The mark of Ananada College in the fight against terrorism

6 Jan 2009

Since 1505, the western colonial invaders strategically demolished our traditional education system that was based on our core values and strengths. They established Catholic missionary education system in order to produce comprador local agents in aid for their colonial rule. Those missionary schools were based on Royal Anglican system. It resulted in generating mere puppets made in colonial mold. They were not nourished by our culture or values and therefore, those rootless individuals were easily manipulated according to the tune of colonial masters.

It is in that backdrop that ‘Parama Vinnanartha Buddhis Society’ was established by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott. Ananda College was the first school established with the intention of creating next generation of leadership based on our Sinhala Buddhist cultural values and traditions.

At the end of World War II, after extracting all the wealth and fertility of our mother land, British colonial masters decided to transfer power into the hands of their local agents molded in their educational system. Those local comprador agents had already got key political, military and civil positions controle of the media. They happily continued to serve their masters in the West. Only a few exceptional individuals tried to challeng the system, but they were made silent either by plots or by the power of gun.

The result was the misery , poverty, terrorism and civil unrest in Sri Lankan society. It all changed when people of this country took a courageous decision to elect an ordinary person from village in Ruhuna rather than someone from the elite lumpent society in Colombo. No sooner, Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected; he took up the challenge of unifying the divided country.

Local Anglican lumpent society quickly identified the threat and united to fight against this extra ordinary person from ordinary people. However, old students of Ananda College, its brother schools like Nalanda, Dharamaraja, Darmasoka, Mahinda and other Central Colleges rallied around the leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa to face the challenges.

The fist colossal task was to defeat LTTE terrorism which has been baptized by Western countries and it’s allied INGOs as of the deadliest and powerful terrorist organizations in the world. President Rajapaksa needed exceptional military leadership to tackle this inhuman and ruthless terrorist organization. Incidentally, most of his choices happened to be old Anadians whom were brought up with patriotism and our core strengths and values.

Commander of Chief Major General Sarath Fonseka who leads the military wing of the fight against terrorism is an eminent old Anandian. Sri Lanka Army under his leadership has already demolished the Kilinochchi, the den of tiger terrorists and now in the hunt for terrorist leader Piripaharan in Multiv jungle.

Sri Lanka Navy blasted initial pounding on LTTE destroying all of their military supply ships. In no time, so called LTTE sea tigers hesitated even to sail a small dingy boat in northern sea due to rejuvenated military tactics of Navy offensive squads. The leadership for Navy is yet again provided by an old Anandian Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda.

There was a time that innocent civilians of so called ‘boarder villages’ were on the look for run away due to inhuman terrorist attacks. Political ‘leadership’ for these tragical flees were provided by Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana of UNP who generously distributed sirrens to facilitate ethic cleansing of LTTE. When Mahind Rajapaksa was elected president, he did not want to facilitate fleeing of civilians, but to defend their villages from terrorists. It’s Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, another Anandian that was appointed to revive ‘Grama Araksaka’ force under new name of Civil Defense Force. They no longer mere defending, but newly formed ‘Nandimithra Balakaya’ of civil defense force involved in offensive operations to chase away terrorists from the vicinity of threatened villages.

While three out of the four key military leadership are held by old Anandians, The president himself who provided political leadership is an old Nalandian. The Defense Secretary Lt. Col. (Retired) Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who effectively coordinated military and political leadership is another old Anandian. The Prime Minister Rathnasiris Wickramanayaka who is very vociferous against LTTE terrorism is another product of Ananda College. Just like King Dutugamunu sent his brother Tissa to harvest Eastern Province, Great Mahinda of modern era sent Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Presidential Advisor & MP to develop liberated Eastern province. He is yet another distinguished old Anandian.

UNP was the choice of colonial masters to transfer political power. Ironically, most of key persons of UNP are from angelical-missionary Royal College and other colleges of the same mold. However some of UNP prominent figures crossed over to the government to support fight against terrorism. Karu Jayasooriya was one of the old Anandian came forward to support Mahinda Rajapaksa government at crisis situation. After stability of government was set, he has now crossed back to UNP to establish himself in UNP. Rajitha Senarathna is another old Anandian who crossed over to support government’s fight against terrorism.

In the fight against terrorism, most of the old Anandians have come forward to protect their mother land and being a part of the victory. The post colonial era of comprador agents has now ended. The new Sri Lanka is now rising and mark of Ananda is proudly prominent in it. Now, the central colleges and other schools in the villages should take this country up to the next level.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda_College