The annual General Meeting of the Society for the Upliftment of Conservation of Cultural, Economic and Social Standards (SUCCESS) was held at the International Buddhist Centre, Wellawatte, on April 5, 2021. The highlight of the event was the person selected to grace the occasion as Chief Guest: Navy Commando Chathura Gamage.

Immense help given

SUCCESS was inaugurated by Prof M B Ariyapala and others in 1995 and has continued doing much to promote the aim and vision of the organization. They work mostly in hamlets marked as threatened villagers during the civil war and these lie principally in Vavuniya, Ampara, Trincomalee and Welioya. The temples in the area are the centres for SUCCESS activities and thus, the villagers being too disadvantaged to do much for the temples, the Organization has helped greatly in reconstruction, expansion and installation of facilities. The village people are helped with frequent medical clinics, which Dr Anula Wijesundere, President of SUCCESS for 22 of its 27-year existence, leads. We know full well how selflessly and diligently she conducted health clinics in the poorest of poor villages, doubly suffering due to proximity to LTTE held areas; with like-minded medical and nursing volunteers.

Additionally, the supply of clean water for drinking and water for households and cultivated fields is a special concern of SUCCESS. Water pumps, containers, pipes and taps are supplied; also tube wells sunk. Children are supplied with school necessities and bicycles so they can attend school notwithstanding very poor bus services in most areas.

Choice of Chief Guest of 2021 AGM

Anula spoke on her choice of invitee to be chief guest which was unanimously approved by the Committee. “l first came to know of Chathura’s bravery when I read an article by Admiral Ravindran Wijegunaratne in the Sunday Island of May 26, 2020.” We all agree he is undoubtedly an admirable man, intrepid and loyal to this fellow sailors, and the country.

Just as Dr Wijesundere is well known due to her social service, her commitment to the country and support given to the armed forces, and being an excellent specialist physician; so also well known is Navy Hero Chathura Gamage.

On joining the Navy when the civil war was raging, he was selected with a few others for special training to man small boats that were seen to be more capable than larger vessels of hitting enemy craft the LTTE had successfully built. The trainees were selected for their stature, demonstrated fearlessness and determination. Thus the trained Commandos of the Special Boat Squadron did deadly damage to the LTTE at sea, moving silently into enemy territory at night. Excellent night vision was a requirement. They dealt severe blows to LTTE ships, particularly those smuggling in arms and ammunition. To cap it all, they were almost invisible and escaped detection, capture or being blown up at sea. Victories were many – in the Jaffna Lagoon, Pooneryn and Karainagar.

Unfortunately during a battle between Tamil Tiger ships and the Special Boat Squadron, , Chathura was injured and his boat began drifting to enemy territory. Some of his mates escaped and swam to safety; a few died; and Chathura decided to escape capture by risking his life attempting to swim with a grievous injury. He had been shot in the abdomen. Holding his protruding intestines, he swam two and a half hours until picked-up by a government boat. He spent nine months in hospitals in Trincomalee, Colombo and the Army Hospital. He was first operated on by surgeon Dr Thavendran in Trincomalee. Thereafter he had to undergo several surgeries by Dr S S Jayaratne and Dr Indrani Amarasinghe who performed specialized bowel surgery so he could take solid food after five years of being solely on liquid nourishment. These two doctors were at the SUCCESS AGM.

Another even harder blow was losing his best friend, Sudesh  Dalugama, in a sea battle. This was one reason why, when only partly recovered, he returned to the North and the Navy and worked administratively and as advisor. In his address at the AGM he thanked the doctors who saved his life and got him back to near normalcy, especially the skilled surgeons, both Tamil and Sinhalese.

Chathura harboured this one ambition from a very tender age to join the Armed Forces. Even now, though retired and living in Ratnapura, he gives of his know-how and experience as a Motivator to the SL Navy

Dr Anula Wijesundere presented the year’s work done by SUCCESS followed by a video on the assistance given to the S L Army. She delivered a citation on the Chief Guest which visibly moved him to tears. He then addressed those present, often turning emotional. After tumultuous applause for Chathura, the Ranaviru song. ‘Muhuda de be Karana’ was sung by all present. Chathura was almost mobbed with everyone, young and old, wanting to speak with him. Anula says: “No other chief Guest at our AGMs for the past 27 years received such warmth, affection and adulation.”

N P Wanasundera