The SLFP: 56 years of serving the masses

S.S. Sahabandu, PC

FOUNDATION: The Sri Lanka Freedom Party was an instrument to champion and voice the aspirations of the Sinhala Buddhists that had been suppressed for almost four hundred years of foreign domination. Personal and political differences led S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to leave the UNP and form his own party in September 1951.

Though the SLFP was formed in 1951 the Sinhala Maha Sabha laid the foundation for the formation of the SLFP which voiced the aspirations of the Sinhala Buddhists after it was formed in the 1930s.

The resolution which proposed the formation of the Sabha was moved by Piyadasa Sirisena, a patriot. This organisation and the All-Ceylon Village Committees Conference, were the main political platforms of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.

The Sinhala literati and younger generation of journalists and authors of the time and well known Buddhist priests, Ayurvedic Physicians like Pandith J.P. Wickramaarchchi and teachers were active elements of the Sinhala Maha Sabha.

It must be kept in mind that one could be a member of the Sinhala Maha Sabha without leaving the Ceylon National Congress (and more latterly the UNP). When S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike left the UNP the rank and file of the Sinhala Maha Sabha integrated with the SLFP.

Another important body was the All Ceylon Village Committees Conference which was launched on December 16-17, 1925. It was started by Arthur V. Dias and D.H.S. Nanayakkara. S.W.R.D. held the post of presidency from 1929 to 1930. This organisation contributed powerfully towards his political base.

Significantly D.H.S. Nanayakkara was an official of this organisation. Among those who participated in its activities were M.P. De Zoysa (Snr.) Mudliyar E.A. Abeysekara, Muhandiram, D.W. Wickramaarachchi, Hemapala-Munidasa, D.S. Goonasekara, and Mudliyar, D.J. Senarathna.

The United National Party (UNP) was formed by a group of national leaders who had been in the Ceylon National Congress, S.W.R.D. was one of them.

The country faced a General Election in 1947 and the result was not conclusive, but the UNP was the main political group. S.W.R.D. as the leader of the Sinhala Maha Sabha led the “Yammuna conferences”, Yammuna being the residence of an independent socialist MP Hebert Sri Nissanka QC.

At these conferences there were discussions by opposition MPs left leaders and others to form a Government without the UNP. Many suggested the name of SWRD to be the Prime-Minister and not D.S. Senanayake. Had SWRD considered the offer he would have had the opportunity to be the Prime Minister.

Recalling these events he said “I felt that it was in the interest of the country to combine with various other parties in the effort to secure that stability of a Government which was needed at the beginning of the working of the free constitution.” This led to the collapse of the Yammuna conference thinking and SWRD remained in the UNP.

Personal differences in the UNP led SWRD to reconsider his position being in the UNP. An internal crisis started developing in the UNP. The Sinhala Maha Sabha functioned as a separate entity though most of its members were in the UNP. The Sabha met at Madampe, the stronghold of Jim Munasinghe a strong supporter of SWRD.

At this session many resolutions were discussed. The main resolution was proposed by D.F. Athukorala to make the Sinhala the official language. The resolution which was unanimously carried was seconded by Muhandiram D.F. Rajakaruna.

The next resolution was proposed by W.S. Fernando and seconded by K.K. Satyapala “the government of Lanka should protect Buddhism and its revival, particularly by setting up a department to help in protecting and maintaining Buddhist Affairs.

Jim Munasinghe the Chairman of the reception committee then moved a resolution for the effective handling of the problem of poverty, unemployment and the standard of living of the people, the Sabha was of opinion that steps had been taken to regard colonisation schemes as well as village expansion schemes to accelerate the present state of progress.

The resolutions popularly called the “Madampe resolutions” were placed before the executive-committee of the UNP and were rejected. The committee interviewed D. S. Senanayake.

They were - A.P. Jayasuriya, D.F. Athukorala, A.D.P. Ranasinghe, MP de Zoysa (Senior), Muhandiram Algiyawanna, Jim Munasinghe and W.S. Fernando. The parting had come and S.W.R.D. decided to leave the UNP and resigned his portfolio.

He wrote the following letter of resignation dated 12/07/1951 to D.S. Senanayake.

My Dear Prime Minister,

After most anxious consideration I have come to the conclusion that I have no alternative but to resign from the ministerial post I hold in our Cabinet.

I deeply regret that it has become necessary for me to take this course. It is no longer possible for me to reconcile the duty which I have to the people of this country with my continuance as a member of government. Please accept my thanks for an appreciation of the acts of courtesy and kindness which I have received at your hands.

I enclose a copy of letter addressed by me to the Governor General as required by 49(1) of the Ceylon Independence Order in Council 1947.

Yours Sincerely,

SWRD

To this letter D. S. Senanayake, Prime Minister replied on the same day 12/07/51 as follows:

My Dear SWRD,

I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12 July, 1951 which was delivered to me by your Private Secretary a few minutes ago. In which you state that you have no alternative but to resign from the ministerial post you hold in the Cabinet.

I have asked His Excellency today to accept your resignation. I regret that it has become necessary for you to take this step. Whatever differences of opinion we may have politically I have no doubt that our personal relations will continue to remain cordial. To me the parting is a sad one.

I thank you very much for all the assistance and cooperation you have given me and I wish you all happiness in the years to come.

Yours Sincerely,

D.S. Senanayake

He crossed the floor on budget-day in 1951 and D.A. Rajapaksa followed him. The following UNP MPs joined him A.P. Jayasuriya (Horana) George R. De Silva (Colombo North) D.S. Gunasekara (Udugama) Jayaweera, Kuruppu MP for (Balangoda) two independent Socialist MPs joined him, Herbert Sri Nissanka MP for Kurunegala and Tamara Ilangeratne (Kandy).

In a conversation the author had with Duncan Alwis, Private Secretary to SWRD as follows: “In Parliament the same day H. Sri Nissanka QC stated “if Banda is forming a new party put down my name.

“He wrote to many people and met people among whom was R.S.S. Gunawardena. He went to Kandy and met members of the Kandy Socialist Front whose members were T. B. Ilangeratne, H. Sri Nissanka QC, T. B. Godamune and requested them to join.”

After this historic background and mainly due to SWRD the SLFP was formed on September 2, 1951. Today the party is fifty six years old. All political parties will welcome this event, and today the party is under the dynamic leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.