Features

Soldiering on in the teeth of post-July, 1983 challenges

Published

2 years ago

2024/04/21

Thilina Walpola

Herbert addressing the gathering at a Tourism Road Show in Vienna, Austria

(Excerpted from The Jetwing Story and the life of Herbert Cooray
by Shiromal Cooray)

July 1983 saw the commencement of the darkest era in Sri Lanka’s modern history. Ethnic riots and the escalation of a hitherto low-intensity separatist insurgency caused widespread insecurity and instability, creating an atmosphere of anxiety and tension. The decade saw numerous attacks by the LTTE, the so-called ‘Tamil Tigers, on public landmarks and infrastructure, including the destruction of several aircraft belonging to the national airline, Air Lanka. Tourism all but collapsed. Sri Lanka’s magnificent east coast was rendered nearly inaccessible as Tigers and a short-lived Indian ‘peacekeeping force’ jockeyed for the upper hand.

As if this was not bad enough, in the late 80’s, the south of the country was soon terrorized by a second insurgency, mounted by a nationalist/communist group, the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna). There were more assassinations, reprisals, local, regional or even national lock-downs and forced closures of private businesses. Implacably opposed to all things foreign, the JVP militants visited hotels and demanded their closure, or simply robbed the management and guests of their money and belongings at gunpoint. Finally, the chairman of the Tourist Board took an unusual step and requested foreign tour operators to repatriate their clients from Sri Lanka, effectively bringing the industry to a standstill.

In the vacuum that followed this decision, the industry was forced into severe retrenchment. With almost no tourists arriving from overseas, the competition for a few wealthy local customers and resident expatriates became fierce. Revenues plummeted as hotels and travel agencies began undercutting one another. War stories in the international media and citizen travel advisories by European countries kept the tourists away- airlines and air charter operators pulled out of the country, while trained and experienced Sri Lankan hotel and travel professionals were snapped up by overseas employers. Replacing them was almost impossible: educated young people no longer saw any future in a career in the tourism sector.

By the mid- 1990s, however, a recovery seemed to be underway. The trickle of visitors was growing and investment in tourism began to pick up again. Hostilities continued in the north and east, but the rest of the country seemed to be safe for travelers. In 2002, the government and the Tigers negotiated a ceasefire and began negotiating terms of peace. To the tourism industry, this was a much needed present – hopes soared.

Herbert with Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar

They were only too soon dashed. First came 9/11, with its chilling effect on air travel and tourism worldwide. Then, at home, the peace negotiations ended in acrimony. Soon the country was back at war. The final blow came on 26 December 2004, when the Asian tsunami devastated almost the entire littoral of the island. It also all but killed the slowly reviving tourism industry. The country was in mourning and shock.

Jetwing was among the operators most severely affected by the Boxing Day tsunami; its south coast property, Yala Safari Beach Hotel, was utterly destroyed. Thirty-three people died, including the senior management of the hotel. Among the survivors were 40 other employees, who continued to be retained on the company payroll despite the total loss of their jobs, along with their workplace.

Herbert Cooray never let his people down. The families of those who perished were also taken care of, in spite of the severe financial loss to the company. It is not by accident that the senior managers of the hotel lingered to ensure the other colleagues and the clients were sent off, then costing them their lives, they lived the philosophy of customer care which is so sacred to Jetwing.

Through those dark difficult and challenging days, Herbert never lost his faith in Sri Lanka. His conviction that the country had the potential and resources to be a world-leading tourism destination never faltered. He had a strong belief that a leader will emerge one day to unite the country, and that we needed to be patient until then. His hand-picked team at Jetwing shared his belief. But to realize that potential, a new approach would be needed. It was time to take stock, consolidate resources, and plan for the future.

Keeping in mind Baron de Rothschild’s famous advice to investors, Herbert took the view that the best time to invest and expand was during a downturn. With tourism in a slump, land prices in scenic locations with tourist potential were relatively low, and there were numerous opportunities. Whenever one came his way, Herbert would snap it up. During this time, he also invested heavily in training the team, laying the foundations for an improved offering when tourism began to pick up again.

Herbert and Josephine with their parents

Little of this activity was justified by forecasts, feasibility studies and specialist advice; the years of insecurity had taught him that such prognostications mean very little. Ignoring the short-term pickings over which so many operators were squabbling, he set out to build the best travel and tourism product and team in Sri Lanka.

