The Leftist Movement in Sri Lanka:

Setback for Leftists in Negombo Municipal Elections

W. T. A. Leslie FERNANDO

Although at the 1947 elections, Santiago Fernando, the LSSP candidate lost Negombo by a slender majority, it was evident that the Samasamaja Movement has taken root in the area. Besides, the Leftist parties got the support of many Catholics in places like Moratuwa, Wadduwa, Maggona, Payagala and Colombo where they were found in abundance.

Santiago continued to be a member of the Negombo UC after failing in his bid to enter Parliament. In 1948 he got an appointment as a teacher in Kahahena Buddhist School in Waga. Now he could come to Negombo only during weekends. Nevertheless he was able to continue to serve the people in Negombo with distinction.

Fr. Marcelline Jayakody	A.N.D.A. Abheysinghe

In 1947, C.M. Fernando became the Chairman of the Negombo UC. Although he was a devout Catholic, he worked in collaboration with the rebels in the Church like Fr. Marcelline Jayakody and Santiago Fernando. When both were elected as members of the Negombo UC in 1943, C.M. Fernando found a close ally in Santiago. Now as the Chairman C.M. Fernando gave his full support to Santiago. As such Santiago could do a yeoman service through the Negombo Urban Council.

When Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) got Independence, C.M. Fernando was the Chairman of the UC, Negombo. The Duke of Gloucester, who came to Sri Lanka as the representative of King George VI for Independence celebrations toured Negombo as well. On that occasion the Chairman and the members of the UC Negombo welcomed him with a grand reception. Although Santiago did not participate in the reception, he took part in the distribution of gifts to mark the Independence Day by the Negombo UC.

Ardent Buddhist

C.M. Fernando was a lawyer who was close to S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the then Minister of Health and Local Government. On the suggestion of S.W.R.D., C.M. Fernando relinquished the post of Chairman of UC, Negombo to become the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission. As a result the Kundanwila ward represented by him became vacant and a bye election for the ward was held in July 1949.

At the by-election A.N.D.A. Abhayasinghe, son-in-law of Mudliyar A. E. Rajapakse, who had represented Negombo earlier in the State Council contested Kundanwila backed by the UNP. Although Mudliyar A.E. Rajapakse was a devout Catholic, Abhayasinghe was an ardent Buddhist. Accordingly Freddie Mathes who was earlier a member of the ward contested him as an Independent. The LSSP put forward D.J. Witharana.

Witharana who was a bakery owner was an enthusiastic supporter of the LSSP from the beginning. Being from Matara, he was considered an outsider and was not that popular in the ward. The real fight was between A.N.D.A. Abhayasinghe and Freddie Mathes. At the end A.N.D.A. Abheysinghe won by an overwhelming majority. The LSSP candidate D.J. Witharana polled only 77 votes and lost even his deposit. In 1950, the Negombo Urban Council was raised to the status of a Municipality. The elections for the new Negombo Municipal Council was held in December 1949. At this time the LSSP and the BSP were at loggerheads.

The CP supported the BSP. In Negombo MC elections the LSSP sought to increase its representatives. It decided that Santiago Fernando should contest Kudapaduwa, a ward he represented earlier and D.B. Waidyasekera should contest Hunupitiya ward.

Strictures

When Dr. Hector Fernando of the BSP learned that Santiago Fernando, the sitting member was not contesting Hunupitiya, he decided to contest it. By this move the LSSP thinking was that Hunupitiya was a ward won by them and it had the right to contest it. They also emphasised the fact that earlier Dr. Hector Fernando lost Hunupitiya by over 200 votes and in 1943 Waidyasekera lost it only by 100 odd votes. They suggested that Dr. Hector Fernando could contest the Kundanwila ward at the by election the BSP blamed the LSSP for not allowing it to contest. LSSP refused to withdraw D.B. Waidyasekera.

In 1949 when China became a Communist country the Catholic church went into jitters. It feared that Communism would spread in Asia. The Catholic church passed many structures against Marxists. It forbade Catholics from joining or supporting Marxist parties. Marxists were denied Church recognition, sacraments and burials.At this time the leader of the LSSP in Negombo, Santiago Fernando was at the height of his popularity. The veteran journalist D.F. Kariyakarawana remarked `Santiago Fernando shook the whole of Negombo.' However with the prohibition imposed by the Catholic church on Marxists many Catholics could no longer support him. Once they summoned him and said "We would make you all powerful in Negombo. Please leave the LSSP." Santiago Fernando never succumbed to political experience or gain. He stood by the LSSP. Now Santiago found himself to be an outcast in his own country. The campaign of the LSSP in some Catholic areas was sabotaged and meetings were stoned. Some Catholics slammed their doors at the sight of Santiago Fernando. Once a meeting organised by Santiago in Ja-ela was stoned and sabotaged.

He was injured and had to take refuge in a relative's house. It was in this background that Santiago contested Kudapaduwa ward as the LSSP nominees in 1949 Negombo M.C. elections.

He was pitched against Marku Sebastian Fernando, a rich philanthropist who contested the ward with the support of the UNP, Hunupitiya was contested with the UNP backing by D.W.W. Jayamanne, the elder brother of the famous film magnate B.A.W. Jayamanne and the comedian Eddie Jayamanne.

His rivals were Dr. Hector Fernando of the BSP and D.B. Waidyasekera of the LSSP.

Money

Marku Sebastian Fernando was a popular figure in Kudapaduwa and he spent a lot of money on his campaign. On account of the strictures of the Catholic church, even close relatives of Santiago were reluctant to support him openly. The Tamil teachers of Kudapaduwa, who played a leading role in the victory of Santiago Fernando in 1943 deserted him this time. Santiago Fernando who won Kudapaduwa with an overwhelming majority in 1943 lost to Marku Sebastian Fernando with a bigger majority.

The situation in Hunupitiya was different. There the main contest was between D.W.W. Jayamanne and Dr. Hector Fernando. All the relatives of Dr. Hector Fernando wholeheartedly came to his assistance. He got the support of the Communist Party as well. Unlike the fisherfolk in Kudapaduwa, the progressive Catholics in Hunupitiya defied the Catholic church and voted for Dr. Hector Fernando.sNevertheless D.W.W. Jayamanne had a well organised campaign with film artistes in the forefront. He got the backing of the Catholic church as well. Ultimately after a close fight D.W.W. Jayamanne was able to defeat Dr. Hector Fernando by 82 votes. The LSSP candidate D.B. Waidyasekera got 228 votes and if not for him, Dr. Hector Fernando of the BSP would have easily won Hunupitiya. In 1949 Negombo MC elections, not a single Leftist was elected. Since then personal rivalries began to dominate politics in Negombo. The members began to look after the personal needs of voters. At times religious and caste issues too began to raise their heads. Although Negombo Municipal elections was a setback to the Leftists, they had some progress in the Andiambalama VC that belonged to the then Negombo electorate. There Cecil de Silva from the CP won Kurana-Katunayake and Lutus Silva of the LSSP won Madawala. Kurana-Katunayaka had Catholics and Methodists in equal numbers and Madawala was a Buddhist ward.

In 1950 when Philip Gunawardena left the LSSP, Santiago Fernando too followed him. All the other LSSPers in Negombo remained with the united LSSP and Santiago Fernando was isolated. However Santiago was not disheartened. He helped Philip Gunawardena to organise the VLSSP and recruited new members for it from Negombo. Now Santiago Fernando became the leader of the VLSSP in Negombo.