Opinion
“No Easy Day with AKJ”
Yet professionally rewarding and personally satisfying
(In tribute to the Late Major General Asoka K. Jayawardhana RWP RSP VSV USP)
These lines are penned in honour of the late Major General Asoka K. Jayawardhana who departed on December 17, 2023. AKJ, my Army Guru, imparted the ABCs and XYZs of professional soldiering during my time as a cadet under him at the Officer Cadet School, Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa, in 1971. Becoming an Officer Cadet under AKJ was a challenging journey, yet one that proved professionally rewarding and personally satisfying. Following an arduous 18 months of training, I graduated, receiving a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
In the early 1970s, we schoolboys in our late teens and early twenties, chose the noble profession of soldiering after completing our ‘A’ Levels. ‘Kalu Asoka,’ an adoring nickname for AKJ due to his dark complexion, a Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, trained Captain of the Ceylon Light Infantry, served as our Course Commander. My first encounter with him occurred on a chilly Monday morning in June 1971, at the Officer Cadet School auditorium, after a long, night journey from Colombo in army trucks.
We arrived in Diyatalawa and were taken ‘On the double’ to a WW2 barrack room in Elle Camp for breakfast. It was a disappointing near frozen meal of fish curry, dhal, pol sambol and bread. During the first weeks, grudgingly known as ‘Hell Weeks’, cadets are not allowed to walk, they only run. We ran in squad formation for every conceivable activity, including meals with plate and mug in hand.
After the disappointing breakfast, and allowed a few minutes for ablutions, we ended up in a cold auditorium. The gentle early morning wind blended with the fragrance of ubiquitous conifer and eucalyptus trees was comforting. As we anxiously waited, the eerie silence and the cool breeze put me to a fitful slumber. Suddenly there were loud voices and the sound of heavy army boots. The Wing Sergeant Major standing sentinel at the auditorium door yelled, ‘Cadets Steady, the Commandant’. We braced up with our chins held high.
Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Perera, a towering six – foot giant of a man walked through the aisles and stood behind the podium. His size and stature dwarfed the small wooden lectern in front of him. He opened up by saying Gentlemen, sit at ease and welcomed us to the Officer Cadet School. His tone and tenor was powerful and penetrating, yet motivating and comforting. After a brief talk, the Commandant walked away wishing us well. Simultaneously, in classic parade square style, there came another yelling, this time by the Course Sergeant, a senior CLI Non-Commissioned Officer. He thundered “Cadets Steady, Course Commander, Captain A.K. Jayawardhane”
A medium built tall dark man walked through the aisles and stood behind the lectern and scanned us. His looks were unsettling. After a brief self-introduction, he spoke about the Officer Cadet School and told what is expected of us. He concluded the talk with some chilling words; ‘In this institution we will first break you down and then remake you so that you will never ever breakdown in combat’.
Fast Forward to the early 1980s; During this time, I was a Major, and later a Lieutenant Colonel commanding soldiers fighting a brutal and bloody separatist insurgency. AKJ’s chilling yet prophetic words often came to mind during difficult moments that I faced in combat.
Course Commander AKJ remained inconspicuous during the first few weeks barring a few lectures he conducted. The wiry Physical Training Instructors, Drill, and Weapon Training Instructors and the Course Sergeant ran the show. The senior cadets who were in their final term of training took care of us – not in a caring manner though, but harshly and at times brutally. The word ‘Ragging’ is taboo in the army. Therefore, the practice is sugar coated with the term ‘Breaking Down’. Some cadets simply could not face the relentless pressure and wanted to resign but pulled – along because of the counseling and encouragement given by the mature and experienced Course Sergeant. One cadet could not take it and resigned. I was in the school cadet contingent for many years and was used to army bashing. The Cadet School, however, was different, and a hell on earth, during the first weeks. Once I told someone who knew AKJ quite well that I was a cadet under him. He asked me with a smile, ‘how did you survive’. I survived because I liked soldiering.
