Minister Dodangoda:

Humble politician with impeccable character

Chandima Weerakkody - Attorney-at-Law

Amarasiri Dodangoda was born on October 18, 1942 at Dodangoda Baddegama as the fourth of a family of nine children. His parents were William Appuhamy (Market Ralahamy) and Punyawathie Gunasekera. He had his education at Baddegama Ratanasara Vidyalaya and Richmond College Galle.

A skilled student who won accolades from teachers he honed his skills as a debater by taking part in many debating contests at school.

Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda

Chamal Rajapaksa, Austin Fernando, Southern Provincial Council member I Wijewantha, Abu Fuard and Lal Nanayakkara were his colleagues and friends at Richmond. During his school days he took an active part in extra curricular and other school and social service activities.

He built and repaired many roads in the Baddegama area including the Ganegama and Dodangoda Roads with people’s voluntary labour by setting up the ‘Perakum Shramadana Samithiya’.

His contribution towards easing the transport problems of the people is still gratefully remembered by residents in and around Baddegama.

After completing his studies at Richmond he entered the University of Peradeniya to study for the Bachelor of Arts degree. After his graduation he started his career as a teacher and also briefly served in the Education Administrative Service.

Dodangoda also served as a Pirivena teacher attached to the Vidyaloka Vidyalaya at Galle. Thereafter he entered the Sri Lanka Law College and passed out as an attorney-at-law and had a wide practice in several parts of the country including Colombo and Galle.

At Law College he was a leading student activist who contributed towards struggles against social injustice.

As a leading member of the Left movement he actively participated in the ‘Gini Pupura’ and ‘Janavegaya’ movements rubbing shoulders with people like Kumar Rupasinghe and Sunethra Bandaranaike. At one time he was General Secretary of the ‘Jana Vegaya’ movement.

At the 1977 General Elections, Dodangoda unsuccessfully contested the Baddegama seat from the United Democratic Socialist Party which had as its members late T. B. Subasinghe, Nanda Ellawala, Tennyson Edirisuriya and others.

The UNP which gained power in 1977 started a period of oppression and Dodangoda came forward in the 1980 decade to lead the people in the Galle District against the UNPs political oppression. Late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike who observed the leadership qualities of Dodangoda appointed him as the SLFP organizer for Baddegama.

He contested the Baddegama seat as the SLFP candidate at the 1983 by election and gained a convincing victory giving much hope to the progressive forces which were suffering at the hands of the UNP regime.

Reactionary forces which detested Dodangoda’s people friendly progressive policies made several unsuccessful attempts on life but Dodangoda who was fortunate to survive all such attempts contested the 1989 General Elections from the Galle District on the SLFP ticket as its Group leader and gained 68,000 preferential votes which was the highest number of preferential votes in the District.

The 1993 Southern Provincial Council Elections sealed the fate of the UNP Government which ruled the country for 17 years. Dodangoda contested the election as the People’s Alliance Chief Ministerial Candidate.

Not only did he win with 136,000 preferential votes but was also able to capture the Southern Provincial Council for the PA. This administration was shortlived due a reactionary conspiracy known as the Francisco affair.

But the PA led by him once again won the next Southern Provincial Council Election in 1994 which finally signalled the future downfall of the UNP regime.

Dodangoda who later contested the 1994 General Elections from the Galle District on the PA ticket obtained a record number of 176,000 votes. Dodangoda functioned as the Minister of Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government as well as the Minister of Co-operatives and Indigenous Medicine in the PA Government of 1994 and gained wide popularity.

In 1998, he was appointed Minister of Vocational Training and Human Resources Development and rendered an invaluable service forwards providing vocational training to youth by setting up a chain of Training Centres countrywide.

He was re-elected at the 2000 General Elections. Following the United National Front victory 2001 he functioned as an opposition PA Parliamentarian.

Re-elected at the 2004 General Election on the UPFA ticket he was appointed Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs. During the subsequent cabinet re-shuffle he was appointed Minister of Justice and Law Reforms and held the portfolio until his demise.

Dodangoda always liked to keep company with ordinary people whom he treated as his friends. A humble politician with an impeccable character he was never involved in bribery and corruption.

Amarasiri Dodangoda has left an indelible mark in the history of Sri Lankan politics. May he attain Nibbana.