D.A. Rajapaksa, the epitome of humility and beneficence
by Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya

The statue of D.A. Rajapaksa in Tangalle
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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.
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