As I write these lines, 50 years later, the lyrics of the fascinating 1986 song “I am In the Army Now’ sung by the British Rock Band ‘Status Quo’ comes to mind.
At the end of fourth week of training cadets face the first test known as ‘Passing off the Square’. The Course Commander personally conducts the test and does a One – on – One closed – door interview later in the evening. I found AKJ more amenable during interviews. He highlighted my strong traits and cautioned me to guard against the negatives. A few weeks later, AKJ, unpredictable like the weather, punished me for dozing off during a classroom lecture. I had to run up to ‘The White Gate’ and come back to class. The dreaded White Gate is a small wooden wicket gate perched on top of a steep hill where cadets regularly run up and down carrying heavy wooden logs and mock artillery shells during endurance training and of course, for punishment.
The Quarterly Commandant’s Parade is a big event in the Army Training Centre where recruits in the Recruit Training Wing and the Cadets go on parade attired in their best. During one such parade Lt. Col. Denis Perera while reviewing the troops stopped right in front of me and adjusted my ‘Side Cap’. The headgear may have got displaced while performing drill movements. As the Commandant moved on, AKJ walking behind him ordered ‘Two Pack Drills’ for me. A harsh punishment!
Pack Drill is a midday highnoon punishment drill done in the parade square in full Battle Order wearing the steel helmet, military backpack weighing over 20 kg, full water bottle and personal weapon. During my cadet days we had the British made Self Loading Rifle – SLR which was introduced mid-way during our training. The weapon was designed and developed for the much stronger British soldier and weighed about 11 kg. With the bayonet fixed it was four and half feet long. The grueling punishment includes non-stop quick marching, running with the weapon raised high over the head and lasts 40 minutes each. I did the drills on two consecutive days. Fortunately, they were my first and last Pack Drills in the Cadet School.
Field exercises depict realistic war scenarios. During the Platoon in Defence exercise, we had to dig trenches, fight day/night mock battles, eat, live, and sleep in a trench for four days. One section of the trench known as the Shelter Trench should have strong overhead cover purportedly for protection against mortar and artillery fire. In principle, overhead protection must be reinforced with locally available tree trunks, a layer of boulders and earth. Trench digging and preparation is excruciatingly hard work and cadets often cheat by having flimsy overhead cover.
AKJ once came and checked our shelter trench and found we had cheated. He told two of us manning the trench to get under the shelter trench. Then he got on to the top and started jumping on the overhead cover making the timber, boulders, and earth fall on us. He shouted saying these are artillery and mortars falling on you. Steel helmets protected our heads, but we had a few bruises and scrapes. There was no easy day with AKJ!
During the tail end of training, cadets face a tough physical endurance test ‘The Mother of All Tests’. It is a 10-mile run ‘In Battle Order- wearing the steel helmet, combat backpack weighing nearly 25 kg, full water bottle (although water is there, you are not supposed to drink because the instructors would check the water bottle after the run), and the personal weapon with which a cadet has lived, slept, carried, and maintained, during training.
Our instructors often told us to treat the personal weapon like the way you would care for your spouse. Gospel truth! Its your weapon that would ultimately make you live or die in battle. Even in a game of chess the Queen protects the King. Our endurance run started at the Maha Thotilla Oya Bridge on the Welimada-Bandarawela road, then went through the Badarawela town to Diyatalawa. The run had to be completed within a specified time. After running ten miles, we reached the Army Polo Grounds hoping to drop on the grass and take a breather. The course Commander was there to push us further. He said one of the buddies was wounded and ordered each one of us to carry a course mate using the ‘Fireman’s Lift’ and run another hundred yards. There was no easy day with AKJ!
I could write more about Major General Asoka K. Jayawardhana until the ‘Cows come home’ as he would have said it, but I beg your forbearance. In my final Officer Cadet School Course Report, among other things, he described me as “Good Officer Material.” The tough, hard driving yet nobly generous Officer and Gentleman is no more, but his legacy remains indelible. Thank you, General!
