Eriq Dewanarayana

I first met Eriq at Independent Newspapers(Sun Group) thirty years ago. I was just out from school when I joined that group and Eriq was a senior parliamentary reporter handling parliament alone. In later years he was assisted by the late Eustace Wjetunga and Y. G. De Silva. Eriq treated me like a brother. His presence was known in the editorial as he use to yell at least twice or thrice a day when somebody annoyed him. The man who usually annoyed him was the editorial aide Somadasa who delayed to bring the cigarettes for Eriq who was a chain type of smoker in that editorial. The one who did better was Eriq’s colleague in the "Honey" tabloid later,the late Jeanne Pinto. If Eriq smoked two packets a day, Jeanne would have at least beat him by a packet more.

Then in the latter part of 1970’s, Eriq was Jeanne’s deputy in the "Honey". Here started the trouble towards the afternoon.They were seated side by side.Suddenly we would hear Jeanne screaming that Eriq had lifted her packet of cigarettes.Eriq no second to Jeanne in nature to fight back, retorts, "I say you bloody ..... you had taken my packet and it is missing". Eriq was a man who would argue and forget it the next moment. He had no malice.The tobacco battle between Eriq and Jeanne once even disturbed the Editorial Director in the adjoining cubicle, the late W. J. Fernando.That day, Jeanne who had gone into Fernando’s room had left her packet of cigarettes there and was accusing Eriq of stealing it. In a bid to resolve this never ending problem, Fernando decided to re-arrange the "Honey" editorial seating. He put Jeanne on the left of his cubicle and asked Eriq to sit on the right side.Though Jeanne and Eriq battled over ciggerretes during the day, they were the best of friends at winding up time with one inviting the other for a beer at Otters.

Eriq was an outspoken character who never feared to express his point of view.For this he was at the recieving end many a time. On many occassions, I remember, "Sun" Editor Rex De Silva came to Eriq’s rescue whenever Eriq fought back with some who were just above his rank.This would certainly have been because Eriq was more senior to those who held positions just above him at that time. Whenever Eriq displayed his experience it annoyed the younsters above him who were few years in the game. Since it was a common phenomena in many newspapers editorials then an now, I used to calm down Eriq quite often. But he fell a victim to that game in 1980 when Rex De Silva was abroad for a few months. This affected Eriq badly because it was at a time the man was to enter marriage. I stood by him and gave him courage as I too experienced the same being a young reporter in the absence of Rex and the departure of Mr.S.L.Gunesekere who headed the "Dawasa" newspaper at that time.Rex and S.L. were a source of strength to those who fought for truth and justice.

Eriq was so close to me a friend that he decided to make me as his bestman at his wedding in 1980. He called me one day and asked, "You young ........., do you have a grey colour suit?" I replied, "Yes". "Then you can be my bestman", he said. That was my qualification to be his bestman for his wedding in Matara. On the day before the wedding he warned me to keep away from "clubs" that evening as we had to be in Matara the next day at the auspicious time.Though I said don’t worry, towards the evening it was tempting and I managed to escape from office without telling Eriq. My enjoyable evening ended around 1.00 am the next day and I knew that Eriq was on pins at his Boralesgamuwa home. As Eriq saw me in those early hours at his door step, in his own inimitable style he let flow that beautiful language which is common in any editorial. He kept me up and did not allow me to sleep saying that if I slept I wouldn’t get up to reach Matara on time. I was a sleepy bestman at his wedding.

In an act of revenge, I crashed into his hotel with photographer Tilak Seneviratne during his honeymoon late that night.We were after good spirits and hit the door hard.His wife Nalini was heard screaming "Aiyo, kawda danne nehe me velawe". I remember replying in sinhala,"Mama thamai deveni manamalaya". Eriq opened the door and ordered beer for us and we disturbed the couple for about an hour and a half.

In October 1980, Eriq joined "The Island" editorial as one of its pioneers.Being a near and dear friend he did not forget me. In November he came in a blue coloured car used by the then "Island" editor Vijitha Yapa to the "Sun" office, picked me up and brought me here for an interview. It was Eriq who introduced me to this newspaper and I recall it with much gratitude.He never forgot his friends. He was a man of temperament. One had to understand him.I associated him for thirty long years. He was a good man with good will to many and ill will to none.He would have lived much longer had he treated himself on time without being misled by an Indian ola leaf reader who predicted a 84 year life span for him.

On the day he met this man he entered his room in office in a proud manner and called me inside and boasted, "No one can kill me and I am going to live 84 years according to an Indian ola leaf reader". Eriq disclosed that this man had explained the nature of his death and that was to be a heart attack.

When I laughed condemning astrology which I never believe, Eriq chased me out of his room saying not to insult astrology. Eriq neglected himself and his early death at 69 I think was due to his belief in astrology. Eriq, though you are no more, you still remain my good friend.You left everlasting memories in our hearts and it is difficult to believe that you are gone.Good bye Eriq!

Prasad Gunewardene

Justice A, Sivanandan

Justice A. Sivanandan, after a brilliant legal career from 1954 to 1970 mainly in the Kandy courts and a distinguished, unimpeachable judicial career both in Sri Lanka and Zambia passed away unexpectedly few weeks ago. We, who are from the Voet Inn family, bemoan the loss of one of our illustrious elder family members. Siva, as we called him in the inner circle of the Voet Inn Association was a live wire in the group activities. He treated the past and present Voet Inners both senior and junior with kindred brotherhood. They all loved and respected him. Founder Chairman of Voet Inn Association, retired Chief Justice Parinda Ranasinghe who was a contemporary of Siva, invoked the Voet Inn Association Executive Committee to observe two-minute silence in Siva’s memory and the association was officially represented at his cremation.

