25th death anniversary of Major General Ananda Hamangoda

Hero, Humanist and True Gunner

The guns of North East have long gone silent; normalcy restored within our nation; heroes have been decorated; those departed commemorated. For some twenty thousand or more families who lost a loved one in the 30-year war that plagued our nation, the battle continues within. The trauma of losing a beloved, the struggle for survival and the coming to terms with the reality that ‘you got to move on’.

Major General Ananda Hamangoda USP, MSC, PSC was brutally struck down by a suicide bomber on Stanley Road Jaffna on July 4, 1996, a day prior to the customary display of terror known back then as ‘Black July’. Major General Hamangoda was the Brigade Commander of 512 Brigade Jaffna and Coordinating Officer for Colombuthurai, Jaffna and Ariyalai at the time of his untimely death.

He was entrusted with the restoration and rebuilding efforts in the Jaffna peninsula in the aftermath of the ‘Riviresa Operation’. He met his tragic end while participating in the opening of a Building Materials Corporation outlet on Stanley Road.

Hailing from the Artillery Regiment and having been in active service for over two decades, the comfort of the Brigade headquarters was unfamiliar to him. With an ever-present smile he took to the streets of Jaffna where he blended effortlessly with the people of the area including civil servants, Hindu and Catholic clergy, school children and Tamil civilians. Regardless of his position as an army officer, he was one who firmly believed that words could achieve more than weapons in their journey for reconciliation.

He would get on a push bike and ride for several miles to sort out a drinking water issue affecting the people of the area. His happy-go-lucky style soon caught popularity among the people of Jaffna, as done with his adversaries who put an end to his career on July 4. Following his death, the walls of Jaffna were adorned with a bright yellow poster of Major General Hamangoda in conversation with a Tamil mother and the words “He who placed humanity ahead of destruction made the supreme sacrifice for his motherland – you will forever remain in our hearts” ; Thus was the love and admiration of the Jaffna people for this brave soldier.

As his teenage children, he would amuse us with stories of his good old days as a schoolboy. Peddling a push bike was not unfamiliar to Major General Hamangoda. Cycling to his school, Maliyadeva College Kurunegala with his friends was a daily ritual he enjoyed. He led an active life even as a student and humbly triumphed in the many achievements at school. He was an all-rounder and went on to become the College’s Deputy Head Prefect, Best Orator, Captain of the Badminton team, Sergeant of the College Senior Cadet Platoon finally winning the Gold Medal for the Best All Round Student in 1971.

He joined the Sri Lanka Army on January 5, 1973 and was posted to the Artillery Regiment. He was a founding member of the 6th and 7th Artillery Regiments and later the Commanding Officer of the 6th Artillery Regiment.

Major General Hamangoda was proud of his ‘Gunner Tribe’. As children, we recall being taken for countless parades where he would proudly point out the ‘men in brown boots’ with their artillery guns. He was the highest-ranking Artillery officer to be killed in action.

Many would not have guessed his military background for Major General Hamangoda had qualities which were irreproachable. He was a kind, humble and warm personality to those around him. A devout Buddhist, he held every other religion in high esteem. He took great pleasure in visiting the Meegoda Bhavana Madyasthanaya and inquiring into the well-being of the monks.

Two weeks before his death, he was pictured in friendly banter with students at Hindu College Jaffna during a ceremony at the school. It was the week before his death that he was invited to address a group of nuns at the Jaffna Church. Minutes before his death, he visited Naga Vihara in Jaffna to obtain blessings.

He was a loving husband, father and a rare human being. He made sure that his long days away from home were not at the expense of his family. If a visit home on a rare occasion was not possible, he would speak to us on the telephone and make us recite dictation or poems. He never lost his temper and had an infectious sense of humor. Even the angriest teachers at school would get charmed by his smile.

The two years spent at Command and Staff College Wellington, India was the longest we had enjoyed as family and few months before his death he took us on a family vacation to World’s End. Possibly, a signal that the end was nearing.

Darling Appachchi!, for 25 years we have mourned your loss. Yet, the tears just won’t go away. Your memory still lives on while we the survivors have become the living dead, for on that fateful day at Stanley Road you took with you a part of each of us. We love you and miss you painfully. May we unite as family again in this samsaric journey.

A series of pinkam will be held in remembrance of Major General Hamangoda and 21 others who lost their lives in this incident, notably Major Colombage (SLMP), L/LCpl. Pushpakumara (6GW), L/LCpl. Seneviratne (7 SLLI), Cpl. Bandara (SLMP), L/LCpl. Gunawardena (SLMP), Ranjith Godamuduna, former SSP Carlyle Dias and Asoka Dassanayake.

Alms will be offered to Naga Vihara Jaffna by the 512 Brigade, donation of food packs to the Corona Treatment Center at Ruhunu Teachers Training Center and Karandeniya Base Hospital, donation of educational material to needy families of the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment, offering of meals to Karuna Orphanage in Piliyandala and Sanhinda Home Pita Kotte and numerous other pinkam by family members overseas. Our sincere thanks to the Officers and all ranks of the Artillery Regiment, 512 Brigade Jaffna and 613 Brigade Kamburupitiya for their able assistance.

Lovingly remembered by wife Indrani, children Buwani, Maheshni, Dulshan Ryan, Ruchinda and Nadeesha together with grandchildren Resharn, Kisali, Vinith and Chedi.