8th February 1998

Roshan Peiris meets two veteran Parliamentarians who have seen the country's changing fortunes since Independence

I vowed I would do more than my best

Many are the memories that go through the mind of a man who has served his country in the Legislature from Pre-Independence times. Maithripala Senanayake has represented Medawachchiya electorate in the North Central province since 1947.

Today one of the most respected politicians, well known for his fine courtesy to both the press and the people and for his unswerving loyalty to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he is a mellow man.

He recalled with a smile, "I remember the sweet smell of freedom won without a drop of blood unlike most other countries. I must bow my head in respect for the many who struggled for this goal, men from all communities and all persuasions."

"There was many a great patriot, national heroes who sometimes risked their lives for independence. Apart from D.S. Senanayake, our first Prime Minister, there was also S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, D. R Wijewardene whose newspapers helped to fight the battle for freedom, the Lions of Boralugoda Philip and Robert, Oliver Gunatilleke, J.R Jayawardene, Sir Baron Jayatileke, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, Sir Arunachalam and the large moustached E.W Perera who it is said, carried an important document to London hidden in his shoe during the Second World War if I remember right.

"The Ceylon Independence Bill was passed by the British Parliament and became law on December 10, 1947. I remember vividly that glorious day in February 4, 1948 when lion flags flew all over the then Ceylon hoisted in both towns and villages atop churches, temples and mosques.

The Duke of Gloucester arrived in Colombo to inaugurate Ceylon's new status.

"S.W.R.D. made one of the most brilliant speeches of his career in his address of thanks when he said we must see that our newly regained freedom quickens into a life of greater happiness and prosperity for us all. Political freedom comes alive only when it is utilized to achieve the freedom. Freedom from poverty, freedom from disease, freedom from ignorance, freedom from fear."

He continued, "Nor is that all. We have to fan the flickering flame of democracy so that each individual is assured of those freedoms for which democracy has always stood and which safeguards man's self respect and secures honest, decent and fair dealing between man and man ."

Maithripala also recalled the first general election held in August and September of 1947. The Legislature consisted of 101 Members 95 people elected from 89 electorates and 06 appointed by the Governor General to the House of Representatives.

"The first Parliament saw the first woman MP Florence Senanayake. After by-elections Tamara Illangaratne and Kusuma Gunewardena came in. Later there was Vivienne and Doreen Wickremesinghe. Lady Adelene Molamure was the first woman to be appointed to the Senate."

Maithiripala Senanayake has held the Medawachchiya seat, for some 47 years. "Some believe, it is a world record and exceptional achievement especially in a Third World country," he says.

"As a young man I vowed I would do more than my best and I was filled with both humility and pride that I could serve the people of my electorate."

Maithripala, now as Governor of his beloved North Central Province lives among his people who never fail to show him their affection.

His wife Ranji though a Tamil and a Christian has integrated herself well and has proved a tremendous asset to Maithripala. His memories are both sad and glad as he spends his time thinking often of the exciting past, but working for the present.

I retain my independence

Dressed in white verty and long shirt, Minister Saumyamoorthi Thondaman spoke of his long political life and his leadership of the Indian plantation workers in Sri Lanka, his reminiscences infused with a gentle nostalgia and shot through with humour.

There is a picture of Thondaman in 1984 dressed in a grey double breasted suit and gray tie, talking to the Duke of Edinburgh when he was an invitee to a conference hosted by the Duke. Mr. Thondaman apparently had forgiven the British even during those few moments for having brought in Indian workers as indentured labourers to work on their British plantations here.

It was the inhuman pattern set by the British, that made the life of Indian indentured labour a veritable nightmare. It has to be noted to Mr. Thondaman's credit that for the last fifty years he has fought for their rights, having come from India himself.

"In 1947 I was elected to parliament. I was often heckled but I did not care. I was no orator in English, I was there to speak for the voiceless Indian plantation workers working from four in the morning till late evening on the tea estates.

"The left parties supported us at the time, but once they came to power as Ministers under Mrs. Bandaranaike's Government, they tended by and large to lose both their base and their image.

"Take Dr. N. M Perera. From a strike leader he became a strikebreaker. He often used his trade unions to break strikes and in the process broke up his own unions.

"It was by and large a lonely battle for me, with the backing of the workers and a few progressives.

"I was an appointed Member of Parliament in the 60's picked by Mrs. Bandaranaike. But then she went behind my back and negotiated the infamous Sirima-Shasthri Pact."

Mr. Thondaman said that the extremist sections of the SLFP and other Sinhala elements whipped up communal feelings at the time.

Recalling the 1965-70 happenings during the Dudley Senanayake stewardship of the government he said Dudley was by nature a timid man, and wilted in the face of acute communal confrontations.

Sir John Kotalawela he felt was sometimes vicious towards the Indian labour community. "I told him that in Parliament. I demanded the rights of Kandyan Tamils, not Indian Tamils. In parliament, I still believe one must not talk too much."

J. R Jayawardene was the most understanding among those of the Sinhala leadership, he says. "Once when we were attacked on the plantations by the Sinhala people he asked me why we did not not retaliate in kind.

"We also got under adjustment 94,000 registered voters under Premadasa.

"While J. R. Jayawardene courageously invited me to join the UNP Cabinet in 1977. Sir John years ago tried to confiscate my properties for supporting strikes in the plantations. He was aiming directly at me but J. R in contrast was sympathetic towards us."

Thondaman recalled that "Tamil people were provoked into agitation when Minister of Transport Maithripala Senanayake in the Bandaranaike government introduced the Bill compelling the use of Sri number plates on all motor vehicles. This naturally resulted in the Federal Party of S. J. V. Chelvanayakam starting an anti-Sri campaign. Motor vehicles in the North and East started using Tamil Sri number plates. As the campaign gained momentum the up- country Tamils were inevitably drawn into it emotionally. After all we have a common language, culture and traditions."

Mr. Thondaman also recalled the tar brush campaign when Sinhala people tarred Tamil letterings on street name boards and Tamils retaliated by tarring Sinhala street name boards.

At Bogawantalawa a few Tamil youths gathered at the entrance of an estate and stopped all passing vehicles with Sinhala Sri number plates, said Mr. Thondaman. "The Police arrested and locked them up. Enraged estate workers then went on the rampage and attacked Sinhala owned shops and buildings," he said. Finally after an appeal from Prime Minister Bandaranaike he brought the situation under control, he said.

He also gleefully recalled the time Mr. W. Dahanayake walked in to the August legislature in an 'Amude' (a small loin cloth) to demonstrate against the scarcities and high prices of textiles during Mrs. Bandaranaike's stewardship.

The veteran politician cum Trade Unionist said, " I have been in the cabinet now continuously for 21 years. But I can hardly be accused of being a 'yes' man. I retain my independence.

Yes, I will call the estate workers to strike if our daily wages are not increased to Rs 105/- per day whether I am in the cabinet or not."

At the Independence Day celebrations last Wednesday there was Saumyamoorthi Thondaman again in the front row shading his face from the sun with a programme, awaiting the British heir to the throne, His Royal Highness Prince of Wales whose ancestors brought Thonda's people from India to work on their tea estates.

An irony of history it seems that fifty years later Thondaman joins in independence celebrations, independence from British rule, which was harshest on his own people, as its representative officiates as Chief guest invited by the Sri Lankan government.

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