(Daily Mirror – by Wijedasa Rajapaksha) William Shakespeare said that “some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them”. That reminds us of late Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike on whose very birthday to be exact 17th April 1916 at Pussaliyadda Walawwa, Mahawelatanna, Balangoda, a well-known astrologer by the name of Hetuwa Gurunnanse told her parents Barnes Rathwatte, Rate Mahattaya and Rosmend Hilda Kumararihamy that the future Queen of Ceylon was born. As reminisced by Dr. Mackie Ratwatta in an article which appeared in a newspaper that there had been another phenomenon on that day when a herd of elephants forcefully entered the Kraal, an act which was considered a very rare omen. Her father laird of Balangoda was amused to hear that prophecy because then we were under the regime of King George V of the United Kingdom. Furthermore there was no woman political leader in any country in the world specially, where there were democratic forms of Government.
In her formative years, she got a training in social activities by being an active member of Mahila Samithiya of Balangoda. She studied at St. Bridget’s Convent where she passed her Matriculation Examination. Eventually she became one of the most eligible young ladies whose hand was sought by many. As destiny would have it, late Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike married her on 3rd October 1940. She provided a very rich background to Mr. Bandaranaike by raising three children in due course. She, knowing how much Mr. Bandaranaike suffered as a politician, abhorred that field and wished to see her husband retire from it. Debunking all the myths expressed by the people of the old school, she proved equal to the task and was able to blaze a new trail in the world political firmament. What propelled her into active politics was her determination to carry forward the policies of her illustrious husband. She rose to the occasion surmounting a variety of obstacles and weathered many a political storm displaying a rare kind of courage which cannot be associated with women. Her advent to active politics may have been influenced by the saying of St. Augustine; that, “There is a special place in the hell reserved for those who shilly-shally during a period of crisis in a country”. By a quirk of destiny she was catapulted to the heighsts plum of office as predicted by Hetuwa Gurunnanse. Causing a universal sensation, she became the first woman Prime Minister in the World exactly fifty years ago on a day like today (21st July 1960). Thereby she gave credence for the first time to the old saying, that, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”.
As Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of U.S. said in his famous Gettysburg speech made after the conclusion of the civil war, “Democracy is a system of government of the people, for the people, by the people.” Late Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the beloved husband of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the then Prime Minister was assassinated by a gunman just as Abraham Lincoln himself was shot by a sniper. The world which has had no experience of seeing a country being ruled by a woman, thought that the vacuum created with the killing of Mr. S.W.R.D Bandaranaike was an abysmal void and started scanning the horizon to trace someone like late Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, to fill the void and never thought that the people in this small island would have looked up to a woman with a calibre equal to a seasoned political leader.
The roots of democracy were found in occidental countries and United States of America and subsequently evolved into the present form during last 7-8 centuries by etching landmark events such as the French Revolution, Magna Carta (1215) etc,. It is common ground that the most significant feature in Democracy denotes the upholding of the Rule of Law, by logical extension meaning that it is the equality before the law. But we cannot ignore the fact that the world society was as such that the gender differences were visible all over the globe and therefore found it difficult for any female to reach the highest echelons of the political hierarchy, even in those very countries which were advocating against gender discrimination. But Sri Lankans who have had gone through the whole hog of political and social turbulences under the regimes of several foreign Yokes, believed that late Sirimavo Bandaranaike was capable of spearheading the country towards true independence and prosperity. She took no time to cast a spell upon the political audience not only locally but also internationally, by her sheer personality. She being the first woman prime minister was able to prove her mettle and acumen much to the consternation of her critics and become a vibrant force to be reckoned with, in the political arena.
Embedded in her character was diplomacy which she made the fullest use of in her international relations. The icing of the cake was when she was able to bring about peace between India and China which were poising for a protracted war. Exploiting her diplomacy and the admiration she won from the Afro- Asian countries, she was able to bring about peace and reconciliation between two warring countries and ushered in harmony in the region. Bertrand Russell who had closely observed her role in the peace-making process suggested that the Nobel Price should be conferred upon her. That was an additional feather to her cap. She brought her diplomacy into full play when dealing with Indo-Sri Lanka problem and the Kachchathivu island Issue. If it had not been for her sagacity and foresight, such a problem should have flared up to alarming proportions. These achievements speak volumes of her leadership activities. She was able to be the Prime Minister thrice and dramatically on the last occasion under the Presidency of her daughter.
She was able to stealthily steer clear of two power blocks and make Non-Aligned Movement a vibrant power in the world. Her being elected as the Chair Person of Non-Aligned Movement bears ample testimony to the recognition that she had won among the world community. There is a saying “Heads of Governments are only friends of one another while only a very few hold the admiration of the fraternity”. Mrs. Bandaranaike belonged to the second group.
There is no disputing that she was able to hold her own against the leading world icons of her times such as Marshall Tito of former Yugoslavia, Chou-En-Lai of China, Abdul Gamel Nazer of Egypt, colonel Gadafi of Libya, Sri Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Ghandi of India, Ayub Khan of Pakistan, Prince Sihanouk of Kampuchea, Huwari Bumidian of Algeria, Nkrumah of Ghana etc. There is a saying; “The biggest problem in this World is the destiny of it not being shaped by people who are not fit for it”. This is being discussed at length reminding us of the importance of righteous political leaders with far-sighted worldly wisdom and skills to maintain international relations in a prudent manner while protecting sacrosanct norms and principles of democracy. What appears in the context of today’s politics is that those who are trying to give us in length are the people who do not have anything in depth. Claudius said that; “People are fashioned according to the examples of their leaders; edicts are less important than the examples exhibited by the lives of their leaders”.
In recognition of her astute leadership, world leaders in Non-Aligned Movement consisting of 86 member countries agreed to hold their main conference in Sri Lanka in 1976. It is considered that conference had been by far the greatest and the grandest international conferences held in our country. When it came to taking decisions regarding crucial and controversial matters she was never known to have vacillated or hesitated. She also brooked no nonsense coming from any quarter as indicated by her when leftist leaders such as Dr. N.M. Perera and Dr. Colvin R de Silva and their comrades were trying to overwhelm her and eventually gobble up her political party Sri Lanka Freedom Party which was founded by her illustrious husband. She was obviously endowed with adroitness and circumspection two qualities which should be possessed by a real leader.
I am emboldened to mention this because I had the good fortune of being her lawyer at a certain stage. It is no exaggeration to say that there are many lessons that could be learnt from her illustrious character.
I can do no more than to pay tribute to her by quoting William Shakespeare, “Fear no more the heat of the sun Nor; the furious winters’ rages Though thy worldly task had done Home art gone and taken thy wages”.
