ARFRO to stage popular drama to support RFCSS

The Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers of the Three Armed Forces (ARFRO) is to stage the popular Sinhala drama “Nethuwa Bari Minihek” for benefit of Ranaviru Family Counselling and Support Service (RFCSS) on 2 February at 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm, at the Bishop’s College Auditorium Colombo.

ARFRO has a membership of more than 230 Retired Senior Officers of the rank of Brigadier General, its equivalent and above, having an irrefutable unblemished character and record, and the objective of uplifting the knowledge base of the serving officers, their own membership and the living standard as well as the welfare activities for the families of those brave fellow servicemen/servicewomen who made the supreme sacrifice for the cause of the country in the face of the enemy. 

The support for these 4000 registered Ranaviru families is in the shape of skills, training, housing, nutrition, counselling and help in their hour of need, as was done during the recent floods and the aftermath of the “SALAWA” episode.

ARFRO generates funds for such purposes amongst its membership and from the entrepreneurs and well-wishers (including diaspora) who readily support the cause, as well as by staging benefit shows and through similar fund-raising campaigns. 

Apart from these activities, ARFRO also organises speeches to be delivered by erudite scholars on a variety of subjects related to the many facets of security, such as food, economy, energy, environment and policy. 

This year, on 2 February at 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm, Rajitha Dissanayake’s 2017 award-winning popular stage drama “Nethuwa Beri Minihek” will be staged at the Bishop’s College Auditorium to generate funds for the Ranaviru Family Counselling and Support Services, to help them to continue in their good work of uplifting the morale, living standards and the mental well-being of affected families.     

The drama is based on a businessman, Jayantha, an extreme Sinhala nationalist and supporter of the war, who has been benefitting financially from close ties with the one political regime, now finding himself unable to deal with the new regime. While he was initially worried about possible legal consequences of his past dealings, he is quick to realise that he could soon make fresh connections with the new regime. 

Jayantha’s son, a student in London, returns home on vacation, bringing his Tamil friend, Ramesh who is looking for his mother who went missing during the war. Jayantha’s daughter, Erandi, steps in to support Ramesh’s search for his mother. Getting desperate at the lack of progress in his search, Ramesh decides to launch a hunger strike (upavasa) as a mark of protest. Further, Erandi has her own personal struggle, on one hand she is trying to win her Buddhist father’s consent to carry on her relationship with Chanaka, a Christian. On the other hand, Erandi is also trying to get closer to her estranged mother.  The drama should not only be an entertainment but also provide insight to the trauma and the socio-political religious pressures experienced by war widows. 

Playwright/Director: Rajitha Dissanayake

Rajitha Dissanayake, one of the major voices in the Sinhala Theatre scene today, started his career as a playwright while studying at the University of Colombo in the early 1990s. Today he ranks among the top few talented original playwrights to emerge in the last two decades. His plays ‘Weeraya Merila’ (The Hero Is Dead) 2002, ‘Sihina Horu Aran’ (Dreams Robbed) 2005, ‘Apahu Harenna Ba’ (No Return) 2009 and ‘Nathuwa Bari Minihek’ (A Man Much Needed) 2017 have won the award for Best Play and several other awards at the State Drama Festival.  A producer of radio programs, Rajitha has staged plays in India, Egypt and Europe. In 2006, he was a visiting scholar at Ball State University in Indiana, USA. He is also a visiting lecturer at several Sri Lankan universities. The drama is produced by Priyankara de Silva and the cast consists of renowned artists Darmapriya Dias, Nadeeshani Peliarachchi, Shayam Fernando and Bimsara Premarathne.       

Tickets have been sold to membership amongst the three Armed Forces and a limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the ARFRO Office, c/o Regimental Headquarters Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police, Polhengoga, Kirulapone (0112-512373, 0710555782, 0703836033). Please pick your ticket early and support this worthy cause.