During this period, he drove himself hard, expending much time and physical energy as well as extending his financial resources to the limit -striking complicated deals, overflowing with creative ideas. Though profitable, the family owned company often paid no dividends, while Herbert himself received no salary. Profits, instead, were ploughed back into the business.

His sharp mind and the reputation he had earned for himself – as well as that he had built for Jetwing – continued to stand him in good stead with business associates and lenders. It was a point of honour with him that all financial commitments should be discharged on time, whether it was to a bank, an associate or a supplier.

An important element in the growth of Jetwing during those years was Herbert Cooray’s friendship with the doyen of Sri Lankan architects, Geoffrey Bawa. In the genius of Bawa, Herbert saw one of the unique differences that would set Jetwing Hotels apart from other Sri Lankan competitors. Though the architect had built hotels for others, and would do so in the future, Herbert saw to it that the name of Geoffrey Bawa would forever be associated with Jetwing.

He was also greatly impressed with one of Bawa’s pupils, Vinod Jayasinghe. With this young architect, he travelled to Bali, where Bawa, Donald Friend and others had first developed the modern Asian resort hotel style during the 1960’s – looking, listening and learning and also nurturing and developing talent.

The lessons they drew from their travels would later inform the style and atmosphere of Bawds and Jayasinghe’s hotels for Jetwing.

Learning about resort architecture was just one more facet of the curiosity that Herbert brought to everything he did. Always eager to learn and experiment with new ideas, he not only travelled widely but read voraciously too, immersing himself in books and periodicals on hoteliering, construction, management, designing and interiors, landscaping and numerous other technical subjects.

The story of Jetwing Lighthouse, Jetwing’s flagship luxury hotel in Galle, illustrates the innovative, independent-minded approach that set the group and its founder apart. Despite its well-preserved and scenic Dutch fort, beautiful nearby beaches and numerous other attractions, Galle, was not thought of as a tourist destination in 1995. There was only one good hotel in the town and most travel agents thought of the city as no more than a one night stopover – that is, if they thought of it at all. A more unlikely prospect for a five-star resort hotel could hardly have been thought of.

Herbert was sure the conventional wisdom was wrong. Already, he reasoned, the spread of tourism down the west coast from Colombo had reached as far as Hikkaduwa, not even ten miles north of Galle. Most centers near-Colombo were already fully developed; even Negombo, which Herbert had once struggled to persuade tour operators and government bureaucrats would make a suitable destination, had been transformed. Surely Galle could not be far behind?

Convinced that his intuition was to be trusted, Herbert Cooray began building his Galle hotel, not without difficulty. He even persuaded his then partners in tourism, Hayleys, to invest in it. Industry experts predicted doom, but Herbert was not deterred. This scenic promontory just north of Galle, where the main road skirted a small sandy inlet of the sea- had always intrigued and attracted him; on boyhood family holidays in the south, he had often admired it in passing, and he had got it as soon as he had seen it advertised. Years before he put a cent in to the Lighthouse project, Herbert had already been committed, he dared to dream.

Things got off to an inauspicious start; on the eve of the groundbreaking ceremony, a huge LTTE bomb destroyed the Central Bank building in Colombo, killing about 150 people and further dampening hopes of a tourist revival. But despite this unfortunate omen, construction proceeded smoothly and the hotel opened in August 1997. From inception, Jetwing Lighthouse broke even and was enjoying regular occupancy rates in excess of 80%. And yet again, Herbert’s vision turned out to be prophetic; with the turn of the century, the Galle Fort began to gain popularity as a residential location for European jet-setters.

The expats seeded an economic and cultural revival in the town. Today, Galle is one of Sri Lanka’s principal destinations for high-end tourism. As for Jetwing Lighthouse, which has had another 20 rooms added in December, 2013, it currently enjoys a market capitalization of Rs.3.2 billion.

In the years that have followed, Herbert Cooray’s vision has become part of the culture and operating ethos of Jetwing. His commitment to innovation, to creating an attractive destination experience out of less than promising material, is strongly visible at Jetwing Vil Uyana, a Jetwing hotel situated near the ancient, mysterious rock fortress of Sigiriya in central Sri Lanka.

Here on a formerly unremarkable plot of land surrounded by rice-fields and scrub jungle, Jetwing has created a tropical wetland- more properly, a water-garden – on which thirty luxurious villas seem to float. The design of the property incorporates several innovative methods to minimize environmental impact, and Jetwing Vil Uyana has become a case study for those working to harmonize the demands of tourism with those of environmental protection and biodiversity promotion.

