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| Sunday, 16 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Senior provincial reporter, Dinamina, Weiman Silva : A father's grief Every good deed a man or woman performs will be rewarded if not in this life, then certainly the next. Good deeds are rewarded on merit and there's no greater merit than saving a person's life.
The youngest daughter Rajini disappeared over the rubble of his house that was razed to the ground by the cruel waves. On that ill-fated morning, Weiman Silva sat down to pen an article for the 'Dinamina'. His daughters, Janaki and Rajini were busy in the kitchen. Weiman suddenly heard people screaming, 'Muhuda Galanawa' (sea is overflowing). Weiman saw the advancing waves and escaped from the rear door with his two daughters. However, before they could run towards safety, the angry waves separated them pushing Weiman towards a wetakeiyya shrub, throwing Janaki on to a coconut tree and simply washing away Rajini, who could not hold onto anything. She was last seen waving her hands seeking help while the receding waves dragged her over the rubble of their house. That is the last sight Weiman had of his beloved daughter. It was the most heart breaking experience for any father in this world. Fighting for life in the shrubs, Weiman screamed to Janaki to hold tightly onto the coconut tree till the water receded. Two young men caught up in the tragedy, saw Weiman and Janaki fighting for their lives. One of them, a good swimmer like Weiman, was in his younger days, swam towards Weiman and succeeded in rescuing him. After it was discovered that Weiman had saved the young man from drowning in the sea as a child. His other friend rescued Janaki from the coconut tree. Both father and daughter were brought to Batapola Aranya refugee camp. The youngest daughter, Rajini who was to sit her exam the following day, never came back. Weiman sustained bruises during the struggle but witnessing the disappearance of Rajini was more painful to him. Today, this ageing man who had worked much for his area as a provincial reporter is left destitute. All that's left of his house is the rubble of destruction. The family has lost a promising daughter who could have emerged as a graduate to look after Weiman and his wife in the twilight of life. His only wealth was the roof that gave them shelter. He does not want to be a burden to his eldest daughter who is married. Now Weiman, his wife, son and daughter are temporarily at their eldest daughter's house at Delgoda. Will Weiman get permanent shelter early under the reconstruction programme of tsunami victims? |
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| Produced by Lake House |
The story of how the life of 'Dinamina' senior provincial reporter
Weiman Silva was saved is ample testimony of this belief. Weiman, a
sixty-five-year-old man was caught up in the December 26 tsunami
devastation at Kahawa, in the southern coastal belt. Caught in the vortex
of the thirty-foot high wave, Weiman clung onto a wetakeiyya tree, while
his eldest daughter Janaki embraced a coconut tree.
