Sri Lanka’s independence did not come on a platter, as some historians try to project. It was a result of a long-drawn freedom struggle. The first act of rebellion was on March 2, 1815, the day the surrender treaty was signed to usher in colonial rule. A few minutes before the agreement was signed, the British troops had raised the Union Jack at the Kandy palace grounds and Ven. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera immediately brought it down, pointing out that the British flag could not be unfurled until the treaty was signed.
Within three years of surrender, the first heroic rebellion led by Keppitipola Disawe took place in 1818. It was ruthlessly crushed by the British and following the rebellion they devastated the entire Uva Wellassa region killing hundreds of youths and driving away the people from their residents. The second rebellion followed three decades later in 1848 and it was led by Gongalegoda Banda of Matale and Puran Appu of Moratuwa. That too was defeated by the colonial rulers.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders of the Indian Independence Movement, Anagarika Dharmapala launched a campaign, which was a mix of nationalism combined with a temperance movement. He also adapted Gandhi’s practice of boycotting foreign clothes and promoted locally produced clothes. He was also instrumental in global Buddhist missionaries promoting the religion. He was assisted by the leaders of the Theosophical Society, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, an American, and Helena Blavatsky, a Russian. Their joint efforts resulted in the revival of nationalist sentiment and it has increased calls for both greater autonomy and complete independence from colonial rule.
With this new approach, the independence struggle shifted its strategy with educated Sri Lankan patriots adopting a more reconciliatory policy and obtaining rights for the people through negotiations. However, in 1915 when Sinhala-Muslim riots took place, the British wanted to make capital out of it and arrested most of the Sinhala patriots who had not played any part in the riots.
Formation of LSSP
In parallel, the Socialist Movement spearheaded by Dr N. M. Perera, Phillip Gunawardena, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, Dr.Sugeeshwara.Abeywardena Wickremasinghe, Peter Keunaman, and others became a strength to the anti-imperial struggle across the country. The Lanka Sama.Samaja Party (LSSP) was formed out of the Youth Leagues in 1935 and was the first party to demand national independence, in line with the Indian National Congress demand of Poorna.Swaraj (total independence).
The LSSP women’s brigade leaders Kusuma.Gunawardena and Vivien Gunawardena started the Suriya-Mal Movement, a protest centered on the use of the poppy to honour ex-British servicemen rather than Ceylonese servicemen.
When LSSP leaders were jailed by the British rulers at the beginning of World War II, many trade unions and plantation workers defied martial law and organised strikes in British estates. The British failure to arrest Australian liberal leader Mark Anthony Lyster Bracegirdle who supported the socialist leaders in Ceylon gave a boost to the independence struggle as many educated youths joined the movement. The story of him evading arrest popularly reported by media as the ‘Bracegirdle Incident’ flared up giving considerable impetus to the young Left movement for independence.
With the conclusion of World War II, public pressure mounted for the release of several leaders and activists of the independence movement as well as for constitutional reform. The century-old independence struggle culminated after the recommendations made by the Soulbury Commission to discuss the 1944 draft Constitution and four years later independent Sri Lanka’s national flag was unfurled on February 4, 1948.
Thus, after a long struggle, together with several other Asian countries under colonial yoke, Sri Lanka too attained independence within years of the end of World War II. When the subcontinent giant India gained independence on August 15, 1947, the country was partitioned and Pakistan became an independent nation. Four months later, on January 4, 1948, Burma (Myanmar) became free and a month later it was the turn of Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon.
In contrast to many other colonies, Sri Lanka was a comparatively small, stable, and well-governed colony under British rule. Its first democratic election was held in 1931. The Ceylon National Congress cooperated with the British and formed the United National Party (UNP) and ensured a smooth transition of power after emerging victorious in the first general elections held in 1947. After becoming an independent country on February 4, 1948, the UNP government commenced a movement toward economic self-determination while maintaining a defence treaty with the United Kingdom.
Nationalisation
In 1956, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, immediately after becoming Prime Minister, ordered the British troops to withdraw. In 1960, Sirima Bandaranaike took the next required step by nationalising British-owned tea plantations. During her government in 1972, Sri Lanka became a Republic. The small island nation also played a prominent partner in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) of which the summit was held in Colombo in 1976.
The anniversary of independence is a day to reflect on the successes and failures in the past and plan to overcome failures in the future. An honest introspection is called for. It is also on days such as this that the people of a country can and should unite around common values and aspirations to plan the future. We must ensure that we have a shared understanding of these concepts, and of our goals and the means to achieve these objectives.
As acknowledged by everyone, we have failed to achieve economic freedom for our people. We have delayed the progress and development. However, now, we must take responsibility for our past and not repeat these errors. The initial recovery from the economic crisis has given us hope. Our strength is our resilience to overcome and achieve success.