It has also been hailed as one of the 25 Best Eco Lodges in the World by National Geographic in 2013, a two-time PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Grand Award Winner, and the winner of the Environment Award at the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards organized by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Here, as elsewhere, the Jetwing philosophy – Herbert Cooray’s philosophy – is not just to be different, but to create a meaningful difference. There are hotel chains that specialize in offering their guests a familiar, predictable experience. That was never Herbert’s way. Instead, Jetwing strives to provide every guest with a surprising, unique experience in a unique setting. Jetwing is all about creating spaces that will suit your mood and situation in life at any moment, and spaces in which to experience the best Sri Lanka has to offer.

Every Jetwing hotel is different, yet all share a common commitment to the highest values of hospitality, service and comfort. To quote Herbert again from Business Today, “Each hotel is special. Each has its own concept, a concept we follow closely. There are characteristics which are unique to each hotel. But I want to ensure that the quality of service provided to all our guests reached a common high standard.”

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Features

Misinterpreting President Dissanayake on National Reconciliation

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Dissanayake

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been investing his political capital in going to the public to explain some of the most politically sensitive and controversial issues. At a time when easier political choices are available, the president is choosing the harder path of confronting ethnic suspicion and communal fears. There are three issues in particular on which the president’s words have generated strong reactions. These are first with regard to Buddhist pilgrims going to the north of the country with nationalist motivations. Second is the controversy relating to the expansion of the Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya, a recently constructed Buddhist temple in Kankesanturai which has become a flashpoint between local Tamil residents and Sinhala nationalist groups. Third is the decision not to give the war victory a central place in the Independence Day celebrations.

Even in the opposition, when his party held only three seats in parliament, Anura Kumara Dissanayake took his role as a public educator seriously. He used to deliver lengthy, well researched and easily digestible speeches in parliament. He continues this practice as president. It can be seen that his statements are primarily meant to elevate the thinking of the people and not to win votes the easy way. The easy way to win votes whether in Sri Lanka or elsewhere in the world is to rouse nationalist and racist sentiments and ride that wave. Sri Lanka’s post independence political history shows that narrow ethnic mobilisation has often produced short term electoral gains but long term national damage.

Sections of the opposition and segments of the general public have been critical of the president for taking these positions. They have claimed that the president is taking these positions in order to obtain more Tamil votes or to appease minority communities. The same may be said in reverse of those others who take contrary positions that they seek the Sinhala votes. These political actors who thrive on nationalist mobilisation have attempted to portray the president’s statements as an abandonment of the majority community. The president’s actions need to be understood within the larger framework of national reconciliation and long term national stability.

Reconciler’s Duty

When the president referred to Buddhist pilgrims from the south going to the north, he was not speaking about pilgrims visiting long established Buddhist heritage sites such as Nagadeepa or Kandarodai. His remarks were directed at a specific and highly contentious development, the recently built Buddhist temple in Kankesanturai and those built elsewhere in the recent past in the north and east. The temple in Kankesanturai did not emerge from the religious needs of a local Buddhist community as there is none in that area. It has been constructed on land that was formerly owned and used by Tamil civilians and which came under military occupation as a high security zone. What has made the issue of the temple particularly controversial is that it was established with the support of the security forces.

The controversy has deepened because the temple authorities have sought to expand the site from approximately one acre to nearly fourteen acres on the basis that there was a historic Buddhist temple in that area up to the colonial period. However, the Tamil residents of the area fear that expansion would further displace surrounding residents and consolidate a permanent Buddhist religious presence in the present period in an area where the local population is overwhelmingly Hindu. For many Tamils in Kankesanturai, the issue is not Buddhism as a religion but the use of religion as a vehicle for territorial assertion and demographic changes in a region that bore the brunt of the war. Likewise, there are other parts of the north and east where other temples or places of worship have been established by the military personnel in their camps during their war-time occupation and questions arise regarding the future when these camps are finally closed.

There are those who have actively organised large scale pilgrimages from the south to make the Tissa temple another important religious site. These pilgrimages are framed publicly as acts of devotion but are widely perceived locally as demonstrations of dominance. Each such visit heightens tension, provokes protest by Tamil residents, and risks confrontation. For communities that experienced mass displacement, military occupation and land loss, the symbolism of a state backed religious structure on contested land with the backing of the security forces is impossible to separate from memories of war and destruction. A president committed to reconciliation cannot remain silent in the face of such provocations, however uncomfortable it may be to challenge sections of the majority community.

