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| Sunday, 13 February 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Baby 81: The final chapter by Lakmal Welabada
The final chapter of the saga of 'Baby 81', the most heart wrenching appendix to the tsunami tragedy, began on Wednesday, when the 4-month-old infant and the couple claiming to be his biological parents were brought to Colombo, for DNA testing. Genetic information in the baby's chromosomes will, later this week, determine how the saga ends, and the Magistrate's ruling in the ensuing weeks will provide the epilogue. And perhaps, a little family caught in the whirlpool of emotions and propelled centre stage, in a drama scripted by nature, man and science, can go back to being an ordinary family. The highly emotive saga of 'Baby 81' could have been a riveting blockbuster with elements of suspense, high-tech allure and international appeal, if not for the human factor. For caught in the vortex of the drama, is an innocent infant, who should ideally be with his parents basking in their love, not caught up in a tug-of-war or cared for by nurses in an antiseptic environment. The saga began when Saamithambhi Shri Skandarajah, popularly known as 'See Master', an English teacher in Kalmunai, heard a baby's cry when he was trying to find his way home, on a rubble ridden path, at about 5.30 p.m. on December 26. The morning's tsunami had reaped its revenge destroying property and devouring life, leaving the survivors, to limp back to safety. Following the sound of the cry, the master stumbled upon a little baby boy, ensconced in a tyre amidst the debris of broken furniture and building material.
The baby was about three months old, and was miraculously unharmed by the ordeal. Not knowing the identity of the baby, 'See Master' took him to the Kalmunai hospital. As he was the 81st tsunami patient to be admitted to the hospital he was named 'Baby 81', a name that over the weeks became famous, as unfolding events brought the baby to international limelight. The baby looked as though he had just had a mud bath, when he was brought to the hospital. Cleaned up, he emerged as a contented cherub, capturing the attention of doctors, nurses and attendants alike. He was under the care of the paediatric staff, who fed him, cuddled him and gave him the love and affection, he would have got from his mother. Soon, news of the 'tsunami baby' began to spread, and mothers who had lost their infants to the killer waves began arriving at the hospital claiming 'Baby 81' as theirs. With no documentary proof to indicate, who 'Baby 81' belonged to, the hospital refused to release the baby to any of the claimants. A few days later, as rumours of another tsunami gathered momentum, and as the hospital didn't have the facilities to care for a 'well' baby, 'Baby 81' was released to a paediatric nurse as an interim measure. She moved him to her quarters adjacent to the hospital. Stories also began to circulate about several parties seeking to adopt 'Baby 81'. It was at this point that Junitha Jeyarajah (20), the woman claiming to be his biological mother, and later agreed to DNA testing, who was staying at the displaced persons' camp at Wesley Vidyalaya, Kalmunai with her husband, Murugapillai Jeyarajah (24) and her sister, mother and other relatives heard about 'Baby 81'. Deciding to see whether it was their baby, Junitha and Jeyarajah went to the Kalmunai Hospital, a few days later, but were told that the baby had been taken to the Ampara Hospital. However, after putting pressure on the hospital authorities, the Jeyarajah couple were allowed to see the baby. One look and they knew, the cherub wasn't a generic baby with a number, but their own son, who they'd named Jeyarajah Abhilash. Junitha carried the baby, kissed him lovingly and wanted to take him home with her. But they were faced with a stumbling block, which was to later blow up into a major legal issue later. For the Jeyarajah couple the saga began on the morning of December 26 when Junitha placed her baby on a mat on the sitting room floor of their small home, at Kosthapal Road, Kalmunai, and went outside to attend to some chores. Abhilash had been left in the care of his aunt Vanitha. Around 9.10 am the tsunami had struck. When Vanitha noticed the sea water gushing into the house she had carried the baby and run to the kitchen looking for a safe place. But, the force of the water had caused her to lose her balance, and her grip on the baby. She had lost conscious, and woke up at the Ampara Hospital. Junitha, was also admitted to the same hospital. The baby was nowhere in sight. Jeyarajah who was at his barber salon (he is a barber by profession) at the Kalmunai town when the tsunami struck, found his wife, sister-in-law and mother-in-law alive. The house they were living in was completely destroyed. Jeyarajah's salon was saved. But the most precious gem in his life, his baby was gone. According to W. C. Wijethilaka HQI of the Kalmunai Police, the Jeyarajah couple had lodged a complaint at the police station, when the hospital refused to release the baby to them, without valid proof. "They complained to the police on January 3, and we filed a case. It was taken to courts before the Magistrate of Kalmunai, M. P. Mohideen," he says. After consulting Shavul H.Maulani Maharudeen of the District Child Protection Committee regarding the case, the Magistrate ordered a DNA test to prove parenthood of 'Baby 81' and postponed the case to April 20. From a legal perspective, it was just another case albeit an intriguing one. But for the grieving parents the unfolding events were too much to bear. After the Magistrate's hearing, Junitha, Jeyarajah, their friends and relatives went to Kalmunai Hospital and entered the paediatric ward by force, and tried to abduct the baby adding a new chapter to the unfolding drama. When she was stopped Junitha started screaming and weeping, and rolling on the ground, pleading that her baby be returned to her. Jeyarajah who took a bottle of pills from his pocket threatened to commit suicide if they were not given the baby. The hospital staff were compelled to call in the police, to bring the situation under control. Following the court order, 'Baby 81' and the couple claiming to be his parents were brought to Colombo for the DNA test at Genetech, Molecular Diagnostics and School of Genetechnology at Kitulwatta Road, Colombo 8 at 9.30 am on February 9. Many local and foreign media were at the entrance, waiting for a glimpse of the baby and the Jeyarajah couple. The baby was brought in a white ambulance belonging to the Kalmunai Hospital. He was accompanied by Matron Swanandarajah and nurse Shermila Krishnarajah, a female attendant and a male helper. The Courts Registrar of the District Magistrate in Kalmunai, M. S. M. Nazeer and two Police Constables armed with a T-56 rifle also came along with the crew in the same ambulance providing police protection for 'Baby 81'. UNICEF bore the Rs. 9000 cost of the DNA test at the Genetech. Junitha, Jeyarajah and one of her female relatives were brought to Genetech in a UNICEF vehicle. The registration and the examination for the test took about one to one and half hours. The baby oblivious to the drama surrounding him was fast asleep, but the Jeyarajah couple looked fine and in a good mood before they were whisked away, back to Batticaloa. "Junitha held the baby for a while before they faced the DNA test inside Genetech. And Jeyarajah patted the baby's head. We noticed tears rolling down both their cheeks," said the Courts Registrar. Results of the DNA test will be released in one week. And the Kalmunai Magistrate courts will deliver the final verdict on April 20, marking it a historical day of 'fate and modern science' joining together to prove whether 'Baby 81' is really Jeyarajah Abhilash or another tsunami orphan. |
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