Building bridges and healing wounds

Communal harmony, bridge to peace. File photo

We have emerged from the scourge of terrorism, and as we know, the other countries in the region too have had their share of similar problems. We have completed a very successful humanitarian operation to liberate certain parts of our country from the clutches of the terrorists and are faced with another major humanitarian problem.

Today, we have a large number of internally displaced people. The focus appears to be only on those in the IDP camps, but we must not lose sight of many others who are displaced, but are not in camps. Such is the magnitude of this problem.

We are at the end of the first decade of the bi-millennium, and at this juncture, we in Sri Lanka, are at a decisive moment of time. Three decades of unnecessary turmoil and terror is now over.

It is not necessary for me to repeat the events of horror which is common knowledge, but we must remember that during this time many lives, mostly youth were lost.

Valuable state and private property was either damaged or destroyed. All development in the areas of conflict came to a virtual standstill. What is more, our brothers and sisters in these war-torn areas were alienated from the rest of us. There was a lot of mistrust and broken relationships. Three decades is a very long time. Some who were born during this time in one area did not know the life outside these demarcated areas.

Today, the people are free, and they can once again move throughout the length and breadth of our land and there are no fences to stop them. But, as I said earlier there are many displaced people and this is among all communities. Displaced from their homes, displaced from their loved ones and families, displaced into an entirely different type of life in makeshift arrangements. It is at this crucial moment, the call of Lanka comes to us, to all of us and to us as Surgeons.

I quote the words of Rev. W.S Senior from his poem, “ The Call of Lanka” with slight modification.

Although, My cities are laid in the ruins

Their courts through the jungle spread

I am living... says.. Lanka... I am not dead,

“I am living...I am not dead”.

With these words in our minds, let’s pause and think. We have moved from darkness to light. We have woken up early. Yes it is still dark...but no longer night. As the poet says, it’s the middle part of the early day. It’s a time children like to play with their sleepy parents. It’s the time the birds begin to chirp. It’s the magical time when the whole world belongs only to the few who are awake. So let’s look into our hearts like a child and for it is a child’s heart that is pure.

The last century was the 20th Century. It was called the American Century. This is the 21st Century, and it will be the Asian Century despite the turmoil different to each country of the region. We are at the early morn - the middle part of the early day, at the end of the first decade of the bi-millennium, and to us in Sri Lanka, it is even more significant as we put behind our painful memories. So we have to make a fresh beginning and we as Surgeons are privileged to do so.

It is a privilege to play a leading role to usher in social harmony. I think we should start with a spree of building. “Building What”? You may ask. “Building Bridges”. The Latin word pontifax means bridge builder. The word pontiff is derived from this word which means a priest,who is a spiritual bridge builder. Pontifax Maximus is the main bridge builder. Ceaser and Cecero were addressed as such and today in Rome pontifax maximus is the Pope. He builds bridges between man and God. We as Surgeons can also build bridges of a different kind, of a more human nature.We can build bridges between individuals and their minds, between communities, between societies and also between Nations especially in South Asia.

As an academic body this is nothing new to us. Our College has always been building bridges of social harmony. We have been electing Presidents of our college from all ethnic and religious groups, and in the words of Charles Dickens, we have done this at the best of times and the worst of times.

Also, we as Surgeons are a group of people who are different to other disciplines in medicine. We repair and heal the human body with are own hands, whether in strife or calm. In doing so, we do not see any barriers due to ethnicity, religion, cast or anything else. What is important to us is that human beings reaching out for help.

“Towards total care” is the theme, Dr Narendra Pinto has chosen for our Academic Sessions. In “total care” we are building bridges between the patient and his family and also his community. These are more than mere bridges. These are solid bonds of trust in the belief that there can be no harm. Therefore, they are indeed strong bridges.

At this time of nation building, initiated with great commitment by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we as a College can contribute meaningfully by getting more actively involved, not only as surgeons, but as community leaders, as elders in society and as wisemen.

We should respond to the call of Lanka. I think our president, Dr. Narendra Pinto, had this vision of events to come. Within a month of assuming duties, when the first shipload of casualties were sailing towards the Trincomalee Harbour, he, under the sponsorship of the College sent teams of surgeons to hospitals that were receiving an increasing number of casualties. Later, with the mass exodus of our brothers and sisters escaping from the clutches of the terrorists arrived in Government controlled areas, the College’s response was spontaneous. To be continued

Prof. Fernando is Past President of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka.