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Remembering our angel on her three-month death anniversary

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I am glad that I received the opportunity to write a few words about our late sister, Naomi Angela de Silva Wijeyeratne. Our late sister Naomi was born on January 4, 1964. Unlike the others in our family, her christening was getting delayed as our Mum was quick to realize that this little girl was different compared to the others. So both our Mum and Dad were very keen to find out what was wrong with this child, the 11th in our family. After many check-ups and consultations with doctors, they were made to understand that she was “differently-abled”.

I am certain that our Mum’s and Dad’s dreams for her future may have been shattered as they realized the implications of her condition. But they had the courage to come to terms with the effect that their limitations and special needs had on them and the rest of the family. So they developed appropriate attitudes and skills as her carers.

With all this happening at home, time had passed by without the knowledge of our parents. After a year or two, they realized that this little girl had not been christened yet. Our Dad was very famous for giving great names for his children and everyone was kept guessing as to what he will name this special child. We have heard many stories from his younger days when our Dad’s Love or his Sweetheart had always been our Mum, Zoe Linnette Naomi.

So he borrowed the name “Naomi” from his sweetheart to show that this child is sweet. One name had already been picked and he was sure that’s going to be her first name. From the day our parents got to know that this sweet little girl was a differently abled child, our Dad always said that she is the Angel of the family and is a blessing to the family to have her with us. I will be talking about the blessing later, but with this in his mind, he chose the name Angela and finally decided that her name would be “Naomi Angela” and for him, she was always his “Sweet Angel”.

 She was never given the opportunity that is the right of every human being, to lead a fulfilling and independent life. She always lived completely dependent on the mercy of those around her. A person devoid of ego, whose very existence begged the question not who am I and what can I do, but rather, what kind of people are you and what are you prepared to do for me.

 She badly felt the loss of our Dad when he passed away in 1987, her favourite during the early part of her life, but settled down quite well with Mum being by her side. But when our Mum passed away in 2019 she was incapable of coming to terms with it. She knew that her Depi Akka was behind her, supported by sister Vinodini, and the entire family will be backing her, but the loss of both parents was certainly unbearable for her. After Mum had passed away at a farewell to one of her teachers, the teacher had asked all the children to laugh but our Naoma girl was to herself. Then the teacher asked her why Naomi you also laugh but her reply was heart breaking. Let me put it with her own words, as she said “No, I have no Thaththa, I have no Amma and my sister is my Pana”. (Life)

Our Mum and Dad set an example for us and I can vouch for it by saying that our sister Depika took the lead and all my brothers and sisters followed what was taught to us by letting her know that “if you cannot talk. We will be your voice, if you cannot stand, we will support you. If you cannot walk, we will carry you. We are here for you and we will stay with you through it all.” This was just what each and every member of our family did for her and it was really a blessing for all of us to walk with her through her life and to make sure that she enjoyed and lived well right until the very end.

Wherever she went she was able to win the hearts of the people. She was full of humour and laughter. She loved going for parties beautifully dressed, and she was able to match her accessories to match the dress. When someone comments on her dress she was always on top of the world. She kept strong family bonds. She was innocent and the most lovable in the family. She gave us the gift of unconditional love. Unconditional love is loving even when it hurts, even when it’s not easy.

It’s loving because you simply can’t help but love. And the greatest triumph of any life. To love and to be loved. Our Sweet Angel taught us how to love without words, without limits, without reason. She taught us about kindness and patience, because it takes a lot of love, patience and dedication to care for her needs day after day. It is truly loving without condition, and it is perhaps the most beautiful and purest form of love that exists. She made that kind of love exist. She made it possible.

And finally, Naoma girl gave us the gift of beauty. Her life wasn’t easy or glamorous. There were many hard times, for her and for the whole family. But she taught us how to look past the difficulties and find beauty in life, for there is always beauty; she made our lives beautiful. We are glad that we had her in our family and how true our Dad was, when 59 years ago he said our Sweet Angel was truly a blessing for our family!

She enjoyed her life and she entertained us as much as we entertained her. She loved music and dancing and there was no Christmas without her taking to the dance floor. I would be proved wrong if I don’t say that all in the family including her nephews and nieces who have joined her on the dance floor. It was her love for carols that resulted in our Mum organizing carol sessions during the Christmas season, which continues to this day and even during the Covid period.

Our “Sweet Angel” received her call from Jesus on July 6, 2023. She lived a long and peaceful life of 59 years, six months and two days. She never caused harm to anyone, never committed any sin and she was completely righteous and a perfect Angel in our family.

