D.A. Rajapaksa, the epitome of humility and beneficence

by Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya

Arguably, Machiavelli is regarded as the 'father of modern political theory'. He wrote The Prince, a handbook for politicians on the use of ruthless, self-serving cunning approaches to gaining power that is indiscreetly practised by many a politician today. One of Machiavelli's outstanding assertions “Politics have no relation to morals” became a notorious benchmark for most practitioners.

Machiavelli categorically fails in considering the nobility of D.A. Rajapaksa's political ethics. Further, the Machiavelli notion is not buttressed by four generations of Rajapaksas from Giruwapaththuwa. These men and women have distinguished their stature in politics, evidently supporting the opposing notion ‘High morals and ethics make politicians live for eternity'.

Don Alwin Rajapaksa, fondly remembered as DA, is an icon in politics, illustrating the fact that a prudent politician lives forever in the minds of grateful people.

His illustrious father, Don David Rajapaksa served as the ‘Vidane Arachchi’ of Ihala Valikada Korale. He was a leader owning a wealth of paddy fields and coconut lands, serving a colonial bridge between the hierarchy and the people, which brought him closer to the poor peasants of the area. The generations branded with his DNA started with his progeny, Don Mathew Rajapaksa entering politics.

Don Mathew was elected in 1936 to represent the Hambantota district in the State Council. He served till 1945 until he passed away. At the by-election, his brother Don Alwin Rajapaksa (DA) was the natural choice to hold the seat, but agreed diffidently. He was elected without contest. The next Parliament election came in 1947 and DA contested the newly carved out Beliatta seat, which consisted mostly of Western Giruwapattuva, and won, and the Hambantota seat was won by Lakshman Rajapaksa, his nephew.

National political force

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was formed by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike as a national political force and D.A. Rajapaksa was a founder of the SLFP with SWRD. Unhappy with the ruling party policies, SWRD crossed the floor of the House to the Opposition on July 12, 1951. DA was with him in this bold decision and crossed the floor with two others.

This signified a defining moment in the history of the nation, starting a long journey for the emancipation of the common man. It is on record that DA crossed the floor because of the reluctance of the UNP to develop irrigation projects such as Udawalawe and Muruthawela to enable farmers to have enough water for agriculture.

The next election came in 1952 and out of only nine seats secured by the SLFP led by SWRD, DA was elected MP for Beliatta. At the next election in 1956, the SLFP was a constituent party of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP). DA was once again returned to Parliament from Beliatta in the historic landslide victory in 1956. In 1959 he was appointed Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Lands by Prime Minister Wijeyananda Dahanayake. The election in March 1960 brought the UNP to power, but DA returned to Parliament from Beliatta in July 1960. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of Committees in Parliament and subsequently Deputy Speaker. In 1965, the SLFP was defeated by the UNP over nationalisation issues and DA did not return to Parliament.

By this time, he had lost most of his inheritance on the welfare of his people. His five sons were studying in Colombo and he came under severe hardships during this period, having mortgaged his property to sustain their education and expenses. He did not even possess a vehicle to transport him for medical care during his failing health.

Don Alwin Rajapaksa, born in 1905, having held key positions as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Government Minister, Member of Parliament for Beliatta 1947-60 and 1960-65, passed away at a relatively young age of 62 in 1967, having lost most of his inherited wealth, but having accumulated a richer asset base of political capital, which keeps growing to this date.

D.A. Rajapaksa, married to Dandina Samarasinghe Dissanayake, fathered nine illustrious children. Three - Chamal, Mahinda and Basil - became leaders in their own right through the electoral process, winning elections with enviable majorities. Another son, Gotabaya has been the architect of the winning strategy to bring back peace and security to the nation.

Ministerial positions

Chamal Rajapaksa is the Speaker of Parliament since 2010, endowed with a mirror image of his father's qualities and has ably handled the Ministerial positions of Irrigation and Water Management from 2007 to 2010, Deputy Ministerial positions of Plantations Industries from 2004 to 2007, Ports Development and Development of the South from 2000 to 2001, while representing the people of Hambantota in Parliament since 1989 to date. He has proven to be one of the most lovable people to hold the exalted office of Speaker with great humility and prudence with the likeable imprint of DA's DNA.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, a lawyer, was first elected to the Parliament in 1970, and served as Prime Minister from 2004 until his victory at the 2005 Presidential election. He was re-elected for a second term in 2010. He became President, pledging to unify Sri Lanka, and true to his heart, this son of DA, liberated the nation from the painful grip of the world's most notorious terrorists.

There are only a few parallels to his outstanding leadership and strategy. This achievement is signified by the combined effort of his brother Gotabaya whose chemistry and strategy propped by the DNA of Don Alwin gave them the strength to go for the crackdown despite dissuading international interventions. Gotabaya is the Defence Secretary and is a unique person among government servants with a past military service record and speaks business without mincing his words. His low profile work in recreating most parts of Colombo and urban areas, from eyesores to eye-catching masterpieces, is another unique contribution in nation building.

