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| Sunday, 6 June 2004 |
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Human disaster in Saudi : Chandana's future dreams shattered by Ananda Kannangara The terrorists destroyed the life of my son and his idea to start a restaurant in his motherland was buried in the desert, lamented Lakshman Anthony, the father of Chandana Pradeep who was killed among twenty five others in the 'Al Khobar' terror attack in Saudi Arabia last week. "Chandana was my youngest son and his only wish was to return to Sri Lanka shortly after serving three years in Saudi Arabia having faced many a difficulty," Lakshman Anthony said when the "Sunday Observer" visited his house at Aluthmawatha Road, Modera. He said he could not bear the pain created by the death of his son and was visualising the wedding ceremony of Chandana which took place in Colombo on January 24, this year. "Soon after the marriage Chandana decided to leave the country with his bride Maliga Priyadharshani, saying that both of them will work in Saudi Arabia for two years and return to the country to start a restaurant of their own here," he said. Born in February 1979, Chandana had his early education at De-La- Salle College, Modera. After his secondary education he had followed a course in cookery with the objective of working in a hotel here. But he had found employment in Saudi Arabia. When the "Sunday Observer" visited the residence of Chandana on Friday, some of his close family members and other relatives were seen discussing the tragedy which took the innocent life of Chandana who was a bridegroom just three months ago. It is said that the attack was made by a terrorist group belonging to the Al-Qeeda movement and nearly twenty five persons including two Sri Lankans were killed when they were held hostage at a luxury housing compound in Al Khobar, located in the Eastern part of Saudi Arabia. The other Sri Lankan, killed in the attack was one Sivasubramaniam (30 years) from Nuwara Eliya. He was employed in the Oasis compound as a house-keeper. Due to the timely intervention of Saudi Security forces five other Sri Lankans were rescued. Chandana's only sister Niroshani Kumari said that her mother has been in Saudi Arabia for the past fifteen years and she assisted her father and the brother to work in that country. Recalling the memorable days, Chandana's only brother Pushpakumara said that Chandana was more than a brother to him from childhood and they were more friends. Chandana's father Lakshman proudly claimed that Chandana was a teetotaller. "This was his second visit to Saudi Arabia and I admire his qualities a lot. He never forgot to help the entire family financially during the past few years," he said. The news reached Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Minister Athauda Seneviratna who was in Korea on an official visit. He directed the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Ibrahim Sahib Ansar to provide all assistance to evacuate the bodies from the scene the tragedy, and instructed him to help the five rescued Lankans. The remains of Chandana Pradeep Anthony and Sivasubramaniam were flown to Sri Lanka on Friday with the help of Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has borne the cost for the air tickets to bring back Mrs. Maliga the wife of Chandana and Mrs. Mary Anthony, the mother of the deceased who were in Saudi Arabia at the time of the incident. The next of kin of the two Sri Lankans, killed in the terror attack are promised compensation by their Saudi employer. |
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