My Friend Thomas in Sri Lanka
Sunday evening and into Monday morning, prior to leaving on an out-of-town-trip, I followed the S. Asian earthquake/tsunami stories as I have friends, clients and colleagues in the region. Just before I left Monday morning, this one came through, allowing a small breath in a sea of sorrow. And the Various Journeys Continue . . .: "The seaside of Mutur town is obliterated, but most of the town itself along with the NP House/Office is unscathed. Most families, I've spoken to, however, have suffered some loss. Our landlord lost a daughter, an aunt and several other relations who were traveling on a train to Galle for a wedding. Another friend I spoke with tonight lost his parents and twelve other extended members of his family. The loss at times seems overwhelming; yet we find a way not only to survive, but to thrive. The outpouring of members of the community to each other, which crosses ethnic and religious lines is wonderfully inspiring, even inspiriting, as I just mis-keyboarded. Relief supplies and volunteer assistance are literally pouring in with much more positive force than the destructive impact of the Tusamni. The big wave did it's destructive work in less than a minute; the reconstructive work, rebuilding the devastated community, will last lifetimes, as people find in tragedy new ways of learning to live and work cooperatively together. At least that is my belief as to what positively can come from this horrible event."
After I came back and read/watched more, I felt numb. I can't even imagine this.
posted by Nancy White at 4:09 PM
5 Comments:
Nancy, I am happy to have found you in blog world.
Your posting this message of hope in the midst of tragedy - the long term flow of help after the rapid wave of death is a way that I can think of what is happening in a more positive way.
As always, you deliver inspiration with your postings.
Tony
Nancy, I am happy to have found you in blog world. Your posting this message of hope in the midst of tragedy; the long flow of help after the rapid wave of death is a way that I can think of what is happening in a more positive way.
Tony
Thanks, Tony. Thomas' positive attitude is an example of the human spirit. I hope he and other like-minded souls are spreading it widely.
Nimal Mendis composes Tsunami Song
Nimal Mendis is one of Sri Lanka's outstanding singer/songwriters. He is a composer with dual nationality of Sri Lanka and Britian.
At present Nimal Mendis is living in France. He had 22 songs recorded in Britain in the sixties and appeared on the popular TV show “Top of the Pops " in 1968 with my own song " Feel like a Clown ". It was with his singing partner Sandra Edema as Ranee and Raj. It was a guest appearance.
One of his songs " Master Sir " has been a popular song in Sri Lanka for many years. He also wrote " Ganga Addara " for the late Vijaya Kumaratunge, the Sri Lankan President's husband who was assasinated in 1988 . He has written these and many other popular film songs for our country’s foremost filmmakers Lester and Sumitra Pieris 's . The two songs mentioned are still played often in Sri Lanka.
Following the destruction and horror of the Tsumani that struck Sri Lanka Nimal Mendis composed a new song. It is based on the unprecedented sadness that the entire island of Sri Lanka is experiencing. The song will be translated into Sinhala and also to Tamil.
Nimal Mendis needs sponsorship for a recording of this song by an organization who could do it like the Band Aid effort by British artistes that collected a huge sum of money for charity. He does not want anything for the song. Money collected should be sent to the President’s fund directly.( copied below )
To conatct Nimal Mendis:
Tel: ( 0033 ) 5 45 65 17 66 - nimal.mend@wanadoo.fr
His son ( Paulmarie Mendis ) contact details: in London. Tel: ( 0044 ) 207 272 5748 - datamyst@aol.com
In Sri Lanka - Varadatta Aravinda -
mobile: Tel: ( 00941 ) (0) 777 749420 -saman_li@yahoo.com
TSUNAMI RELIFE IN SRI LANKA - THE PRESIDENT'S FUND DETAILS:
Name of the Account : “ President’s Fund for Disaster Relief”
Bank : People’s Bank- Head Quarters Branch
Account Number : 204 100 190 136245
Type of the Account : Current Account
Swift Code : PSBKLKLX
Sort Cord : 204-7135
Online Transfer : Facility not available
THE COMPOSITION BY NIMAL MENDIS:
1st Verse
Oh see the foam
The foam-crested wave
Everyone is dying
No one to save
Rising terror thirty feet
Crashing on the shore
Rolling horror on the land
Destroying door to door
Did you need the tsunami
To leave war behind
To come together
Love each other
My child I cannot find.
