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| Sunday, 21 August 2005 |
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Short story :
Faith can move mountains by Ajith Perera It was more than the booming of the breakers, this uproar created by the populace, gathering there in pockets. It was quite obvious that there was panic Groups of urchins scampering around. Some fishermen were rushing about, anxiously inquiring. The women hurried towards mudalali's TV, gathering facts and creating new dimensions of incidents and news.
Tidal waves Live telecasts on TV, brought the latest news of the tidal waves in Galle. People were glued to the TV. 'If water comes here ...' Rita tapped her daughter and said, 'Hold your tongue. We haven't committed crimes; were the innocent people devoured by the sea monster, criminals? The girl questioned herself. The girl knew what Lazarus and her mother said were baseless and not fair. Yet, she didn't argue. No one realized that nature warned people to repent over their misdeeds. A police pajero suddenly appeared, warning the shore dwellers to vacate the houses immediately. People ran panic stricken and in fear. Young and old, rich and poor, all ran for dear life to the church. Though the weak and old who ran due to the pressure of the police, believed that God would protect them. Nainamadama, Muthuwa is a fishing village consisting of the poor and under-privileged. Just a few puffy white clouds in the light blue sky were seen at intervals touching the mighty ocean. The stretch of golden sand was lined with rows of canoes and small boats. The dykes formed out of rubble stopped the white waves, that protest against the barrier, throwing out sprays of angry spurting water. At times these sounds pierced the ears, like the weeping and wailing of a woman in distress. Yet this was a sound familiar to the ears of these poor folk. It's part and parcel of their lives. By the gravel road, stood cadjan huts, dominated by tiled house of the mudalaliThe small catch brought in by the poor fishermen, who go to the length of sacrificing their lives were snatched by the shrewd middlemen who offer only a stipend for their hard labour. They in turn, sell the fish to the customers, who were next exploited. These sharks go on accumulating big money. Bow These monsters are the sages, the poor illiterate bow down, holding them as omniscient. High seats are offered to them in church, in the political arena and they were considered the high and mighty in society. They were carried on the shoulders of the misguided poor, who formally seat them on pedestals of honour. What do the poor and unfortunate get in return? The school buildings of Nainamadama Vidyalaya, provided shelter to all those evacuated, due to the fear of tidal waves. Everyone had come only with the clothes they were in, Nobody had brought any valuables or properly with them. The tidal waves, were more powerful than anything else to make people realise, that life was uncertain. Celine, a woman of courage and mother of undying faith and hope, stirred up a course of action, together with the parish priest and the Grama Sevaka. Celine being more educated and well reputed than the other refugees or the victims who had gathered at the school, was in a position to mediate. Her skill of organisation was badly needed. She was very busy accommodating the victims and providing them with basic facilities with the priests and other officials. When donations or contributions were brought, they were filed. Everything was properly managed. Michael, Celine's husband sat in a corner of the school hall with his children under a tree, in the school yard. Someone from the crowd offered a rickety old chair to the mudalali who was living with a young girl almost his daughter's age. He eased himself on to the chair. 'That's all ... nothing more than that' Mudalali we also have Christmas. I promised my children gifts out of the bonus I get' 'Bonus ... are you mad? I'm not Santa Claus. If you don't have enough money, don't celebrate Christmas. Teach your children the hardship. Michael kicked into his sleeping memories. He glared at the Mudalali seething with anger. That's all. With that one look, was embodied curses and all the filthy implications the world ever knew. Nature Michael, too was one of those innocents, with hardly any education, always a slave to the mudalali. He goes fishing in the deep sea in the Mudalali's boat, making a hand-to-mouth living. He was invariably in want. "They say it is a Tsunami. Once the sea provided us with our living. Today it has become a monster. Why is that Thaththa Dilini questioned her father. Michael didn't know how to answer her nor to tell her, that the sea was not a monster, and was not disastrous. Human beings have destroyed the natural environment and they acted against nature. So the ocean couldn't control itself, when nature acted against human beings. Those concepts were beyond Michael's knowledge. If the rubble had been laid evenly along the coastal line the shore dwellers wouldn't have suffered this much. Michael could still remember, how Denzil had told the engineer and the workers not to lay rubble on one section of the coastal line, where Michael lived, as most of the fishermen didn't belong to the governing party of the country. Friend Being a trusted friend of World Vision Lanka, I was called to visit these Tsunami victims. I never expected to see my students among them. I heard that Celine's house was completely destroyed by the tidal waves, but when I noticed how busy she was, attending on her fellow victims and assisting the Parish Priest in distributing the collected food parcels, I was astonished. I asked myself whether what I heard was true. "At this hour of need, where are those so-called teachers, who coaxed our children to bring fish and dried fish, when we had a big haul. They don't mind whether we survive or not. Only you came" they said I said nothing in reply as I realised, Michael's anger over the injustice he faced. Next morning, I went to Celine's house secretly to make sure. Oh! God, the rear portion facing the sea guarding them from the sea seeping in, had collapsed demolishing the house completely, Suddenly my eyes were drawn to the small placard erected among the debris. 'God speaks to us in different ways. We still trust in Him.' What faith ! What a positive way of thinking! I couldn't believe my eyes but it was true. I quickly rode up to Celine. She welcomed me to her, yet, temporary settlement with her usual smile. Being an active Animator of World Vision Lanka, She was experienced enough to monitor and guide her fellow victims and see to their needs. There were victims and evacuees occupying two school buildings. 'No madam, I can't leave my neighbours and fellow victims behind to go to a better place, I heard Celine politely refusing the World Vision Lanka's Coordinator's request "We have become show pieces and hot news for the news reporters who earn a few rupees and especially to the politicians, The sad plight of the victims has become a fine investment for their future canvassing" "Some of the politicians promised our elders with dream castles and us with disneyland but they never returned." "Most of the politicos who visited us, didn't pocket out a cent, but they become philanthropists by distributing the donated gifts, from someone else or some organisation" Displaced Many of the displaced victims who were not really hit by the tidal waves and who may have had, even three meals a day had blackguarded Celine for serving rice, dhal, dried fish and a vegetable everyday. They had accused her, of serving the same food for lunch and dinner, too. In the end, people had quarrelled over the food supply. The Grama Sevaka and the Parish Priest were compelled to cut down the number of refugees and asked them to return to their former places as their houses were not damaged. Only a handful of families were allowed to occupy the school building until the schools reopened I met Celine one day, after a month or so by the road side with her family of three children and her husband in a small canvass tent. "Where are the other victims? " I inquired from her. "Some of them found bits of land and are putting up houses." "Didn't I tell you..." "No I did my duty. I am still hopeful as faith can move mountains," she said. |
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'A
curse... a curse of God; Lazarus, a senior fisherman tucking up his sarong
under his pot belly' sustained by toddy, making a strong comment while
watching TV, said, 'we have never heard of such a curse, a disaster in our
lifetime'. Lazarus awakened his memory. 
