Bandaranaike – the blue lotus that bloomed in 1956
Posted on August 29th, 2011
H. L. D. Mahindapala
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The greatest tragedy in the life of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike is that his progeny had never stood up spiritedly ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” or even faintly — in defence of his path-breaking role of restoring in 1956 the lost Sinhala-Buddhist heritage to the people who, down the ages, had directed their innovative energies, often sacrificing their lives, to create, defend and sustain its unique Sinhala-Buddhist culture and identity. Like all other creators of unique cultures they felt in their blood and bones that they had a moral and political right to defend what their ancestors had created and fostered for them to inherit, cherish and preserve for successive generations.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unlike the other Tamil and Muslim migrants who did not create an original culture of their own ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they were mere imitators bound hand and foot by the traditions with which they arrived in Sri Lanka — the Sinhala-Buddhist created with their creativity and energy a unique culture that made Sri Lanka what it is in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world. Arnold Toynbee, who in his monumental history analyzing and delineating how diverse civilization faced and overcame challenges, devoted a whole segment to the Sinhala-Buddhist civilization. Karl Marx was burning the midnight oil studying the Sinhala-Buddhist hydraulic society to fill in the gaps in his incomplete economic theory which failed to explain the hydraulic Asian societies that rose to grand heights outside the Euro-centric class framework while our local Marxists, not knowing this, were studying Marx to import and apply his half-bright, if not blinkered, economic theories to Sri Lanka. Ananda Coomaraswamy, one of the greatest savants of Oriental culture, wrote his monograph on Medieval Sinhala Art, urging the Sinhala craftsmen to avoid the impending disaster of commercialism invading their sacred territory from the West.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Sinhala-Buddhists were impelled innately by the historic and monumental creations of their ancestors to defend, protect and promote their unique culture. As they constructed and nurtured a new civilization, a new culture, a new language and a new Sinhala-Buddhist ethos they naturally developed a distinct identity with its roots buried deep in the land. Over the centuries, coming down from the pre-Christian era, their sense of belonging exclusively to this land is justified as their civilization, culture and language had no other spaces in geographies outside the island. The pride of having created a unique civilization gave them a sense of destiny. It gave them the right to be the guardian of their unique history as there was no one else to defend or protect it. Their destiny was written indelibly in stone, in ola leaves, in classical literature, in monumental architecture, in paintings, and, last but not the least, in the Mahavamsa which defined its inherent and exclusive bonds with the land, its sense of history and the supreme seal of ownership and legitimacy derived from its history. Which inheritors of a history of this magnitude would abandon their past, or part with their sacred land?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their claim to be the rightful owners of the land, while giving ample space for all other migrants who came to live with them, cannot be faulted because it was primarily their creative energetic that tamed and civilized the land for a new culture and a new language to blossom. It was this cultured civilization that opened the opportunities for all other non-Sinhala-Buddhists to make it their home. At no time did they close the doors to all those who came to share the land in common without claiming special and exclusive rights. Communalism and ethnic rivalry was not a feature of the Sinhala-Buddhist culture or civilization. As historian G. C. Mendis pointed out none of the Western historians from Portuguese times recorded any communal strife. It began only in the British colonial period when the powerful and aggressive Jaffna Tamil Vellahla caste was morphing into a class.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Our rulers were basically imbued with the Asokan model of kingship. With all the infirmities of feudal societies and the inherent human frailties common to all rulers they aspired to follow the Asokan model moulded in Buddhism. (The aspirational ideal of the Asokan model was a theme developed by Michael Roberts). Buddhist ethics of tolerance, acceptance and openness towards non-Buddhist new comers ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” from migrants to diverse religions and political ideologies ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” tended to guide governance with a considerable degree of magnanimity. For instance, at a time when the Catholics were persecuted by the Protestant Dutch, or even by Sankili who massacred 600 Catholics on the eve of Christmas 1544 the Sinhala kingdoms gave them refuge and protection. Wahakotte in Matale has been an exclusive haven granted by Sinhala-Buddhist kings for the protection of Catholics. It was an island of Catholics in a sea of Sinhala-Buddhists.