Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world's first woman prime minister:

Methini: The resolute woman who put Sri Lanka firmly on the political world map

by Isuri Kaviratne

Addressing a public gathering gettyimages.com

There was something about Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike that inspired awe. Even her worst detractors found it impossible not to show respect. People respectfully added suffix to her name Sirima and called her 'Sirimavo.' She was the Lady, the Iron Lady and Methini.

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Like most South Asian women politicians, her entry into the hurly burly of national politics was the direct result of her husband's S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike's assassination. But the lady who emerged from her husband's shadow, shedding her housewife image to become the first woman prime minister in the world, she was quick to make her own identity in politics - as a strong purposeful woman: an iron lady.

Conventional mother

Sirimavo's eldest daughter, Sunethra Bandaranaike remembers her mother as someone who grew up 'in a conventional, aristocratic background' and married her father, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, himself a Victorian conventional man.

"That's the way she wanted to bring us up too, even though we rebelled against it," she said. But the 'strict household' changed with the unfortunate death of her father after which, her mother lacked that additional support and strength she had to retain it in the conventional form. "Naturally, we took advantage of the situation, to stay a bit longer at parties and alter a few house rules willfully."

Sirimavo was a supportive mother, Sunethra said, agreeing reluctantly to send them to foreign universities, in a sense, liberating her offspring.

"I came back a changed person, with short hair, with makeup on, things she didn't approve of earlier. But she understood that she couldn't impose rules and control us anymore. So she didn't even try."

Sunethra said: "Our mother adapted to her children and accepted us."

Sirimavo was, despite a busy schedule, always mindful of their needs. Despite her engagement in stately affairs, Sirimavo assured that her children were taken good care of. Though she got busy running a country, Sirimavo had ensured that her children are well taken care of. "She was a thoughtful mother who accepted her three highly individualistic children," laughed Sunethra. "Although she tried to discipline us when we were very young, she never imposed her will on us thereafter, specially on matters such as marriage."

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Among her mother's strongest points, Sunethra said with admiration, was her ability to 'beautifully adapt to her new situation' and to grow into a strong leader: a commanding presence.

"Whatever she did as Sri Lanka's first woman prime minister, she did it for the country. She loved this country deeply."

Defining history

She also belonged to a generation that valued integrity. She was a transparent leader who had her own formula in politics, applied both locally and internationally. But through it all, she remained a loving mother, standing by her children.

When her husband formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on 2 September 1951, she was busy managing their family mansion and taking care of her young children. She had no personal affinity to politics, other than being married to a politician.

But the assassination of her husband changed her course of life dramatically, propelling her to take on a role she never dreamt of.

At that time, former prime minister and veteran politician D.M. Jayaratne was a junior member of the SLFP. Recalling his time spent at Horagolla, the ancestral home of the Bandaranaikes, Jayaratne said he was surprised by the swiftness with which Siromavo adjusted to the changed roles.

Before entering politics, "She would, sometimes, peep in through the door, but would never join any political discussion," Jayaratne said. Her exposure to social activities back then was limited to the women's organisations she presided over.

Bradman Weerakoon Pic: ANCL Media Library	Sunethra Bandaranaike Pic: ANCL Media Library	D.M. Jayaratne Pic: Sudam Gunasinghe

In 1959, when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was assassinated, a dispute erupted within the party over a successor. Having contested election during such confusing times, the SLFP lost the battle to Dudley Senanayake of the United National Party (UNP).

Though elected, the UNP did not have the majority to form a government and Parliament had to be dissolved. Many senior SLFP members began abandoning the party, ahead of the second parliamentary election in 1960. It was the late T.B. Ilangaratne who made a surprise suggestion that Sirimavo be called upon to lead the team during the election. The SLFP leadership was still kept open.

"Convincing Madam Sirimavo to join politics proved a hard task. She very reluctantly agreed after we convinced her that someone should continue the good work of the late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. We promised her our support and that we would do the work, only if she agreed to lead the pack. She finally consented."

The SLFP won the election following which discussions began in earnest about the party leadership. "There were many leading candidates - C.P. de Silva, Maithripala Senanayake, T.B. Ilangaratne and others but finally, the party's choice was Methini.

World's first woman PM

After a series of discussions, on 21 July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, took on a bold step; Stepped out of her stately mansion and stepped into the world of politics as the world's first woman prime minister, almost instantly growing into an internationally acclaimed stateswoman.

She was a very observant, intelligent person, Jayaratne said, adding: "During the first six months, she did not get involved in party or cabinet decision-making processes much. She was consistently observing and absorbing things. She allowed the legislators to work. Six months later, she emerged as the most powerful person in the Cabinet and the SLFP, having converted herself to a savvy politician and leader."

Besides the few addresses she made at women's organisations, Sirimavo had hardly spoken in public.

The lady clearly contained many surprises and soon, she turned out to be a good public speaker and using her oratory to woo people during a keenly-contested 1965 election campaign. She lost but in 1970, a much better prepared Sirimavo led her coalition towards electoral victory.