Justice Sivanandan joined the Voet Inn at No. 19 Barnes Place in 1951. The famous Law hostel address was once described by a doyen of Sri Lankan journalism, Tarzi Vittachi not as a mere address but as a way of life. This cradle of judicial and legal excellence established in 1949 due mainly to the efforts late N. E. Weerasooriya Q.C. was a microcosm of the pluralistic Sri Lanka. The atmosphere at Voet Inn was vividly captured by Attorney Amin Yusuf now working in Saudi Arabia, a contemporary of Justice Sivanandan thus." There were about thirty five hostellers hailing from Point Pedro to Dondra Head, representative of all communities and religions but hostel life was free of any communal or religious stress."

Siva contributed immeasurably to nurture this pluralistic ethos of the Voet Inn family during and after his Voet Inn days. He used to remark how peaceful Sri Lanka would be if our society was imbued with Voet Inn family values.

Justice Sivanandan as a Voet Inner had the privilege living under the tutelage of sub-wardens late Justice Vythilingam, Justice Raja Wanasundara and late Justice Noel Tittawela. No budding lawyer could have aspired for better mentors than these distinguished Sri Lankans. Siva passed out as an advocate in 1954 and started a lucrative practice in Kandy. With dedication akin to Voet Inners he flourished as a practitioner until 1970 when he decided to join the judiciary to hold the scales of justice even. His first judicial assignment was in Mallakam and thereafter in Kegalla. In 1972 he joined the international judicial fraternity by accepting a senior judicial position in Zambia where excellence took him to the superior position of Justice of the High Court of Zambia. Indeed a rare achievement for a Sri Lankan. In 1987, Siva retired after his distinguished career and travelled in the world for few years and returned to Sri Lanka in the mid nineties.

After his return Siva became a very active member of the Voet Inn Association and took part in all its activities until his recent death. He symbolized the best in multicultural life of Voet Inn and always discussed strategies to set the present day Voet Inners on the path of professional excellence with dignity. He believed that Voet Inners who had reached eminence in the legal and judicial field should act as mentors to the younger members of the family.

One incident that is etched in my memory was when the Voet Inn Association organized its monthly meeting to be held in Kuliyapitiya as the guests of Attorney J. M. Gunatilake. The group paid family visits to all the Voet Inners living between Colombo and Kuliyapitiya on the way. As the meeting was a dinner meeting our host arrange the group to visit the ancient city of Panduwasnuwara, one of the marvels of Sri Lankan civilization. A self appointed tour guide treated us to a mixture of myth and partial history and led us to the unique inscription at the gate of what remains from a cluster of dagobas. The inscription, which reportedly describes the benefactor, is unique in that it was in Tamil. Tamil language to be used by a Buddhist patron as far back as 12th century and in an interior city as Panduwasnuwara raised many unanswerable questions. Siva, in his inimitable style commented "I suppose during that period we had one civilization with the choice of many languages".

S. S. Wijeratne

Al-Haj Deshabandu Sir Abdul W. M. Ameer

Al-haj Deshabandu Sir Abdul W. M. Ameer, a well known diplomat as a honorary Consul General, a great social worker as a founder member of many organizations, a philanthropist as a donator to the needy and a businessman as a professional practitioner passed away on October 25th, 2001.

Late Sir Ameer served as the Honorary Consul General for Dominican Republic in Sri Lanka for the last 43 years, The Government of Dominican Republic conferred the knighthood ‘SIR’ on him because of his long and enthusiastic service as a honorary Consul General. He was the dean of the honorary Consular Corp in Sri Lanka and thereby maintained a sincere and friendly association with many diplomats, in Sri Lanka as well as abroad.

He was a founder member of Sri Lanka Latin American Carribean Society which was formed thirty-five years ago and he was a founder member and president of Sri Lanka-India Society and Sri Lanka-Philippine Friendship Association. Also, he was a Vice President of World Constitutions and Parliamentary Association.

Late Sir Ameer’s engagement as a Vice President of the English Speaking Union in Sri Lanka, a cluster division of the union in England was definitely of very much use to many English language learners and speakers.

Being a member as well as a past president of the Colombo Central Rotary Club he did enormous service to uplift the standard of our nation through all the activities carried out by the club.

He along with some other Muslim leaders formed the Indonesian Hajaji Memorial Society in order to respect and remember the Muslim pilgrims who died in the plane crash which occurred in Sri Lanka some years while they were returning from Holy Mecca.

His being an active Muslim made him raise his voice whenever members of his community suffered or were attacked by any elements. Late Sir Ameer was the chief founder of the Refugees Relief Organization (RRO) when there was a mass exodus of Muslim people from Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya and some bodering villages in Polonnaruwa and Eravur because of the atrocities and assassinations done by terrorists. He personally visited all the refugees camped in many parts of the Island with clothes and medicines. He kept trying to attract the Amnesty International’s attention to the difficulties faced by the refugees through the Muslim Information Centre (MIC), a centre formed for information purposes and chaired by him, and succeeded.

Although he was not a politician and did not want to be so, he endeavoured to create peace and harmony among all the communities in our country. He was against communalism and chauvinism in Sri Lanka. He played a key role in the negotiation held between the LTTE and the group of Muslim leaders headed by a veteran Muslim politician late Minister Badiuddin Mahmood in Madras in the late eighties.

He was a businessman by profession and his contribution to the hotel and tourism industry is certainly appreciable. He was the Chairman/Managing Director of Hotel Ranmuthu which is said to have been in the forefront in the early days of the industry.

Al-Haj Sir Deshabandu Ameer has now left his dearest country, friends and family. And may Allah grant him "Jannathul Firthous"

S. M. I. S. Sharafulla Bafalul