Philip Gunawardena: A great politician
Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena whose death anniversary falls today
was one of the most fiery Marxists that ever lived in Sri Lanka. He
shone in the political field as a trade unionist, a State Councillor and
a Parliamentarian. Born on January 11, 1901, he was one of the eight
children of the well-known Boralugoda Appuhamy, Don Jacolis Rupasinghe
Gunawardena and Dona Liyanora Gunasekara. Philip was the fourth child in
the family.
Philip Gunawardena commenced his primary education from a village
school in Avissawella. Subsequently he became an old boy of many an alma
mater such as Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, Ananda College Colombo,
Trinity College, Kandy and the University of Colombo.
At the age of 21 providence cleared his path to access higher seats
of learning in foreign lands. Initially he gained admission to the
University of Illinois in the USA to read economics and at the
University of Wisconsin. Finally he passed out from the Colombia
University in New York with a Doctorate in agricultural economics.
Following the 'tradition' of the majority of university students,
Gunawardena too harboured radical ideas as an undergraduate and joined
the anti-imperialist league in the United States and made a substantial
contribution by partaking in agitating rallies.
In 1929 he moved to the UK and became an active member to protest
against colonial movements.
Amidst such rebellious international students were Shri Jawaharlal
Nehru, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Krishna Menon of India, Jomo Kenyatta of
Kenya, Tan Malaka of Malaya, Jose Vasconcelos of Mexico, and Sir
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of Mauritius, his contemporaries, who later became
prominent rulers in latter years in their respective countries.
Philip Gunawardena's dexterity in radiant oratory and journalistic
skills excelled him as a brilliant orator, trade unionist, and political
columnist in the UK.
He met Dr. N.M.Perera, Colvin R de Silva, Leslie Gunawardena and Dr.
S.A. Wickramasinghe in England and formed the nucleus that was to become
the LSSP in Sri Lanka. For his anti-imperialist and socialist work, the
British government impounded his passport and it was only after the
intervention of Sir D.B. Jayatilleke that Philip Gunawardena was allowed
to land in Sri Lanka in 1932.
Gunawardena returned to Sri Lanka and became actively involved in the
Suriya Mal Movement which had been formed to assist the poor during the
Malaria epidemic in the early 1930s. He was the founder of the LSSP in
1935, and led the Suriya Mal Campaign in 1934-1935 together with other
LSSPers like Dr. N.M.Perera, Colvin R. de Silva, Leslie Gunawardena,
Robert Gunawardena (brother of Philip) and many others.
In 1939 Philip married Kusuma Gunawardena, who entered politics and
served as Member of Parliament from 1948-1960.
Philip and Kusuma Gunawardena were blessed with 5 accomplished
children, Indika, Prasanna, Dinesh, Gitanjana and Lakmali who became
shining stars in their respective fields.
The LSSP broke up following the entry of the USSR into the war
against Hitler's Germany and the Communists supporting the war. The
Communist elements were expelled and the LSSP became a Trotskyite
movement. Philip Gunawardena was so outspoken that the Colonial
Government banned the LSSP and he was imprisoned together with other
LSSP leaders in 1940.
His brother Robert Gunawardena organised the well-known Jail-break on
April 5, 1942 with the help of Jailor Solomon and they all secretly left
for India and were hiding.
Finally they were caught and were imprisoned in India. In 1943 they
were brought back to Sri Lanka and jailed for six months. Following his
release from jail the LSSP split again with a section led by Colvin R de
Silva leaving the LSSP on ideological grounds and joining the Bolshevik
Leninist Party (BLP) of India.
At the 1947 General Elections Philip Gunawardena was elected to the
first Parliament to represent Avissawella seat with a majority of 22,252
votes, but soon he was overthrown mainly due to his involvement in the
General Strike in 1947, he lost his civic rights for seven years as a
consequence.
When the BLP group rejoined the LSSP in 1950, Philip Gunawardena left
it and formed the VLSSP (Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party). In 1951
he became the leader of the VLSSP and formed the MEP (Mahajana Eksath
Peramuna).
In 1956 the VLSSP joined with the SLFP led by S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike,
an formed the MEP, which won the historic 1956 general election
defeating the UNP. Gunawardena was elected a member of Parliament for
the Avissawella electorate with a significant majority. Bandaranaike
appointed him as the Agriculture, Food, and Co-operatives Minister in
his new coalition Government.
In 1956, as the Agriculture Minister in the new government, Philip
Gunawardena had the vision and the courage to implement several
audacious steps to emancipate the poor masses from the shackles of
poverty.
He enacted the Paddy Lands Act to remove the obstacles in the way of
Agricultural productivity, for he was a politician who firmly believed
that rapid development of goods and services was the only way to enhance
the living standards of the people.
He was instrumental in establishing the Multi-Purpose Cooperatives to
help the farming community.
He supported the establishment of the Ceylon Transport Board by
nationalising the Bus Companies, activated the nationalization of the
harbour, establishment of the Ceylon Insurance Corporation, and The
People's Bank to develop the country in a systematic and wholesome way.
He was also instrumental in the takeover of British Air Force Base in
Katunayake and Naval Base in Trincomalee to remove the last shackles of
colonialism.
During 1965-1970, Philip Gunawardena became the Industries and
Fisheries Minister in the National Government under Dudley Senanayake
and was responsible for the establishment of the Industrial Development
Board and gave a boost to the State Industrial Corporations and Private
Sector Industries. He became the architect behind the development of the
Fisheries sector.
Philip Gunawardena was an eloquent speaker always armed with an
overwhelming knowledge of the internal affairs of the country.
He exhibited his debating skills in parliamentary affairs and managed
not only to overpower his opponents' with a 'Lion's roar' inside the Sri
Lanka Parliament, but ensured that he scrutinised and evaluated every
legislation before any white paper went through and became Law in the
Statue Book. At times he was seen helping the Speaker of the House to
sustain discipline among members of the assembly during boisterous
sessions.
This very outright nature within him managed to earn him a reputation
as Boralugoda Lion.
He rejected old fashioned dogmatic ideas and armed himself with the
belief that modern social development should essentially be based on
scientific lines.
Philip Gunawardena had one vision, to serve his mother country and,
during his over four decades of political life he was able to
demonstrate his ambition and successfully execute his mission
selflessly, ignoring race, religion or caste barriers, but treating
everyone as human beings.
There was always a special lobe in his heart compacted with
compassion towards the under privileged, depressed and the oppressed
majority of the country.
Gunawardena generously devoted his time and wealth for the nation's
social progress. He never abused his power or position for his own
personal gain or benefit.
He lost his Avissawella parliamentary seat in 1970 elections, but was
not disheartened, yet wanted to re-orientate the MEP and move with the
times, when he unexpectedly fell ill and passed away on 26 March 1972.
He was a human being with a magnanimous heart. He was full of
enlightened thinking and a sincere devotion to his fellow beings, some
superlative qualities which he left behind for modern day politicians to
emulate.
Today we commemorate the 36th death anniversary of Philip
Gunawardena, a true patriotic son of Sri Lanka, who has gone down in the
annals of Sri Lanka, as an outstanding loyalist with an innovative
vision and an analytical mind, and a true representative of the people,
who detested injustice and struggled to establish truth, justice and
fairness always.
Dr. Tilak S. Fernando
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