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Love, unadulterated: Some thoughts on Mother’s Day

Published

2 years ago

2024/05/12

by Krishantha Prasad Cooray

There is no day in the calendar that can be called ‘Mother’s Day,’ not as far as mothers themselves are concerned. They don’t cease to be mothers on days that are not called ‘Mother’s Day.’ And yet, May 12 or rather the second Sunday in the month of May, as originally designated by Woodrow Wilson, then US President, is important, not so much for mothers as it is for their children. Children, who soak in the love and affection and are protected from anxiety and harm day in and day out, are reminded of all that when Mother’s Day comes around.

All of us have seen mothers. We have seen the mothers of our parents and the mothers of our own children. We have known the mothers of our friends and the mothers of their children. It occurred to me, however, that today, as mothers the worldover are celebrated, it is not a collective or the idea of ‘motherhood’ that is important. We remember our own mothers. I remember mine, my Amma.

Mothers make enormous sacrifices for their families. So did mine, Christobel Cooray, and indeed so she does to this day. She taught her three sons many things, but most importantly the non-negotiable characteristics of friendship and loyalty. We were taught from a very young age to stand by our friends through thick and thin. What I remember most, however, is her insistence that we look out for the weakest and poorest among us.

She was the kind of mother whose affection was not limited to her children. She was a mother to all our friends as well. Since we lived close to my school, St Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, we would bring our friends home almost everyday. She delighted in having them around and cooking for them. She has been a mother to all of them, literally hundreds in fact.

They remember her well. Some of them made it a point to buy her some gift from the very first salary they received. Even today, decades after our school days were done, whenever I run into old friends or talk to them over the phone, there are many times when my mother would come up in the conversation. They would inquire after her and tell me how special and kind she was.

It doesn’t end. Today I see her shower her grandchildren with love and it’s no different from what I remember of my childhood. Amma would sacrifice anything for her children and today she would do anything for her grandchildren.

Her concern was not limited to her children, grandchildren, close relatives and their friends. She is in fact the most generous person I know. There are countless times when she would be distraught over the plight of some helpless person. If she read about it or saw it in news telecasts she would call me and ask me whether I knew and what I was going to do about it. She never failed to follow up if I said I would try to help. She believed in doing the right thing. If it was about entertaining people or helping someone in trouble, she would put aside all notions of thrift. Yes, she went overboard at times, but this is because she always wanted to do things with class.

Her empathy, kindness and generosity does not imply that she is some kind of benign saint. She is tough and could lose her cool on occasion, but she quickly recovered her composure. She would argue with her siblings, for instance, but they all know that her love and loyalty are absolute, even though her bad temper made her loathe to ever admit a mistake.

Amma has a strong personality. Recently our family doc spoke to me after visiting Amma at home and then reported to me thus: ‘you know Krishantha your mother is a very resilient lady; she is a tough character, and she has a remarkable ability to face things bravely’.

She never tolerated any nonsense and encouraged us to follow suit. So we learned from a very young age that we should not back off from a fight. More importantly, she insisted that we should never initiate a fight. We have by and large tried to affirm these principles and I am convinced that if we are good citizens, we owe much of that decency to her. We are what our parents made us to be and the way we react to any issue largely depends on how they faced similar situations. I don’t tell myself ‘this is how Amma went about it,’ but I know that if I put my mind to it, I would have to conclude, ‘these are things she etched on my mind and that’s why I responded in this particular way.’

She knows I love her and that I appreciate all that she’s done for me, but Amma would probably tell me, ‘that’s how all mothers are,’ and she would be right.

It doesn’t sound right to talk of debts owed when it comes to children and parents. All I know is that we can never compensate for the love and affection our mothers have given us. We can and should never shy away from being there for them, especially as they grow older and infirm. This is why I feel that there can be no bigger crime than creating a rift between a mother and child for this is a bond that is so unique and made purely of love. And this is why, I feel, if a person is unkind to his or her mother then you can never expect any kindness from that person for anything or anyone. I believe if you don’t know how to treat your mother then you can never be a person who will treat anyone well. Basically, you can judge a friend by the way he or she treats his or her mother.

Our mother’s play the most crucial role in shaping our characteristics. Our mother and father are our gods who we are fortunate to touch and feel. They are the only people on this earth who love you more than they love themselves. Whether you are happy, sad, disturbed or facing a crisis it’s your mother who will know or feel first. That is something you cannot logically explain. Whoever you are, whether you are an unbelievably successful person or an absolute failure, your mother is the one who will stand by you even if the entire world is against you. Amma stood by me. She stands by me. It’s love, unadulterated.

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New prison regulations for monks serving jail terms soon: President’s Office

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/12

Thilina Walpola

President

The Presidential Secretariat (PS) yesterday said that prison regulations concerning Buddhist monks serving prison sentences were expected to be adopted within the next two weeks.

The PS said: “Once they come into effect, arrangements will be made for Buddhist monks to be taken outside prison in their robes, based on the recommendation of the relevant Nikaya or chapter.”

The process to amend prison regulations was initiated on 08 October following discussions between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Maha Sangha. The President called the meeting amidst controversy over producing General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara in civilian attire in court.

A special five-member Committee was in the process of studying the current regulations and standing orders under the Prisons Ordinance, the PS said.

The Committee is chaired by Prince Senadheera, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. Its other members are Piyumanthi Peiris, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Wasantha Ariyaratne, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, R. M. G. Senaratne, Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs, and A.C. Gajanayake, Commissioner-General of Prisons.

The first meeting of the special Committee was held at the Presidential Secretariat on the 9th, chaired by Prince Senadheera. Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Justice and National Integration, provided the necessary policy guidance for the Committee’s work.