Basil Rajapaksa entered Parliament with the highest majority from the Gampaha electorate in 2007 and started work as the Minister of Economic Development since 2010. He too is a man who minces no words and means business. His contribution to the resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration of displaced people and ex-combatants in the North through the Uthuru Wasanthaya from the time terrorism ended in 2009 until the Northern Provincial Council election in 2013 is another hallmark of DA DNA.

These four men and several other Rajapaksas in eminent positions in the public and private sector governance roles have contributed in making an unprecedented difference to Sri Lanka in a rapidly developing economy.

Letty Cottin Pogrebin holds that’ The politics of the family are the politics of a nation. Just as the authoritarian family is the authoritarian state in microcosm, the democratic family is the best training ground for life in a democracy’ (Letty Cottin Pogrebin (20th century), US editor, writer, Family and Politics, Ch.1 (1983).

Breeding place for democracy

It is a remarkable statement how democracy in family becomes the breeding place for democracy in a nation, which can help transform a nation. Ironically, this goes to the credit of DA to illustrate how democracy prevailed upon the quality of his family life, and the progenies he procreated for the future. Democracy has to blend with higher values for memorable success. DA's innumerable recorded encounters in society with the peasants he loved so much, the politicians of different colours, overbearing aristocracy, and the government servants he held in esteem along with his firsthand knowledge with paddy fields, farm lands, irrigation works, roads, schools, industry and cooperatives, all point in one direction - how much he cared for his people with democracy, justice, charity, sincerity and rare humility. These admirable traits in DA's personality undoubtedly prepared the unpretentious character and solid mettle of men of the calibre of his sons.

His fatherly foresight in preparing his children for the future is evident from recorded events. He gave opportunities to Chamal and Mahinda to meet and learn from political leaders of the day such as SWRD, Colvin, Keuneman and others who visited their home.

Once, when DA brought Chamal and Mahinda to an SLFP convention in Kadugannawa, SWRD praised him for bringing them and regretted not having his own children at the event. They were also taken to observe how difficult disputes were settled and given advice to listen to the parties to the dispute carefully, while keeping an open mind for a fair decision to dawn upon the arbiter.

On record is an instance when Mahinda was a library assistant at Vidyodaya, Chamal showed him a letter written by his father. The letter profoundly advised Chamal who joined the Police that Police is a place where most people get corrupted easily, but worthy people can still remain uncorrupt with determination. DA was not a hypocrite like most politicians and was incorruptible.

Ironically, the Rajapaksas came from one of the poorest and overlooked parts of Sri Lanka, down South, to regenerate the glory and esteem of the nation, establishing democracy, security, peace and economic development. It is to DA's credit and the quality of upbringing of his children that the entire country is now being developed under the astute leadership of his most resolute son Mahinda Rajapaksa.

DA became a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Lands when first elected to the State Council in 1945. His first act of democracy was to benefit the landless peasantry of Giruwapattuva by giving a 99-year lease transfer of crown land in five-acre plots. Middle income earners were given 10 to 50 acres in the same manner. An agriculture revolution started in Giruwapattuva with these initiatives.

Water scarcity

Water was scarce in the area and he developed Chandrika wewa, Uswewa, Middeniya wewa, Meegahawela wewa, Wewagawawatta wewa (tanks) and Muruthawela kirama with irrigation to feed the agriculture fields in the area. Working with the 1956 government, his contribution to realising the Kumburu Panatha (Paddy Lands Act) in 1958, governing paddy fields is significant. This act enabled the peasant farmers’ ownership of paddy fields and DA lost most of the family-owned paddy fields.

Rajapaksa family image is symbolised to date by the earthy brown shawl DA wore to identify his closeness to the village farmers. This symbolic image has become an icon for the Rajapaksas in politics. It is the colour of kurakkan (finger millet) cultivated by the people of the area.

Locally and overseas people associate the earthy brown shawl with the Rajapaksas of Hambantota and for people in Sri Lanka it is a constant reminder of how close the Rajapaksas are to the rural masses.

He always kept education close to his heart and his struggle to give the children of the area a good education is remembered by many retired eduction officers. Many schools in Giruwapattu Medamulana area benefited by his interventions. Weeraketiya Central College, Ittademaliye School, Athobode School, Mandaduva School in Weeraketiya where he was first schooled and D.A. Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya are just a few.

Weeraketiya became a central college when it was still sheltered by a thatched roof at his insistence. He was a great sportsman representing Richmond in cricket and football. He captained the latter. He was fearless, but confronted villains without violence. He is remembered for proposing the Embilipitiya paper mill, the railway from Matara to Tissamaharama, the reconstruction of the Bandagiriya tank and the powerloom factory in Kudawella, constructing many roads in the area, and even agricultural extension work from the South to the North Central where he has promoted curd production with Southern technology.

Bismarck said, “Politics is the art of the possible” and D.A. Rajapaksa has proven it by bringing democracy and equity to his people, even though he chose the unpalatable path of impoverishment of his personal assets. He died on November 7, 1967, much richer by the thousands of people who continue to extol his virtues and the family of great men and women he endowed for the nation having no other simile.

The writer is Founder-Vice Chancellor 2004-2011, Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, Past President, National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka and Consultant Higher Education.