Are We Ready ?

Everyone is eager to jump on the “Praise the War Heroes” bandwagon.

This is the latest trend in the country.

The politicians, Medias, clergy and you name it and they all do it.

Some want to score points, others to take their ratings high and many want only to enjoy the 15-second fame, just to be in the limelight.

I am not a war hero.

Recently, my leg was broken in a sports accident and had to undergo a correctional operation.

Then my leg was put in a PoP cast.

Instantly, I was transformed into a “War Heroes’ status.

For quite some time, I had the first-hand experiences of someone who had to sacrifice one of his limbs in the name of defending his motherland.

Most people pity you when they see you in that condition, not known exactly what happened.

But our War heroes do not need that. They only have some special needs and they need them to be identified and address them immediately.

Our pity looks have no bearings on their lives.

Luckily, mine was a temporary impediment but theirs’ is a life long one.

I was privileged enough to be driven around in an air-conditioned car by my wife but sadly, most of our heroes are not so lucky. 

They, whether like it or not, have to be satisfied with the public transports system for their conveyances.

Here is the interesting question now?

Are we capable of facilitating our much-praised heroes’ special needs?

We have been waging a war for the last three decades but look at our facilities.

None is capable of facilitating our heroes’ special needs.

Look at our public transport, walkways, entry points to government and other institutes, markets, banks etc.

How about public toilets?

I have seen only in one place, where a modified toilet is fitted for the people with special needs. That too, in a Super-market, in the heart of the city.

But how many of our heroes are from the city areas and how many of them do patronize such facilities for their daily needs.

I do not want them to be institutionalized forever so that their inconveniences would be minimized to a certain extend.

I would like to see them reenter the society again, mingle with it and be positively contributing partners again and enjoy the life to the fullest with their families and friends.

But to see that happened in the future, this mere singing of Praise Our war Heroes is barely inadequate.

They need and expect more than our praises and pity look.

I would like to end this with a fact to ponder.

We all remember the exposure and the prominence given in all Medias (especially the Television) during the recent Beijing Olympics.

But, why the step-motherly treatments were given during the Beijing Para-Olympics?

Who has represented Sri Lanka in the Para-Olympics?

Our War Heroes are not “අවලංගු කාසි ” (defaced coins) and they deserve more than what they receive today.

Not only pity looks and praises!