Brig Sri Mudannayake (Rtd)
Only America could re-elect an extremist like Trump.
There are planned protests across the US today against President Donald Trump and his adviser billionaire Elon Musk.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations have been planned by more than 150 groups – including civil rights organisations, labour unions, veterans, fair-election activists and LGBT+ advocates.
This includes a planned protest at the National Mall in Washington as well as locations in all 50 states.
They are in opposition to Trump’s actions: slashing the federal government, his handling of the economy and other issues.
Musk has played a key role in Trump’s second administration, leading efforts to downsize the federal government as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
Organisers hope these demonstrations will be the largest since Trump came to office.
Speaking of Musk, let’s see how Trump’s second term has impacted America’s richest men …?
Countries across the globe are planning their response, or lack thereof, to Donald Trump’s tariffs.
China responded to Trump’s 34% tariff with its own levy of the same percentage on US imports.
According to state news agency Xinhua, China has accused the US of using tariffs “as a weapon” to suppress Beijing’s economy.
The country’s foreign ministry added that the US should “stop undermining the legitimate development rights of the Chinese people”.
It also warned there were no winners from and no way out for protectionism.
China also claimed that the US tariffs violated World Trade Organization rules – rules it itself has broken a number of times.
Professor Wang Wen, trade expert at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, spoke from Beijing to Kamali Melbourne. He outlined why he believed the tariffs would eventually benefit China, and why Beijing would “never yield” to the US president.
“The basic strategy of China’s tariff policy against Trump is to count on reciprocal rules and defend China’s national interest and dignity. China will never yield to Trump on the issue of tariff war,” he said.
However, Xi Jinping is no democratic leader either, given to expansionism by hook or crook.
China’s booming economy has opened up many opportunities to achieve its sinister objectives – massive investments which weaker economies fall into and become easy prey.
Sri Lanka is no exception. Caught in the middle are the smaller nations who are confused and worried how best to stay alive.
Sunil Dharmabandhu
Wales, UK
In the despicable absence of an urgent practical response on the part of the JVP-Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led NPP government to the devastating 28th March earthquake in Myanmar, ex-president Ranil Wickremesinghe has made a very timely and sensible proposal regarding how to assist our disaster stricken fellow humans in that country. ex-president Wickremesinghe! Thank you very much for saving, at least to some extent, Sri Lanka’s still unsullied reputation as a sovereign state populated by a most humane and hospitable people. You have again demonstrated your remarkable ability to emerge as an able state level troubleshooter at critical moments, this time though, just by being a mentor. It is a pity that you don’t think of adopting a more universally acceptable, less anglophile version of principled politics that will endear you to the general electorate and induce the true patriots of the country to elect you to the hot seat, where you will have the chance to show your true colours!
The ordinary people of Myanmar (formerly called Burma) are remarkably humble, polite and kind-hearted just like our fellow ordinary Sri Lankans. There’s a natural cultural affinity between us two peoples because we have been sharing the same Theravada Buddhist religious culture for many centuries, especially from the 4th century CE, when Buddhism started making gradual inroads into the Irrawaddy Valley through trade with India. Whereas Buddhism almost completely disappeared from India, it flourished in Sri Lanka and Burma. Nearly 88% of the 55 million present Myanmar population profess Buddhism, which compares to 72% of the 22 million population in Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe has been mindful enough to take a glance at the historicity of close Myanmar-Sri Lanka relations. And he didn’t mince his words while giving some details.
At the beginning of his statement in this connection (which I listened to in a video today, April 1, 2025), Ranil Wickremesinghe said that our government has expressed its sorrow (but little else, as could be understood in the context). Countries near and far from Myanmar including even partly affected Thailand, and India, China, and distant Australia have already provided emergency assistance. Referring to the special connection we have with Myanmar as a fellow Theravada Buddhist country, he said that both the Amarapura and Ramanna nikayas brought the vital higher ordination ritual from there. We must help Myanmar especially because of this historic relationship.
