when I got sick of Colombo and its ways I shifted to Nuwara Eliya and found work at the Grand Hotel. At that time I met Raaju and he recognized me for who I am,” he explained.

The two initially connected over their mutual admiration for Master Osho and remained friends. It is some time after the first meeting that Anup showed his work to Raaju, an established artist  who helped him to get into the art scene by introducing him to Ajitha De Costa, the owner of Hermitage Gallery. Soon after, Anup had his first art exhibition at this exact location.

“Art to me is a process of witnessing. We witness with our eyes and we build our thoughts and imaginations based on what we see. I witness the wheel of time in my paintings. As art is inside the person, and he or she sees his own version of it through the mind’s eye, I’m very careful in provoking thoughts through my work. My work is an echo of my own thoughts so I am cautious in what I stir in the minds of others. I want to be able to heal, help and ground people through my art pieces,” he stated.

Anup dabbles in a variety of mediums and does not stick to one. His art varies from realistic environments such as the borders of the Pidurutalagala Mountain, to abstract paintings.

“I paint for my pleasure,” he said while sifting through numerous drawings and paintings stored in his studio.

Anup has no specific time to paint, and when he is tired of working in his studio located at the back of his house; he starts up the old Volkswagen and drives away towards nature and inspiration. If the artist is not up for driving, he uses the age old method of travelling by heading towards his unknown destination by foot. During the war time, his journeys to the wild would constantly cross paths with angry villagers and suspicious policemen who questioned Anup’s whereabouts and intentions.

With Indian classical music playing in the background of his spacious studio, Anup wandered off to the subject of music, another of his main inspirations.

“Listening to rock music specifically Pink Floyd as a teen helped me get through those difficult years. Initially I didn’t understand a word he sang, but I loved the beat. Pink Floyd’s music and Master Oshos’s books motivated me to learn English and that’s the reason why I learnt the language,” he said smilingly.

Speaking further about his passion for music, Anup said that he played in a three piece rock band called ‘Tapas’ as a bass guitarist at one point. However, most of his peers in the art community feared that this new interest would divert his focus from art and discouraged him from pursuing it further. Nowadays, Anup jams with his son who has a keen interest in music, whenever they feel like it.

As the day came to an end, we managed to find answers to most of the questions we had but we also learned heaps more about the life and ways of Anup Vega, the artist and the human being. While we seek to know everything, we must keep in mind that the beauty of a soul is only preserved when its purity and secrets are hidden from the rest of the world.

• designer profile

By Easwaran Rutnam

She is living her dream and her talent and skills have helped her do that, but for clothes designer Upeksha Hager nothing can make her happier than bringing a smile on the face of her clients.

After moving to Sri Lanka from the United States five years ago Upeksha launched her own brand of clothes known as ‘U by Upeksha Hager’ which is now a sought after brand among her exclusive clients.

“I lived in the US for 20 years and moved to Sri Lanka 5 years ago. After moving to Sri Lanka out of a trunk full of fabrics I had selected I did a collection of clothes and sold them through a local boutique. Then in 2011 and 2012 my clothes were showcased at the Colombo Fashion week,” Upeksha recalled.

Living in a house with an artistic interior, Upeksha said that she never thought of being a fashion designer during her school days and what started as a hobby has now become part of her life.

She describes her clothes line as being sometimes classic, sometimes moody and capricious, sometimes whimsical and over the top.

“I like natural fabrics. I use cotton, linen and silk and don’t use synthetic materials,” she said.

Upeksha imports her fabrics and creates the designs based on the specific requirements of her customers.

Upeksha says she loves painting and sculpting and basically anything to do with visual art and her whole idea of fashion is that it is another form of art.
When designing clothes to meet the requirements of a customer there are times a customer may want some colors and a style which may not necessarily match them and Upeksha says at times like that she does advice her clients on what’s good and what’s bad.

“The dress basically reflects the person. I don’t want the dress to be the focus. I want the person to feel elevated as well. I usually have a chat with my clients and give them some choices before designing the dress. I want them to get involved. But if I feel that what they want does not look good on them then I propose some changes. But I want them to feel comfortable,” she said.