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When the Muslims were being persecuted by their rival trading buccaneers, the Dutch, the Sinhala kings gave the Muslims land and protection in the Kandyan Kingdom. Besides, the graceful act of Dutugemunu erecting a monument to Elara and the silencing of drums while passing this monument is a tribute to the Tamil minority as well as to the magnanimity of the Sinhala-Buddhist tradition that transcended tribal totems and reached out embrace even the enemies. Siri Sangabo (238AD ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 240 AD) handing over his kingdom to Gothabaya, refusing to fight and then later, severing his head and offering it to a poor man to claim the prize offered by Gothabaya for his head, is another example of kings following the Asokan model.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ All other minorities who arrived from foreign countries, after the Sinhala-Buddhist had opened up the land for them to settle down in the Sinhala-Buddhist haven, have their language, their culture, their religion located, protected and rooted in their lands of origins. They have direct links to their ancestry (example: Sri Lankan Tamils to S. India) which guarantees the continuity of their way of life. The Sinhala-Buddhists have no external space either for living or for protection of their culture. They have only Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the land they built out of their own sweat, tears and blood to earn the right to call it their own.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Though they are in the majority they have well-founded fears of foreigners derived from historical experience. Their fears of being destroyed by foreign forces that had repeatedly attacked its cultural and living space from the pre-Christian era, are based on indelible memories. Their fears of inimical thrusts from abroad have taken a new turn with aggressive minorities refusing to co-exist in communal harmony primarily on the aid and strength of foreign agents. IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s role of playing the role of Hanuman, setting fire to Sri Lanka, casts a long shadow across the nation. Faced with these historical realities of overwhelming dimensions their fears are far more real than the cooked up claims of minorities who cry wolf, wolf each time a palmyrah leaf falls in Jaffna, or when the muezzins rush to raise false alarms from minarets at the first beat of traditional drums of the Sinhala-Buddhists that go pass latter-day mosques built on the profits earned from the Sinhalese.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On balance, it can be argued that the minoritarianism of the intransigent Jaffna Tamil political class and some deluded fanatics in the Muslim community ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” not all ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” have been more violent and destructive than all the retaliatory actions of the majority put together. Invariably the majority fears were fuelled by the unwarranted demands of aggressive minorities who not only manufactured political fantasies but pursued them by officially declaring war on the majority with the ultimate aim of denying the majority their traditional and basic right to pursue basic objectives of life, liberty and happiness in the land they built.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The genius of Bandaranaike was in identifying the fears and the anxieties of the majority that had to suffer the humiliation and agonies of being denied their historical rights under nearly five centuries of colonialism and, in the post-independence era, the extremist demands of minorities maneuvering to expand their privileges at the expense of the majority. He also identified, quite early in his career, the need to give leadership to the subterranean historical forces that were struggling throughout the colonial phase to regain its lost heritage. He was the first in the colonial ranks to read, with unerring certainty, the rising political groundswell which he steered through the maze of colonial and post-colonial maneuvers, with acumen and foresight, to fulfill his historic task of giving back to the people their heritage. It was a gigantic task and when in 1956 he opened the gates for the people to regain their lost dignity it swept the nation, from coast to coast, like a tsunami.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Awakened by a new sense of freedom the people instantly claimed ownership of the movement. It was symbolized in the spontaneous rush of people into the House of Representative on April 20, 1956 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the day of the first sitting of the new Bandaranaike regime in Parliament. The people were intoxicated with the feeling, however imaginary it may have been, that power had at last been transferred to them. They felt that their time had come at last. In their idiom they encapsulated the meaning of their time when they proclaimed: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Bandaranaike mahattaya apita thana dunna! (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Bandaranaike mahattaya gave us our placeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, implying that they regained the place that was denied to them in the preceding years).