CHORUS
Tsunami Tsunami
Can I forget this day
My hand has lost its grip
My child is washed away
Tsunami Tsunami
From the bottom of the quake
Why have you done this?
Hundreds and thousands to take
The sea speaks to you man
The sea speaks to you
I’m cleansing your sins man
And all of your motherland.
2nd Verse
I was watching the sea gull
Diving for the fish
It caught the swimming eel
Out of the deep
I remembered the bullet
Past my ear with a swish
I grabbed my child, saved ourselves
With one mighty leap.
Give me an answer
You transgressed the law
What is in your mind now
My child is no more.
CHORUS
Words and Music by Nimal Mendis.
Sri Lanka lost over 40,000 people - men, women little children in the tsunami. Over 2 million are homeless. Miss Jones, now back at Hot 97 should note, that over half the number of the dead were little Sri Lankan children. Miss Tarsha Jones and the Hot 97 laughed at the dead and the dying.Senior Management at Emmis Radio turned a blind eye and let the song run for a very long time, day in day out until the protests grew.
Sri Lankans in New York have been urged to join the protests outside Hot 97 radio in New York on Valentine's Day. Hundreds of Asian-Americans will attend. They are calling for the sacking of Richard Cummings President of Emmis Radio and Miss Tarsha Jones of Hot 97 who promoted racism and hatred.
The people of Sri Lanka are calling on President George Bush to personally intervene and fine Emmis Radio and Hot 97. They are asking the question is this the compassion of the United States of America towards those who suffered so badly in the tsunami which ravaged Asia?
Today a major feature was published in the 'Sunday Island' newspaper in Colombo, Sri Lanka criticising Emmis Radio and Hot 97. The respected Sri Lankan journalist Nan has voiced Sri Lanka's revulsion against Emmis Radio and Hot 97 - both radio stations are now 'dirty words' in the tsunami hit nations in the Asia-Pacific.
The Sunday Island Newspaper (13th February 2005) said:
Two tsunami songs mentioned in the British parliament with kudos to Nimal Mendis
by Nan
'I mentioned in a previous article the fact that Nimal Mendis was so moved by the destruction and destitution caused by the tsunami that he inspirationally composed a song of the sea-caused tragedy. That was his way of coming to terms with what had happened to his homeland, which he loves so well.
Nimal, needless to mention, is the composer of both the lyric and music for that wonderful plea of a tea plantation worker for justice from his British Periaya Dorai. Master Sir was the theme song of the film Kalu Diya Dahara (correct me if I am wrong on the film’s title), which song has remained perennially popular. In fact a popular singer uses it as the title of her concerts, with no by-your-leave, copyright permission or whatever from Mendis. Such are the liberties taken by our folk, through sheer inconsideration or ignorance.
I tend to feel it’s the former for we as a nation are thick-skinned about appropriating what is not ours, for our benefit. So intellectual property rights are cast overboard with no compunction.
Feelings that prompted NM’s song
Coming back to my subject, Nimal Mendis composed his tsunami song as his way of saying he felt one with the people who suffered. This is his family’s special contribution. The song has already won fame. It has been translated to Tamil and Sinhala and would soon be heard by us.
According to Nimal: "I was stunned by the tsunami. Even though I was not there, I underwent the trauma of a man losing his grip on his child and the child being swept away by the water. That is what led me to write the song in ten minutes. I did not write the song for myself I wrote it for them who suffered and even as I say this, my eyes fill with tears.