Her clothes line has drawn a positive response from her private clients who keep coming back to her for more and more.

Her entry in the Colombo Fashion Week came about after some of her clothes were spotted by Ajai Vir Singh, President of the Colombo Fashion Week.

“Ajai had seen my designs through some people I knew so when I made the call he already knew about me. It was a last minute thing and I had 20 days to create a collection. My first year was in 2011. In 2013, I was invited back and I’m happy to be a part of it because it’s a great exposure,” she said.

Upeksha says her designs are already being sold in Bangalore, India and she hopes to one day expand her business further.

As for the talent in Sri Lanka, Upeksha says there are so many good fashion designers out there and most of them have a good future ahead. So what plans does the future hold for Upeksha?  A mother of a 2 ½ year old boy, Upeksha says her focus these days is on her child and she takes each day as it comes.

Click Here For PDF version of the page….Weekend Leader Page 2

The Racecourse during World War II, One of the new shops at the Pavilion, Opening of the refurbished Racecourse

During World War II, after the fall of Singapore, the British Royal Navy’s East Indies Station was moved to Colombo.
Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon with Air Vice Marshal John D’Albiac as air officer commanding, No. 222 Group RAF which was based in Ceylon.
The order was given to construct an airfield at the Colombo Racecourse. D. S.Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture and Lands (later the 1st Prime Minister of Ceylon) was given the task of constructing the airstrip. Consisting only of a single runway, station headquarters and the officers’ mess, the mini airbase was set up at the bungalows in Cinnamon Gardens and was serviced by a newly established military hospital in the premises of Royal College Colombo. Two squadrons of the Royal Air Force were based at the racecourse. They were No. 258 Squadron RAF with Hawker Hurricanes and No. 11 Squadron RAF with Bristol Blenheims.
When the ‘Easter Sunday Raid’ took place, the Japanese bombed the RAF units at RAF Ratmalana, but passed over the Racecourse Airstrip without knowing it existed.
The Royal Navy also established a Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) at the racecourse during the war. After the war, the airfield was dismantled and horse racing resumed only to be permanently stopped when it was banned after Ceylon gained independence.
The 27-acre prime land at Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo had been abandoned for nearly half a century before the government decided to give it a facelift.
Under the Colombo modernization and beatification project, the renovation of the racecourse was taken up and the Urban Development Authority along with the Sri Lanka Army was entrusted with the work. The Army’s 6th Engineer Services Regiment and Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau completed the project while preserving the original architectural features.  The racecourse was renovated under phase five of the Independence Avenue Development Project at a cost of Rs. 125 million. The new refurbished racecourse mini stand comprises of a pavilion, restaurants, a stationary shop, dress boutiques, sports shops, and handicraft and gift shops. The race track has been converted into an international rugby ground and the grand stand has also been completed.

(er)

Jumper, The Galle fun ride, The Galle lighthouse, Azeez and his cafe
at the Galle Fort and Juliet Coombe