When an earthquake struck Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, in 2015, we sent an army team to assist. On that occasion, Sri Lanka was the second country to provide relief, India being the first, with China becoming the third country to come to Nepal’s help. Today, India, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Australia have dispatched aid by now. Last year Sri Lanka gave 1 million US Dollars for Gazan refugees. We need to take a (meaningful) step now.
Wickremesinghe proposed that the army medical corps be sent to Myanmar immediately to set up a temporary hospital there. The necessary drugs and other materials may be collected from Buddhist and non-Buddhist donors in Colombo and other areas.
Emphasising the ancient friendly relationship between Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Wickremesinghe mentioned that King Alaung Sithu I (of the Pagan Dynasty, 1090-1167 CE) sent help to (Prince Keerthi who later became) King Vijayabahu the Great (1055-1110 CE) to defeat and drive away from the island the occupying Cholas after a 17 year long military campaign. The grateful Lankan monarch Vijayabahu, during his reign, offered the Thihoshin Pagoda (name meaning ‘Lord of Lanka’ pagoda, according to Wikipedia) and a golden Buddha image to the Myanmar king. (This pagoda is situated in Pakokku in the Magway region, which is one of the six regions affected by the recent earthquake. I am unable to say whether it remains undamaged. Though the monument was initiated during Vijayabahu’s lifetime, the construction was completed during the reign of King Alaung Sithu I {Wikipedia}).
Wickremesinghe, in his statement, added that it was after this that a strong connection between Sri Lanka and Myanmar started. In some Buddhist temples in Myanmar there are paintings by ancient Lankan painters, illustrating Jataka stories (Stories relating to different births of Buddha). Among these, Wickremesinghe mentioned, there is a painting depicting the duel between (the occupying Chola king of Anuradhapura) Elara and (his young native challenger from Ruhuna prince) Dutugemunu. (Although Wickremesinghe did not talk about it, a fact well known is that there is a copy of our Mahavamsa in Myanmar. In reporting the ex-president’s speech, I have added my own information and information from other sources. I have put this within parentheses)
Let’s hope President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is wise enough to derive some benefit from his predecessor’s mentoring in the name of our beloved Motherland.
Rohana R. Wasala
Authors: Directors of Solar Village SDG CIC
www.solarvilllagesdg.org
I.M. Dharmadasa (Emeritus Professor), Nilmini Roelens (Solicitor) and Saroj Pathirana (Journalist)
The purpose of this article is to inform the Cabinet discussion on Solar Power proposed by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)
Net metering and the Prosumer
The CEB has put forward a motion to the Sri Lankan Cabinet which proposes to reduce the unit price payable under the various net metering schemes to the “prosumer” (the owner of a solar panel system).
A prosumer is a blend of producer and consumer, referring to individuals who both create and consume. This is based on the notion that most producers of electricity through self-owned solar panels generate more than double their own needs as consumers. It thus enables the prosumer to connect to the national grid and receive money on a pay back scheme from the CEB for the excess electricity they produce.
What is this debate about?
Currently there are four schemes.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka explains the various schemes involving roof -top solar solutions thus under a heading published in October 2023 – Rooftop Solar PV Connection Schemes. The two most noteworthy schemes are the Net plus and the Net plus plus schemes.
https://www.pucsl.gov.lk/rooftop-solar-pv-connection-schemes/
Through the NET Plus Plus Scheme CEB regards the prosumer as a mini power plant holder which maximises roof top generation well beyond the prosumer’s own needs making maximum use of extra roof space. This would work well for schools and companies with large buildings. CEB used to pay Rs. 37 per unit to the prosumer for up to 500kW. This unit price was available between 26 October 2022 to 1 July 2024. However, as of 1 July 2024 the unit price was reduced to Rs. 27.