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The euphoria was infectious. The people wee celebrating the restoration of their birth rights. On the first day of opening the Parliament they couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t hold back their euphoric feelings. They rushed en masse and occupied the holy chambers, with some people sitting in the chair of the Speaker. The staid English-speaking brown sahibs were flabbergasted. They saw it as the rule of the mob. J. L. Fernando, the political correspondent of the Daily News who was very close to the defeated Sir. John Kotelawela wrote of this event: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-On its (ParliamentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s) adjournment after a brief sitting to elect a Speaker, the populace invaded the chamber and when a Police Office, I. D. M. van Twest, tried to stop the on-rush, Bandaranaike said: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-No, let the people come!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Virtually putting his hands up in horror J. L. Fernando added: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-It was the opening of the flood-gates of the frightening waters of indiscipline. And every time the waters rushed along, the man responsible for the opening of the gates, made a sparkling speech, filled with epigrams, and gave way.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (Bandaranaike Legacies, Times of Ceylon Ltd., 1965).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bandaranaike, quite accurately, described it as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the period of transitionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Fernando asked: Transition from what to what? as if Bandaranaike had built a bridge to nowhere. The Westernized upper-class was thoroughly confused. They were the remnants left over by the British Raj who felt that they were born to rule forever. After the advent of Bandaranaike they realized that they had lost the power they wielded in their heyday. They were in a power vacuum. Fernando expressed the feelings of this dying breed quite precisely. He was joined by Tarzie Vittachi, the darling of the disillusioned middle-class, who mercilessly ridiculed the Bandaranaike regime in his editorials and popular Sunday column, Brickbats and Bouquets under the pseudonym of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Fly By NightƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, the leading theoretician of the LSSP, viewed 1956 as an exchange of power between Tweedledums and Tweedledees. From his narrow class point of view he didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t see any difference. To him it was a case of the bourgeois compradore class of the UNP handing over power to the feudal relics of a dying past, the second defence line of the capitalist class. Subsequently, the Trotskyites and the Communist Party mounted massive strikes to push Bandaranaike to the brink. They believed that if they could overthrow Bandaranaike the next wave of politics ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they were always expecting the revolution to come round the corner — would swing them into power. Bandaranaike was facing the flak from the right and the left. He was never given a dayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rest until his own right-wing assassinated him.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Only the Sinhala intellectuals grasped the meaning of the event. Martin Wickremesinghe, the doyen of Sinhala letters, described the rout of the UNP in 1956 as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Bamunukulaya binda vatimaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (fall of the Brahmins, in its pejorative sense). Coincidentally, 1956 was also the year in which the Sinhala culture peaked with Prof. SaratchchandraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Maname, picking up from where nadagam left and leading the Sinhala theatre to new, creative and exciting heights. The Peradeniya School headed by Prof. Saratchchandra was in a commanding position dwarfing the Colombo School of Meemana Prematilaka and P.B. Alwis Perera. New-comers like Gunadasa Amerasekera were the promising stars of the cultural renaissance exploding in and around 1956.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Denzil Peiris, one of the few journalists in the English media who felt and read the pulse of the people and the grass root movements accurately, called it ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Revolution of 1956ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. In a perceptive analysis, tracing the antecedents and the significance of the dramatic events of the day, he wrote: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The fact is that the defeat of the U.N.P. was inexorably inevitable. It was the result of the maturing of the long submerged Sinhala intelligentsia. It was an event as inevitable as the French Revolution or the dramatic events in world history which signify that one class has been pushed out and another taken its place as the predominant political groupƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The revolution of 1956, worked through the election (i.e., Donoughmore votes) which put the M. E. P. into power, indicated the shift of political power from the westernized bourgeoisie into the hands of the national bourgeoisie who lived in the small towns and villages. It was the outcome of the frustrations, economic and social, felt by the peoples who lived mainly in the rural villages.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (1956 and After, Background to Parties & Politics in Ceylon Today, March 1958, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd., Lake House.)