By Easwaran Rutnam
Pics by Juliet Coombe and
Chinthaka Thenuwara

Recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the Galle Fort is today busy with activity with shops, restaurants, mini hotels, places of worship, a courts complex, museum and many more, all operating within the old Fort walls.
Seen by many as a ‘city within a city’ the Fort has largely preserved its historic look, mostly as a result of the recognition and restoration efforts of UNESCO and the Archeological Department of Sri Lanka.
First built in 1588 by the Portuguese and then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century the Fort has seen a boom in both foreign and local visitors, especially after the opening of the Southern Expressway.
Australian born journalist and author Juliet Coombe is among the many foreigners who have made the Fort their second home.
Coombe was in Sri Lanka in 2004 to cover the devastating tsunami which killed thousands and damaged property including small sections of the Galle Fort.
Taking a love for the country, its people and the Fort, Coombe decided to marry and settle down in Sri Lanka and make it her home.
Her father visited the Fort in 2005 and met the locals and his visit inspired Coombe to write a book about the Fort, a book which is now seen as the most informative guide to the historic location.
Titled ‘Around the Fort in 80 Lives’ the book gives an insight into the lives of the people of the Galle Fort, its beginnings and what it has to offer today.
Passionate about safeguarding the history and culture of the Fort, Coombe says she is concerned that so many foreigners have made the Fort their home but yet have failed to adapt to the local culture.
“There are a lot of foreigners in the Fort for various reasons. Some for business or to retire. But if you don’t fit in you will end up leaving. My kids are going through the Sri Lankan system. My father learned Singhalese. People who come here must respect the traditions and not come in miniskirts and western styles,” she said.
She also raised concerns over some visitors who pollute the Galle Fort and its immediate surroundings by throwing garbage around and using the rampart at night to consume liquor.
“The day we have a nightclub in the Fort is the day the Fort will collapse,” Coombe warned.
A majority of those living in the Galle Fort are Muslims and almost all are hospitable and welcome their neighbors and visitors with open arms. Among the most sought after attractions in the Galle Fort are the restaurants, art galleries and vintage shops. The jumpers, a group of young men who jump into the sea from the Fort walls despite the risk of hitting the rocks below, are also a popular attraction.
A ‘jumper’ would charge around Rs. 1,000 or more from a spectator to make the death defying jump and Coombe says they, like any other person in the Galle Fort, just want to earn a living.
The Pedlar’s Inn Café along Pedlar Street is a very popular restaurant and coffee shop in the Galle Fort.
Owned and managed by Abdul Azeez, the café has sofas made out of old beds, an old bathroom converted into a mini lounge and a jewellery store. Azeez says his first job was at Mc Donald’s but he eventually left the job and opened a coffee shop in a small area in what was his dad’s house in the Fort making it the first coffee shop in the Fort.
Step by step he personally designed the entire interior of the café and expended the operations by making it into a fully fledged restaurant. “I never dreamed that the café will be so popular. At the end of the day I want to keep the customer satisfied. A customer who comes to the café should go out feeling happy. That is my goal,” Azeez said.
The café is most popular for its home made brownies, milk shakes,
Italian spaghettis and the special sandwich bread. Azeez and a partner are also operating a Gallery opposite the café and Azeez says in December he hopes to introduce Italian Gelato. Another sought after café in the Galle Fort is the Serendipity Arts Café where the customer can have a coffee while reading a book available on the shelf. Juliet Coombe, who manages the café and her chef also give cooking lessons and Coombe says the guests are treated like family.
The Galle Fort was also recently the site of a children’s festival including a fun cycle ride for children and adults. The children rode their cycles around the Fort while the adult cycle race kicked off from inside the Fort and went around the Galle city.  Both Azeez and Coombe feel the best way to see the entire Fort is either by foot or cycling and they hope that one day motor vehicles will not be allowed inside so that the environment within the Fort can be further protected.

The Kolonnawa garbage dump yard… Flies swamp everywhere inside the homes, while outside, the scavenging birds fly blissfully carrying food they pick from the garbage pile, Nona Immuldeen, the mother of three, and widowed, was the most affected. She had a double tragedy., Stagnating water from the drains have flooded the homes and Drain separating the garbage dump from the houses

