With vivid recollections, the author, who is a surgeon by profession, takes the readers through the bleakest pages of the contemporary political history of island nation, Sri Lanka codifying a unique, but, turbulent period, particularly, in the North and the East of the Country.
Braving the odds, he dedicated to serve the wounded and worse-affected citizens on the both sides of the divide obliterating their identities in the haze of the intense 30 years of protracted conflict where the severely-wounded were reduced to numbers, but for him, they were all patients who needed his tender care. The Extra Mile is a candid read of a brave surgeon of humanity.
The narrative commences with his fist posting to Base hospital Polonnaruwa. As a young surgeon, he took up his position with great sense of enthusiasm at a hospital with primitive facilities situated in the historic city of Polonnaruwa, which was bordering the rebelled-held areas. It was during his tenure (1982-1988) at the hospital, he, for the first time, encountered war injuries. In the first part of the book, the author detailed out several major case-studies of such wounded victims and how he attended to them under trying circumstances with minimal facilities and with mostly ill-trained, but highly dedicated supporting staff of the hospital.
Good Friday Massacre of 1987
The horrendous atrocities started with Good Friday Massacre of 1987 with the LEE massacring scores of civilians in Kithuluthuwa close to Habarana; “ The battle raged and people living in the North and the East of the Country and elsewhere, had to pay an enormous price due to people being slaughtered in this conflict. They shed their blood and a whole generation had to suffer for the follies and misdeeds of power-hungry and racial-minded politicians and leaders of the country. ”
Although dust settled down over the 30 years of conflict, the racist politics seems to continue unabated, still poisoning the minds of the masses, misinterpreting the reconciliation as ‘ Betrayal’ and devolution of political power as ‘ steps’ towards separation of the motherland.
Sinhalese examiner in rebel-held Jaffna
Perhaps, one the of interesting chapters of the books is the chapter detailing author’s entry into the rebel-held Jaffna on the invitation to be an examiner at the final examination for medical students. This led to the release of two Sinhalese fishermen in the LTTE’s custody. This was unimaginable at the height of the conflict. The departure with the liberated fishermen from Jaffna was dramatic as the entry into the rebel-held Jaffna on invitation. In a way , the LTTE’s release of the fishermen was done in recognition of the dedicated service rendered by the author , purely, on humanitarian grounds.
Well-earned accolades and sharing of knowledge
Among other accolades, the invitation to deliver prestigious Dr. V.T Pasupathy memorial lecture was also in recognition of the author’s contribution. Significantly, the organizers re-commenced the lecture after lapse of sixteen years. The author delivered the memorial lecture on “War Injuries”.
The book also covers major battles for Elephant Pass with rare picture and fall of Jaffna fort and the city of Jaffna under the LTTE’s control, again, with memorable images.