"I now think of men getting drunk, taking to drugs, and isolating their women because of the suffering in their minds. I think of children and mothers and another extra great tragedy they have to cope with now, greater than the poverty and struggle they always went through in their lives, whether they be in the south, the north or east or some parts of the west. They are all our people and they are suffering and its time people do not tempt fate. As I ask in my song, ‘Did you need the Tsunami to leave wars behind?’ Each and everyone must ask this of oneself irrespective of ethnicity. It is to awake from this great slumber some Sri Lankans indulge in more than others. Do we need war and do we need another tsunami?
"As I told you, being here I prefer to crawl into a hole and cover my head and think it all is a bad dream. My only wish is that however small the funds got from my song are, it will go towards easing, if it ever can, the fragile minds that have been shattered by this disaster suffered by all - young and old, men, women and children. All of them who have been left behind to cope with bereavement that will linger on in their lives until memory fades. In an apparition of The Blessed Virgin, She once said: ‘There will come a time when the living will envy the dead."
That was Nimal speaking his heart out, not expecting to be quoted in print. But I got his permission to write about his song and the other.
The motion in the British Parliament
On February 6, it was reported in the media that British MPs deplored the racist Tsunami Song aired over Hot 97, the hip hop radio station in New York.
"Parliamentarians of all parties have objected to the tsunami song aired for over a week on Hot 97 and sung by Miss Jones and a team. Two members of the team have been fired by Emmis Radio. The song has angered people all over the world — including tsunami hit countries.
"British MPs of all parties have signed the early day motion 638 sponsored by the highly influential British Parliamentarian, Linda Perham, MP for Ilford North. EDM 638 reads thus:
‘Hot 97’s Racist Tsunami Song
That this House deplores the racist Tsunami Song aired on Hot 97 radio station in New York, calls upon Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio, to take firm action against those who aired the song beyond the temporary suspension, and commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis.
Let’s repeat that last section in the decision taken by that most prestigious body of legislators, the British Parliament: "commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis". Isn’t that a great honour for the composer and his country?
Many are calling for the resignation of Miss Jones. The US President has been urged to take action over Emmis Radio and Hot 97 as they have brought America into disrepute.
The two songs
I will give you the two lyrics.
The first is the Tsunami Song, aired between 18 and 27 January with DJs Miss Jones and Todd Lynn.
(HOT 97 RACIST LYRICS)
Disgusting racism, innuendo and sheer bad taste. Thank goodness a vigilant British MP brought the disrespect to light and had the offenders duly punished for their incredible bad taste; and the song withdrawn.
In contrast is Nimal Mendis’ song, composed as he said in ten minutes. His son Paulmarie had come over for a weekend to Paris from London and was on Internet, when Nimal, getting up from an afternoon nap, told Paulmarie to word process what he was going to say. And thus was the song written with no later editing.
First verse
Oh see the foam/ The foam-crested wave
Everyone is dying/ No one to save
Rising terror thirty feet/ Crashing on the shore
Rolling horror on the land/ Destroying door to door
Did you need the tsunami/ To leave war behind
To come together/ Love each other
My child I cannot find
Chorus
Tsunami tsunami / Can I forget this day
My hand has lost its grip /My child is washed away
Tsunami tsunami/ From the bottom of the quake
Why have you done this?
Hundreds and thousands to take.
The sea speaks to you man/ The sea speaks to you
I’m cleansing your sins man /And all of your motherland
2nd verse
I was watching the sea gull/ Diving for the fish
It caught the swimming eel/ Out of the deep
I remembered the bullet/ Past my ear with a swish
I grabbed my child, saved ourselves
With one mighty leap.
Give me an answer/ You transgressed the law
What is in your mind now /My child is no more..
(Music and words by Nimal Mendis) said Nan in the Sunday Island in Colombo.
What a difference between the two lyrics. Nan's major article has caused an uproar in Sri Lanka over Hot 97's racist tsunami song.
The only way out is for Richard Cummings and Tarsha Jones to go and go now. There will be more protest all over the world - people are protesting to American Embassies around the globe - Cummings and Jones appear not to have the guts and the decency to resign.
President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice will have to intervene if Cummings and Jones continue to be at their posts despite the cruelty towards the victims of the tsunami of 26th December 2004.
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