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Friday, 19 November 2010

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Aurora: Daily News supplement on the occasion of the inauguration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Second Term of Office | www.dailynews.lk

Overcoming adversity

This article is written based on the views expressed by Public Utilities Commission Chairman Dr Jayatissa de Costa PC.

When Mahinda Rajapaksa entered Parliament in 1970 as its youngest member he also became the youngest Lawyer MP in the house. Ever the activist and man of initiative, he formed the SLFP Lawyers’ Association in 1973. In the mid 1970s he began his practice as a lawyer. His main interest was in criminal law. At times he appeared free for his clients in courts. He was a fearless fighter for his client’s cause. Even at a tender age, he was able to cope up well with the highly demanding responsibilities of being a lawyer cum politician.

Dark days of the Opposition – 1977

In 1977 began the long period of political marginalization of the SLFP after the UNP scored an unprecedented electoral victory, securing a five-sixths majority in Parliament leading to a new constitution and the creation of an Executive Presidency. Those were dark days for the opposition. It was the hour for the stoic, the strong-willed and the determined. That period saw the political brooding of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which included a three-month incarceration in the Magazine Prison in 1985.

As the Deputy Chairman of SLFP Union in the 1970s, Rajapaksa did yeomen service to the victims of political violence. He appeared free for clients in courts. When the original split in the SLFP in the 1980s took place he advised party President Sirimavo Bandaranaike and fought to forge unity within the party in adverse times. He fought to restore her civic rights under constitutional methods.


Dr Jayatissa de Costa PC

He was a leading parliamentarian for Human Rights, and in the days of grave human rights violations under the UNP government in 1988/89 took the lead in agitating in defence of human rights, taking the issue before the international community. He had the added responsibility of being the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee to foster human rights during the period.

He also functioned as the Director of Human Rights and Legal Aid Centre. He had many obstacles when he was to go to Geneva to present a report before the Working Group of Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; an ASP forcibly examined his baggage. He took into custody some documents which were to be presented at the sessions. However, this could not stop him from presenting a very effective report before the committee. On his return he filed a fundamental rights petition on the matter. Even though the court did not give any relief it passed certain strictures.

He played a major role in mobilizing people’s action against the then government, especially in defence of the democratic rights of the people that were being gravely endangered. Among the campaigns he led was the hugely successful Paada Yaathra, a pilgrimage of protest on foot from Colombo to the southern shrine of Kataragama, which saw a massive participation by the people; he also took the lead in organizing several other public protest campaigns which laid the groundwork for the defeat of the UNP government in the General Election in August 1994, and the later election of Chandrika Kumaratunga of the SLFP as the fourth Executive President in November the same year.

The Palestinian cause

It was with similar commitment and enthusiasm that he formed the Sri Lanka committee for solidarity with Palestine in 1975 of which he remained Chairman for 30 years. All throughout Rajapaksa used his legal knowledge to good advantage. Fighting for the downtrodden earned him international fame.

He returned to Parliament in 1989 and soon became the unwavering voice of objection to all draconian measures adopted by the UNP regime, organizing protests, demonstrations and all manner of agitation against terror and political oppression. He was the voice of those robbed of a voice, the strength to those rendered powerless, hope to those forced to abandon hope.

Rajapaksa became the Labour, Vocational Training and Fisheries Minister in President Kumaratunga’s Cabinet from 1994 to 2001. He was a diploma holder in labour laws from the school of trade union studies, Prague, Czechoslovakia. When he was appointed as the Labour Minister he was eminently suitable.

He brought his experience in trade union activities to good use as Minister of Labour and helped settle many a labour dispute both in the public and private sectors. His close understanding of issues involving the working people helped in the preparation of the Workers Charter, presented to the government of President Kumaratunga. He brought a new lease of life to the field of vocational training by establishing the Vocational Training Authority with over 300 training centres at the village level.

In the fisheries sector too he did yeomen service. Unfortunately the Ministry later was withdrawn from him for no apparent reason. However in the short period he mooted plans to even set up a University for allied studies.

Adversity has been his constant companion, in addition to humiliation and deliberate sidelining. He treated these vicissitudes with equanimity as his people, his home, and his family. In 2005 he triumphed over all odds to assume office as the fifth Executive President of Sri Lanka.

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