We understand the new CEB proposal to the cabinet is to scrap this scheme altogether.
In relation to the Net Plus scheme which is the more accessible and popular scheme for ordinary householders the current CEB proposal is to reduce the unit price even further to Rs. 19 for solar power systems generating less than 20 kW, whilst for those generating between 20 – 100 kW the unit pay back will be Rs.17 and those generating between 100 – 500 kW will receive Rs.15 per unit.
The installation costs of a 5-kW solar panel is now around Rs 1.0 million. The cost of solar panels has in fact come down over the years and the units are recyclable. The lifespan of a solar unit is expected to be in the region of 22 to 25 years. There are now over 300 active solar companies in Sri Lanka. This is a rapidly growing sector with the prospect of generating employment for tens of thousands of young Sri Lankans for many years to come as technicians, administrators and entrepreneurs. The potential advantages for the economy are extensive Sri Lanka’s growth of the renewable energy sector using freely available sunshine available virtually all year-round given the geographical proximity to the equator
It is not just about reducing the electricity bills of the prosumer. This green energy solution would also mean we avoid the heavy annual cost of the import of fossil fuels into Sri Lanka which very seriously affects its balance of payments each year. The unwarranted need for environmentally damaging energy sources like coal, diesel and nuclear (with its inherent dangers and enormous costs), etc., will lead to a meaningless downward spiral of more debt, enhanced climate risk and pollution.
The intermittency argument
The argument of intermittency of renewables is a misguided premise. Some may argue that seasonal variations of renewables such as solar or hydro power may make them unreliable. This can very easily be remedied by investment in a smart grid. This can be done by upgrading the existing transformers and grid lines. A policy decision would be required at cabinet level to advise the CEB to reinvest any profits for this purpose.
Green Hydrogen is the future
Solar generated power can be harnessed to invest in Green Hydrogen solutions which could mean that rather being an importer of fossil fuels, that the rest of the world is turning away from, Sri Lanka becomes an exporter of green hydrogen to countries in the northern hemisphere where sunshine is scarcer.
Picture what it could do to the Sri Lankan economy if, rather than being dependent on imports of polluting and expensive fuel which can exacerbate the climate crisis, we transform our island into an eco-tourist paradise and become an exporter of clean green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen is created by splitting water molecules into its components of Hydrogen and Oxygen. The hydrogen gas can be compressed and stored for export. The minimum voltage required for splitting the water molecule is about 1.50 Volts DC and scaling up and commercialisation is happening throughout the world currently.
Rebranding Sri Lanka as a renewable energy island
To limit imports of fossil fuels for automobiles, a policy decision at governmental level could provide concessions for electric cars for solar roof owners and encourage the use of solar powered charging stations. The annual cost of imports of petrol and diesel would reduce overtime as Sri Lanka encourages clean and green electric cars.
Whilst the rest of the world is turning to renewable energy with alacrity, Sri Lanka ought not turn to fossil fuel imports in breach of its commitments to the international community.
In 2015 Sri Lanka signed up to the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Ahead of the Paris Summit Sri Lanka set out its climate action plan which the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) stated “Countries have agreed that there will be no back-tracking in these national climate plans, meaning that the level of ambition to reduce emissions will increase over time.”
(https://unfccc.int/news/sri-lanka-submits-its-climate-action-plan-ahead-of-2015-paris-agreement)
Sri Lanka has a real opportunity to rebrand itself as a renewable energy island. This means moving towards the commitments made at UNFCC – COP25, Sri Lanka Country Statement in Madrid in December 2019:
“Sri Lanka recognises the importance of the role of COP and highlights the need to take effective and definitive steps for finalising the follow up actions of the Paris Agreement.
