Childhood memories of Bambalapitiya flats
When we were children we were brought up in a multi-cultural
community at Bambalapitiya flats. We had Tamil, Muslim, Malay and
Burgher friends with whom we played. Of course sometimes we had
disagreements and fought and stopped talking to each other for a while.
But we were happy children, never corrupted by the communal feelings
which destroyed Sri Lanka.
|
Flat dwellers belonging to different communities living in
harmony. Flie photo |
When 1983 Communal riots erupted, Bambalapitya flats was the only
community in Colombo which was not affected. Sinhala dwellers of the
flats protected their Tamil neighbours. Hence not a single house was
attacked. I still remember that day when a mob came to attack
Bambalapitya flats from the seaside probably on July 26, 1983 at about
3.30 pm.
We ran towards them (I was an A/L student at that time) Chamley
Abysuriya said to them in Sinhala “we are attacking here you guys go
somewhere else “ so the mob believed us and went towards Wellawatte.
Soon the Sinhala youth of Bamba flats organized a vigilant service to
protect the lives and property of their Tamil neighbours.
Gamini Walgama gave the leadership to organize the day and night
vigilance service. (Gamini is a STF officer now). Our family protected
Mr and Mrs Emerson and their children. Emerson was a dentist.
He had his house near the Liberty Cinema and it was burnt by the mob.
We kept them in our house until they were safely taken to a refugee
camp. Later the Emerson family went to UK.
After finishing my A/L I went abroad to do my Medical Degree and I
came to Sri Lanka in 1993, I worked in Matale, Negombo, NHSL and Chilaw,
hospitals where I met good Tamil friends. When some Sinhala doctors from
secluded communities were reluctant to move with their Tamil doctor
colleagues I was able to freely move with them, to have a common bond.
I believe Bamba multi-cultural community erased my racial thoughts
since I was a child. I still have great friends Dr. Ram Manohar (UK) Dr.
Sudarshan (NHSL) Dr. Pathmaraj (USA), Dr. Govi (Negombo) Dr. Quentan
Ratnadev (Chilaw), Dr. Sandirasekaran (Puttalam) etc. We all are like a
big family always ready to help each other.
Bambalapitiya flats taught me a lifelong lesson - not to believe in
communalism.
- Mangala Jayatunge also known as (Dr Ruwan M
Jayatunge M.D.) |
