Hector Kobbekaduwa’s 28th death anniversary fell on September 18:

A politician with high qualities and principles

Athula CHANDRASIRI

Hector Senarath Rajakaruna Banda Kobbekaduwa (HSRB) was born in a Kandyan aristocratic family, but his way of thinking and the deeds that he has ostensibly displayed in his career were quite contrary to its traditions. He has exhibited this change visibly as a lawyer, Commissioner of the Kandyan Peasantry Rehabilitation Commission, a Member of Parliament and a Cabinet Minister for seven consecutive years. His cardinal objective was to serve the common man particularly the peasantry which is the largest stratum of the country’s population. He was indeed a rare bred politician par excellence.

Hector Kobbekaduwa

Kobbekaduwa stood out conspicuous and prominent. His colourful and factual statements, delectable mastery over presentations, forthright decision making ability and incisive dynamic personality blended with honesty paved the way for a ‘complete politician’.

When Kobbekaduwa assumed duties as the Minister of Agriculture and Lands in the second Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government in 1970, he took all these qualities with him to the ministry. Therefore, as a matter of fact, Kobbekaduwa won the hearts and minds of everyone from the Secretary of the ministry downwards. These qualities had amply exhibited by him through practice and not limited them to words. Anyone who stepped into the ministry could see his leadership qualities in working out the ministry’s mission and vision, distribution of responsibilities, discipline, efficiency of administration and humility. Inter alia, honesty, veracity and commitment were his forte which are unfortunately lacking in most of the present day politicians.

Glorious tribute

Fortunately for the Minister he got a Secretary in Mahinda Silva, who was a very senior civil servant to perfectly match his thinking, concepts and dynamism. He also had a versatile set of officers down the line to carry out the work efficiently.

He was humble enough to pay tribute to anyone who deserved. I can recall his saying that he was enjoying and respectfully going through the lucid, constructive and intelligent minutes in the files made by his predecessor Philip Gunawardane. What Philip Gunawardane wanted to give paddy farmers from his famous but controversial Paddy Lands Act, Kobbekaduwa has extended that same service to other farmers as well from his two historical Acts of Parliament (will be explained later). Whatever the circumstances are, gentleman politicians like Kobbekaduwa have to be valued at all levels.

I still can remember at a final mammoth land reform rally held at Yatinuwara this humble man paid a glorious tribute to his driver publicly. He said that without the contribution of his faithful, efficient and “safe” driver he may not have completed his mission as expected because, in many a times the driver had to bring him from Jaffna, Trincomalee or Hambantota on the same day after meetings, and he fulfilled his duty without a hum while the minister was sleeping in the car to be able for him to re-start work fresh on the following day.

Mahatma Gandhi

“The truth is not only truthfulness in words, but truthfulness in thoughts also, and not only a relative truth of our conceptions but the absolute truth. The conviction of truth is growing upon me daily”.

This great saying of Mahatma Gandhi has a close relationship with the characteristics and contribution of Kobbekaduwa. The ‘absolute truth’ means according to Mahatma, actual performances or results on the ground. He was a man of deeds instead of man of words. However, most of the present day politicians are with more words and less deeds or no deeds. That is the difference of the calibre of yester year politicians like M. Kobbekaduwa.

Mahinda Chinthana aims to develop the country based on five hubs. To improve the productivity is the single thread going through in every sphere. Kobbekaduwa’s Agricultural Policy and his thinking are very well embedded with each other. That is why the President singled out the name of Kobbekaduwa and paid a special tribute to him at the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Land reforms

The gigantic and historical exercise of implementing the Land Reform Law and taking over vast areas/thousands of acres of cultivated lands owned by individuals and public/private companies throughout the island within a stipulated time was really an undeclared war. To win the war an astute general was needed to command the troupe and give the correct leadership.

To make the ground realities more complicated and insuperable, the majority of the troupe hitherto had no experience in this particular area. Anyway it cannot go hither and thither. Kobbekaduwa as the minister himself came to the war front, cleared the road and provided the required efficient leadership without an iota of doubt. I can remember that when the taking over of lands over the 50 acre ceiling was in full swing, the office of the Colombo District Land Reform Authority (DLRA) at the Colombo Kachcheri could not close for weeks. The officers concerned were working day and night by taking turns. This commitment came from the fearless and unwavering leadership of the minister.

He led from the front. The successful completion of the first phase of the massive land reform programme took place without aiming a finger at the minister or his staff. The forthright attitudes, firm decisions and right directives of the minister caused to bring into being more than anything else.

Minister had some intrinsic power with him to complete the job triumphantly and to select the most suitable person for the particular job. I firmly believe therefore, as a person directly involved with land reform activities, Kobbekaduwa’s innate qualities like vision, commitment, hard work, personal attitudes and honesty helped to implement the Land Reform Law successfully. If not for him, under any other minister most probably it is doubtful whether taking over phase of land reforms would have been carried out so efficiently and smoothly by keeping the deadlines set by the then Cabinet of Ministers. Minister’s decisions were absolutely firm and officers were given full freedom to take decisions within the declared policy framework and no interference came from the minister whatsoever under any circumstances. This was a predominant secret for the success.

Land and life are so embedded in Sri Lankans. That is a very strong relationship goes into the blood of people. There are so many killing incidents even among their own kith and kin over the land ownership problems. In yester years (sometimes even now) people’s wealth was shown by the land ownership and not by the real income. Therefore, the taking over of land ownership even by a law is naturally a direct hit to the hearts of thousands of land owners. It is a matter of heart and soul. It was so sensitive and a gigantic task both physically and morally, so that practically it was something like taking out a half of one’s life.