The rise of the global mean temperature and the resulting changes have created adverse impacts on key sectors of Sri Lanka, such as agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, marine and fisheries, tourism and energy (hydro power) sectors, leading to disastrous effects on its people, ecosystems and economy. According to official statistics from 2008 to 2018, droughts, floods and landslides have affected over 15 million people, and losses and damages resulting from these calamities have been borne by Sri Lanka’s national budget… Sri Lanka is committed to inclusive and participatory climate actions to ensure that affirmative actions are taken to address the vulnerabilities of climate change.“https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/SRILANKA_cop25cmp15cma2_HLS_EN.pdf
Why is reduction of the unit price a very regressive, harmful measure?
The reduction will discourage the use of clean renewable energy in favour of higher imports and a move towards dangerous and expensive sources of energy.
The consequences of a reduction of unit price will thus be far reaching beyond the loss to the prosumer.
Lithium battery storage options mean that even when the sun stops shining at night or in the wet season the solar panel produced energy can continue to be used. It is very likely that current solar companies will need to diversify to survive and move towards lithium battery storage solutions and inverters so that year long, 24-hour access to energy is available without recourse to the national grid for their customers. As individuals and institutions go off grid CEB’s income will dwindle in the long run as the private sector takes over.
Recommendations to the cabinet
We make the following recommendations to the Government of Sri Lanka:
(i) At present we have a fragile grid, and the CEB should strenuously endeavour to minimise energy leakages and improve the grid by replacing weak transformers and grid lines. Such continuous improvements will enable us to move towards a “Smart Grid” enabling absorption of large amounts of intermittent renewable energies like wind and solar.
(ii) At present we have ~1500 MW of renewables installed, comparable to hydroelectricity. When solar power is plentiful during the daytime, hydro power can be reduced simply by controlling the water flow without any technical difficulties. This is one way of assuring energy storage while balancing the grid energy.
(iii) Another solution for this is pumped-water storage plants. It is important to follow through with such measures which have now been under discussion for some time.
(iv) The future energy carrier is green hydrogen (GH) produced by electrolysing water using both wind and solar. A global Green Hydrogen revolution is taking place, and GH can be used to run vehicles using fuel cell technology. Trains and buses are being run with GH technology in Europe. GH can also be converted into ammonia and methanol to produce fertilizer and be applied for other industrial uses. Sri Lanka must not be left behind.
(v) GH can be stored and burned whenever energy is needed, especially during nighttime. Only water vapour is produced during the burning of hydrogen without any air pollution. Sri Lanka already has the Sobhadanavi LNG plant which is almost ready to use. Since we must import LNG to run this power plant, we should be able to reduce the LNG import bill by half by mixing the natural gas (methane) with the locally produced GH. See here:
(vi) Local solar energy companies should install high quality solar energy systems and provide “after sale services” in accordance with their guarantees.
(vii) PV companies should also be encouraged to collaborate with local electronics departments to manufacture accessories like inverters and other components needed for these systems, creating new jobs, and reducing the total cost of the systems.
(viii) In addition to grid tied solar roofs, the PV companies should also market hot water systems and water pumping systems. As a country reliant mainly on agriculture, solar water pumping and drip irrigation systems, especially in the dry zone, provide a huge potential for increasing food production.
(ix) Battery capacities are improving, and costs are coming down. This can be encouraged pending replacing grid infrastructure.
(x) It is important to increase public awareness through government funded campaigns. The public should recognise the dangers of using imported and expensive fossil fuel and the importance of using renewables.
(xi) The public should also recognise the advantages of having a clean environment, health benefits and enhanced living conditions.
(xii) A community development project called “Solar Village” to empower needy communities, accelerate their sustainable development, reduce poverty and take climate action has been developed over the past two decades. Seven solar villages have been established and funding for three more solar villages have been obtained.
Solar Village SDG, a UK based community interest company has been established to encourage the use of renewables and to pilot programmes which will support sustainable development goals. This includes providing access to a quality education for all via smart rooms which will be set up alongside solar villages in rural schools. Such initiatives could be encouraged and supported.
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