Appreciations

Wesley Muthiah passed away last Saturday in London after a brief illness. Wesley was known to me for nearly 15 years. I met him first when I was working at the Social Scientists Association in Colombo in the early 1990s.

Wesley was born and raised in Jaffna town but at a young age he moved to London and started his career as a teacher. He was married to Tenecy Fernando from Moratuwa and they had two sons (Ninesh and Romesh) who married British Indians (Nina and Geetha). Wesley has one grandchild (Ravishank). In this sense his family can be designated as a multicultural and multi-ethnic family.

Wesley was a true comrade of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) dedicating his whole life for his political interests. I had a different idea of left politics before I met two personalities: Wesley Muthiah and Kumari Jayawardena. Under their influence, my political thinking began to change. I owe them for making me a different man but I will not be able to repay them.

Wesley was an active member of the intellectual wing of the LSSP. Prof. Carlo Fonseka described him as “A live blood of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party”. He has edited and published numerous politically motivated books, articles and pamphlets with his fellow comrade, the late Sydney Wanasinghe. To name a few “We were making history”, “The Bracegirdle Affaire”, “Socialist Women of Sri Lanka”, “Dr. Colvin R. de Silva”, “Two languages, one nation One language two nations”, “Case for Socialism”, “ N. M. in his own words as seen by others”, “Britain World War Two and the Samasamajists”.

All of his publications were on sale at a low price. He knew the cost of living in Sri Lanka and that people could not afford to buy books. Whenever Wesley organized book launches he asked me to come and help him out. His last book launch was at the Dr. N. M. Perera Centre in Colombo on Dr. Colvin R. de Silva. Prof. Tissa Vitarana, Vasudeva Nanyakkara, Batty Weerakoon, Raja Collure and other left leaders attended and were highly appreciative of Wesley’s contribution to the LSSP.

I still remember when I lived in London he offered me his residence to stay for many months. At that time I could not pay the room rent and his wife offered me lots of rations and frozen foods in his house. His house was a refuge for many Sri Lankans visiting London. I was one of them. He was supporting the upcountry Tamil community for many years, getting support from European friends and his family members for this.

Wesley we will remember you forever in our hearts. You were a father figure, teacher and very good friend of mine.

A passionate leftist