Let’s stand by Susanthika

RECOGNITION: Susanthika Jayasinghe. Many people talk about her these days and many things about her have been said and done. Although this is not a sports column, she is the topic we are going to talk about today because she is one of Sri Lanka’s National Treasures who needs proper attention and recognition.

The truth about Susanthika is bitter, but we have to speak about it in order to get an Olympic Gold Medal in 2008.

Susanthika should be the hero of each and every Sri Lankan citizen but still there are certain persons and groups (a handful) who do not like to give her due recognition. May be they are silent at the moment but they are there.

The only thing that stood behind all the troubles faced by Susanthika so far is the colonial mentality of certain persons and groups who are in decision making positions.

According to this colonial mentality, one should have certain ‘things’ to get due recognition in Sri Lanka. Even winning a gold medal in the Olympics will not give due recognition if that person does not have certain `entities’. It is funny and interesting to see what these things are.

They are a very feminine body (for females), tightly shut mouth (for females), very timid character (for females), leaving certificate from any Colombo based school, fluency in any other language except Sinhala (It’s fantastic if it is English), rich or upper middle class parents, foreign connections, strange Sinhala accent plus some English words in the middle of Sinhala speech, some educational qualifications earned from any strange foreign educational institution, resident of the Western Province (Colombo or suburbs will be ideal). These are very few of a very long list. There are many more.

When a person who does not possess any of the above features, achieves something big at global level the colonialists go wild and do everything possible to prevent that person from receiving due recognition.

The decision makers who hate that specific person for personal reasons also join very happily with the colonialists supporting their effort. This is what happens in Sri Lanka for a true Sri Lankan speaking one of Sri Lanka’s languages and who eats rice and curry.

An outspoken girl coming from an under privileged rural area who has a strong body and mind is poisonous for colonialists. This was proved by one negative comment made on her in the Sri Lankan Parliament in the past.

Susanthika has only a few reasons to be relieved at the moment. They are a very powerful-body and mind, a very supportive and understanding husband (this type of husbands who sincerely support their wives to achieve something is very rare in Sri Lanka), a truly Sri Lankan President who really cares about Sri Lankan sons and daughters who bring glory to Mother Lanka and a very supportive Sports Minister.

These colonialists who are almost everywhere including the fields of sports and journalism will do their best to crush all the dreams of Susanthika because they do not care about mother Lanka or winning a gold.

Motherland mean is nothing to them because their Motherland is located somewhere in Europe and their mother language is neither Sinhala nor Tamil. Their kids do not know who won two medals for Sri Lanka in the World Athletics Championship but would know very well who represent Sri Lanka for Miss World/Miss Universe in any given year.

No wonder if these colonialists start to worry about Susanthika’s age because they are now trying hard to find something to trouble Susanthika, perhaps they can point out something, pretending that they sympathise with her and support her. But in their heart they wish her downfall.

It is the responsibility of each and every Sri Lankan (real Sri Lankans) to stand by Susanthika, support her all the time and come forward and speakout loud whenever she is being discriminated. Women’s NGOs are there to do this type of services.

Are we ready to lose a Gold Medal in the next Olympics just because of a handful of jealous persons?