Celine Samaranayake
A pillar of strength
It has been three months since our beloved ammi left us. No words, no tears, could ever express how much we miss her. She spread her wings and took malli and me under them, guiding us, protecting us—nurturing and comforting us all the time.
Her children meant the world to her and she had a huge heart which she poured out to all around her. Ammi was the best mother a child could ask for; we were so lucky to be the children of such a kindhearted woman.
My mother never raised her voice at us. Malli and I were mischievous as children, but ammi never scolded or hit us. When we became impossible to tolerate, she would cry—something which happened on more than one occasion. Thinking back on those times makes me ache for the pain we caused her.
I feel so lost, now that she is no more. I am a chatterbox whom she enjoyed listening to. She was always there for me, telling me not to fear anything and to be strong in whatever problems I faced in life. Ammi was my pillar of strength; she encouraged me to follow my passions and always taught me to have faith in whatever I did. I am who I am today because of her.
I miss the sound of her sweet voice; she could sing beautifully, especially church hymns. My mother was such a sweet lady. However, bad things happen to good people; she fell ill in December following a brief illness and left us on February 7.
Time is yet to heal the wounds in our hearts. No more crying and mourning can bring her back, but she will always linger in our hearts as our treasured memories of her will never fade away.
Dr. Sharmila Samaranayake
****
Remembering Lt. Com.
Sugath Nadeeshan Silva
Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne Chief of Defence Staff
It was Easter Sunday. SLCG Suraksha, a 100-metre-long offshore patrol vessel (OPV) was getting ready for a 14-day patrol.
Her fuel tanks were topped up and all victuals (required for 10 officers and 100 crew members for 14 days) loaded. Both cold and cool rooms were full with fresh fish, meat and vegetables. The ship was ready to sail at noon on April 21. The Logistic Officer onboard has a lot of planning and work prior to a long patrol or voyage.
He thought of one thing, “I am going to miss Easter Sunday Mass!”
He got an idea, quickly went up to the Commanding Officer’s (CO) cabin and tapped on the door gently. “Yes,” the Commanding Officer replied. “The door is open.”
His Commanding Officer was a decorated former Naval Special Forces Captain. He is with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on a two-year tenure as OPV Commanding Officer.
The young Lieutenant requested the Commanding Officer’s permission to go to church. Even though the Commanding Officer was a decorated Naval Officer with a career of bravery and valour, he was a kindhearted man. After all his young subordinate was requesting to go to church on Easter Sunday. He knew his junior was a Catholic.
He gave permission and also said a few words he regrets today. “Sugath, the closest church to us is St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade. It’s customary from time immemorial, for Naval officers whether they are Catholic or not, to light a candle in this church when they get their new appointment at sea, for, as you are well aware, St Anthony is the saint who looks after seafarers like us. So, please go, Son. Take the ship’s vehicle. Come back by 11.00 am. We are sailing at noon.”
The Lieutenant quickly changed into his best civilian clothes and went to church. He was thinking of lighting a candle, praying and returning to the ship by same vehicle. The time was 8.30 am. He heard the announcement that the Tamil Mass would start at 8.40 am.
The church was filled with devotees. Families with their children dressed in their Sunday best. Happy and chatting, greeting each other. Our young Lieutenant can understand and speaks Tamil very well. So he changed his mind. His CO had asked to be back by 11.00 am. There was enough time to attend the Tamil Mass and return to his ship. He told the Navy driver to go back. He told the young driver, “I will attend the Mass and come back to the ship. I can get a three-wheeler. It’s not that far from here to Naval Base.”
The Tamil Mass started exactly at 8.40 am. The suicide bomber walked into the church at 8.45 am and detonated the bomb.
With the deafening sound, the Naval Base was activated. News starts coming in, ‘Blast at St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade’. SLCG Suraksha’s CO knew his subordinate was in the church. He rang his mobile while rushing to the scene. The mobile was ringing, but there was no answer. The ship’s crew looked for their officer whilst transferring casualties.
The CO rang the mobile of his subordinate officer again. This time someone answered! A female voice! She introduced herself as a nurse in the Accident Ward of the General Hospital, Colombo. She said faintly, “Sir, he is dead.”
The CO sat on the roadside with tears in his eyes. He was a battle-hardened Naval Special Forces man. He has seen enough deaths and destruction in his life, but this loss hit him hard. He said, “My son! Why did I allow him to go to church?”
The young Lieutenant was the only military officer who died in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.
This is a true story.
Lieutenant (S) Sugath Nadeeshan Silva was born in Kochchikade, Negombo on November 23, 1991, as the second son of the family.
He had one elder and one younger brother. He had his early education at Thoppuwa St Philip Neris’ Sinhala Mixed School, Kochchikade, and Maris Stella College, Negombo and proved to have been a brilliant student who excelled in his studies.
He joined the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) as an Officer Cadet on September 17, 2012.
Sugath excelled in cricket. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Logistics Management in 2016 from KDU and successfully completed the Sub Lieutenant Logistics course at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee and joined SLCG Suraksha as his first sea appointment when this untimely demise occurred in a terrorist attack.
He was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant Commander and buried with full military honours. May he Rest In Peace.
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