Change seems to be the theme of this quarter’s newsletter, changes at the Theological College of Lanka, changes in our own lives as Mission Partners as we begin to prepare for re-entry into UK life, and change – or the lack of it – on Sri Lanka’s political stage.

The Presidential election on January 26^th arrived at the generally predicted result, that is, a victory for the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapksa. The margin recorded was significant – more than 10%. Much was made in the media of the relatively peaceful polling day as declared by foreign observers, but very little was said of their concern about the huge bias in the state media and the appropriation of state funds and facilities to assist Rajapaksa. You will probably have read that his defeated opponent, former General Sarath Fonseka, was arrested soon afterwards in a most humiliating way. After a long time, a number of charges have been formulated concerning political activity while still being a serving officer, and a Court Martial started and was adjourned on March 17^th. The whole business has upset lots of people. A colleague of ours took part in a conversation in a bank queue. People who had voted for the President said they hadn’t voted for him so that he could do this to his opponent.

Now the country is gearing up for the parliamentary election on April 8^th which promises to be an even noisier affair because it is much more locally based. If the elected pro-President MPs number above the two thirds mark then the President will be able to draw up his own constitution. Under the current emergency powers (renewed by parliament every month), the President can already quite legally waive any existing law. A new constitution might allow him the same privileges without the inconvenience of bothering parliament, or indeed, having to seek re-election. Although he apparently discourages the use of the word "King", the President has been addressed with titles such as "Universally Glorious Overlord of the Sinhalese" and "Monarchical Emperor of the Glorious Land of Buddhism". The key issue at the election will probably be the establishment or not of a Rajapaksa dynasty. Owing to the proportional representational system in parliament the number of candidates is massive – the election paper will be more than 4 feet long!

One change for the better was a verbal protest by the Mahanayake (Chief Monk) of the most important Buddhist Chapter, the Malwatte Chapter in Kandy, against the arrest of Fonseka and against the failure of the government to protect journalists. However, he was forced to cancel a monks’ convention when some other monks threatened to disrupt it violently.

And what of the people whose lives have been smashed by the war that one year ago was raging in the north? They do not seem to feature much on the President’s radar. The government’s own deadline to resettle the remaining 100,000 IDPs (internally displaced persons) by the end of January has passed, and the UN, amongst others, is appealing for funds to meet their immediate needs.

Over the weekend of 19-21 February we took a party of students to visit the town of Vavuniya in the north. This was the weekend of TCL Sunday when the college divides itself into small groups and conducts services across the country. It is around Vavuniya that the IDP camps were established during the final stages of the war. We were very fortunate to be able to visit a large camp where it is said that 85,000 people live. We had to leave our cameras and phones at the gate but we were allowed to drive around the grid pattern of roads without an army or police escort. The camp is divided into blocks, each one bounded by a drainage ditch and a 4" water pipe. People are accommodated mainly in special tents with some tin roofed huts too. The camp is on flat ground with only a few trees. Standing on the door sill of our van we could see tents extending to the horizon in all directions. We visited three families in their tents. It was very hot. One woman who had lost 7 members of her family looks after her two grandchildren. Her house in Kilinochchi had been destroyed. She hopes to return to a patch of land further east. We also met people outside the fence waiting for one of the free buses into Vavuniya. People are allowed out so long as they leave some loved ones behind and return to register within seven days. Some people trade in relief items in town or bring back items to sell. One woman with four children to look after wanted to get some oranges from the market in town to sell in the camp. People are being returned to the land but it is very slow. Only the poorest people are left; those with money are said to have been able to buy their way out.

Later on we visited the mother of one of our TCL students who had been released from a camp a few months ago. She was living in a small room in a friend’s house near Vavuniya. She was helping her friend and her family farm about an acre and half of land. There is a very fine well that provides enough water to irrigate a paddy field. Bananas, brinjal (local aubergine), coconuts, sago and other good things were being grown. This may be what many of the people in the camps aspire to.

Back at college we have welcomed a new Faculty member, Rev. Stephen, an Anglican from Jaffna. Fr. Stephen is a former student of the College with a real love for the place. He is relatively young and aims to do further studies while on the Faculty. He is almost blind but is getting around the hilly campus with the aid of many willing helpers’ arms. James has been helping him get sorted out with a suitable computer.

Most importantly, a new Principal has been appointed, the Rev. Dr. Jerome Sahabandhu, a Methodist who completed his doctoral studies in Dublin last year. Jerome will take over on 1^st April at a very interesting time in the life of the College. Governance and management changes need to be steered through, a quality system needs to be established in the hearts and minds of everybody, and new members of the Faculty need to be settled in. Jerome will be supported by his wife Inoka, son Nisal and daughter Shalomi.

James has been busy supporting the institutional changes that are underway. Apart from writing and updating numerous documents, he organised a seminar given by the leading man in SL in the field of quality systems in higher education, and has applied for funds for various initiatives designed to support the changes.

Meanwhile Rosemary has lectured on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ (1^st years) and on Spirituality (2^nd years). The new "block system’ - which subjects students to intensive lectures on one subject - is proving very unpopular. It is too exhausting, allowing no time for consolidation and reflection

Rosemary conducted her first and probably only wedding here in January. An American couple, one born of Sri Lankan parents, wanted to get married in Kandy and, through a friend in Colombo, Rosemary was recommended. The service took place in one of the two five star hotels in town, the Mahaweli Reach, where the English cricket team usually stay. It was a sparkling occasion and everybody looked superb. Rosemary’s service was much appreciated.

In January we said farewell to Rev. Anura Perera, our minister in Kandy for four and half years. Rosemary has very much enjoyed working with Anura and we have both learned much from him about interfaith matters here. At the beginning of March we said farewell to Fr. Keerthi Fernando who has been recalled to the Diocese of Colombo after nearly 15 years as a Faculty member. We will miss him, his wife Arlene and children, Sethlath and Sethsara. We will be saying many more goodbyes in the weeks to come. In fact, we had our first "farewell tour" when we visited a couple of former students in the south of the island after Christmas. We took the opportunity to visit the Yala and Bundala National Parks to see the wildlife, mainly some amazing birds, but also crocodiles, the ubiquitous elephants and, in Yala, one large leopard.

We have been fortunate in having friends visit us recently. First we welcomed Karen and Neil Drayton from Widnes, former Mission Partners in the Caribbean. We had some relaxing times with them, and most memorably a stroll around the Sinharajah Rain Forest Reserve. We were also delighted when Ina Watson returned to the island to run some counselling courses and see old friends – like us.

We will miss our lives here and are trying to live in the present and enjoy what Sri Lanka has to offer, not least its sunshine! We ask for prayers/ thoughts for all the people and issues mentioned in this newsletter and:

Newsletter back copies are on our website together with a large number of pictures of our life in Sri Lanka: see www.rosemaryandjames.methodistchurch.co.uk.

Our postal address is: The Theological College of Lanka, Nandana Uyana, Pilimatalawa 20450, Sri Lanka.