Remembering war first Heroine - Eresha Nilmini

Memories are all that remain of Eresha, who died under tragic circumstance and left her two sisters and parents forever thirteen years ago. Born in May 2, 1974, she received her education at St. Joseph's Convent Nugegoda. Even as a child, she was active and energetic and participated in many extracurricular activities and won many awards.

Eresha Nilmini

She received her first Holy Communion in 1984 from Rev. Fr. Benedict at the Sacred Heart Church, Rajagiriya. Having secured membership of Helpage Sri Lanka Society, she took keen interest in social service activities, sans discrimination against religion, race or caste. Her secondary education took her up to G.C.E. A/L and thereafter followed a course in Presbyterian religion and received 'Suba Asna' certificate. She offered to teach catechism for the Grade 8 students at the Christ Church, Kotte.

An outgoing personality with inherent congeniality, she took great pleasure in helping people. Being blessed with good appearance and commanding height of 5'9" she had the good fortune of participating in many beauty pageants. In one such instance she was placed sixth in order among the 15 finalists of 'Miss Sri Lanka World 1992' a contest organized by the Jaycees and the Sunday Observer newspaper. The 'Thisara' films organization identified Eresha's talents and offered her a role in the teledrama 'Kandulu Bindak'. Also 'Sapna' films offered her a role in the film 'Peedithayo'.

In the year 1992, at the age of 22, she participated in the 'Miss Sri Lanka' for the 'Miss Sri Lanka World Contest' held at the Taj Samudra hotel and was placed ninth in order of merit out of 15 contestants.

On leaving Convent she joined Maharagama National Youth Centre and later joined Japan Sasakawa Organization and studied Japanese Language where she received a certificate for proficiency in both written and spoken Japanese. With the aim of being self-reliant, she joined 'Asiri Hospital' Narahenpita as a receptionist. Here she saw CCMP soldiers both men and women visiting the Asiri Hospital for medical attention and she developed a liking for the CCMP uniform worn by women CCMP soldiers.

In 1994 having seen a newspaper advertisement calling women for enlistment as CCMP corporals she forwarded her application for a position. She received a letter calling her for an interview and to her great surprise she was among the eight finalists selected out of 8,000 applicants who presented themselves for interviews.

When she decided to tender her resignation, her colleagues at Asiri Hospital, attempted to dissuade her from joining the Army, and pointed out in no uncertain terms, that such a decision only will lead to her premature demise. Even such remarks did not diminish her enthusiasm and determination to serve in CCMP (Army).

She planned to spend her Christmas vacation with her family members in Nuwara Eliya from December 25,1996 to January 2, 1997, and applied for one week leave. At this time Eresha was serving as the receptionist at the Army Head Quarters, Colombo.

On 24th December 24, 1996, she and her family members attended midnight mass at the Sacred Heart Church, Welikada and returned home around 2 a.m. on the Christmas day, she went back to the Army Headquarters and she was to take the morning train to Badulla on the 26th, but she was ordered to stay the 26th night at the Army Camp and to leave for Palaly on the 27th morning by air.

At around 11 a.m. on the morning of December 27, Assistance Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Emil Joseph who officiated at the midnight mass on Christmas Day, came to her house in a trishaw and after spending some time with her family members said that he wanted to discuss something significant with parents. He then queried where is Eresha who came for the Christmas mid night mass was, to which her parents had replied "Father, she joined the Army and she is now at Palaly CCMP Camp". He then said, "I saw your daughter in my dreams", "there is no reason to get alarmed, but in my dream I saw your daughter had gone through a claymore mine and her body was in pieces'. "Father it is only a dream' was parents reply.

On the morning of January 2, 1997, a friend of her father came home in his motorbike and informed the parents that Eresha, had met with an accident. Eresha's father had rushed to the Army Headquarters. A high official in the Army informed the farther that they had not received such a message and requested father to verify from the Army Police-CCMP, at Narahenpita. At about 12.00 noon, they received a radio message, that Corporal Eresha had died and her body was in pieces. The parents realized that the dream of Rev. Fr. Emil Joseph a week back had come true.

Thus ended the life of Eresha Nilmini, a lovable daughter, soft spoken endearing qualities. Never a harsh word had escaped her lips.

Let me end by quoting the words of Rev. Fr. Emil Joseph, who officiated at the funeral high mass - "God took back what he gave you."

- Ashan Fernando

Katubedda