Features
Rocky road of Sri Lanka’s national anthem!
By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana
To say that our national anthem has had a rocky road, perhaps, is a gross underestimation. Afterall, the composer of this beautiful anthem sacrificed his life because of a totally avoidable controversy! As an ungrateful nation, we have forgotten the creator of the modern Sinhala music, Ananda Samarakoon. Though the city of Colombo is littered with roads, named after many who have done very little, compared to what Ananda Samarakoon did, no government seems to have considered honouring him appropriately, to be our national duty. Even his memory is tarnished by some who attempt to credit Rabindranath Tagore as the creator of our national anthem. How could Tagore, who was not conversant with Sinhala, written such beautiful lyrics? Tagore has not written the music for any of Samarakoon’s lyrics, or any Sinhala songs, for that matter, and why should this be an exception? One may argue that Tagore could have been invited to write the music had this has been lyricized as the national anthem, but it was far from it.
Though it was adopted later as the national anthem, ‘Namo Namo Matha’ was penned by Samarakoon, in 1940, as an expression of his sheer jubilation of seeing his motherland from the air, on his first trip in an aircraft journeying back from India. Further, it was a cry for freedom as he says: “Nawajeewana Damine Newatha Apa Awadi Karan Matha”. Samarakoon was far ahead of time, referring to our ‘Matha’ as Sri Lanka, 32 years before the name was adopted by the republican constitution. As the aircraft descends for the landing, seeing from the air, the dazzling green of coconut leaves reflecting the golden rays of sunshine and pearly white sandy beaches bathed by the azure blue waters of the Indian ocean, is more than enough to warm the cockles of anyone’s heart; every time. Therefore, it is not surprising that the musical brain of Samarakoon did not allow him to sleep that day, till he completed the song!
Samarakoon was an exceptionally gifted musician, largely self-made, starting to write songs, and singing them to the annoyance of his teachers, while he was still a student at Wewala government school. Inspired by watching the performances of Rabindranath Tagore and his troupe during their tour in 1934, during which Sri Pali in Horana was established, Samarakoon decided to study in Shantiniketan. His stint in Shantiniketan, though limited to only six months, had a profound effect on him; Egodahage George Wilfred Alwis Samarakoon, a Christian by birth, returned as Ananda Samarakoon, after embracing Buddhism, and reshaped Sinhala music, rightly earning the plaudits ‘the father of artistic Sinhala music and founder of the modern Sinhala Geeta Sahitya.’
Namo Namo Matha
was the last, in a song collection, titled ‘Geetha Kumudini‘, but as he had no money to print it, Samarakoon sold the manuscript to a printer, for a song! It was first sung by pupils of Mahinda College, Galle, where Samarakoon was the music teacher, but gained wide popularity only after Musaeus College choir’s rendition was aired over Radio Ceylon. No surprise it became so popular, as it is such a beautiful song; evocative lyrics enhanced by a beautiful tune. I have heard many cricket commentators applauding the beauty of it, sometimes mentioning that a shorter version may be more appropriate.
Just before independence, Lanka Gandharva Sabha organised a competition to choose a national anthem. “Namo Namo Matha” was submitted by Samarakoon’s wife and brother, as he was away in India, and the other contender was “Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima” written by P. B. Illangasinghe, with music composed by Lionel Edirisinghe, which won the competition. There was a furore as Illangasinghe and Edirisinghe were members of the judging panel! Though “Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima” was broadcast over Radio Ceylon on the morning of Independence Day, 4 February 1948, there was a total refusal from the public to accept it as the national anthem. Interestingly, it was not sung at the official Independence Day celebrations. Ceylon continued to use ‘God save the king’ as its official national anthem and at the first Independence Day celebration, held on 4 February 1949, at the Independence Memorial Hall, in Torrington Square, both “Namo Namo Matha” and “Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima” were sung, in Sinhala and Tamil, as “national songs”.
