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When “Madame-Sir” made it in a male world
A trail blazer in Sri Lanka’s diplomatic service, Manel Abeysekera speaks to Chandani Kirinde of many memorable moments now recalled in her new book
When Manel Abeysekera arrived in the Thai capital Bangkok to take up duties at the Sri Lanka Embassy as chargé d’affaires in 1970, she was greeted by the driver who had come to the airport with the words "Welcome, Madame-Sir”. The driver, no doubt, unaccustomed to seeing a lady diplomat had hence instantaneously coined this novel greeting. It’s this unique phrase that Mrs. Abeysekera, Sri Lanka’s first woman entrant to the Foreign Service (then Ceylon Overseas Service), has chosen as the title of her memoirs due to be released shortly.
“Madame-Sir”, a Stamford Lake publication will be launched on November 30
Her entry into the Foreign Service in 1958 came at a time when the public service was an exclusively male domain and was quite accidental. Her eye had caught a gazette notification that appeared in the newspaper that year calling for applications to join the Overseas Service, which also carried a sentence stating that “married women who apply must get special permission of the Public Service Commission”.
“Being an unmarried woman, I thought I might have a better chance and sent an application,” Mrs. Abeysekera recalls. She was called for an interview with three Permanent Secretaries chairing the panel who welcomed her as the first woman to face such an interview. But what annoyed her was the question that came next. “What if we take you and train you and then you decide to get married,” one of them had asked. Her quick thinking answer put an end to that line of questioning. “I am sorry Sir, but I don’t think there is anything in the application to say that if you get married you have to leave. What about a man? Do they leave when they get married?’ she retaliated.
The answers to the questions on international affairs which followed came easily to her and she secured herself a place in the Overseas Service, along with seven male applicants.
The foundation for her trailblazing career in the foreign service was laid in her school years at Methodist College, Colombo which she describes as the “number one girls’ college”. She secured the all island second place in her SSC (Senior School Certificate) and later gained admission to read history at Peradeniya. But being a female was an impediment to her pursuance of a higher education.
“I was a home bird. I had never been away from home a single day and was literally tied to my mother’s apron strings. She did not want me to go the 72 miles to Kandy and then I decided I would not study anymore,” she says.
But her father, a civil servant and later Senator, E.W. Kannangara, was keen that she pursues her higher education and suggested she do an external degree from the U.K. She enrolled for a course in Wolsely Hall in Oxford, did the first exam well, but lost interest thereafter. “I am not a person who can sit and study. I need company. I am a gregarious type. I like competition and challenges,” Mrs.Abeysekera says with a laugh.
That may have been the end of her academic career if not for her brother, who was studying at Oxford at the time, suggesting that she seek a place there to follow a degree course. Her parents then asked her to go to Peradeniya which she did not want to do as her classmates had already finished their first year.
Thereon she went on a tour with her parents and sister to several European countries which was very “educational in nature” and upon her return to the country, again prompted by her brother, applied to Somerville College at Oxford where she went to study modern history.
“I always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. He was in the first batch to join the Ceylon Civil Service. He was my hero.” As fate would have it, instead of the Civil Service, she was selected to the Foreign Service in 1958, and was sent to London to study languages- Italian being the choice for her.
Before proceeding to London for training, Mrs. Abeysekera recalled the new recruits being taken to meet the then Prime Minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike. “Before we left my father warned me that the Premier would be in a bad mood that day due to certain political problems that had cropped up with the Federal Party (FP). Being the only woman, my colleagues would have expected me to sit next to the Prime Minister but instead I chose to sit away from him. He turned to one of the boys and asked, “What is my foreign policy?” While he fumbled for an answer, he asked the same question from the rest and having not received a satisfactory response turned to his secretary and asked him to tell the recruits to study his foreign policy and come back.’
Thus ended their first meeting with Mr. Bandaranaike but before the new recruits went on their overseas training, they met with him again. “This time my father said Mr. Bandaranike would be in a good mood as he had sorted out his political differences with the FP. And he was prophetic as the Premier was in an expansive mood that day and noted that a woman too had been recruited.”
Tragically Mr. Bandaranaike was assassinated while she was away on her overseas training and when she assumed duties at the Ministry of External Affairs, his widow Sirima Bandaranaike was Prime Minister and was someone Mrs. Abeysekera was to work closely with.
One of her most memorable experiences in the Foreign Service was the role she played as Chief of Protocol during the Non-Aligned Summit in 1976 which was attended by 92 heads of state and government.
