Growing-up around William Gopallawa
Mano RATWATTE
This is to thank you for featuring a tribute to my late grandfather.
Please allow me to share a couple of things I observed growing up around
him. He was very punctual. He respected people's time. I also remember a
politically significant event in 1965.
William Gopallawa |
When the government led by my aunt Mrs. Bandaranaike lost and Dudley
Senanayake's UNP became the party to control the most number of seats,
some of the coalition member parties of my aunt's government did their
best to find minority parties and other people to back the losing
government party coalition to re-form a government. The UNP had
commanded the majority in Parliament and was entitled to form the
government as it commanded "the respect of the Parliament".
Some people in the coalition government were asking him to delay
inviting the UNP to form the government so they could find MPs to form a
new government. But as Governor-General, he upheld the constitution as
tradition deemed; he did not delay the process and invited the UNP to
form the government according to the constitution. I know this because
as a family member of a loyal SLFP family who were harassed and
victimized by the UNP, sometimes this conversation came up in our
family.
But to date, I can say that he did the right thing and did what was
expected and required of him according to the constitution even though
it was my aunt who appointed him GG in the aftermath of the 1962 coup
which had dangerous links to some who were very high up in the
government.
Gun violence
Another small note is about his personality: one time we were at
Queen's Cottage (as it was known before 1972) in Nuwara Eliya on
vacation. He always walked everyday without fail no matter where he was.
In Nuwara Eliya he was very fond of walking from President's house, cut
across St. Andrews Golf Course and take us to Cargill's which was a
landmark back then in old Nuwara Eliya. He dressed modestly in shirt,
waist coat, jacket and had his walking stick.
Those were the peaceful days of Sri Lanka before JVP terrorism or
Tiger terrorism. The bodyguard he had was a token CID sergeant who used
to actually wrap his revolver in plastic and paper to prevent grease
stains on his clothes. Well the reason to mention is, that while the
police sergeant had a gun, no one could think of there being a need to
use it. This was the era before gun violence and terrorism after all.
We loved going to Cargills with him because he would spoil us with
treats. We are cutting across the Golf Links, very unobtrusively, also
with an Arachchi who carried the umbrella, and suddenly a porter aka
kankaani Golf caddy for a white foreigner yelled "Ado aiying weyang
othaning" (get out of there) from there in a rude manner; apparently the
white foreigner he was being a Caddy to was taking a shot which would
have been in the direct path of the small bridge over a stream we were
crossing. None of us had seen this foreigner taking his golf shot.
Fair trial
I was outraged that a lowly Caddy would be shouting for the highest
person in the land to move away so his white master could take his golf
shot. But the fact of the matter was that it was our fault in the sense
we had not seen him taking the shot. I was riled, so was the kind police
sergeant at what we saw was this affront to my grandfather. We were
ready to go cut that 'lowly' coolie. But my grandfather smiled, and
moved away and said to me "the grace of power, is not using it but
knowing when not to use it".
He had an apologetic smile on his face. Waited patiently for the man
to take his shot and we went along the way. I was barely a bit over
11-years-old. The Caddy was sweating profusely when he found out who he
was being rude to; but he needn't have feared at all.
The kind police sergeant, I am pleased to say, had two very
successful wonderful sons who rose up very high in the Navy and Police,
if I am not mistaken, and continued the traditions of providing
protection to VVIPs who came much later. But when I become impatient or
arrogant, I remember this small incident. It helped me change my
attitude.
Other is a key issue which had great ramifications for Sri Lanka.
Before President JR Jayewardene changed the constitution and my
grandfather retired in 1978, the UNP regime released the JVP leader
Rohana Wijeweera.
Wijeweera was tried and found guilty and sentenced to a very long
term under the old pre-1972 constitution as having waged war against Her
Majesty's government in Ceylon. He had a fair trial and he deserved to
be in prison.
But President Jayewardene decided to release him because he was a
master strategist and felt the JVP and Wijeweera will help split the
left vote and block his arch rival Mrs. Bandaranaike from ever coming
back to power. As per traditions every PM would consult and update the
GG and later President in weekly meetings. My grandfather raised the
issue of this pardon and released and cautioned Mr. Jayewardene about
violent insurrections and terrorism again.
Democratic regimes
Now, at that point no one was aware of LTTE Tigers or what was to
become of Sri Lanka later but everyone who appreciated democracy was
afraid of the JVP's brand of class envious politics and violent
overthrow of democratic regimes. If I recall correctly, his arrogant
response had been "oh my army has modern weapons and will crush them in
24 hours". My grandfather was disappointed and stunned at this attitude.
President JR Jayewardene wanted to use the JVP to block his arch
rival Mrs B. The rest is history as the JVP engaged in their gory
mayhem. Imagine if people listened to my grandfather and left Wijeweera
in prison; he had a fair trial and he was convicted of trying to use
violent means to overthrow a democratic government. This is not
hindsight, but I believe my grandfather has a lot of wisdom and chose to
advise a man who refused to listen to him for his own political gain.
Rest as they say is history.
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