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by Dr. Narme Wickremesinghe, Consultant in Occupational Medicine

On Remembrance Sunday, 9 November 2003, the nation and the world remembers those who died at the battle front for future generations to enjoy liberty, peace and justice. In this article a plea is made not only to honour the dead but also to care for the living who dare.

Armistice Day

Cessation of hostilities in World War I came to an end at 11.00 a.m. on 11th November, 1918 which was commemorated after that annually as Armistice Day and a grateful living public throughout Europe remembered those who died in order that future generations may live in peace.

At this World nine million lives were lost and a further 21 million combatants wounded.

1945 saw the end hostilies throughout the world after World War II, and those who were killed in action then were also remembered at the same time as on Armistice Day. In World War II, 17 million combatants were killed in action, even larger numbers injured, still more mentally affected, and still large numbers developed tropical diseases in the jungles of Asia.

Meanwhile in excess of 18 million Jews, gypsies, and other civilians were exterminated by genocide. Very large numbers of German, Italian and Japanese troops and civilians were also killed by the allied war machine.

Most other nations too sent their people to the second world war, including Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and count many as their war dead or disabled. The Americans unleashed an atomic bomb for the first time, on the civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with severe health consequences persisting to date on the present population.

Never before in the arena of human conflict have so many suffered and so much money and property wantonly wasted and destroyed because of the vanity and self-centredness of so few political leaders - no different to the conflict situation in Sri Lanka during the last 20 years. The two world wars were a victory of right over might, so much achieved by so few in the fighting forces for so many in the world to enjoy the liberties we have today.

Remembrance Sunday

Armistice Day was later transferred to the Sunday closest to 11 November, called Remembrance Sunday, and the observance of 2 minutes silence continued at 11.00 a.m. Bells at religious places of worship and in schools toll, ship horns in harbours resound, and artillery guns in garrison towns boom, sharp at 11.00 a.m. to call a grateful public to silence without movement and to remember war heroes who sacrificed life and limb for the nation and to aspire for a permanent just peace. 'At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them'.

In Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans who died the in world wars have their names etched in stone at the Cenotaph at the Viharmahadevi Park, Colombo, and war veterans, their families, ex-service personnel and those presently serving the Armed forces assemble here on Remembrance Sunday at 11.00 a.m. to remember their colleagues.

Since Independence in 1948 every year the State Radio and subsequently the TV brought the Sri Lankans to silence and stillness and the Police brought all traffic to a halt for 2 minutes at 11.00 a.m. till the MoU was signed two years ago. Misplaced loyalties and values and the ingratitude by State electronic media administrators have resulted in this age long practice of broadcasting of Remembrance Sunday ceremonies to cease with the MoU cease-fire - immediately forgetting the brave war heroes.

Instead, full coverage was given last year to the Mahaweera Day speech of Pirapaharan and the associated Fascist ceremonies in the Vanni later in November.

Those who have laid down their lives for the nation or are missing in action since Independence in 1948 have their names etched in granite at the National Remembrance Park (NRP), Mailapitiya - 8 Km from Kandy on the Randenigala Road, for future generations to honour. There are 22,000 of them,and an equal number of families grieving their loss. Over 10,000 have been permanently maimed and countless numbers physically or psychologically affected.

The NRP is a national monument erected in honour of war heroes at a cost of 30 million rupees, by the Rana Viru Seva Authority (RVSA), the Ceylon Tobacco Company, the President's Fund, the Armed Forces and other organizations, on behalf of the grateful public of Sri Lanka.

Further funds were collected from the public with large donations from the Insurance Corporation and the National Lotteries Board for the continued and yet independent and non-partisan maintenance and management of the National Remembrance Park, as required in the original NRP project proposal.

But this Trust Deed which was vetted by the Attorney General and the Judge Advocate General to the Forces and signed by the Service Commanders, IGP, and representatives of the RVSA and Ceylon Tobbaco Company six months ago, is collecting dust in files as its registration was thwarted by a State bureaucrat at the RVSA, and thus there is no legal or financial basis yet for the maintenance of the NRP. Petty personal bickering and bureaucracy should bot be allowed to interfere in giving honour to war heroes. The National Remembrance Park belongs to the nation, not to bureaucrats who have no idea of honouring patriots, nor even to comprehend the need. 

JVP rebellion

It was also in early November 1989 that the terrorism of the JVP was brought under control by the Armed Services. Many were the bus conductors, drivers, shop keepers, doctors, public servants and politicians killed because they refused to obey the dictates of a small group of young fascists led by a megalomaniac wallowing in his sown importance, even threatening the families of soldiers. The latter put an end to the JVP reign of terror - thanks to the brave members of the Armed Services and Police. That is also a matter to remember on Remembrance Sunday.

Care for those who dare

The governments and people of most countries involved with war and strife looked after the welfare of their former combatants. Their health too was ensured through Veterans Administrations or through the Regular Armed Services.

All attempts were made to make the life of those who defended the nation as comfortable as possible, even attending to their psychological needs. All nations care for those who dare. In Sri Lanka too, the Welfare Directorates of the Armed Services and Police attempt to provide welfare services to the disabled - at - war and the widows or families of those killed and missing in action.

The RVSA attempts to support this work by mobilizing community help, expert consultations, training and financial assistance from the private sector and general public. These were non political programmes initiated by RVSAs first Chairperson, Dr. Tara de Mel with a novel approach to project management. It needed personnel with commitment to the cause of ranaviru rather than of political or of personal agendas, and with minimal bureaucracy.

From 2000 to 2002 the RVSA was able to build 1000 houses, give educational scholarships to the tune of 12.5 million rupees, train the maimed and the widows in self employment and dealing with loss, psychosocial support to the Army's Ranaviru villages, trauma counselling and mitigating its effects, improving and building new transit camps, mobile legal clinics and legal advice to ranaviru families, establishment of the National Remembrance Park, training of befrienders - both civilian and military for ranaviru assistance, and skills training for ranaviru families.

Unfortunately from 2003, after attempting to involve the political leadership in the provinces in ranaviru work (called Ranaviru Kusuma and Sansada) action has got stalled (but bureaucratic file maintenance is perfected), and not a single house has been constructed. Fortunately the psychological empowerment project to widows and the disabled continues at the same pace as before and remains untouched by the bureaucracy.

Demilitarization

In a needs assessment study done it was found that those leaving the Armed Forces after their contracts are completed and those who have seen the blood and thunder of modern warfare, not only need to be trained in self-employment skills and given assistance to set up micro-enterprises, but also need psychological training to mitigate the effects of trauma and to change attitudes to fit into civilian life after years of military indoctrination.

ILO experts too proposed such a strategy and it was also commended by the UK - Sri Lanka Trauma Group. The RVSA together with the Armed Services agreed to start such a project on 'Demobilization, Demilitarization and Rehabilitation' on a small scale, but it has got stalled, in spite of support from Her Excellency the President. The Ex-Servicemen's Association and the Defence Review Committee has shown an interest to get this project operational.

This proposal would be a great service to those large numbers who have sacrificed the best years of their lives and completed their contracts in the fighting forces, and also a boone to society in general, to prevent criminality, domestic and workplace violence, unemployment, substance abuse, and general social chaos (due to the large numbers involved and psychologically affected).

Conclusion

As we remember the war dead on Remembrance Sunday, let us also honour and provide for the war living, the maimed, psychologically affected, the ex-combatants, the serving combatants and those grieving, and empower them to get on with life.

Let them not get demoralized for the reason that a government does not remember their patriotism, now that their usefulness is over.

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