“Now sleep my little Darling Angel, and rest your eyes”. Although we cry and stand grief-stricken, we promise not to forget the loving memories you gave – but we still miss you and we once again long to hear your caring words. We will make sure that you will be remembered in all our get-togethers in time to come. We are certain that the Pearly Gates would have been wide open to receive you and St. Peter would have specially invited Dad and Mum together with our sisters Anne and Ramani to be at the gates to welcome you with open arms. So enjoy their company once again until “we shall meet on that beautiful shore”.

Eternal rest grant unto her O’Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace, Amen.

VPdeSW



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Opinion

LG polls, what a waste of money!

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If the people of this country were asked whether they want elections to the local government, majority of them would say no! How many years have elapsed since the local councils became defunct? And did not the country function without these councils that were labelled as ‘white elephants’?

If the present government’s wish is to do the will of the people, they should reconsider having local government elections. This way the government will not only save a considerable amount of money on holding elections, but also save even a greater amount by not having to maintain these local councils, which have become a bane on the country’s economy.

One would hope that the country will be able to get rid of these local councils and revert back to the days of having competent Government Agents and a team of dedicated government officials been tasked with the responsibility of attending to the needs of the people in those areas.

M. Joseph A. Nihal Perera

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Opinion

What not to do

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Trump and Zelensky arguing in the White House

By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

It is immaterial whether you like him or not but one thing is crystal clear; Donald Trump has shown, very clearly, who is the boss. Surely, presidents of two countries are equal; perhaps, that is the impression Volodymyr Zelensky had when he went to the White House to meet Trump but the hard reality, otherwise, would have dawned on him with his inglorious exit! True, the behaviour of President Trump and VP Vance were hardly praiseworthy but Zelensky did what exactly he should not do. Afterall, he was on a begging mission and beggars cannot be choosers! He behaved like professional beggars in Colombo who throw money back when you give a small amount!!

Despite the risk of belonging to the minority, perhaps of non-Americans, I must say that I quite like Trump and admire him as a straight-talking politician. He keeps to his words; however atrocious they sound! Unfortunately, most critics overlook the fact that what Trump is doing is exactly what he pledged during his election campaign and that the American voters elected him decisively. When he lost to Biden, all political commentators wrote him off, more so because of his refusal to admit defeat and non-condemnation of his supporters who rioted. When he announced his intention to contest, it only evoked pundits’ laughter as they concluded that the Republican Party would never nominate him. Undaunted, Trump got the party to rally round him and won a non-consecutive second term; a feat achieved only once before, by Grover Cleveland around the end of the nineteenth century. His victory, against all predictions, was more decisive as he got more collegiate votes and, even though it does not matter, won the popular vote too which he did not get when he got elected the first term. Even his bitterest critics should accept this fact.

Zelensky was elected the president of Ukraine after the elected pro-Soviet president was deposed by a ‘peoples revolution’ engineered by the EU with the support of USA. After this, the EU attempted to bring Ukraine to NATO, disregarding the Munich agreement which precipitated the Russian invasion. He should have realised that, if not for the air-defence system which Trump authorised for Ukraine during his first term, Russian invasion would have been complete. It may well be that he was not aware as when this happened Zelensky may still have been the comedian acting the part of the president! Very likely, Trump was referring to this when he accused Zelensky of being ungrateful.

Zelensky also should have remembered that he disregarded requests from Trump, after his defeat by Biden, to implicate Biden’s son in some shady deals in Ukraine and that one of the last acts of Biden was to pardon his son and grant immunity to cover the alleged period. Perhaps, actions of the European leaders who embrace him every time they see him, as a long-lost brother, and invitations to address their parliaments has induced an element of the superiority complex in Zelensky that he behaved so combative.

Trump wanted to be the mediator to stop the war and spoke to Putin first. Instead of waiting for Trump to speak to him, egged on by EU leaders Zelensky started criticising Trump for not involving him in the talks. His remark “He should be on our side” demonstrated clearly that Zelensky had not understood the role of a mediator. His lack of political experience was the major reason for the fiasco in the White House and the subsequent actions of Trump clearly showed Zelensky where he stands! PM Starmer and President Macron seem to have given some sensible advice and he seems to be eating humble pie. In the process Trump has ensured that the European nations pay for their defence than piggy-backing on the US, which I am sure would please the American voter. By the way, though Macron talks big about defence France spends less than 2% of GDP. Trump seems vindicated. Of course, Trump could be blamed for being undiplomatic but he can afford to be as he has the upper hand!