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Bandaranaike was assassinated the people canonized him as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-bodisatvaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The nationalist forces he represented, steered and released resonate to this day. Mahinda Rajapaksa has emerged as the true legatee of the Bandaranaike heritage. His military and political victories are related directly to the dormant Bandaranaike forces that were awaiting a resurrection and a rejuvenation of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-1956 RevolutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The Bandaranaike progeny missed the bus because they deviated from their fatherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s path. Tragically, at different times, the Bandaranaike offspring ran in the opposite direction to attack his Sinhala-Buddhist forces which, incidentally, was the primary source that brought his wife and progeny into power beating the left-wing loonies and all other right-wing anti-national forces. But the offspring never stood up for their father who restored to the nation everything it lost ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” language, religion, culture and the dignity which you lose when you are denied your language, religion and culture — under 500 years of colonialism.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When, for instance, has a Bandaranaike offspring ever written or spoken in the name of their great father? Their studied silence allowing the anti-Bandaranaike forces to denigrate their father is equally despicable as CBK joining the anti-Sinhala-Buddhist bandwagon with her kata-kadichca katha. The only Bandaranaike who defended ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SWRDƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ intellectually, ideologically and persuasively was Felix Dias Bandaranaike with the backing of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. But the offspring neither had the intellectual capacity nor the ideological understanding of the burden of history he carried on his shoulder. He had a finer grasp of the dynamics of history than the blinkered Marxists who could not see beyond their theoretical boundaries. Besides, for all their pompous punditry where did they end up? WasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it at the point where Bandaranaike began? DidnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t Dr. Colvin R. de Silva and his theoretical mate, Doric de Souza, who decried religion as the opium of the masses, end up offering flowers at the Dalada Maligawa?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Despite their claims to have understood and mastered the mysteries of history through their acquired knowledge of Marxism they failed to read the signs of the time. Of all the political leaders only Bandaranaike had the foresight to be ahead of his rivals with his intellectual grasp of the politico-cultural forces that were rearing to regain its rightful status in their own land. Unfortunately, his daughter too fell into the same pit of the Marxists. CBK assumed that her Marxist ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-unclesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ were superior to her father and did not go very far either in leading the nation to new frontiers or in winning the hearts and minds of the people like her father.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was her mother that summed up neatly the role of the Tamils in distorting the political realities of the day. In her reply to Appapillai Amirthalingam, the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front, she wrote: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-You speak of oppression of the Tamils. That was your propaganda. It is pointless saying that to me, because I know the facts, and he misinformation methods pursued against our people. Of course, there could have been administrative mistakes, errors of judgment, human failings in a long dependant country struggling to stand on its feet. But oppression or deliberate discrimination, never. The strident claim of a few ambitious persons for special position for the Tamil people within Sri Lanka was born long before the SLFP or even the UNP was founded. It was the same claim that was later advanced to Federalism and Eelam; and many inaccuracies and distortions, including that of our national history, become necessary to propel that political line; and whereas the facts and statistics of national performance will sow that the Tamil people in the Country must always been among the most privileged minorities in the world.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (The Island ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” August 14, 1987)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now if a girl from St. BridgetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s College had this factual knowledge how come a product of Sorbonne missed it? DoesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t this reveal that the Bridgetian mother, with less than A-level qualifications, had a better grasp of the ground realities than the bubble-headed daughter from Sorbonne? CBK neither has the pragmatic nous of her mother, nor the intellectual brilliance of her father. She, in short, is destined to languish in the footnotes of history as a bimbo in limbo.
August 29th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
“Unlike the other Tamil and Muslim migrants who did not create an original culture of their own – they were mere imitators bound hand and foot by the traditions with which they arrived in Sri Lanka — the Sinhala-Buddhist created with their creativity and energy a unique culture that made Sri Lanka what it is in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world.”
