How student "Mithuro" from Kollupitiya met their counterpart "Mithirar" in Kalmunai
by Capt. Elmo Jayawardena
There are three huge hundred year old ancient nuga trees growing in a sandy patch by the Wesley School in Kalmunai. The space is seraphic and is shaded by the giant tree trio standing like sentinels. It is a kind of "all purpose" ground where children gather to play. The nuga custodians symbolises a very important lesson to all of us. One has a palm tree shooting up to the clear blue sky right from its belly, maybe some bird dropped a seed and the palm grew without an objection for intruding.
The other has a well spread tamarind tree entwined branch to branch with the old Nuga companion, sharing the same space and shading the same good earth.
The third has all kinds of small and big stumps and stalks sprouting from all over, ferns and vines, strangers as they grow in complete harmony on the Nuga foster parent.
It is only us, the so called "very intelligent human beings" who flew to the moon, transplanted human hearts and strut in Saville Row civilization who find it difficult to appreciate the simplicity of congruence.
CandleAid started the project; ‘Uniting Children" under the adage "Peace begins with me" by opening 28 libraries from Jaffna to Kalmunai via Trincomalee.
The soul of the effort being to link children in peace, and Methodist College, Colombo, was invited to carry the first olive branch and dove their way to Kalmunai to meet their counterparts.
On a clear February morning they drove from Colombo to the east, the "Metho Mithuro" looking for their "Wesley School Koottalikal". The Colombo girls in jade green ties were led by Nishika, an "A" level student and were accompanied by two teachers. They had two girls who spoke Tamil, great way to start friendships.
The entire project from its infancy was totally supported by the sterling leadership of the Methodist College Principal who believed in positive possibilities and worked with CandleAid people. She and her teachers and students gifted a sincere meaning to the belief "Peace begins with me."
On the eastern side, Wesley School from Kalmunai came to play host to the friends from Colombo. Here again it was the Head of the school and the staff who committed themselves wholeheartedly to set the tone for the links of friendship to begin.
That’s the platform, now let me tell you the story
At a time when politics take center stage with promises galore on initiating progress and everyone cashing on the war victory, we should also ask the question. When the battle dust settles, is it peace?
Do we have equality?
Are we really two people, the ones that love the country and the ones that don’t?
The answer is not simple.
Too many bullets have been fired and too many graves have been filled by the young and the innocent. The battle scars have created gigantic gashes amongst the races that will take decades to heal. Circumstantial hatreds do not evaporate easily, unless we as individuals stand up and say "Peace begins with me."
Real peace is not ushered by the end of a battle. We all need to do intensive soul searching and come up with answers that would pave the way for reconciliation. If and when Wijayanayaka gets back to his friendship with Somasundaram and visits Velvettiturai, like old times and loafs around in his friend’s old Austin Cambridge that would be peace. Or a Balendran flies Mig jets for the Air Force and Gunendran is an officer cadet in the army that would be peace; as long as both Balendran and Gunendran do not come from Royal College but from Jaffna Central. Maybe a Kalamathy from Thalaimannar arrives in Colombo to study medicine sans a shred of fear; that would be a better definition of peace, the sincerely sought and the lasting kind.
The battles were fought to end a thirty year old conflict that had almost burnt this beautiful country and divided its people. The war is over, that we all know. Yes, we hope for peace, pray for peace and seek peace, but the main question is; are we doing enough to find more meaningful and lasting ways to co-exist?
It is the interaction that we lack now. The fundamental need among all Sri Lankans from all races is to strip ourselves of the fragments of disunity and pick up the pieces for real peace. And that can mainly be done by the people and not by "powers that be" policy which at a grassroots level does become at most times irrelevant and meaningless.
We hate some people because we do not know them, and we will not know them, because we hate them; this applies fair and square to both parties.
They met in the school premises, Mithuro from Methodist College and the Koottalikal from Wesley High School. The conversation was sprinkled with Akka, Malli, Nangi and Thangachchi. The smiles came easy and winsome and reached eyes that sparkled in friendship. The teachers were there too, along with the team from CandleAid, all joining in a new found soft and gentle step for peace sans the pomp and the pageantry. A day’s program had been laid and it was totally geared to cement the friendships of the students of these two schools.
A fresh beginning, a new page and a new and simple concept to tell the rest of the country that it is possible to say "Peace begins with me."
The girls from Colombo brought books to supplement the CandleAid Library that was opened at Wesley School. The two teams worked together and made paper flowers and arranged them in two pots, one to be kept in Kollupitiya and the other in Kalmunai.
This was primarily to signify the memory of a journey by children across three decades of terror and turmoil. They dug the ground together and planted four mango trees, or "trees of peace" they called it. One day the mangoes will come, fruits of labour and someone might remember the friends who came from Colombo to clasp fingers and talk peace.
The students drew pictures together, depicting a theme of unity and pinned badges on each other which had a dove with an olive branch and the message in clear letters which said "Peace Begins with me." The teachers were absolutely wonderful, filling the blanks and adding words of encouragement.