By Chrishanthi  Christopher
Last Tuesday evening the residents of Pansalahena Road in Kolonnawa bordering the dump yard of the Colombo Municipal Council were in for a great shock as their houses began to crack and cave in without any warning.
The walls, floors and roofs of around 25 houses started cracking and giving in compelling many to flee their homes in panic.
“The immediate thought was that there was an earthquake,” said resident Jezima whose house had deep cracks on the floors of the hallway and the kitchen.
“The cracks appeared from nowhere,” she said.
But Jezima soon realized that she was the lucky one when she went out to see the damage caused to her neighbours.
Other residents had more tales of woe. Their homes were completely destroyed. The roofs had caved in, the walls had deep cracks and pillars had fallen completely destroying their homes.
There was rubble all over. Added to the misery, the homes were all flooded rendering it impossible for the residents to continue living in their homes. Nona, a mother of three children, was the most affected. She had had a double tragedy.
Only the previous day she had received a message that her husband who was working in the Middle East had passed away. While she was awaiting the arrival of the body of her husband, her entire home had collapsed.
The houses are in a low-lying area. The pile of garbage, when viewed from the homes, runs up several feet almost to a height of 30 feet. The area the houses were damaged seemingly looks as if built in a valley.
The residents claim that the dumping of the garbage had created this difference in height.
“Earlier it was not like this, the area was flat. Our houses were at the same level as the dumping grounds,” said Rina, a resident.  These houses are located immediately behind the dump yard. A three feet drain runs through separating the homes from the dump yard.  The pile of garbage behind these houses looked formidable – as if reaching to the skies.
Flies swamp everywhere inside the homes, while outside, the scavenging birds fly blissfully carrying food they pick from the garbage pile.
There are numerous theories originating as the reason for the sudden outburst by mother earth. Some say that the continuous use of the backhoes, tractors and numerous tippers that come in to empty the garbage is causing the cracks.  While others believe that it is the methane gas formed under the piles that are being released. “They are always digging the garbage with the backhoe to create a pathway for the tippers to come in and empty the garbage.  This is also causing the vibrations” says another resident, Noor Nazeema. The six acres of land used as the garbage dump by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and the Kolonnawa Municipal Council (KMC) belongs to the CMC and is being maintained by the CMC.
There is a CMC officer who is in charge of the grounds together with the policing of the Environmental Authority.
The CMC officer says that around 800 tons of garbage are dumped by the CMC daily and in addition the KMC dumps around 40 tons a day.  “We flatten the garbage and cover the area with soil to stop the stench emanating to the residents of the area.  But we are unable to flatten the garbage on the sides while it keeps piling” he said.
In order to separate the houses from the piling garbage a five feet drain is being dug.  It is constantly being dug and cleaned to prevent it from being blocked by falling debris from the mounting piles.
Once the canal gets blocked the drains clog and the houses are in danger of being flooded.

‘We Will Provide Accommodation’
The CMC Commissioner, Ms Badrani Jayawardena said: “That there was an urgent meeting called by the CMC on Thursday and we along with the Kolonnawa Urban Council, the Disaster Management Team, The Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Police and the army have decided to compensate the people with temporary homes.
There are many theories to explain the incident but the cause is being investigated.
There are about ten houses that are completely destroyed and we hope to resettle them in UDA land in temporary shelters.
The people have evacuated their homes and are living in community centres and their relatives’ homes. Those with lesser damages to their houses will be helped to rebuild their homes.
We hope to build these temporary shelters within six months and move them out.
The cost of building these houses will be borne completely by the CMC.”

By Pavithra Johan De Mello
Tara Teng, Miss Canada for Miss World, is currently in Sri Lank with World Vision looking to promote Human Rights. A human rights activist herself, Teng has used her title of Ms. Canada to fight against human trafficking and child exploitation. On a three-day tour of Sri Lanka, Tara airs her views to The Sunday Leader on her mission on Human Rights.

Q: Tell us something about yourself.
A:    My name is Tara Teng, I’m 24 years old and I’m  trying to raise awareness about human trafficking, violence against women and child exploitation and I use my title of Miss World Canada to partner with different organizations that do the same things globally and to try and raise more awareness.

Q:    What is your main goal for this visit in Sri Lanka?
A:    I’m here on the ‘Show Your Love’ tour with World Vision Canada, and Canada has been supporting different communities in sri lanka for the past 35 years. I’ve been working with them as an ambassador for just over a year now. I spend so much time hearing the stories of what’s going on here, being able to help raise awareness on issues like health, sanitation, education, etc. And now I’m really excited to be able to go into the communities to meet the people and play with the children and just to really see if we can raise more support and awareness so that children don’t have to worry about these issues and they can really be children and be able to fulfill their dreams.