100% true.
Tamils in SL don’t have a culture. They IMPORT ALL their culture, literature, films, songs, etc. from Tamil Nadu. And politics too.
To their credit Muslims have taken up the Sri Lankan (Sinhala) culture which is very good. So now Muslims are transforming to become Sri Lanka’s own people.
Although Sirima made that insightful comment in 1987 just before the 1988 crucial election, it was too late. It was she who gave them a TAMIL ONLY university which she should not have done. Madivadini started her terrorism from this university. She gave them unfair economic prosperity at the expense of others that turned violent when the closed economy became an open economy. British did the same thing. She turned a blind eye to growing Tamil militant violence until it was too late. Then she came to a pact with Ponnambalam for the 1988 election.
Mr Bandaranayaka was a good man but the same cannot be said about his wife, children and grand children.
Mr B was a reasonably intelligent and educated man than his wife (uneducated beyond school) and children (CBK failed GCE OL in 1960 or 1961).
August 29th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Quite fascinating to see local “Reds” trying to bring in foreign communist culture while brown sahibs trying to placate to the former colonials who are nothing but presumed cultured barbarians in cashmere suits.
It is sad to see locals ganging up against a MR who is a nationalist leader that care about the country.
We were brought up with sound cultural values that was asked , not to betray your country of birth and hope true patriots follow the countries well being and help the poor and its rich culture.
Every foreign friend that come to Sri Lanka always say it is a amazing place with rich culture and it is sad our people does not know how lucky we are…
August 30th, 2011 at 5:41 am
Our thanks to HLD for this insightful piece.
Both Mrs B & CBK lost their husbands to assassins, leaving these two less able & savvy women to rule Lanka – to whose advantage ?. Wonder which group/s manipulates the rougher sector of the Sinhala people to get rid of their own leaders ? Does it show up that our Sinhala Colombian section was not smart enough in thinking/planning ahead at that time ? The Colombians of that time had greater knowledge of foreign lands than of Sri Lanka. Doesn’t it all boil down to the type of Education we receive as children, to have very good knowledge of & to show loyalty to this country ? To date, we do not have an Oath of Allegiance to Sri Lanka which is a must for this country beleaguered by various forces. The National Anthem alone is not enough. At least, even at this late stage, let’s introduce some measures to ensure loyalty to Sri Lanka and her people.
Also, so many newcomers are coming into Lanka to settle down legally & illegally, an Oath of Allegiance is a must.
Mrs B. told the truth when she said that during her time in office, that the “Tamil people in the Country must always been among the most privileged minorities in the world”. It is said in Sinhala that : ‘thalena yakade waduwa uda panna panna gahanawa’ which means that ‘the metal that can be bent will be hit by the ironmonger who will jump up & down while doing so’ !! In this case, the ‘waduwa’ consists of the Tamil leaders & their associates and the metal piece that is hit & bent is the rest of the people of Lanka. Now that we are caught up in this sorry situation, let us use it to grow as a Nation.
August 30th, 2011 at 7:42 am
We still have the remnants of the British Raj among the so called Colombo elite who became leaders of the UNP. And one of them Ranil still hangs on to the UNP leadership .
In 1956 only one percent of the population were educated in English and they ruled the country and the govt. This group found it extremely difficult to take up the UNP defeat .Compared to SWRD , people like Sir John did not have the common touch.
P.A.Samaraweera, Melbourne.
August 30th, 2011 at 11:03 am
This 1% of people who learn English ruled SL until now regardless of which political party in power. These people created huge problem for Sri lanka locally and internationally. Locally, they were in charge of every govt and did not watch out for foreigners who were spying in SL to establish SL. Why that? It is because A. they trusted them B. they did not modern communication equipment to monitor foreigners who have been communicating with locals by using highly sophisticated equipment which cannot detect by government. And there many more things to it.
