Sunday Times 2
A prime minister who epitomised simplicity — and patience was his virtue – Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
View(s):By C.V. Rajapakse
A fearless man, who never feared anybody or anything, always stood by the correct thing and above all, he had a manly heart. He was so courageous that he was ready to fight and to fight, even when hope is out of sight.
As a politician, he never wanted to retire he said, and wanted to live his life, forgetting his age and never to retire from living. Above all, he enjoyed living like a humble villager and enjoyed being himself. Simplicity and patience, we have observed to a very great extent in his life. Those qualities were his greatest treasures.
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, who served twice as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, passed away on Tuesday.
His achievements were born of great sacrifice. He had good faith, and positive thinking, confidence in himself, and devotion to hard work. These excellent qualities, enabled him to do a remarkably great service to the nation and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as its’ General Secretary over the years, without caring for troublemaking personalities.
One of his biggest contributions to the country was during the last few years of the separatist war – mainly from 2006 to 2009, when he was the Premier. He never knew about fear and he was so brave and fearless, while threatening Velupillai Prabhakaran with death and the LTTE terrorist leaders, again and again, saying that Prabhakaran’s days are numbered; ‘in three months hence, Prabhakaran would be three metres under the earth and so on.’ Such brave speeches helped to boost morale of our armed forces on one hand, and helped the campaign to attract urgently needed recruits to our armed forces on the other. That way his contribution was immensely valuable to the country.
He was never a racist. But a Sinhala Buddhist at heart and always respected other religions and ethnic groups without any difference. We never saw any occasion, where he had shown, any difference under whatever the circumstances; all were Sri Lankans for him. He was by all means, for a unitary Sri Lanka and valued always the sovereignty of our country.
After passing out as a young lawyer, at the party reforms, I was selected as the SLFP organiser for Balapitiya in 1979. Since then, I had become fairly close to this gentleman, who was our General Secretary of the party. We continued our friendship for nearly 40 years.
In early eighties, at least once a week, we met and discussed political matters at Rathna Deshapriya Senanayake’s residence at Castle Street, Borella, with Dharmasiri Senanayake, Lakshman Jayakody, Senerath Somarathna, Harischandra Mendis, sometimes, Nimal Siripala and Vijaya Kumarathunga etc. The discussions and their deep knowledge on men and matters enriched our political knowledge. As the youngest in that circle, I admired Mr. Wickramanayake’s great contributions to the discussions.
Again, around 1995, I as the District Judge of Hambanthota had to go for a public function. That day, early morning, he rang me, to say that he was coming there, but will not visit me, even for a cup of tea. To that extent, he was conscious and concerned about the members of the judiciary.
During the 2010 Presidential Election campaign, I accompanied him to many a meeting, in different parts of the country by helicopter. With him I travelled by car throughout the Kaluthara district, during the General Elections.
Once, after a grand meeting, to felicitate him, for completing 50 years in politics in 2010, in Horana, we were to go to a certain well-wisher’s place to lunch. After the event, though we were seated together, he just went to the car and left. I just continued to be seated at the same place at the venue, though I knew, we were to go for lunch together with him. A little later, he got reminded of me, and immediately the car returned to take me. While proceeding, he inquired as to why I did not join him. And I said, ‘you didn’t invite me.’ Still the PM but at once with a smile, he apologised for the lapse on his part. He is such a humble genuine gentleman, with such noble qualities.
Money was never his god. He cared little for money and during election times, he sold a few acres of his ancestral land to do the campaign. But he never uttered a word about his loss.
He had boundless enthusiasm, and worked with resolution to overcome even so-called impossibilities. He had been a man, who had honour, and one would not lie. A man, spoils of the office cannot buy, as he had a strong mind and a great heart. He believed, in persistence and determination as the most important factors to make this place we live in a better one.
Appears rough and ruthless, and vociferous speaker inspiring for the supporters, but merciful, gentle, gracious, kind and humane, compassionate, tender hearted, where his conduct is concerned most dignified eminent without pomp, but a very vibrant person who was always prompt.
A couple of times, he told me that he was not going to Parliament with pleasure. He was the Prime Minister then. He said, ‘just see the people there, in Parliament, compared to people like N.M, Colvin, Keuneman, Philip, Dudley and JR.’
All his good qualities and trustworthiness, helped him to be the Prime Minister under President Chandrika Kumaratunga and also equally, under even President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Finally, he was selected as the Senior Advisor to the President Maithripala Sirisena as well.
‘‘Dullabho Purisajanno – na so sabbaththa jayati
Yattha so jayathi dhiro – tam kulam sukham edhati’’
- Dhammapada
‘‘Hard to find is the thoroughbred man – he is not born everywhere
Where such a wise man is born – that clan thrives happily’’
- Dhammapada
(The writer is a former District Judge and diplomat)