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by W.T.A. Leslie Fernando

The birth centenary of Dr. Hector H. Fernando, a veteran in the Leftist Movement and a former MP for Negombo falls today. A diehard Marxist, Dr. Hector Fernando believed in scientific socialism as expounded by Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels and V.I. Lenin. The well-known physician he devoted his entire career for the cause of the downtrodden and the underdog.

Lintotage Hector Heronimus Fernando was born on September 30, 1903 at Katana, an area well-known in the island for its riches. He was educated at St. Joseph's College, Colombo and later went to U.K. for higher studies. He returned to Sri Lanka in 1931 as a qualified physician with a degree in Medicine from the University, Edinburgh.

He opened up a private dispensary in Negombo which in due course blossomed into the first nursing home and maternity clinic in the area. However Dr. Hector Fernando was soon drawn towards the unfortunate and the underprivileged. He became concerned about the exploited fisherfolk in Negombo who risked their lives braving the sea at night.

In 1935, the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka, the Lanka Samasamaja Party was formed. In 1936 Santiago Fernando a teacher from the fishing hamlet Kudapaduwa in Negombo became a member of the LSSP. The first Catholic in Sri Lanka to join the LSSP, he convinced many a Catholic to become members of it.

The LSSPers in Negombo now wanted to form a branch of the party there and looked for a man of standing to be their leader. They approached Dr. Hector Fernando who by this time had earned a reputation as a fighter for the exploited fisherfolk. He agreed to join them.

In 1937 a branch of the LSSP was formed in Negombo with Dr. Hector Fernando as the President and Santiago Fernando as the secretary. Since then for many decades politics in Negombo was a struggle between landowners, businessmen, bus magnates and fish magnates on one side and the LSSP on the other.

In 1944 when the Free Education Bill was introduced in the State Council, the then Catholic Church vehemently opposed the move. On this issue the LSSP in Negombo openly rose against the Church. They got down Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara and organised meetings in support of free education in predominantly Catholic areas. Dr. Hector Fernando and Santiago Fernando joined Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, went round the country and addressed meetings on behalf of Catholics in favour of free education.

In 1947 parliamentary elections, Santiago Fernando contested Negombo as the candidate of the LSSP. In this election many poor Catholics in Negombo rallied round the LSSP. And he lost the seat to a stalwart of the UNP by a narrow margin of only 956 votes. It was evident that the LSSP had gained a foothold in Catholic Negombo.

In 1949, when China became a Communist country, the Catholic Church got alarmed and passed many strictures against Marxists. It forbade Catholics joining or supporting Marxist parties. Marxists were denied Church recognition, sacraments and burials. As a result many Catholics veered away from the LSSP.

In 1952 elections Dr. Hector Fernando was the LSSP candidate for the Negombo seat. There he lost heavily to the UNP candidate by over 13,000 votes. But Dr. Hector Fernando did not lose heart. An English bard who lived in the Medieval Ages has said "My head is bloody but unbowed" describing the strength of will and corrected of a man who refused to change his convictions despite the beatings and torture he had to undergo. Dr. Hector Fernando was a man of such calibre. He carried on his political activities with even more enthusiasm and vigour.

At the 1956 elections the swing was against the UNP and its strong fortress Negombo too fell. In this elections Dr. Hector Fernando, a Marxist was elected as the MP for "Little Rome". He polled over 20,000 votes and defeated his UNP rival by 2800 votes.

Dr. Hector Fernando's political activities extended from Wattala up to Puttalam along the sea coast. He also organised a strong trade union movement in the surrounding districts. Whenever a worker in the area was unjustly dismissed, victimised or harassed Dr. Hector Fernando was there to take up the case when called upon.

Dr. Hector Fernando never used religion for political gain or expediency. Being a Marxist he did not believe in religion. He did not attend the Church even on Sundays just to hoodwink Catholics and get some votes.

Dr. Hector Fernando was also a nationalist and patriot. He used to wear an immaculate white national costume which was a rare sight among the doctors in our country.

Dr. Hector Fernando who placed his entire career for the cause of the underprivileged passed away on October 21, 1976. At the time of his death, he was the Chairman of the Negombo South Fisheries co-operative which was the largest co-operative project in South-East Asia.

Dr. Hector Fernando was born with a silver spoon his mouth, and he made large fortunes as a reputed physician in the area. He used all his wealth for the causes he espoused. He died a comparatively poor man and the only property he had at his death was the house where he lived. Yet in another sense he died rich - rich in his service to humanity.

(The writer is a former High Court Judge).

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