"We should respect children also" -- Story told by father about Niduk who jumped down from central bank building

"We should respect children also" -- Story told by father about Niduk who jumped down from central bank building

Everyone is perplexed as to whether Niduk Kudagamage the 16 year old child who jumped down from Sri Lanka central bank building in Fort, Colombo last week was a case of taking his life that way. Matters such as, whether he had a love affair, a domestic problem or else suffered from a mental ailment cropped up with this death. 

Niduk is the eldest son of a family who transferred themselves to Malambe in Colombo from Galle who studied at Colombo Vidura international school. Niduk also has a 13 year old younger sister in
the family. The mother is a legal officer at a private bank while father, Sirikumara Kudagamage is an officer of the legal section of the central bank. Both father and mother of this child Niduk Kudagamage (16) are from Galle. Both of them had their education at law college and after marriage had come to Weheragala, Kahanthota, Malambe to reside. 

Father, Sir Kumara reminisces the period of year 2003 when the son was born. "My son was very cute. Even from small days he used to sleep keeping his head on my right shoulder. That child would sleep till till yesterday or so near me. It was after four  years from the birth of son that daughter was born. Both of them would sleep near me. When son was drawing nigh to going to school ... I wanted to send him to a good school. But I never wanted to make bogus documents ... had no chance of admitting him to Galle Richmond. Since we worked in Colombo we admitted him to Vidura Vidyalaya. 

This child is a very good and obedient child. He was skillful in studies. He is  also skillful in karate, swimming. Son was clever in chess also. He on one occasion clinched the champonship in the chess tournament. This son had a wonderful affection for me, mother and daughter. When we used to begin cooking in the morning .. I remember how son would come and embrace mother. What a gem of a child we lost! What happened is like a dream to me. 

It is customary for the four of us to go to parliamentary playground in most instances and engage in physical activities. Son used to run about eight kilometers. He wanted to keep his body in good form. He is a child who used to live in a clean and orderly manner. Tied to keep his hair in good form. About this child ... what he said and did cannot be borne by me. 

Tuesday is the day when he finishes school early and goes home. Sometimes he used to come to my office and and go home with me. This incident happened last Tuesday. "Thaththe .. shall I take a taxi and go home? Or shall I come to your office? Son asked me. "Putha .. you go to my office and wait seated. I am at a small meeting", I said. But I can't understand what has happened. When I came and looked, he had left a comment in my computer; "I am very sorry". I was at the fifteenth floor of the building. He had proceeded to the sixteenth floor through the emergency exit and jumped from there. What happened to my darling .. is incredible. 

His body was found at Janadhipathi mawatha adjoining the central bank building. Son had no problem. Even from that day son would tell me everything. With mother also it was the same. We don't know son had a love affair. He had not even told us. If there was something like that he would not have refrained from telling us. This tragedy that befell us is like a dream to us even today. What is this that happened! It's like my son was taken away by thieves! The father spoke these things sobbing bitterly amidst a stream of tears flowing from his eyes. 

"If somebody would come for some work in our house ... son had the habit of giving a present with something included. If he came home in a hired vehicle ... other than the hire he was of the habit of giving something more. Of what happened to my son who had such fine qualities! 

How painful is memory. A mother, father ... can they bear this pain? Though everything is buried in time .. how can the memory of this son be forgotten? That memory ... a memory of a thousand years. Incidents, talk, behaviour ... how much these hearts would be tortured! Which mother or father could bear up all that? 

"I looked after my son like the apple of my eye. It was an affection or friendship which was beyond father and son ... had an understanding. But I could not even protect this child who was so close to me. I had an idea of sending son to Australia to follow a degree course in medicine next year. I was counting my fingers for it. We lost everything! As elders we expect respect from children. But what I think is that we must be more considerable about the world of children ... I now think that we should respect children too. What happened to my darling son is like a dream to me", and that is what the father finally said. 

- Shiran Ranasingha -