High-minded leadership

The controversy regarding the president’s Independence Day speech has also generated strong debate. In that speech the president did not refer to the military victory over the LTTE and also did not use the term “war heroes” to describe soldiers. For many Sinhala nationalist groups, the absence of these references was seen as an attempt to diminish the sacrifices of the armed forces. The reality is that Independence Day means very different things to different communities. In the north and east the same day is marked by protest events and mourning and as a “Black Day”, symbolising the consolidation of a state they continue to experience as excluding them and not empathizing with the full extent of their losses.

By way of contrast, the president’s objective was to ensure that Independence Day could be observed as a day that belonged to all communities in the country. It is not correct to assume that the president takes these positions in order to appease minorities or secure electoral advantage. The president is only one year into his term and does not need to take politically risky positions for short term electoral gains. Indeed, the positions he has taken involve confronting powerful nationalist political forces that can mobilise significant opposition. He risks losing majority support for his statements. This itself indicates that the motivation is not electoral calculation.

President Dissanayake has recognized that Sri Lanka’s long term political stability and economic recovery depend on building trust among communities that once peacefully coexisted and then lived through decades of war. Political leadership is ultimately tested by the willingness to say what is necessary rather than what is politically expedient. The president’s recent interventions demonstrate rare national leadership and constitute an attempt to shift public discourse away from ethnic triumphalism and toward a more inclusive conception of nationhood. Reconciliation cannot take root if national ceremonies reinforce the perception of victory for one community and defeat for another especially in an internal conflict.

BY Jehan Perera

Features

Recovery of LTTE weapons

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka Navy in action

I have read a newspaper report that the Special Task Force of Sri Lanka Police, with help of Military Intelligence, recovered three buried yet well-preserved 84mm Carl Gustaf recoilless rocket launchers used by the LTTE, in the Kudumbimalai area, Batticaloa.

These deadly weapons were used by the LTTE SEA TIGER WING to attack the Sri Lanka Navy ships and craft in 1990s. The first incident was in February 1997, off Iranativu island, in the Gulf of Mannar.

Admiral Cecil Tissera took over as Commander of the Navy on 27 January, 1997, from Admiral Mohan Samarasekara.

The fight against the LTTE was intensified from 1996 and the SLN was using her Vanguard of the Navy, Fast Attack Craft Squadron, to destroy the LTTE’s littoral fighting capabilities. Frequent confrontations against the LTTE Sea Tiger boats were reported off Mullaitivu, Point Pedro and Velvetiturai areas, where SLN units became victorious in most of these sea battles, except in a few incidents where the SLN lost Fast Attack Craft.

Carl Gustaf recoilless rocket launchers

The intelligence reports confirmed that the LTTE Sea Tigers was using new recoilless rocket launchers against aluminium-hull FACs, and they were deadly at close quarter sea battles, but the exact type of this weapon was not disclosed.

The following incident, which occurred in February 1997, helped confirm the weapon was Carl Gustaf 84 mm Recoilless gun!

DATE: 09TH FEBRUARY, 1997, morning 0600 hrs.

LOCATION: OFF IRANATHIVE.

FACs: P 460 ISRAEL BUILT, COMMANDED BY CDR MANOJ JAYESOORIYA

P 452 CDL BUILT, COMMANDED BY LCDR PM WICKRAMASINGHE (ON TEMPORARY COMMAND. PROPER OIC LCDR N HEENATIGALA)

OPERATED FROM KKS.

CONFRONTED WITH LTTE ATTACK CRAFT POWERED WITH FOUR 250 HP OUT BOARD MOTORS.

TARGET WAS DESTROYED AND ONE LTTE MEMBER WAS CAPTURED.

LEADING MARINE ENGINEERING MECHANIC OF THE FAC CAME UP TO THE BRIDGE CARRYING A PROJECTILE WHICH WAS FIRED BY THE LTTE BOAT, DURING CONFRONTATION, WHICH PENETRATED THROUGH THE FAC’s HULL, AND ENTERED THE OICs CABIN (BETWEEN THE TWO BUNKS) AND HIT THE AUXILIARY ENGINE ROOM DOOR AND HAD FALLEN DOWN WITHOUT EXPLODING. THE ENGINE ROOM DOOR WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED LOOSING THE WATER TIGHT INTEGRITY OF THE FAC.

