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Sri
Lanka Journal:
Entry Number 1
Full Moon Holiday
This
morning Rifky came by the hotel with his driver and we went to a
restaurant called "The Sweet Tomato". Rifky had arranged for me to meet
the governor of this province and we were summoned to this restaurant.
Today is a holiday here (based on the full moon - most holidays here
follow something on the Buddhist calendar) and the restaurant was not
open. However, the owner and the staff were there. We went up to a
second floor room where Alari Mowlana, who is the governor of the
Western Province was sitting at a table with a few other guests. Two of
them were from Kuwait. Governor Mowlana was extremely gracious. Rifky
and I were offered bottles of Sprite - which was what everyone else was
drinking. The governor thanked me for coming and then talked about what
a revered man Rifky's father was.
I thanked him for meeting with me and explained the nature of the work
we have been doing at the morgue in New York since September 11, 2001.
There was a long discussion about 9-11 with everyone showing deep
sadness and emotion about that disaster and the suffering it caused. We
then spoke about the Tsunami. The governor lost 27 close relatives in
the Tsunami and went on to describe how absolute the disaster was.
Whole areas were completely wiped out. Many of the persons killed had
all their clothing ripped from their bodies. Clearly, the magnitude of
this disaster still holds the people in awe here.
Rifky explained how we were going out to Galle province on Thursday.
The governor said that was a good place to visit to see how the
survivors were living post disaster. The general opinion is that there
is a long path to travel here before direct suffering is mitigated and
any sort of re establishing of normal life can begin. One concern was
that aid would end sooner than the need. I explained that I hoped to
bring back first hand information and tell people that help here is
going to be needed for a long time.
As Rifky was suggesting we leave, Governor Mowlana insisted that this
restaurant was the place for us on this holiday. The table next to us
was set by the staff and a huge lunch was served with fresh fruit, a
chicken and rice dish, a beef and rice dish and a number of other
things. The food was very fresh and well prepared. I tried not to seem
ungrateful when I turned away second, third and fourth helpings of
everything. I did have a half of the home made creme beuele which was
offered and, of course, drank a cup of hot tea. The governor has a very
quaint habit of speaking in rhyme. He told a number of jokes and
stories which a great deal of rhyming. I tried to match it a little but
he was far better at it than I am.
The governor and I seemed to enjoy one another's company a great deal.
He promised me any assistance I might have now or in the future. Across
the street, there was a very old mosque (1908). Rifky and I went in
there afterward, took off our shoes and went up to the second floor.
This old structure seemed largely unchanged with ceramic tile floors
and wainscoting and highly carved pillars. This particular mosque is
very famous and Rifky told me people stand in the street on holy days
since the building fills up.
We returned to the hotel for the mandatory afternoon nap. Rifky went
home. Tonight we are meeting here with Rienzi Martinez who is the
Rotary person in charge of tsunami relief.
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