The proposals concerning Buddhist monks would be presented to the Maha Sangha by the middle of next week to obtain their views and recommendations before their implementation, PS stated.

News

CP alleges NPP has taken the blame for illegal US sanctions on Iranian vessels

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/12

Thilina Walpola

Dr. G. Weerasinghe

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) has alleged that the ruling UNP, in a ridiculous bid to whitewash illegal US sanctions on Iranian oil carriers stranded off Sri Lanka, has taken on itself the blame for refusing to supply humanitarian aid to the trapped crews of the oil tankers.

The text of the statement issued by Dr. G. Weerasinghe,

General Secretary, CPSL: “The Communist Party of Sri Lanka condemns the attempts by the USA to prevent essential supplies of food and water to the 19-20 Iranian oil tankers stranded off the coast, which are running short of food, fuel, and fresh water. It urges the Government of Sri Lanka to face up to the criminal actions of the US Government and do its duty under international humanitarian law.

On 30 September 2026, the Wall Street Journal reported that US officials had threatened Sri Lanka with sanctions if it continued supplying the tankers. These tankers (stranded about 24 km off Sri Lanka, within the Exclusive Economic Zone) which already discharged their cargoes, are empty and unable to return to Iran owing to the illegal war being waged against that country by the USA and Israel.

In response to this report, on 4 October, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath denied that Washington put pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka which, he claimed, always abides by international maritime law. However, he clarified that the Government would enforce US sanctions.

A US Embassy spokesman had earlier stated that Washington is working with allies to cut off “illicit Iranian revenue,” warning that supplying fuel, food, or provisions to sanctioned vessels could expose companies and individuals to US sanctions, including civil or criminal penalties.

Furthermore, from 9-11 September, the US Embassy in Colombo carried out a three-day maritime sanctions compliance workshop. Officers of the Sri Lanka Navy and Coastguard, as well as officials of the Ministry of Defence, Central Bank, Ports Authority and Merchant Shipping Secretariat, participated in this workshop. The officials were warned that any services (including fuel, food, or water) rendered to US-sanctioned vessels, such as the Iranian-linked tankers stranded off Sri Lanka’s coast, could expose companies and individuals to secondary sanctions, civil penalties, or criminal liability.

In fact, it is actions of the USA which are illicit. The US-imposed unilateral and secondary sanctions violate international law, sovereign equality, and the principle of non-intervention. Furthermore, the unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran itself, which had shown no belligerent intent, is illegal in international law. Participation of government officers in the workshop itself is controversial.

According to unofficial reports, Sri Lanka’s national security establishment objected to the demands made by US officials and urged the government to lodge a protest with Washington, pointing out that under UNCLOS Article 98, SOLAS 1974, and the SAR Convention 1979, Sri Lanka is obligated to assist the crews.

However, the response of the National People’s Power (NPP) regime has been to attempt to whitewash the illegal actions of the USA and to take on itself the blame for refusing to supply humanitarian aid to the trapped crews of the oil tankers.

The pusillanimous behaviour of the NPP regime rips aside any pretence that it is in any way progressive or patriotic. Together with its major constituent, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), it stands exposed as the handmaiden of US President Donald Trump’s reckless, warlike and imperialist foreign policy establishment. It begs the question whether the Government has signed secret war-related deals with the USA and thereby ditched Sri Lanka’s 70-year history of non-alignment.

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka, therefore, condemns these illegal attempts by the USA to prevent Sri Lanka from carrying out its humanitarian duty. It calls upon the Government of Sri Lanka to abide by international humanitarian law, work-out suitable strategies and to supply the stranded crews with essential supplies, including food and water. It also calls upon the Government to reveal any secret deals it has entered with the USA.”

News

Ex-Tiger witness claims Ekneligoda proposed to fire missile at MR’s plane

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/12

Thilina Walpola

An ex-LTTE cadre Sumathipala Suresh Kumar, alias Thavendran ‘Murali’, has told a three-member bench of the Colombo High Court, hearing the disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda, that during the war they discussed plans to assassinate President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a group of government people. The alleged meeting took place in Habarana.

The bench consisted of A.G.U.S. N. K. Seneviratne (Chairperson), Dr. Nalin Hewawasam and Lakmali Hewawasam.Kumar said so giving evidence as the fourth witness on behalf of first, second and sixth accused in this case.

Ekneligoda disappeared on the eve of 2010 January 26 presidential election.

Kumar told court that Ekneligoda proposed to fire a missile at an aircraft carrying President Rajapaksa and other top people. There had been another person, identified as Nadan, there.

Asked by the prosecution whether he served as a leader of LTTE intelligence at the time he met Ekneligoda, Kumar said that he was a prisoner at that time. The witness claimed that he had gone with the Army and it was his first visit to that place where the meeting took place.

When the prosecution proposed that what he said was not true, Kumar denied that.

The nine accused are Army officers and men, including Lieutenant Colonel Shammi Arjun Kumararatne. The others are R.M.P.K. Rajapaksa alias Nathan, W.V. Priyantha Dilanjan Upasena alias Suresh, Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Ravindra Rupasena alias Ranji, Yapa Mudiyanselage Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne, Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Kanishka Gunaratne, Aiyasami Balasubramaniyam, Dangaha Gamaralage Tharanga Prasad Gamage and T.E.R. Peiris.

The fourth witness surrendered to the Army in May 2009 and during investigations it transpired that he was used by Military Intelligence to contact Ekneligoda in a bid to ascertain his intention during the presidential polls campaign.