Q:    How do you feel about your role being a human rights activist?
A:    Being Miss World Canada you are put in a position of influence and responsibility and one unique position I have is the ability to share the stories to raise more awareness and not just within Canada but on a global scale. I want people to know that I’m friends with Sri Lanka and the people of Sri Lanka have already stolen my heart, They’ve been so warm and receptive and I can’t wait to get to know them more so that I can share the stories of these beautiful people, the triumphs as well as the struggles, and be able to share that so that more friends from Canada can come down and we can all support one another.

Q:    What is the other work that you do as both a human rights activist and through world vision?
A:    I travel and I speak about different issues globally, really the value of peoples lives and we can partner together and be even more effective. No country is perfect. Canada has its own human rights issues just like every other community on the planet and really it’s not so much focusing on the negative but seeing more opportunities that we have to turn these problems into solutions and to see how we can work together to find out what is working and how we can make it more effective.

Q:    What do you think the governments of the world can do to promote human rights?
A:    I think the best thing they can do is see the person, see the value, see the individual. I’m always very impressed when I see governments taking the time to be involved in communities, to get to know what’s going on, what their triumphs are, what their struggles are, what they have to offer as well. They need to take time to get in there and get to know their communities and take the time to know how to do things better and to see if something going wrong how it can be improved.

Q:    Having come from Canada, a country with a strong democratic process, what made you take up the human rights cause?
A:    To be honest my family is originally from south east Asia, my father was born and raised in Singapore and my grandfather was from china and so human rights was always very important to me as I heard about the different struggles they had. My family has struggled with poverty and with gender inequality and they moved to Canada hoping that they could live a better life. I was born and raised in Canada. I’m an educated woman and I’ve really been able to reap the benefits of what Canada has to offer but I have never forgotten my roots. And I really believe we are who we are for a reason.
A:    My grandmother was never able to complete education, she was pulled from school because of poverty, because she had to come and take care of her other 12 siblings, because she was the oldest female. And I know that a lot of countries struggle with poverty. They struggle with that because the children aren’t able to complete their school because they have to come home and take care of their other siblings or help on the family farm. And I want to make sure that the children have the opportunity to realize their dreams and to be all that they want to be and see that nothing stands in their way. My grandma didn’t have that opportunity but I have and I want other children to be able to have that opportunity, and that’s why human rights and working with an organization like World Vision means so much to me.

Q:    As an individual what more do you feel you could be doing in this field?
A:    There is always more that we can be doing, and I think that at the end of this trip my life would be changed again and there will be even more that I would want to do, and even more that I will see that is possible to do, and I can’t wait to learn from the sri Lankans and see what they can teach me and I’ll be able to answer that better in about a week from now after I spend more time in your community because I really feel like they are going to show me a whole lot more that I can do.

Q:    How long will you be in Sri Lanka?
A:    In Sri Lanka we’ll be there for three days, and then we’ll be going to Philippines, where we are working again with World Vision Canada. I wish I had more time in Sri Lanka and I’m hoping to experience all I can in these three days as much as possible.

Q:    Is your future in human rights?
A:    I think that there is an element in human rights that will always be there in my future, as it is the most important thing to my heart. Its valuing people, that is the most. important thing to my heart. My Chinese name is  ‘Oi Kwan’,  which means ‘Loves groups of people,’ and that’s who I am. So no matter what I do in the future, that will be in the very center of my heart and everything that I will do, whether its business or politics or entertainment or whatever it is, even if it’s being a mom and raising a family, that will still be in the very centre of my heart.

Q: Is there a specific personal experience in your life that made you choose this field?
A:    Yes there was, about six years ago, when I moved into a new community just outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. And as I moved in , I found out that my neighbor’s daughter, a 14-year-old had become a victim of human trafficking in my own community in Canada. People don’t think that you ever have such human rights violations in Canada, but we have our own struggles, which is why I say no country is right. I’m not here to figure any one country’s problem and rather let’s see whether we can find a solution to all of them. So if it happens in a country like Canada, it really can and does happen anywhere else in the world.

Q:  Do you think you, working with an organization such as World Vision would make a difference?
A:    Absolutely, I woudnt be here if I didn’t think it would make a difference.

