Police should respect court orders - HC Judge

Kapila Somaratne, Panadura Group Corr.

Panadura Provincial High court judge Malanee Gunaratne addressing the Kalutara Division senior superintendent of police Ravi Abeygunawardena, said that whatever the rank the police officers from top to bottom must respect the court in attending court when summons or notices were issued by the court. If any lapses would take place, the court would take serious action against the alleged police officers.

The judge was addressing the SSP Abeygunawardena who surrendered to court in response to a warrant issued by the court as he was not present before court following a notice issued to him by the court.

He denied that he had received a notice from the high court to attend court. The state counsel Dileepa Perera told court that a notice had been issued by the court to the SSP Kalutara to appear before court to inquire why the police had not submitted summons returnable reports to the court in a case pending before the court but no response from the SSP Kalutara. Then the court has issued a warrant against him.

The judge referred to the court's despatch register and told the SSP that the notice had been posted to him under registered cover to his address on 31-10-07 from the high court office. "How can you deny that you have not received the notice to attend court". The judge asked. "Don't lie before this court.

The judge said whatever the rank the court do not mind. Police officers from top to bottom must respect court orders. She would take drastic action against policemen who do not respect court orders. The SSP then apologised to court for his lapses and assured that he would take action to arrest the first witness in the alleged rape case. He was discharged by the judge.

Vigilance committees to safeguard commuters

K.A. Perera, Wadduwa Special Corr

The vigilance committees appointed by the Department of Railways to ensure the safety of trains and commuters have remained inactive for the last several months in the coast line. These committees were set up from among the regular commuters.

They were called upon to look for suspicious characters and inform the authorities immediately.

At present these vigilance committees remain inactive and the committee members say that was good respond from the travellers even in the crowded trains.

They were entrusted to inspect parcels regularly considering the safety of the passengers. The station masters were entrusted to appoint vigilance committees and no expenses were involved by the Department.

At present the announcements are made in every station through speakers that if there were any suspicious characters or parcels to be found in compartment, it should be brought to the notice of the station masters immediately considering the safety of the passengers.

"Looking after the less fortunate is meritorious"

Ariyapala Wansathilake, Kurunegala Central Special Corr.

Children are the future and the future leaders of our country, said Sastra Visaradha Ven. Kubukkaduwela Sri Dheerananda Chief Adhikarana Sanganayake of Polonnaruwa at Polgolla Daham Hamuwa Centre recently.

World solidarity Forum for Justice in Sri Lanka Group Ven. Mahagalkadawala Punniyasara Thero presided.

The Buddha preached that a valuable and meritorious pooja was the treating of those who are less fortunate and those who need the assistance of others, said Deerananda Thera.

He said, when the international community came to know about the tsunami parentless children in Sri Lanka they did every thing possible to provide relief to them.

Ven. Mahagallkadawala Punniyasara Thera said, the world solidarity forum for Justice and Peace in Sri Lanka (WSF) was founded in Thailand in 1990, with 90 representatives from 10 countries. Out of these countries Sri Lanka is the 23rd country.

The leadership was basically Sri Lankan and the initialise was basically Asian. At the same time it received strong backing from human rights and peace organisations, NGOs and development agencies from many parts of the world, the Thero said.

Ven.Moragollagama Rathanasara Thero said, who also try to joint with other peace and human rights groups and work with them to build an independent force for peace that can bring pressure on all power centers, parties and religions to work for place on the basis of justice of all our peoples.

St. Mary's Convent and Catholic education

by D. Wickramasinghe

A hundred years have passed since the establishment of our alma mater, then known as Convent of Mary Immaculate. It is the one and only non-fee levying assisted Catholic school not only in the Southern Province, but also in the southern region.

Our brother school, St. Servatius' College was taken over by the government about half a century ago. It is correct to say that our school has played a unique role in Catholic education in general and educating the fair sex in the south in particular.

