Republic Day:

Its significance is now forgotten

When did Sri Lanka become a republic? I posed this question to some young people. One in his mid-twenties, said 'in 1956'. Another a year or two younger said, 'in 1948'.

They are wide off the mark. A doctor who was a school girl in the early seventies asked after giving some thought, "is it in 1972?" 'Yes,' I said and asked what the date was. "I can't remember. Was it on September 22?" She got two out of three dates correct. A librarian in a National School said it was on May 22 but wasn't sure whether it was in 1972 or 1971.

I will give you the correct answer. Sri Lanka became a Republic on May 22, 1972, 29 years ago.

How many are aware of the significance of the day? It passes like any other day, its significance forgotten. Yet, it is a very important date in our country's history, when we became a fully independent sovereign state.

February 4, is celebrated as the Independence Day, because on that day in 1948, we ceased to be a colony of the British Empire and got the right to govern ourselves. We were no longer under the British rule. Up to that day, from March 2, 1815, Ceylon, as our country was then known, was ruled by a British Governor who represented the British monarch. It was on March 2, 1815, that the Chiefs of the Sinhala kingdom signed the Kandyan Convention, handing over the kingdom to the British, and terminating a 2000-year-old monarchy in the island.

Although we got Independence from British rule on February 4, 1948, we did not cut off all connections with Britain. The British monarch, King George VI until his death in February,1952 and then Queen Elizabeth until May 22, 1972 was still our Head of State, as was in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The monarch (king/queen) was represented by a Governor-General appointed by the British Government.

There was another connection with Britain. Anyone not satisfied with the verdict of our Supreme Court could appeal to the Privy Council in England and its verdict was final.

The government that was elected in 1971, a coalition of three parties - SLFP, LSSP and CP - decided that it was time that we too like India and Pakistan become a republic.

India became a republic in 1950 less than two and a half years after independence in 1947 and Pakistan in 1956. Twenty-three years after independence, the Queen of England was still our Head of State.

What is a republic? "A republic is a State in which supreme power is held by the people or its elected representatives or by an elected or nominated President". That's how the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word Republic.

America is a republic and so is France. Britain is a monarchy - the head of state is a monarch.

A new Constitution was needed to make Ceylon a republic. So a new Republican constitution was drawn up by a committee headed by Minister Dr. Colvin R. de Silva. This Constitution was passed and adopted by all members of Parliament, who met on May 22, 1972, at the Nava ranga hala, the assembly hall of the Royal Junior School in Colombo.According to the new Constitution, the official name of the country was The Republic of Sri Lanka. The name Ceylon which was in use since 1815 was done away with. There was no Parliament. The elected members of the former Parliament were now members of the National State Assembly. The Head of State was the President.

William Gopallawa, the last Governor General became the President of the new republic and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike the first Prime Minister. We then became a sovereign state managing all our own affairs.

February 4, lost its importance. From 1973, May 22, Republic Day was a public holiday and the day was celebrated. However, this did not happen for long.

There was a change of government in 1978. The new Government passed a new constitution. The following year, 1979 the new President J. R. Jayewardene took office on February 4. Instead of the National State Assembly there was a Parliament once again and the name of the country was changed.

The Republic of Sri Lanka was now the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

With this change of Constitution, May 22, was no longer an important day. Celebrations were shifted again to February 4. Republic Day was forgotten.

Not so in India and Pakistan. Both countries celebrate both days. India on August 15 (Independence) and January 26 (Republic). Pakistan on August 14 (birthday of new state) and March 22 Republic Day now National Day.

From 1979, May 22 became Heroes Day in our country and stamps were issued in honour of persons who had contributed in various spheres to the advancement of the country viz professionals, social workers, writers, artists.

If you are a stamp collector, you may have some stamps used on Heroes' Day.There is no Heroes' Day any more, and May 22 passes like any other day, its significance is forgotten.

It isn't surprising that a very few people including adults know that Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka on May 22, 1972.

- Sumana Saparamadu