She along with her team of officials from the External Affairs Ministry as well as assistance from the members of the Police and armed forces rehearsed for two years to see the successful conclusion of the biggest event of this nature the country had hosted. “I had allocated seven minutes for each of the VIPs to inspect the guard of honour and speak with the President and the Prime Minister and it went off perfectly. We had a lot of camaraderie and team work.”
Mrs. Abeysekera feels that the reason for the smooth conduct of the NAM summit was that there was a single chain of command at the time with the Prime Minister also being the Minister of Defence, External Affairs as well as in charge of economic affairs. “Mrs. Bandaranaike was someone who took quick decisions. It was a real pleasure to work with her.”
The other momentous event in her career took place when Mrs. Abeysekera was serving as Ambassador in Thailand when Sri Lankan national Sepala Ekanayake hijacked an Italian airliner with 169 passengers on board and threatened to blow it up on the tarmac of the Bangkok airport.
“I was in the Alitalia office in Bangkok for 38 hours negotiating with the hijacker. It was like a miracle but he did as I asked. We managed to settle the matter without anyone getting hurt,” she says.
In her memoirs, Mrs. Abeysekera deals with the “career and dilemmas of the first woman diplomat in the Sri Lankan Foreign Service” and says her belief that “God would help me in my challenges” and “my parents legacy” were the important aspects that helped her face them.
“If you overcome and meet the dilemmas and challenges, it strengthens your character; Just plain sailing without problems never strengthens you.” Her career in the Foreign Service spanning 35 years saw her in the close company of royalty, presidents and prime ministers. She recalls with fondness the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi whom she first met in 1962 when the former visited Sri Lanka with her father Jawaharlal Nehru, who was then premier, and opened the Ayurveda Hospital at Nawinna. They met again when Mrs. Gandhi attended the NAM summit in Colombo in 1976. Another such leader was the one time Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda.
A hallmark of her success was not being afraid to advise politicians when required to do so and not letting anything stress her out. “Our job is to be advisor and if they want they can take it and if they don’t want to, they won’t,” she says candidly.
One politician with whom she says she had quite a few arguments with was A.C.S. Hameed (Foreign Minister from 1977-89). However after her last protocol job, when she met with him, he had quipped, “Manel tells me lots of things I don’t want to hear but when I ponder I realize it’s for my own good,” to which she promptly replied, “Sir, that is the best compliment an official can have from a politician.”
She still keeps in touch with the driver in Thailand whose words became the inspiration for the title of her memoirs.
“When he used to drive me around when I was in Bangkok, people used to come up to him and ask him, ‘Why are you flying the flag for the ambassador’s wife?’ only to have him tell them proudly, ‘She is the Ambassador’.”
It’s such interesting anecdotes that Mrs. Abeysekera recalls with fondness as she reminisces her long career as a diplomat, a path she trod in her own forthright, humorous and affable style that made her a worthy pioneer in her chosen field.
Sunday Times (21/11/2010)
Not much need, the hot cop, could have had all the backup she needed :P Downtown was crawling with the POPO all night.
As I had not carried out any research in advance I was a bit surprised by this rally as many (if not the majority) of the people that took part were from Northern Ireland or from the Philippines. On the other hand the counter-demonstrators all appeared to be local to Dublin.
To quote the organizers: "The Rally for Life in Dublin city centre was an outstanding success. Precious Life organised buses from all across Northern Ireland to take people to the ‘Rally for Life’. They joined with thousands of other people from all around Ireland, and abroad, gathered at Parnell Square. "
Catholic bishops across the island of Ireland encouraged their flocks to participate in this annual pro-life march.
“Life is our most precious gift,” said Bishop Philip Boyce of the Diocese of Raphoe, calling the rally a “celebration of life.” “To attend or take part in it in any way is a worthwhile endeavour to pursue as Catholics. We stand up for God’s gift of life.”
Ireland, both north and south, is one of the last remaining places in Europe where abortion is still illegal. However, according to the organisers, "the country’s pro-life laws are under assault from pro-abortion campaigners in Ireland, the UK, European Union, and United Nations".
The colour and the enthusiasm of the marchers grabbed the attention of Dublin shoppers on a busy Saturday afternoon. Streets were closed to traffic so as to accommodate the large crowd and the rally participants enjoyed themselves dancing and singing as they travelled from Parnell Square to Kildare Street. At the end of the march they were addressed by pro-life speakers including the Director and founder of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth.
As they made their way their way along O'Connell Street they encountered a counter-demonstration chanting "Don't put your rosaries on our ovaries". Some counter-protesters referred to the marchers as bin the "Irish Taliban".
