Painful memories

The rolling waves lapping on the beach,

And singing the charm of nature,

But do they ever remember,

Four years before.....

How they plunged into the coast,

And stole the souls of the people.

Destroyed their innocent pleasures,

And all the treasures they had

Who made the sea so cruel?

Who made it so mad?

How dare the sea

Yet rolling and roaring, stay

As if it did nothing?

Though the sea doesn't remember,

Still there are people,

Who weep and lament

Over the painful memories

Of the 'tsunami',

Which can never be erased

From their hearts!

Sachini Chathurika Kumarasinghe,

Grade 11 - D, Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo 8.
 

Tribute to the soldiers who recaptured Pooneryn

The three Armed Forces personnel succeeded in recapturing Pooneryn which was under LTTE control for fifteen long years. They achieved this historical victory after a fierce battle with the Tamil guerrillas. The LTTE retreated, realising that they were no match for our brave soldiers.

Our Armed Forces proved to be one of the best forces in the whole world by fighting the LTTE - the number one terrorists of the world and achieving a great victory.

There are many instances when they go right into the jaws of death and fight. Some of us may not bother to think about the hazardous lives they live in the jungle without proper food and rest for days on end.

During this long drawn war many armed forces personnel who were in the prime of their youth had to shed their last drop of blood to make peace a reality in our country; while some suffered serious injuries, others sacrificed their lives.We should pay tribute to all these brave soldiers who paid the ultimate prize and sacrificed their lives for the country. Their patriotism to protect the sovereignty of their motherland and make Sri Lanka a peaceful country for the rest of us, is invaluable. We must not underestimate the constant danger they face when they are engaged in battle with the LTTE. They are supreme beings who really have a true love for the country. They are an inspiration to the whole nation. We must respect, honour and salute the Armed Forces personnel for their valiant efforts.

Savanthi Ponnamperuma,

Harrow International College, Colombo 5.
 

Protect children, the future of the world!

A child means any person who is under 18 years of age. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that a child is like a blossoming flower among the rough rocks. It simply means children are the most innocent and tender segment of society. A child is unable to foresee good or bad before he/she does something, mostly due to the lack of experience in life. A child therefore is like a blind person who is lost in a jungle.

As children need to be protected so many child rights have been enacted by the United Nations. But the problem is many people in society do not know what they are and even if they do, some don't honour them.

In my opinion the Government should therefore take measures to educate the people about these rights for the sake of future generations. Non-Governmental Organisations too can launch many educational programmes to create awareness and prevent child abuse in the country.

Every child has a right to life, a right to get love and affection from his/her parents, right to an education, a right to good health, nutrition, food and many more basic facilities. These rights can help build a healthy society. Providing educational facilities to all children will usher in a new generation with new ideas and good brains. The most important thing a child should have in life is the love, protection and appreciation of their parents and elders.

Because of many being uneducated about these rights and the importance of protecting them, these rights are often violated. But, some people know about them and, yet they do not protect them. Some people even employ children as servants and also use them to do various unacceptable activities to earn money. The LTTE recruits them as child soldiers. Some parents who are poor also use their children to earn money by begging. As a child I think it is a very cruel situation and society needs to address it.

The most dangerous thing we face in the future as a result of this type of treatment of children is that they will become uneducated, lazy and abused adults who will resort to crime and join underworld gangs in the country. How dangerous!

In order to control such a situation, the Government should take steps to protect the wealth of the country - the children.

Lihini Indrachapa Wijeweera,

Grade 9-A, G/Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda.
 

Children need peace

Peace is a state of freedom, calmness and quietness. We as children need peace more than any other thing in the world.

The world too needs peace because at present there are wars taking place in many countries due to various reasons. Apart from wars, natural disasters too make the world an unpleasant place for children to live in. In some countries, children are forced to work as slaves and even as child soldiers of terrorist movements. Instead of playing with toys these child soldiers use huge modern military weapons to kill people. Some children become disabled as a result of landmines and bomb explosions. We can see how their childhood is ruined by these situations. It is something that should not happen to any child.When there is no peace, the world’s economy, education and health too are affected.

This in turn has an impact on the status of the children.We should have the freedom to play, to speak and to do many other activities in a land of peace. But there is no chance for this when there is war. It is only by gaining peace for the entire world that we can live safe and happy lives.

Rusiru Viroj Koralage,

Royal Institute, Maharagama.
 

 Joyful Christmas

Decorate the trees with X’mas lights,

When night falls.

Santa will bring many presents,

With a jolly, smiling face.

Most of the presents are toys,

Which Santa gives girls and boys.

Children make Christmas cards,

While their mothers prepare cakes.

It dawns on the 25th of December,

But we get ready from November,

Homes are full of decorations,

All of them are beautiful creations.

Afrath Nawas,

Grade 7, English Medium, Kg/Mw/Baduriya C.C., Mawanella.
 

Important thing in my life

Education is the most important thing in my life. Education is not limited to the books we study. People always have respect for educated people. It is not enough to be only well educated, people should also know how to behave in society.If we study well, we will be able to live in security without any hassles. We can also learn to live peacefully if we are educated enough to respect other people and their cultures.Finally, I must say education is the most important thing in life to me.

Dharshika Segar,

Grade - C2, Taprobane Int’l School,Kalutara South.