Women ‘heroes’ honoured

Nadira GUNATILLEKE
 

COLOMBO: Failure to appreciate any person or a good deed is one of the major problems commonly seen in almost all fields of activity in Sri Lanka, Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

“When something good is done by someone the deed and the person who did it should be appreciated. This is the only way we can create heroes who make great sacrifices for the country and people.

“Recognising brave dedicated but hidden women is one step in this direction,” he said at a ceremony to mark International Women’s Day at Kaladuwa in Colombo yesterday.

Minister Sirisena said this type of programmes are important under different programmes launched under the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

Awards, certificates, NSB Pass Books with Rs.10,000 and life insurances policies worth Rs.25,000 each were awarded to five women.

They are Sapthala Deepashani for taking Major General Parami Kulatunga and two others to the hospital just after a bomb blast, Nadeeka Jeewanthi for being the dancing teacher of a leading school in Colombo despite her disabilities, W. P. Padmamala for helping a mother to deliver a child inside a train, Swarna Agnes for saving people from drowning in the Hamilton Canal, Colombo and J. A. Malkanthi Dhammika for catching an infant falling from the third floor of a school building.

The active participation and collaboration of the private sector is another significant feature of the awards ceremony. The State and private sector should join hands to take the country forward, Minister Sirisena said.

“In Sri Lanka women have an equal place with men in all social spheres and in Buddhism, women have all the rights and there is no discrimination whatsoever.

This is same in Christianity, Hinduism and other religions. But in some countries women have religious restrictions. In some tribes there are problems for women.

If there is any problem or restriction existing in Sri Lanka we have to address such issues immediately,” the Minister said.

Social Services and Social Welfare Acting Minister Lionel Premasiri said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken a decision to stop Sri Lankan women working under difficult conditions in foreign countries from next year. “We have to thank the President for taking this decision.

What we are missing in the Sri Lankan society today is heroic leadership”.

The acting Minister said in Sri Lanka there are women who prefer to stay in prison.

“These women come to prison again and again because they have more facilities in the prison than in their homes.

Some mothers and their young daughters stay in huts made out of leaves.

This is a very pathetic situation that needs to be changed soon.

Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Viji Jegarasasingam and several others also spoke. Prof Sriyani Basnayake was among the invitees.

‘Uthumliya’ awards were awarded to actress Iranganee Sesarasinghe and business magnate Soma Edirisinghe by Nawaloka Group Chairman Deshamanya H.K.Dharmadasa.

Awards were also presented to several others including a talented young musician and women paratroopers of SLAF who passed out recently.

Nawaloka Group presented air tickets worth Rs. one million to bring back 45 Sri Lankan housemaids stranded in Kuwait.

Nawaloka Group, Neth FM, International Social Service Organisation and several private organisations sponsored the event.