Nalanda Ellawala

Priceless gem from gem city:

Karu PARANAWITHANA

Twelve years back from today at the centre of the Kuruwita Town of Ratnapura District an emerging radical moderator in Sri Lankan politics gave up his life. It was not a natural death.

A cruel bullet aimed by a political assassin silenced the life of this promising and shining young politician from the Ratnapura District. He possessed a mellifluous character with a sonorous voice that rocked the masses behind him.

He was none other than the loveable, amiable young Nalanda Ellawala. The cruel bullet of the assassin pierced through the lean physique of Nalanda as people witnessed his young blood flowing on the road in broad daylight.

It was one of the saddest days in the annals of Ratnapura. The young politician Nalanda was just 29 when his life was plucked away.

Nalanda, the son of the popular Nanda Ellawala, began his political journey while delivering the funeral oration of his father in the presence of thousands of mourners at the Ratnapura esplanade. He told the gathering.

“My father never amassed wealth. The people are the wealth he gathered. I will follow his footsteps and live with the people”.

This was the solemn pledge of this young man to the people to begin his political journey. This promising politician began a new path to politics.

He was a member of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council for a brief period until he successfully contested and entered Parliament in 1994. Before long, Nalanda, perhaps the youngest Parliamentarian in that Parliament was the focus of the majority in the country.

He emerged as a young leader of the masses. Nalanda was bestowed with a legitimate right to follow the path of progressive politics left behind by his father and the party his father represented.

The dynamism in young Nalanda embedded in him the right virtues that a young political leader should possess in evaluating the correct policy towards finding solutions on issues like unemployment, poverty, war and the ethnic conflict. Very few young politicians focused themselves on national issues of this nature.

He was never greedy for power or position nor attempted to be involved in power for politics.

The Nalanda we knew was a man who respected human values and lives. The base of his politics was human values that spread love to society. Instead of seeking the path of a rightist liberal, Nalanda chose to be a social democrat of the society and the people.

During his brief political journey, Nalanda was a true patriot and a firm believer in peace who challenged muddy racist politics.

He was a practical politician who set the pace for others to follow in an active manner. These qualities made Nalanda an emerging young leader of the masses. The stepping stone to his bright political journey commenced from Parliament in 1994. It was halted by that cruel bullet of an assassin.

Nalanda was a determined character who was committed to the task. Unmoved by challenges, this young man always proceeded without fear as the people loved him immensely.

Nalanda Ellawala was witnessed as a sharp character on the path to establish peace to the national conflict by the then People’s Alliance Government. He was not only popular among the Sinhala youth but also with the Tamil and Muslim youth population. Senior Ministers respected this young man for his commitment towards development of Ratnapura.

Nalanda moved closely with the senior politicians to bring benefit to his people. The Ratnapura Industrial Zone is a monument to his memory. He set the pace for the establishment of that Zone as a young Parliamentarian. Unfortunately, he was only able to function as a Parliamentarian only for just three years.

But this young man rendered a yeomen service during that period and the people recall them with much gratitude.

Nalanda was a politician who was disgusted with the low level political culture in the country. Even within his own party, he fearlessly raised his voice against corrupt politics. His sonorous voice was heard by those who condemned corrupt politics.

His lifestyle was a model for others who never believed in responsibility and openness as politicians. Nalanda was never boastful of his achievements.

He was a fine speaker who believed in facts. He addressed the masses in the people’s language that made easy for the people to understand follow the policies of his party and the Government.

Nalanda was one priceless gem from the gem city of Ratnapura that was plundered and destroyed by political assassins. Nalanda’s memories grow young day by day in minds of his friends and those who loved him affectionately.

The day politics become more decent, cultured and strong in this country, the political image of this young man,

Nalanda Ellawala will stand like a giant monument before the people. Nalanda Ellawala has come to stay and not fade away.