In general the event was good humored but there were some strong heated verbal exchanges that required intervention by the police.
I tried hard to make the angle to get the sunrise behind him, but I couldn't quite do it. He hung around for around 10 minutes, which was nice, but then he chased off a rival just as the light was getting good.
Taken at the temporary art exhibit of Factory Obscura - Beyond. An exhibit that was only open from September 22, 2018 - January 6, 2019.
It was the last temporary piece done by the group until the permanent Mix-Tape reincarnation came into being.
Kendal Calling Music Festival, Cumbria, 31st July 2016, NOEL GALLAHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS Performs. DISCLAIMER - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY FOR 60 DAYS FROM THE 31ST JULY 2016 - NO COMMERCIAL USE AT ALL - NO REPODUCTION. Credit:WittWooPhoto/Alamy Live News
Talk About Fancy Handwriting!
This gorgeous original antique engraving of over-the-top calligraphy is from 1879. It's from my very own collection of beautiful Victorian images from the late19th century and it's simply marvelous. .What a stunning frame-worthy gift for the costumer, artist, antique clothing enthusiast, or collector of Victorian art in your life!
It's in smooth condition; aged to a lovely soft and even light tanning just around the outside edges; it's in pretty remarkable condition for paper that's 133 years old.
It measures 4" x 7.5" and it's 6." x 9" overall; blank on the reverse side.
Taken today at some old mine workings in Yorkshire Dales.She was calling constantly at my presence so must have had a nest nearby.
- Photos by Damien Conway.
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Calling
Something elusive allured me
Out to the hill;
Far away curved the challenging sky line,
Beckoning still.
My feet took the old, worn trail,
Familiar with each turning,
But my heart ran before
With strange, exotic yearning.
The selfsame wind blew over
As it had always blown,
But it seemed to be trying to murmur
Words forgotten, unknown.
All my life I had seen the pines
Stenciled on the sky,
But they looked different, then,
I knew not why.
The quietness held all thought,
There was no audible word;
Still I lingered, listening,
And O...I heard...
Leonard L. Tate
1912 – 1989
it's a super weekend and Dan is out with his trusty companion Jake in this pic Jake is going to lick Dan but Dan dousen't want to be licked so he's waving his arms and shouting for him to stop he's getting closer to Dan he's going to give him a big sloppy drooly kiss he licked Dan in the end and Dan lauthed it off it was getting darker so Jake lyed his head on the ground and Dan climbed his face and sat up on his muzzle then Jake walked home with Dan then they went to bed and Dan snuggled up by Jake and that was their saturday :)
TJ is the first of my new London Calling Dynamite Girls Collection. The others have yet to arrive... AAARRRGGG!!
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Sgt. Anthony Frost with 2nd Cavalry Regiment makes a radio call during the Close Combat Aviation portion of U.S. Army Europe's 2013 Best Warrior Competition, Aug 21. The competition is a weeklong event that tests Soldiers’ physical stamina, leadership, technical knowledge and skill. Winners in the Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer categories of the USAREUR competition will go on to compete at the Department of the Army level. (U.S. Army photo by Gertrud Zach)
Hammam Zriba, Tunisia. There's a little girl calling to her friend, who is just out of shot. Olympus XA.
If only you could hear his call with his picture. Sandhills are very social and constantly 'talk' to each other. It is a wild sound that fills my heart with delight every time I hear it. I wish I could fly with them.
Taken with a Fujian CCTV lens f1.4 25mm closed at around f1.7.
It's $20 dollars on eBay including the m4/3 mount adapter.
Joe Perry & Steven Tyler
The Bad Boys from Boston, American rockers Aerosmith headlined the first of two nights of the Calling Festival newly relocated to South London’s Clapham Common.
The Steven Tyler-led rockers brought their unique blend of entertaining rock to a damp London evening, re-energising the sodden crowd with a mixed set drawn from their extensive back catalogue as well a cover of The Beatles 1969 hit Come Together. They began the 18-song set with Mama Kin from their 1973 eponymous debut album before moving onto Get a Grip hit Eat the Rich and Pump classing Love in an Elevator.
Hits Walk This Way and Dude (Looks Like a Lady) also featured before the encore was opened with classic Dream On featuring Tyler playing piano and Joe Perry playing guitar … on the piano!
It’s surprising just how much energy the 66-year-old Tyler and 63-year-old Perry convey up on stage with such engaging performances and on-stage hijinks that kept the crowd enthralled from the outset until the closing bars of Toys in the Attic classic Sweet Emotion.