Gamini Dissanayake: Servant of Lanka

Dayaprasad PEIRIS

Many tributes have been paid to one of the great personalities who sojourned in this world. A personality loved by the youth of this country for all the great work he did while he breathed life. He is now no more. Lionel Gamini Dissanayake our leader and Servant of Lanka was snatched away - ‘killed’ in that horrendous bomb blast while campaigning as the United National Party candidate at Thotalanga on October 23, midnight ... day October 24, 1994. It happened at a propaganda meeting along with many others.

As presidential candidate he traversed the most difficult path. He entered the contest after a great political struggle. He had to lead the United National Party at a difficult time.

‘Gamini’ to most of his admirers and friends, moved like a colossus and had charisma and foreknowledge of the country. Sadly, he and his colleagues - the whole of the UNP machinery - was destroyed by a severe bomb blast. Gamini laid down his life like a martyr to the cause of peaceful co-existence in this country.

Just 16 days away from the Presidential elections to be held that year - 1994, on November 9, Gamini Dissanayake was cruelly killed.

Sri Lanka, the island nation, having a proud history lost one of her good sons who was determined to bring about a solution to the ethnic problem of this country. Assassinations at the hands of conspirators are still going on. Criminals are still at large continuing to destroy everything.

Political giants

This political leader lived only for a sort span of life, 52 years and seven months. He was born to up country parents having his education at Trinity College, Kandy and later becoming an attorney-at-law after a brief career at Aquinas University College during the rectorship of Rev Fr Peter A Pillai.

He was bounded to serve humanity entering the UNP fold under premier Dudley Senanayake who gave nominations for him to contest the Nuwara Eliya-Maskeliya seat in the 1970 general elections where Gamini emerged victorious.

Gaining experience in the field of politics, being in competition along with 16 other UNP stalwarts, Gamini Dissanayake with his brilliant orations and proposals soon became a very popular figure.

Under the then Leader of the Opposition, during the period May 1970 until July 1977, Gamini humbly followed his new UNP leader, Junius Richard Jayewardene, closely moving with him along with Lalith Athulathmudali, another intellectual. They helped build the lost image of the UNP.

He established the foundation of the Mahaweli Diversion Project before losing to the United Left Front government of Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike.

In that government were political giants like the leftists, Dr N M Perera, Dr Colvin R D Silva, Leslie Goonawardene, T B Subasinghe and T B Illangarathne with Felix Dias Bandaranaike, filling the vacuum created by the loss of premier S W R D Bandaranaike, a personality who held five portfolios during his tenure as a Cabinet minister along with others who attempted to bring about democratic socialism and economic emancipation according to Marxist principles and Bandaranaike principles.

Gamini joined with J R Jayewardene in leading the country. The masses rallied around a reformed UNP and brought them back to power with a record-breaking five-sixth majority in July 1977.

Test cricket status

Youthful Gamini Dissanayake was appointed Minister of Lands, Land Development and Irrigation, later to be changed into a new portfolio called Mahaweli Development when the UNP set about the acceleration of the Mahaweli Diversion Scheme that was being developed slowly during that regime.

What he did for agriculture, lands and helping the people, he did without political bias. Gamini Dissanayake's name will surely be written in golden letters. He also brought this country the status of playing Test cricket in June 1981 as Board President of Cricket in Sri Lanka. He boldly put forward the proposal and got it implemented by the International Cricket Conference in England.

He developed his own school grounds at Asgiriya to be one of the most attractive Test playing grounds in Kandy. As we look back, Sri Lankan cricketers have brought fame and glory within a period of 14 years by their fabulous victories recorded recently.

The cricket loving public remember Gamini Dissanayake with great respect and love. He needs no monuments, for he lives in our hearts always.

After the assassination of the second Executive President - a tragedy of our times, Gamini, after a struggle, got back his Cabinet portfolio and later leadership of the UNP to face the August 1994 general election. Probably a new UNP was getting into its stride as Gamini Dissanayake on the new proportional representation system emerged the highest vote taker in the Kandy district, becoming the Leader of the Opposition and serving upto the time of his death on October 24, 1994.

He was not destined to be President of Sri Lanka and his absence from the political hemisphere today can be felt.

Gamini Dissanayake served everybody alike without having any political interests at heart. Many loved him and moved with him. He led a straight and clean life of complete dedication to serve the people of this country. May his glowing spirit abide with us for evermore.

Let me conclude with this prayer to end this tribute to a most unforgettable personality of our generation.

“Though, earth and man were gone,
And suns and universes cease to be,
And thou, were left alone,
Every existence would exist in thee”.