Also, do not forget that when English is thought to everybody, foreigner use it destroy SL culture. When they see the chance, they come to SL one way or the other. So be prepare when teaching English to watch out for bad side. Islamic
countries have the law to deal with this. I do not blame Islamic countries and 100% have to agree with them in certain area such as protection of culture.
August 30th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
In order to be understood by a foreigner, we have to know the English language. The Tourist industry demands that we know some English. Alternately, we can speak in Sinhala only and have ourselves translated. Sometimes words we use to convey something important may be lost in translation. It is a risky thing to depend totally on translations. It is good for people know some English or some other foreign language, or several languages.
I think what we have to retain is a VALUE system, good ethics and morality. Yes, language too is important as is religion. So we will end up with very good Sinhala and some fair knowledge of English or Tamil, or some other language.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Excellent article- Also let us not forget the immense difficulties SWRDB faced while delivering thousands of successes in those 30 months, setting up his grand vision with many lasting institutions – CTB, Nationalised Ports, EPF, Kandyan Peasantry Commission, heralding the manufacturing sector, banking, broader education, Translation of Sciences, non aligned foriegn policy without foriegn bases, Diplomatic relationships with the Socialist bloc and the recently emerged countries, reviving Arts and Culture amidst the internal rumblings of Mapitigama Buddharakkitha / Wimala Wijewardena factions who wanted to privatise the gains to themselves, oppose paddy lands act, opposition attempts to derail with JRJ’s march to Kandy .
August 30th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Fran,
I think the waduwas are us and the metal piece that refuses to bend according to us is Tamil leaders. They have tired and pained us badly by refusing to bend to our demands. But we will continue. Either it will bend according to SL or break up. We will heat it up, melt it and shape it the way we want.
August 31st, 2011 at 6:00 am
Good article. Before SWRD, the Sinhalese were second class citizens in their own country. They were at the bottom of the pile, as such Ponnambalam made the famous 50 – 50 claim, equating one Tamil to three Sinhalese. Unless we learn to compete and ditch old Indian dogmas that even Indians do not believe now, we may continue our decline. Even now, economy is in the hands of non Sinhalese and equality has not been achieved. Mayans and Aztecs also had unique cultures, but they were killed and displaced by groups that had more military capability. So passive stuff won’t work .Now we have to look at evidence, analyse what went wrong and stop the rot. Think of new ways rather than hanging on to failed dogmas that failed Nalanda Buddhists.
August 31st, 2011 at 11:30 am
Lorenzo, I like your spirit !
I wish that there is an Oath of Allegiance for Lanka which is mandatory for all Lankans. How can anyone who refuses to take an Oath of Allegiance to Lanka be a Sri Lankan ? People must know that they cannot have their free education, free health care etc. and still be disloyal to Lanka. They cannot have it both ways. They cannot have their cake & eat it too.
Just watch how many people minus this statement !
August 31st, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I too like Lorenzo’s spirit. If we want to survive and win we need to learn the rules of the system, learn to be competitive and aim to win
August 31st, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Thanks Fran and Ben.
I only stated the general sentiment of MOST SLs.
In 2005 outsiders told us to vote for the DOVE and not the HAWK. We voted for the “hawk”.
In 2006 outsiders told us 23 tiring years of war did nothing good. But we still wanted war. See where it took us. Victory.
September 1st, 2011 at 5:02 am
Yes, Lorenzo, we have to do our own thinking/evaluating in every situation here.
Ben, in my humble opinion, a general sense of Competition in every field of endeavor may bring some positive & some negative results. However, a spirit of Co-operation as opposed to Competition will only bring positive results, whatever we do.
Also, let me acknowledge with thanks the ground breaking work done by SWRD. Though some of SWRD’s work was unpopular with the ruling folk of his time, his work has brought lasting and beneficial changes to Sri Lankan’s masses.