Poet Vivimarie Vanderpoorten
Photograph by Gerald Pereira

Poetry happened to me like my career, something totally unplanned, unwished for, unprepared for. I cannot say with any degree of truth, that ‘I always wanted to be a writer/poet/whatever’ though I did start writing when I was very young. My first ‘poem’ was something about the moon being “yellow/and a heavenly fellow” when I was five. At sixteen, I wrote a poem about a child who died when a parcel bomb intended for his father exploded in his hands. I just used this medium to express myself at first and then later after studying literature for my BA, realized that it takes an awful lot of talent to be a poet, and ‘just wanting to express myself’ was not enough. I stopped writing. It was years later that I started showing it to a few close friends, then a professor I was working for as a research assistant. Everyone said they liked what I said and how. I sent a poem to the Sunday Times’ ’100 words’ column, after my father’s death and posted one on British Council’s writeclique.com days after the tsunami. That was the beginning of me believing that my poetry could be shared. Publishing my book is the fourth bravest thing I have done. It means you have to not only believe in yourself and your voice but it also means accepting criticism and acknowledging the shortcomings of your art and the fact that you will constantly need to work at improving it.

-
Model and journalist, Roel Raymond
Photograph by Aamina Nizar

A deeply impressionable child, I had wanted to be many things once I grew up. An Olympic athlete, a crane operator, a soldier, and – in a final desperate bid to hold a gun – a security guard. At 27, finally grown up, I am a mother, a model, a student, a writer and a journalist. A hopeless romantic, I also had a new ‘crush’ every day – from real, live boys to fictional characters in books; the most memorable and obvious one being Rhett Butler from Gone With The Wind. Today I am in the process of divorcing my husband of five years and raising my superstar son on my own. Does life pan out exactly the way you want it? Sometimes not. But you learn the most valuable lessons when you are lost. I learned that no matter where I looked, the answer always lay within. I learned that sustainable happiness can be found – if you refuse to dwell on the past, refuse to fret about the future and live only in the moment – in the ‘right now’. I learned it is possible to have faith without the external trappings of religion and that love without object encompasses all. However with time I learned that I could create my own reality; that I could write, direct and produce my life story, just the way I wanted it. You can too.

–

Tv producer Sharmini Boyle
Photograph by Aamina Nizar
I started off wanting to be a documentary maker but over time have ended up being more broadly involved in the TV industry in Sri Lanka.
I feel lucky to have been able to follow the professional career I have, which is primarily as a TV producer because it has taken me to the most unexpected places and given me the chance to get involved with so many interesting initiatives. I feel a good sense of job satisfaction in general.
However, the media is ever changing, not because of new technology alone, or that it is such a market driven industry, but also because it is so closely linked to other developments in society and politics.
So there are always challenges to face in trying to stay in there and be effective and viable – which takes hard work too.
Sri Lanka is yet to fully exploit the potential of its media industry but this has begun to happen and together with the impact of global media developments, unpredictable and exciting changes will take place in the future.

-
Philanthropist and counsellor from Akurana, Kandy Ghaneema Thaha
Photograph by Shifani Reffai
Born into the family of a village headman I have always been concerned with the problems of the people. In a village everyone knows everyone, but does not know the problems of everyone. Only those who are willing to listen to the problems come to realise how difficult it is to live without a bread winner for the family. Today, with the rising cost of living, disappearance of extended family system and lack of empowerment of women, if and when the husband dies, divorces or leaves the wife – usually burdened with the children too – she finds it almost impossible to survive. The need for empowerment in order to survive is essential but not done by any governmental departments. Therefore giving them financial assistance, for the minimum needs to be fulfilled, is essential. I have been involved in finding help for these single women – either from my own money or from kind donors. Helping them to get food and clothes, housing, wells on one hand and on the other hand listening to their problems and advising them how to get about life are two important aspects they need. Also whenever there are common problems in the village the woman’s voice is heard much better if only we take the trouble to get involved. I feel there is so much a village woman can do for the society if only we take the initiative to care enough about people.