Remembering an officer and a gentleman

Panduka Senanayake

REMEMBRANCE: It is 10 years to the day today, that Col. Fazly Laphir, perhaps the quintessential Special Forces warrior, laid down his life attempting to save 1500 besieged fellow soldiers in the Mullaitivu camp. But to his dearest wife Anoma, relatives and friends, it seems only yesterday that he walked among them with his ever engaging smile.

Born in Matale, Fazly was educated at St.Anthony’s College, Katugastota. A lover of cricket, he represented the school before moving on to follow another love, the military.

An all rounder, he came second in the batch `intake 14’, winning the `Current Affairs’ Prize in the process. He was well read and had a good fist for writing. He joined the Rajarata Rifles Infantry Regiment and following its amalgamation with Vijayaba Infantry Regiment, joined the 1 st Gajaba Regiment (GR) founded by the late Maj.Gen.Vijaya Wimalaratne. His skills led to his selection as the first Special Operations Platoon Commander of 1GR.

He was much loved by senior and junior officers as well as the other ranks. One of the few officers who had studied and understood the Sri Lankan conflict in depth, his knowledge of Tamil led to him being appointed to carry out intelligence duties in the North and East. His gentle and easy going manner earned him many friends among the people.

Whether operating in or out of the uniform, Fazly had a good rapport with the public and always respected and was kind to civilians. He also ensured that his subordinates did the same. This led to important breakthroughs against the LTTE.

Fazly was one of the very few officers who knew Jaffna like the palm of his hand. A pioneer member of the Army’s 1st Special Forces (SF) Regiment, he was involved in all aspects of the setting up of the new Regiment including the design of its cap, badge and insignia.

When the south flared up for the second time, Fazly and his men were deployed in the deep south. As he did with the civilians of the North and East, he won the hearts and minds of the people of the South. Naturally he brought in results. He was held in high esteem by the likes of Generals Wimalaratne, Kobbekaduwa and Janaka Perera.

His thoughts were always of his men whether in the field or out. I remember him taking a stock of medicinal soap for his men when returning from leave. When asked why, he said that his soldiers may not be able to afford the expensive soap and anyway it would be the thing furthest from their minds when they get a chance to come on leave.

He used to emphasise the importance of training and has ungergone training in India and the USA. His exploits in the field, which earned him many medals, are spoken of in awe by his comrades. But to get Fazly to speak about them was like attempting to obtain water from a boulder.

Dubbed the `suicide express’ by brother officers for taking the lead in crossing the lagoon to reach the defenders of Jaffna Fort, Fazly was not one to hesitate when comrades were in danger. When the LTTE laid siege to the Mullaitivu Army camp a decade ago, Fazly volunteered to lead the rescue mission. A man who grasped the need for urgent action, Fazly was airborne with his troops even before some of the final arrangements were made.

Heli-dropped under heavy fire the SF made radio contact with the besieged troops. It was a morale boosting moment.

As mortar fire rained their positions that night, Fazly’s sardonic words, “Tonight is the most beautiful night of my life”, were heard over the ether. On the morning of 19 July 1996, this gallant man lay, fatally wounded by a piece of shrapnel.

He was posthumously awarded the “Parama Veera Vibushanaya’, the highest medal awarded for gallantry.

Though he is gone, Fazly would be remembered by those who loved and admired him. They would remember a strong ,silent and caring man, a man who loved to sing Hindi songs and did it well. But, above all he was the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.