The biggest problem GoSL & the rest of Lanka has to face today is that Sri Lanka is being used as a battering ram to break the Tamil Caste/Poverty Issues in both Tamil Nadu & Lanka with consequent interference from abroad. The Sinhala people are caught in this trap. Addressing this problem, I am reproducing below what I wrote into the Asian Tribune on 31st August :
“The Root Cause of the Tamil Problem is Caste. Of this there is no doubt. The ltte was first formed in Jaffna because of Caste Issues, exacerbated by job issues/poverty. However, the 3,000 yr old Caste Structure of Tamil Nadu (and the rest of India) is hardly ever spoken about in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, this Caste Structure is tied to the Hindu religion itself through the Laws of Manu and was formulated some 3,000 yrs ago and came to Sri Lanka mostly through migrant Tamil labor during the Colonial times. While Caste may have served some purpose in society in ancient times, the time has come to discard these unnatural man made practices and all Tamil people allowed to lead normal lives and gain a better life through their true talents & abilities. For the low caste & Dalit people especially, Caste structuring amounts to a kind of endless slavery that is tied to religion, and should now be discarded.
As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, the Tamil Caste System originates in Tamil Nadu and took root mostly in the Jaffna area. While we are aware that we in Sri Lanka have no jurisdiction about what should be done in Tamil Nadu, we cannot help but ask the question : What can Tamil Nadu leaders do to mitigate the effects of Caste and erase it away so that both TN & Lanka are set free to grow ? We submit some ideas in the hope that action is taken in TN where it all began. These suggestions are made in a spirit of reconciliation & genuine concern and we hope they are accepted in the same way.
(1) Gradually set free the some 95,000 ‘night soil’ carriers employed by TN state govt. by modernising the states sanitary system.
(2) Set up special schools in TN for education of children not yet receiving any education at all.
(3) Set up at least a lottery system whereby all people in low caste/incomes situations only participate to own plots of land there.
(4) Set up a similar job lottery system for jobs in TN, solely for low caste/income people.
(5) Offer Plus points to students in schools & Universities for social work done with the poor.
(6) Teach the 4 Great Yogas of the Hindus (especially Raj Yoga, Meditation) to all Tamil people.
Invite ideas from the public in both TN & Sri Lanka on how to remove Caste/Poverty Issues. Have open discussion & debate on these issues without hiding them.
In Sri Lanka, Free Education (including University) & a Free Health Care system are offered to everyone, including all Tamils. Free Education has been given from 1942 onwards. Also, in Jaffna and elsewhere all over Lanka, all Church schools teachers salaries from a few years ago, are paid by GoSL”.
September 1st, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Fran
“Just watch how many people minus this statement!”
May I say that I was the first to give you a minus! But regrettably I did not comment as to the reasons why owing to priorities.
Permit me now to give you the reasons why-
Majority of the Lankans pay taxes and it’s a given right under the constitution that these citizens enjoy the right of free education, health care and all essential services provided by the state.
(Not forgetting the fact these same tax payers are paying the wages, stipends (sic) to the overblown lawmakers voted in by the same). It’s in the Constitution.
Then, there are a minority of “well to do” who have paid for private education and private health, not depended on the State but still paid their taxes for the benefit of “not so well off”. Again it’s in the Constitution.
I’m not sure how you define disloyal to Sri Lanka. (Or is it disloyal to the Government in power, whichever the colour)
Recently, (as a Sri Lankan citizen) I was subpoena as a witness to provide evidence against a Sri Lankan Government Institution in a UK High Court for breach of contract and maladministration of its working practices within this Institution.
I had no hesitation in providing evidence and an affidavit. My conscious was clear.
Are you suggesting that I perjure myself and compromise my credibility to protect wrong doers?
No, Never!
I was fortunate enough to have private education and private health but still pay my taxes, as it’s the Law of the Country.
You further state
“I wish that there is an Oath of Allegiance for Lanka which is mandatory for all Lankans. How can anyone who refuses to take an Oath of Allegiance to Lanka be a Sri Lankan?”
Yes you are right and I agree with you.
