5th Column

Hamuduruwane,
It was with shock and great sadness that we woke up last Sunday to the news that you had left us. We knew that you had been sick for a few weeks and that you had been flown to Singapore for treatment but we hoped that you would return to carry on the good fight, as you always did.

Since then, hamuduruwane, many have wondered why your departure evoked so strong emotions in people from all walks of life. As someone pointed out, you were a simple priest, not a mahanayake hamuduruwo, or a panditha hamuduruwo with dozens of letters before and after your name.

Some have suggested that you were remembered with such affection because you were instrumental in informing the people about the need for ‘yahapaalanaya’ at a time when ‘Mahinda chinthanaya’ was threatening to take over every aspect of our lives at the expense of freedom and democracy.

You were one of the first persons to foresee that a change from ‘Mahinda chinthanaya’ was needed. At that time, you were probably the only person who thought that it was possible. This was when the Greens being beaten at every election and their MPs joining Mahinda maama by the dozen.

Hamuduruwane, that was when you suggested the need for a ‘common’ candidate. While many thought it was a good idea they also thought it wasn’t practical because there appeared to be no one who could take on that role. You not only found a common candidate, you led him to victory too.

Nevertheless, I don’t for a moment think that is why so many people were shocked and saddened last Sunday morning. They were deeply moved because they knew that you always did what you thought was best for our country, not what was best for you. That was what separated you from the rest.

Hamuduruwane, there were times when you were criticised for being a ‘Green’ priest by the Blues because you wanted the Mahinda era to end. But those with good memories will recall that you were also called a ‘Blue’ priest by the Greens thirty five years ago when you were battling JR’s might.

After all, hamuduruwane, you opposed Mrs. B being deprived of her civic rights. You were also against the Indo-Lanka Accord and for your efforts you, along with Professor Sarachchandra, were manhandled by JR’s thugs. These are hardly the hallmarks of a Green priest, are they?

What was impressive was that through all this, you did what you did with grace and dignity, without being rude or abusive and without discriminating against a group of people because of their race or religion. It was so different from those who use the saffron robe to form ‘bala sena’ and ignite racism!

Hamuduruwane, you told us that we should cook the ‘rotiya’ while the ‘thetiya’ was still hot. The people listened to you but, when the new regime was dragging its feet on changing the system of elections, you were the first to criticise it saying that the ‘rotiya’ we cooked was half baked.

If you were disappointed with the Greens for not changing the way in which elections are held, you were even more upset with Maithri for getting the rogues who lost the election in to Parliament through the back door and with both the Greens and the Blues for having a huge Cabinet once again.

You astutely realised that the path in which the new regime was heading was not quite right. More importantly, you were not afraid to say that to the powers that be. You could do that because you weren’t one of those who support politicians to get some reward when they assumed power.

We are now beginning to realise that ‘yahapaalanaya’ was also not exactly what it was meant to be. It was only last week that we saw Green ministers jumping up and down in Parliament defending shady deals undertaken during the Blue era and saying they will not allow certain officials to be arrested!

Important people promised us on Thursday, as we bid farewell to you, that they will uphold the ideals you stood for. I hope they do, but I am baffled why they should do that when you are no more with us, because they failed to do so while you were still with us, complaining about the half-baked ‘rotiya’.

What we saw on Thursday was a spontaneous and sincere outpouring of grief, affection and respect, the kind of which we haven’t seen in a very long time. Those who are old enough to remember will have to think back to Dudley’s departure more than forty years ago to recall a similar event.

You succeeded in ending the Mahinda era and installing ‘yahapaalanaya’. Ironically, that may be your greatest achievement as well as worst regret because it is not heading towards where it should be going. Pardon us, hamuduruwane, that is why we now feel as if ‘the light has gone out of our lives’.

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS: One of the most heart-warming scenes on Thursday was seeing our Muslim brethren distributing water and food to those who had come to pay their respects to you. As a nation, that gives us hope and it is also proof that all the good that you did over the years may, after all, not be in vain.