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ATTACK ON THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

By L.Jayasooriya

This refers to a news item that the government has recorded an altered version of the National Anthem to be played at the Independence Day celebrations. The National Anthem like the unitary state of the country are entrenched in the constitution and to make any changes to them it requires not only a two-third majority in parliament but the result will also have to be ratified at a national referendum. Therefore what the people should ask the government is "Who gave you the permission to alter the National Anthem and then follow up on it without stopping.

It would be a mistake to think that the idea of changing the national anthem comes from the present government. If the memory of the Singhalese people is not that short it was the previous government that initiated it through package after package after package and nobody asked them this simple question and followed it up. Remember the infamous draft constitution of 2000 that was a joint plan against the Singhalese and the country by both the PA and the UNP? In that the national anthem was removed, citizenship was to be grated to half a million estate workers who have already been accepted by India to settle there as Indian citizens and the unitary state of the land was surreptitiously altered to a unified state.

During the previous government various mutilations were done to the national anthem and surreptitiously broadcast at closing time on the SLBC on some days and not on other days. The mutilated version had it speeded up to the speed of a fast "Baila" that was deliberately done to degrade it. I wrote several letters about it to the papers and there was no public response.
We are aware of a concerted effort by some NGOs driven by a hidden hand, with the present government as the front to use Tamil words in the national anthem. If that is the wish of both leaders it can be done in the open by obtaining a two-third majority in parliament and also satisfying the requirements in a national referendum. It cannot be done by illegal acts of the nature that is planned that are provocative and insulting to the Singhalese.

There are media reports that the American ambassador has been involved in connection with such changes. If those reports are correct, then it is fair for us to ask the American Ambassador how insulted and outraged he and the people of America would be if the Sri-Lankan ambassador in Washington were to suggest that the national anthem be changed to better represent the minorities and that a constitutional amendment be brought to enable it to be sung in the language of every minority in the United States. If the Ambassador agrees with me that introducing ethnic languages into the national anthem would harm the United States, then why is he recommending to us that we change our national Anthem in that manner to our detriment?

I am sure that His Excellency would understand that any attempt to make national anthem to be sung in the language of the minorities will encourage division in that unified state. We on the other hand are a unitary state and it is the traitors amongst us who want to cut up our country for their personal gain. I am sure your Excellency would agree that any person who wants to cut up his own country using whatever means available to him is a traitor by definition in any country in this world.
It was reported in the front page of the Island of 17th January 2003 that "Musicians Nanda Malini and W. D. Amaradeva under the direction of Rohana Weerasinghe sang and recorded the national anthem of Sri-Lanka much to the dismay of several nationalist parties".

Both Mr. Amaradeva and Mr. Ananda Samarakone the composer of the national Anthem lived in the house of Mr. Chitrasena who ran a cultural center in his large house and extended his full hospitality to all those artistes who lived there. He even raised funds to send Amaradeva to Bhathkhanda University in India where he qualified as a musician.

The fact that Amaradeva collaborated to produce an amended version of the National Anthem is enough for all patriotic Singhalese to be dismayed with disbelief. What would Ananda Samarakone have felt if he has lived to see this day? Can Amaradeva see Mr. Chitrasena in the eye today, the man who did so much for him? Can he even see any patriotic Singhalese face to face? He does not now have to care because he will always be welcome in the upper levels of both the PA and the UNP that are anti-national and anti-Buddhist.

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