I’m not sure how five of the most influential members of the Government have sworn an Oath of Allegiance to a Country other than Sri Lanka and obtain foreign passports but still have influence towards the governance of Sri Lanka. Should they not have given up foreign citizenship? Where do you draw a line on Allegiance?
I don’t necessary blame them for retaining a foreign citizenship/passport; it’s a hedging bet. They will be the first out of the country when it gets hot!
Finally,
I refer to a further comment regarding caste system amongst the Tamil population.
It’s prevalent amongst all Sri Lankans. Try reading the Matrimonial sections in the Sunday Newspapers. It will be an eye opener for you
September 1st, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Caste in the matrimonial section of newspapers is a foolish example. How about “lagna”? That is also stated in it! But people don’t discriminate by “lagna” though it affects partner selection for these people. It is about the match making only. Caste is a personal consideration for some people to find a partner for themselves. It create no discrimination.
Tamils too have this but that is not a problem because it doesn’t discriminate anyone.
But the Tamil caste problem is much worse. It doesn’t allow some people to step in to a kovil, go to school, enter a house, sit on a chair, enjoy hospitality, live in certain parts of Jaffna, hold high office, etc. No one other than Brahmin caste fools can perform religious rites! What a BS discrimination!
When the fishing caste boy Prabakaran became “sundog” high caste Tamils couldn’t bear it. Then they turned the story to suit them. They said he was a high caste fellow! Typical. When Dalits cross the sea, they become Valla-allala caste!!! Who was going to check anyway in a country where there were no Tamils at the time to check!
This is happening in the diaspora too. But a bit difficult to hide now.
We should make good use of Tamil caste discrimination to pit one Tamil group against another for our benefit. It is happening (Douglas/Karuna/Thonda/LTTE).
Tamils are the majority in CMC but they are not willing to vote for the most popular Tamil – Mano Gona – bcos he is an “Indian Tamil” not a Valla-allala Jaffna Tamil. Fantastic! That makes it easy for a Sinhalese or a Muslim to become the mayor. Otherwise it is out of the question.
September 1st, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Marco:
You say ““I wish that there is an Oath of Allegiance for Lanka which is mandatory for all Lankans. How can anyone who refuses to take an Oath of Allegiance to Lanka be a Sri Lankan?”
Yes you are right and I agree with you”.
That is all I wish to hear even if you put a minus against my comment. I agree with you that you did the right thing in giving evidence against wrong doers from Sri Lanka. Not to give honest evidence would be going against the kind of Oath I have in mind. An Oath of Allegiance to Lanka requires utmost honesty in everything we do. You are probably mixing my thoughts up with some politicos in some countries, including Sri Lanka, e.g. some of the TNA politicos for example, and may be others.
As for loyalty to Sri Lanka when Lanka nurtured us in education & health care : it is true it is paid for by tax payer money, but successive GoSLs did not have to do it and had the majority vote to repeal such a matter in the Constitution. As I fear, it is taken for granted as the due to all citizens, including Tamils who demand a separate state for themselves, carved out of Lanka. To me, such thinking amounts to total disloyalty and border on treachery. I cannot reconcile the two thoughts, particularly when some of the richest democracies in the world do not offer free education & free health care. I do not agree with your reasoning on that matter. Loyalty & honest action toward a country in distress in not gratitude toward its politicians, but a heartfelt wish to see peace & prosperity for all its citizens, including the ones who err in their ignorance and attempt to divide it.
As for those in power who have achieved citizenship in foreign lands, that is their privilege. Those countries could have revoked those citizenship privileges if they deemed it fit. Why have they not done so ?
Also, thanks again to Lorenzo for his common sense. How refreshing and direct !
September 1st, 2011 at 4:29 pm
P.S.: I personally think that any truly honest person, whatever the status in life, is in a sense a citizen of the whole world. One day in the future in a more enlightened world, we hope such people will hold a World Passport ….