THE PROJECTILE WAS LATER HANDED OVER TO THE NAVAL WEAPONS EXPERTS WHEN THE FACs RETURNED TO KKS. INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THE WEAPON USED BY THE ENEMY WAS 84 mm CARL GUSTAF SHOULDER-FIRED RECOILLESS GUN AND THIS PROJECTILE WAS AN ILLUMINATER BOMB OF ONE MILLION CANDLE POWER. BUT THE ATTACKERS HAS FAILED TO REMOVE THE SAFETY PIN, THEREFORE THE BOMB WAS NOT ACTIVATED.

Sea Tigers

Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless gun was named after Carl Gustaf Stads Gevärsfaktori, which, initially, produced it. Sweden later developed the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless gun by the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration during the second half of 1940s as a crew served man- portable infantry support gun for close range multi-role anti-armour, anti-personnel, battle field illumination, smoke screening and marking fire.

It is confirmed in Wikipedia that Carl Gustaf Recoilless shoulder-fired guns were used by the only non-state actor in the world – the LTTE – during the final Eelam War.

It is extremely important to check the batch numbers of the recently recovered three launchers to find out where they were produced and other details like how they ended up in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka?

By Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne
WV, RWP and Bar, RSP, VSV, USP, NI (M) (Pakistan), ndc, psn, Bsc (Hons) (War Studies) (Karachi) MPhil (Madras)
Former Navy Commander and Former Chief of Defence Staff
Former Chairman, Trincomalee Petroleum Terminals Ltd
Former Managing Director Ceylon Petroleum Corporation
Former High Commissioner to Pakistan

Features

Yellow Beatz … a style similar to K-pop!

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Yes, get ready to vibe with Yellow Beatz, Sri Lanka’s awesome girl group, keen to take Sri Lankan music to the world with a style similar to K-pop!

With high-energy beats and infectious hooks, these talented ladies are here to shake up the music scene.

Think bold moves, catchy hooks, and, of course, spicy versions of old Sinhala hits, and Yellow Beatz is the package you won’t want to miss!

According to a spokesman for the group, Yellow Beatz became a reality during the Covid period … when everyone was stuck at home, in lockdown.

“First we interviewed girls, online, and selected a team that blended well, as four voices, and then started rehearsals. One of the cover songs we recorded, during those early rehearsals, unexpectedly went viral on Facebook. From that moment onward, we continued doing cover songs, and we received a huge response. Through that, we were able to bring back some beautiful Sri Lankan musical creations that were being forgotten, and introduce them to the new generation.”

The team members, I am told, have strong musical skills and with proper training their goal is to become a vocal group recognised around the world.

Believe me, their goal, they say, is not only to take Sri Lanka’s name forward, in the music scene, but to bring home a Grammy Award, as well.

“We truly believe we can achieve this with the love and support of everyone in Sri Lanka.”

The year 2026 is very special for Yellow Beatz as they have received an exceptional opportunity to represent Sri Lanka at the World Championships of Performing Arts in the USA.

Under the guidance of Chris Raththara, the Director for Sri Lanka, and with the blessings of all Sri Lankans, the girls have a great hope that they can win this milestone.

“We believe this will be a moment of great value for us as Yellow Beatz, and also for all Sri Lankans, and it will be an important inspiration for the future of our country.”

Along with all the preparation for the event in the USA, they went on to say they also need to manage their performances, original song recordings, and everything related.

The year 2026 is very special for Yellow Beatz

“We have strong confidence in ourselves and in our sincere intentions, because we are a team that studies music deeply, researches within the field, and works to take the uniqueness of Sri Lankan identity to the world.”

At present, they gather at the Voices Lab Academy, twice a week, for new creations and concert rehearsals.

This project was created by Buddhika Dayarathne who is currently working as a Pop Vocal lecturer at SLTC Campus. Voice Lab Academy is also his own private music academy and Yellow Beatz was formed through that platform.

Buddhika is keen to take Sri Lankan music to the world with a style similar to K-Pop and Yellow Beatz began as a result of that vision. With that same aim, we all work together as one team.

“Although it was a little challenging for the four of us girls to work together at first, we have united for our goal and continue to work very flexibly and with dedication. Our parents and families also give their continuous blessings and support for this project,” Rameesha, Dinushi, Newansa and Risuri said.

Last year, Yellow Beatz released their first original song, ‘Ihirila’ , and with everything happening this year, they are also preparing for their first album.