It has been undoubtedly the most outstanding English school for girls since its inception. It would be delightful news that it will be shifted to new premises, with serene surroundings at Brown's Hill shortly.

Catholicism was introduced to our country by the Portuguese in the 16th century. They had to leave our shores in 1658 because of the Dutch who were Protestants. After about one and a half century they were replaced by the British who were mostly Anglicans. But the Catholicism had rooted in Lanka and it has left an indelible mark in our education system.

Although our school was founded quite sometime later, it was a direct and conspicuous impact of the Portuguese rule. We are celebrating 100th anniversary this year. Hence it is fitting time to see in retrospective the history of Catholic education.

A Franciscan friar, Vincent was the first Catholic priest who arrived in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) along with Lorenzo da Almeida. His purpose was not to introduce Catholicism but to attend to their religious rites.

A Jesuit friar, Francis Xavier who came to India in 1543 was able to convert large numbers to Catholicism, especially in South India. He is considered as the priest who brought Christ's word to the East, just like Ven. Mahinda Thera introduced Buddhism to Lanka.

In 1543 the first friars came to Lanka as missionaries and their chief, Juan Vila da Konde was entrusted to teach Prince Dharmapala by King Bhuwanekabahu. Another friar by a namesake of Francis Xavier converted thousands of Tamils in Mannar.

Besides Franciscans (Order established by St. Francis of Assisi), other Catholic missionaries who came to Lanka were Jesuits in 1602 (Members of Society of Jesus of which Francis Xavier was one) Dominicans in 1605 (Order established by St. Dominics - Thomas Aquinas was a famous friar) and Augustinians in 1606.

Encouraged by the Portuguese kings, John III and Philip II who were very devoted and pious, missionaries came to the East. The objective of these missionaries was to serve people for their salvation by spreading Gospel among 'Heathens' (Pagens or superstitions). It is said that Vasco da Gama who was the first Portuguese to come to the East declared,

"We have come for Christians and spices." They relieved the poor and the sick from their sufferings.

In order to fulfil this purpose of spreading Catholicism they opened schools called 'Parish schools' which were in connection with churches. When Prince Dharmapala became king he donated some lands belonging to temples for the maintenance of schools as education was free.

The princes named Don Louis and Don John studied at St. Paul's College in Goa, India. Prince Yamasinghe, nephew of King Karalliyadde studied first at St. Anthonio in Colombo and then in Goa.

At first King Sankili in Jaffna also allowed people to convert to Catholicism. In 1621, Jaffna was brought under the Portuguese rule. Jaffna King Hendaramanasinghe's sons and two sisters studied at Catholic schools.

A priest named Nigrad spent nine years in Kandy, teaching princes, sons of King Senerath. In fact King Rajasinghe II was well versed in Portuguese and fluent in speaking that language.

Thus with the royal patronage Catholicism spread among Sinhalese and the Tamils.

Not only the Portuguese but the Dutch also utilised education as a means of propagating their religion. Most of the Portuguese who came here were either soldiers or priests. The soldiers fought bravely and courageously while priests spread their religion zealously by establishing schools.

It was a Herculean task to teach an alien religion to nationals.

The priests realised the value of learning Sinhala and Tamil for this purpose. Education was considered a responsibility of missionaries. The Jesuits established schools mainly in Colombo, Galle and Jaffna and Sathkorale.

The Jesuit College in Colombo was very famous. Its Principal was called 'Rector' and even today that word is used, for instance, Rector of St. Joseph's College. This high school comprised three sections.

The upper section was meant for the Portuguese children and elitist Sinhala Catholics. Pandit Alagiyawanna Mukaveti was a student here.

The Dominicans had opened schools mainly in Sabaragamuwa, Augustinians in Sathkorale and Franciscans in Jaffna and other coastal areas.

They had 56 schools in Kotte and 25 in Jaffna. The Matara area also was given to Franciscans. o doubt therefore, a parish school may have existed in Matara, for it was an important town during the Portuguese administration.