I may recall one incident which happened in Keragala area. When I went to take over a certain land, the children of the land owner (an old lady) made a plea not to speak loud on the taking over of the land. If so their mother might fall sick and die. They promised me that the income of the coconut crop will be handed over to the AGA of the area through Grama Niladhari. For which I had to oblige on humanitarian and ethical grounds.

If not for Kobbekaduwa and his humility and also unassuming friendly way of tackling problems and at the same time taking firm decisions with the land owners, this stupendous task would not have been completed so smoothly as predicted.

Firmness and intelligibility

I can recall one incident which clearly proves his straightforwardness and fair play for everybody irrespective of his/her position. A former powerful Cabinet Minister (1965-1970) came to me and asked for a change of decision which I felt was not fair by the public and also it thwarts the very objectives of the land reforms. The decision belonged to a land situated in Padukka area. When I disagreed to his proposal, after speaking loud, he went to meet the Minister. As the Minister has given the same decision the former Minister had to come back to me again for a settlement which I took in favour of the people. That was Kobbekaduwa.

One day there was a Directors’ meeting at the office of the Land Reform Commission chaired by the Minister and it went up to late in the evening. All of a sudden Felix Dias Bandaranaike at that time a very powerful minister holding a number of important ministerial portfolios at the same time, such as Finance, Justice, Local Government, Public Administration etc. came to meet the minister. The minister took him to an inner room.

After about 15-20 minutes, both the ministers came out. We clearly heard that minister was saying to Felix Dias Bandaranaike “Felix very sorry, it is against my principles and practice”. I can remember even the Prime Minister Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike was telling to a land owner in my presence that “if Hector has taken a decision even I cannot change it and no point of telling him, because he takes a decision giving a lot of thoughts to it”. That was Kobbekaduwa.

Punctuality

Punctuality was one prime quality that he has preserved under any circumstances throughout his ministership period. I can recall a couple of incidents over this important quality of his which is a priceless ornament for any lingering politician for that matter any person.

There was a big rally to celebrate land reform activities at Nittambuwa (Attangalla electorate). In the presence of the then Prime Minister Mrs. Bandaranaike in the latter part of 1974. The meeting had been continuing past midnight. The following day a similar type of rally was to be held at Homagama electorate for which the minister was expected to arrive to a particular place at 8 a.m. I told my driver “now the time is passed midnight and the minister is still on the stage and yet to speak, so that he will come late tomorrow morning. As we are already tired we can sleep a little more”. My driver did not agree with me because he had heard about the minister’s punctuality before and wanted to go ahead of the scheduled time.

We did so and went to the particular junction five minutes before the scheduled time and the minister arrived at the place sharp at 8 a.m. with a smile. If we were late by any chance something adverse may have happened. He would not tolerate that type of delays or rather loose attitudes.

Administrative practices

The minister always used to tell us that Land Reform is entirely a different process of work that the country is experiencing for the first time. If anyone wants to continue with him commitment, devotion and hard work should be the order of the day and lethargy, delays, postponements etc. cannot be tolerated. We have to meet the deadlines and no deviations or shortcuts. If anyone disagrees with him doors are open for them at anytime. No hard feelings whatsoever. These are actually not rhetoric but practised by him. That was Kobbekaduwa.

Minister has called a District Directors’ meeting at 9 a.m. on a particular day and the minister arrived at 9 a.m. sharp as usual. The particular Director who had to bring the files to start the meeting has not come. Minister waited for about five minutes chatting with other Directors. After about 10 minutes that particular Director came with the files. We saw that minister was not happy at all, but continued the meeting. Once the meeting was over minister told that director openly but politely to find a suitable place and a position where punctuality is not required, before he takes any action. The person responded positively with a least delay. That was Kobbekaduwa.

Another incident was that the then Chairman of the Land Reform Commission, a very senior public servant and an Additional Secretary of his own ministry acted differently deviating from normal administrative practices, under the influence of alcohol. Once the minister heard this, he rushed to the office of the Land Reform Commission immediately and without any hesitation he served the quit notice to the Chairman irrespective of his position or seniority. K. H. J. Wijayadasa, a well known civil servant, who later became the Secretary to President Premadasa was appointed as the Chairman. That was Hector Kobbekaduwa.

A man with a vision

He was a man with a clear vision. The Agricultural Productivity Law in 1972, itself is a proof of his far- sightedness on the subject. As the bill explained, its objective was to reach maximum productivity levels through the proper use and efficient management of agricultural land to increase the production of agricultural crops and livestock. Needless to say, how it fits very well with the present government’s productivity approach even after about 40 years.

He was universally popular and his policies were overwhelmingly accepted in general which showed quite clearly at the Presidential elections in 1983 where he won even the hearts of the majority of Northern people which is a feat that no Sinhala candidate was able to achieve so clearly up to now.

This was a result of the acceptance of his agricultural policies by the Northern people. Kobbekaduwa was accepted and respected by all irrespective of caste, creed, religion or ethnic group. He was welcomed with chilli and onion garlands by Jaffna farmers. Northern farmers received rich dividends from Kobbekaduwa’s Agricultural Policies by way of providing assistance and adjusting import policies in favour of the farmers.