Ranil on Al Jazeera

Zelensky has shown what not to do: instead of being diplomatic being aggressive when you need favours! Meanwhile, Ranil has shown what not to do when it comes to TV interviews. God only knows who advised him, and why, for him to go ‘Head to Head’ with Mehdi Hasan on Al-Jazeera. Perhaps, he wanted to broadcast to the world that he was the saviour of Sri Lanka! The experienced politician he is, one would have expected Ranil to realise that he would be questioned about his role in making Sri Lanka bankrupt as well, in addition to raising other issues.

The interview itself was far from head to head; more likely heads to head! It turned out to be an inquisition by Tiger supporters and the only person who spoke sense being Niraj Deva, who demonstrated his maturity by being involved in British and EU politics. The worst was the compere who seems keen to listen his own voice, reminding me of a Sinhala interviewer on a YouTube channel whose interviews I have stopped watching!

Ranil claims, after the interview was broadcast, that it had been heavily edited reduced from a two-hour recording. Surely, despite whatever reason he agreed to, he should have laid ground rules. He could have insisted on unedited broadcast or his approval before broadcast, if it was edited. It was very naïve of Ranil to have walked in to a trap for no gain. Though his performance was not as bad as widely reported, he should have been more composed at the beginning as he turned out to be later. Overall, he gave another opportunity for the Tiger rump and its supporters to bash Sri Lanka, unfortunately.

Medhi Hasan should watch some of David Frost interviews, especially the one with Richard Nixon, and learn how to elicit crucial information in a gentle exploratory manner than shouting with repeated interruptions. He does not seem to think it is necessary to give time for the interviewee to respond to his questions. I will never watch Al-Jazeera’s “Head to Head” again!

Ranil’s best was his parting shot; when asked by Hasan whether he would contest the next presidential election, he said “No, I will retire and watch Al-Jazeera and hope to see you better mannered”!

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Opinion

Ajahn Brahm to visit SL in May 2025

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The Ajahn Brahm Society of Sri Lanka (ABSSL) is pleased to announce that Ajahn Brahm will be visiting Sri Lanka for a short stay in May this year. Many, both Buddhists and non-Buddhists, know him and have listened to his addresses made on earlier visits, including his 2023 public talk at the BMICH, which was attended by over 4,000 people.

Ajahn Brahmavamso, popularly known as Ajahn Brahm, is the Head Abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine, Perth. He was a pupil of the famous Thai forest monk Ajahn Chah, considered the best Theravada meditation teacher in the last century. By his own choice, Ajahn Brahmavamso shortened his name and was extra pleased that the initials represent the major religions of the world. He is renowned world-wide as an outstanding meditation bhikkhu, teacher and instructor, guiding thousands of practitioners.

As in previous visits, Ajahn Brahm’s schedule will be packed with addresses, meetings with senior professionals, business leaders, and researchers. This year, a special session has been included for teenagers and young adults.

The agenda planned for him includes:

·

Public address at the BMICH to all irrespective of religion and age; then to a younger audience.

· Exclusive Leadership Forum for senior professionals and business leaders.

· Forum with academics engaged in research at the Centre for Meditation Research, University of Colombo.

· A week-long meditation retreat for the Ven Sangha and experienced lay meditators.

Public Addresses

The public addresses will be on Sunday, May 18, 2025, from 7:00 am to 11:00 am, at the BMICH Main Hall and Sirimavo Halls; Ajahn Brahm moving from one hall to another so the entire audience sees him. Each hall will be well equipped with audio and video presentation. The first address: The Art of Meaningful Living, is designed for all, age notwithstanding, offering wisdom and practical insights for a fulfilling life. The second: Coping with Life Transitions and Emotional Challenges, is a special session tailored for teens and young adults, addressing key challenges faced by them in today’s fast-paced, competitive world. Both talks will be in English, with concise translation to Sinhala by Ven Damita Thera.

Exclusive Forums

On Saturday, May 17, 2025, two exclusive forums will be held at the BMICH Committee Room, Jasmine Hall. The first such session will be with eighty invited Sri Lankan academics and scientists engaged in research on meditation at the Centre for Meditation Research of the University of Colombo. This will be followed in the evening by an interactive session for a hundred invited senior professionals and business leaders, featuring a talk on leadership followed by a Q&A session.

Meditation Retreat

The most significant item on Ajahn Brahm’s programme will be a week-long meditation retreat at the Barberyn Waves Ayurveda Resort in Weligama. Focus is intended to be on the fifty members of the Ven Sangha. A limited number of experienced lay meditators will also have the opportunity to participate.

Participation & Registration

Those interested in attending the public talks at the BMICH are kindly advised to register at to secure free passes. For further information, please contact the Ajahn Brahm Society of Sri Lanka at .

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