Jungle law prevented from taking over

By Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

All hell broke loose at the Kandy General Hospital last week, when a Veddah threatened a security officer at the gate and wanted to enter the hospital premises. What happened next was unbelievable. When he was prevented from entering, he began uttering profanities and pulled out his bow from his shoulder and began raining arrows on the security guard. He was later disarmed and brought under control by other security officers before he shot more arrows at him, a senior police officer told the "Sunday Observer."

The incident occurred last Monday at the Kandy hospital gate at William Gopallawa Mawatha when the Veddah who came to the Kandy hospital around 3.30. p.m. clad in a sarong and bare bodied carrying a bow and arrows was prevented from entering the Hospital premises by security guards at the gate during non visiting hours.

The man was furious despite his wife and son being employed at the hospital as labourers.

Argues

He argued with the security officers that he had a right to enter the hospital even during non visiting hours to see his wife and son as they were employees. Security officers had been briefed by hospital authorities not to permit visitors during non-visiting hours and to enforce the rule.

When security officers told him that they cannot heed his request, he became aggressive and a heated argument ensued.

The Veddah then attempted to forcibly walk past the gate but was prevented by a security officer. The security officer held him but the man broke loose and stepped backwards.

Thereafter, he pulled out the bow and arrow that he had hanging from his shoulder and allegedly shot an arrow at W.J.C. Seneviratne, the security officer who was on duty at the gate. No sooner this happened the other security officers rushed in and overpowered the Veddah.

The suspect was identified as Uruwarige Ratnayake, a native of Dambana in the Mahiyangana area. He was handed over to the hospital police post that recorded his statement and later handed him over to the Kandy police. Subsequently, the suspect was produced before the Kandy Magistrate and was enlarged on bail.

"The arrow fortunately missed his heart and pierced only his abdomen. It would have been fatal if the arrow had been shot from a distance." police said. The victim who complained of excruciating pain was admitted to the Kandy General hospital.

According to Police the suspect was discharged from the Mahiyangana hospital a few days ago. He had been told by the chieftain not to carry an axe or a bow and arrow on his shoulder while travelling.

But he disregarded his advice.

Incident

The incident will undoubtedly draw the attention of security personnel who are saddled with the task of protecting VIPs when they encounter veddhas at various functions.

Imagine the scene if one of them attempts to hurt a VIP at any function. Veddhas however are permitted to carry a bow and arrows, spears and axes at public places as tradition demands. The weapons they carry have not been classified as dangerous weapons under the Prohibited Knives and the Dangerous Weapons Ordinance.

According to Central Province Gazette No 6227 of January 31 1908 any person who carries or wears a prohibited knife is guilty of an offence and shall be liable to be convicted and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs. 50 or for the second and any subsequent offence to an imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding three months and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs. 100.

For every prosecution under the law the prohibited knife in respect of which such person is convicted shall be forfeited.

The carrying of knives in public is forbidden or restricted by law in many countries although exceptions are made for hunting knives, pocket knives and knives used for work related purposes depending upon the laws of various jurisdictions.

Carrying or possessing certain types of knives perceived as deadly weapons such as automatic switch blade knives or butterfly knives is prohibited in many countries.

Knives are prohibited at airports, schools, court houses or at public events. According to historians Veddhas are the aborigines of Sri Lanka.

Skill

The young male Veddah acquires the skill of using the bow and arrow at an early age. They do so only for hunting purposes.

The young female Veddahs however do not practise archery.

Their duty is to cook food, raise a family and look after their offspring.Arrows play a considerable role in the Veddah community. They use ordinary arrows for hunting and another type of arrows for occasions linked to ceremonies. It is interesting to know that the Veddah community that lived in the coastal areas used bows and arrows and spears to hunt fish.

The Dambana village situated about 350 kilometres is a remote traditional homeland for the Veddah community. Census indicate that 350 families of the indigenous community live in Dambana.

The number of families have dwindled over the years due to urbanisation.