There are no words to quantify such beauty among people. There can only be hope that others will follow. Thirty envelopes were given to the Kalmunai School, each carrying a name and an address of a Metho student that a Wesley girl will write to and become friends with. They then will visit Colombo in April, to take part in an art exhibition and will meet their new found friends. More events will follow, linking the students of these two schools, paving the way for uniting them as children of a land that needs the future to be blessed with harmony.
Maybe the three ancient Nuga trees watched the children in friendly chatter, wearing badges that said "peace begins with me." They would have seen the laughter and the camaraderie and the once separated strangers of different races coming together in their little attempt to change the sad and sardonic ethnic equation.
Maybe they heard too the girls when they said in their youthful clear voices "we took a small step towards a giant leap which we hope others will follow"
Many little people in many little places do many little things that can change the world. I am sure the ancient nuga trees would have been thrilled that this happened in their shadow.
Kalmunai was one library, four more were opened in the next two days, Natpittymunai, Mylampaveli, Mich Nagar and Morokoddanchenai. So much more could be done, so much more will be done. It is all a matter of believing "Peace begins with me."
7 Comments
Those days in kindergarten we sang the song 'Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make a mighty Ocean and a Beauteous Land'. I think the efforts of these little children will bear fruit and are an example for our adults to follow.
Capt. Elmo Jayawardena
Do we have equality? No Definitely not other wise Srilaka would have been a very rich and thriving country.
Will we have equality? unlikely the way thigs are going now.
Are we really two people, the ones that love the country and the ones that don’t? Yes One who enjoys power and soveriegnity and protection and other who have no power,protection or say in governing the country. It has nothing to do with love.
A moving account of how the actions of individuals can make a difference and help bring a lasting peace in our beautiful country.
I hope that this is a story that is picked up by all Sri Lankan news media, Sinhala, Tamil and English, so that more people can learn about this effort and join in it to make it even more successful.
Thank you Lord my eyes are blessed to see a positive article. Its time to get over the bitterness give the young a chance to live 3 decades of war & violence had destroyed youth & childhood.
Dear pandaravanian, unless you over come your bitterness and hate you will not see justice . I hope a Martin Luther king will be born in SL.
An blog of immense optimism, narrated with heartfelt poignancy and allegorical reference to Nuga trees to encapsulate the strength in diversity of Sri Lanka. Captain Elmo Jayawardena has expressed in his inimitable style, what lies within the beating heart of all Sri Lankans who wish to witness the flowering of this resplendent isle for the glory of all the people who inhabit this island paradise.
The people of Sri Lanka are very special. They are a people who display a great generosity of spirit. Many visitors to this serendipitous island remark on the nature, gentleness, friendliness, generosity and overall optimism of the Sri Lankans, despite the hardship that they have suffered during the last thirty years of misfortune that befell them. With such qualities, the altruism of ‘Candleaid’ to unlock the potential for harmony and understanding between Sri Lankans of all races and creeds will be worthwhile, commendable and extremely rewarding.
Unfortunately we will have detractors of the ilk of Mr. Pandaravanian. The bitterness is all too apparent. Captain Elmo Jayawardena, please do continue with the good work. Judging by the comments here the positives overwhelm the negatives. For me the ‘glass is half full’ unlike Mr. Pandaravian whose ‘glass is half empty’ and will continue to be so for the detriment of those who think similarly.
My heartfelt best wishes for the success of the ‘Candleaid’ project.
Merlin Van Tweest, TRN,
This captin should have known how many Tamils and Muslims have been in the armed forces. If other communities were considered as equals why the difference? You all Sinhala have to say this now as a token to fool the IC community so that your begging bowel can be re filled again and again.over 60 years of experience have taught us. Even after the demise of LTTE there is no evidence yet in the Sinhala power houses that Tamils are going to be treated as humane beings let alone equals.
The story anout the Candleaid project is an attempt to break out of the cycle of misunderstanding, mistrust and prejudice that has held our country back for so many years. As Sri Lankan's we have a choice:
(a) we could continue to perpertuate past prejudices by teaching our children about the injustices of the past, how these were all perpetrated by 'the other side' and that there is no hope for change.
(b) learn the lessons of our past mistakes that lead to the misunderstandings and prejudice, teach our children the importance of tolerance and understanding other people's points of view AND (most importantly) give them plenty of opportunities to interact with people from different communities and gain a first hand knowledge of those points of view.
Pandaravanian seems to be saying that option (a) is the only one we have. However, I hope the majority will agree with me that the affirmation that "Peace begins with me", and the community links being fostered by projects like that described by Capt. Jayawardena, are a recognition that option (b) is the one that will give our country a peaceful future. If people all across the country are encouraged to reach out and make these links, we can break the cycle of mistrust, misunderstanding and prejudice to ensure a brighter future for all of our children.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "we must become the change we wish to see in the world" - and the resolution that "Peace begins with me" is an essential starting point for the change we wish to see in Sri Lanka.