Her first challenge came during her second term as the country's prime minister came in the form of the 1971 JVP youth uprising.

According to Bradman Weerakoon, seasoned public servant who had served as secretary to nine Sri Lankan heads of state, the then Premier Dudley Senanayake was aware of the youth being organised to oppose the government. However, D.M. Jayaratne claimed that the SLFP only knew of an emerging youth movement and did not anticipate an armed youth rebellion.

"Her behaviour throughout that tumultuous period was very motherly.

She wanted to ensure the safety of her legislators as well as the rebelling young men and women," he recollected.

Jayaratne said, Sirimavo insisted on MPs reside in Colombo without returning to their villages and reserved rooms for them at the Galle Face Hotel with complete security.

"As for the JVPers, she instructed the police to remember that they are young and need to be protected too, when suppressing the rebellion," Jayaratne said, adding that her main advice to the law enforcement authorities was "not to kill them in vain."

Constitutional and economic reforms

The anti-Western trend set by the late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike by the nationalisation of transport and port but got stalled, Sirimavo decided to carry forward.

This process began soon after the quelling of the JVP, which was legally defined as 'a rebellion against the Queen of Great Britain.'

The first step Sirimavo did was to call for the withdrawal of the British Army, stationed at the Trincomalee harbour and the Katunayake International Airport.

"Back then, the Minister of Justice in Sri Lanka was appointed by the Queen of UK.

The court that was considered supreme under Sri Lankan law was the Privy Council in the UK which could repel any decision made by a local court.

The second step Methini took was to draft a new constitution with expert advice. Consequently, she appointed a minister of justice. Colvin R. de Silva was the master drafter," Jayaratne explained.

Next, drought and famine hit the local economy badly but, Jayaratne recalled that Sirimavo had a different solution to offer.

"There were people exporting rice to India. She quickly banned transportation of rice in large quantities and initiated a massive cultivation drive in the country." Young Jayaratne was part of that 'agricultural team' that initiated the massive cultivation program along the Mahaweli River and in selected districts which are now famed for paddy cultivation.

In a subsequent move, Sirimavo introduced the Land Reforms Bill of 1972, taking over the lands owned by foreigners and limiting the land ownership to 50 acres per individual.

"There were hundreds of acres of land that belonged to Methini in the Balangoda area. People had encroached by then and she legally transferred ownership to those illegal occupants," Jayaratne said, adding that the late leader distributed a lot of her privately-owned land, leading by example.

Also, her first term as prime minister was replete with challenges, not only in the domestic front. In 1962, the Indo-China border conflict erupted, two countries with strong historical ties with Sri Lanka.

She decided not to align with either nation, but successfully mediated to bring both parties to a dialogue position. Jayaratne said with admiration; "She was the ultimate problem solver. I have been to China 18 times and each time I did, the leaders have always paid tribute to Madam Bandaranaike for her successful interventions to prevent serious conflict between the two powerful nations."

Her support for China did not mean compromising India's friendship either. This trust was maintained despite providing refuelling facilities to Pakistan during the 1971 Indo - Pakistan conflict. India did not allow Pakistan to fly over its territories towards East Pakistan, which later became Bangladesh. Sirimavo ensured that a worsening relationship between India and Pakistan did not affect Sri Lanka's interests.

When the issue of the disputed island Kachchatheevu came up, she successfully negotiated with her counterpart, Indira Gandhi, and acquired complete rights over the island.

An excellent player in the international political arena, she maintained the Non-Aligned principles to the core, without harming bilateral relations. Meanwhile, she also strengthened Sri Lanka's ties with the Soviet Union and China, and hosted the Non-Aligned Summit in 1976, in the city of Colombo.

Deprivation of Civic Rights

At the end of her term in 1976, it was clear that the SLFP coalition would be ousted from political power. It was time for a regime change and once the UNP government was installed in power, Sirimavo Bandaranaike was stripped of her civic rights.

D.M. Jayaratne recalled the worlds of his late leader as she said: "J.R. Jayewardene feared that I would contest again. That's to put me in the political cold storage."

At peace with the UNP's decision to politically victimize her, she was quite resigned to her new fate of political oblivion. However, what upset her was when her close associates began abandoning her, though she soon learned the fickle nature of power politics."

Immediately after the imposition of civic disability on her, 14 out of the 17-memebr strong SLFP Central Committee -headed by Maithreepala Senanayake, Stanley Thillekeratne and Wishwa Warnapala - filed a court case to remove her from the SLFP leadership.

"The court demanded to see the log books of the party prior to deciding on the matter.

But just before that, I sneaked in through the back door and removed all the log books, resulting in the abandoning of that legal process against her," still firmly convinced that he did the right thing by defending her leadership.

The illustrious woman was reappointed as the SLFP leader subsequently at a historic meeting held at Horagolla and remained as chairperson of the SLFP until her death on 10 October 2000. If S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike gave birth to the SLFP, it was Sirimavo who nurtured and sustained it through some of the most difficult years as a leader of fortitude.