In 1950, the then Minister of Finance J. R. Jayewardene proposed the government recognise Samarakoon’s “Namo Namo Matha” as the official national anthem, in view of its popularity. A committee, headed by Edwin Wijeyeratne, Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development, having listened to several songs and after much deliberation, confirmed “Namo Namo Matha” as the national anthem with a minor change, approved by Samarakoon; changing the 10th line from “Nawajeewana Damine Newatha Apa Awadi Karan Matha” to “Nawa Jeewana Demine Nithina Apa Pubudu Karan Matha”, reflecting the changed scenario, that we had already achieved independence. It was already translated to Tamil by M. Nallathamby with Samarakoon’s approval. It was in 1952, at the Independence Day parade in Colombo, that “Namo Namo Matha” was first sung as the national anthem; The Tamil version being sung in Jaffna. The government paid the princely sum of Rs. 2,500 but that went to the printer who held the rights for “Geetha Kumudini“! Samarakoon got nothing and it is perplexing why the government did not consider a separate honorarium for him.
In the late ’50s, purists started blaming “Namo Namo Matha” for the misfortunes of the country, including the tragic deaths of two prime ministers, citing that it commences with a wrong ‘gana’. In February 1961, Mrs Bandaranaike’s government arbitrarily changed the first line to “Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka” without consulting Samarakoon. The government’s contention was that as it bought the rights, any objections from Samarakoon were invalid. What about common decency? Do people who buy expensive artwork change them to suit their whims and fancies? Has changing the national anthem stopped the country from going down the precipice?
When this happened, a distraught Samarakoon told his nephew Sunil Samarakoon “Puthe, mage oluwa galawala, when ekak hai karala.” (They have removed my head and fixed a new one) but 11-year-old Sunil did not fully comprehend the seriousness. However, a year later when he went clinging to his father’s arm, on learning that his uncle would not answer the knocks on his bedroom door, he realised the gravity of it. On breaking open the door, they found him in a deep slumber with an empty bottle of sleeping pills by his side. There was also a letter to Dudley Senanayake, the leader of the Opposition explaining his frustration. Also in the room was a beautiful painting of the Buddha in meditation under a tree, with a deer at the edge of the jungle curiously looking on. Samarakoon was a talented painter, too, using only natural paints and exhibiting in many countries, and this was his last painting. He never woke up and died on 5th April 1962, at the age of 51 years!
The latest controversy is about the singing, rather mis-singing, of the national anthem at the opening ceremony of LPL. It was done by no ordinary singer; but by one described, in the editorial ‘Singer under fire’ (The Island, 2 August), as “one of Sri Lanka’s finest vocalists, known for her fascinatingly smooth and expressive vocal delivery.” Why was there such a brouhaha about it and was it justified? Why did someone with such repute get it so wrong?
Of course, politicians tried to make capital of it, their policy being never miss an opportunity to divert attentions from their gross ineptitude. However, concerns raised by many were genuine, though some attempted to advance theories to justify the silliness, the main one being that she attempted to sing the national anthem in operatic style. I do not know what style it was but listening to it pained my ears! For all that long time I have lived in the UK, I have never heard “God save the Queen/King” being sung in operatic style. In fact, I have never heard any national anthem being sung in operatic style. So, why or why, would anyone consider singing our national anthem in that style? Is it aping the West? No, it is worse; it simply is blind aping! One needs only a simple click, on the Wikipedia page “Sri Lanka Matha”, to listen to the 2017 U.S. Navy Band instrumental version of our national anthem to realize what a wonderful piece of music it is, even without words!
To add insult to injury, she sang ‘Mahata’(mister) instead of ‘Matha’(mother). What made her change that crucial word? Obviously, because she was singing without understanding the meaning of the words. Maybe, because she is singing mechanically without any feeling. Those misguided ‘nationalists’, who attempted to prevent the singing of the national anthem in Tamil a few of years ago, were oblivious to this reality. The national anthem should be sung from the heart; with understanding and feeling. How can you feel it in your heart, if you sing without any understanding of the lyrics?
Sri Lanka is at the worst point in its history. Even changing the national anthem, to make it auspicious, has not helped other than killing its creator in the process. Should we continue to be steeped in superstition? No way! The best way to honour Samarakoon, albeit posthumously, is to reattach his head, so to speak, by reverting to “Namo Namo Matha”, one of the most beautiful national anthems in the world!
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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