Sir Senerat’s Package Deal

by ECB Wijeyesinghe

Exactly 25 years ago (this article was written for the Oct. 24 UN Day), I was in New York. As I trudged from my modest hotel to the massive home of the United Nations, I felt I was playing a walk-on part in a big drama and incidentally adding a footnote to History. It was a period of great promise for our island home. The sun of freedom was shining over the mountains after 450 years of colonial rule. Sir John Kotelawela was the Prime Minister. Esmond Wickremesinghe was the Laird of Lake House and everything in our Garden of Eden from Mannar to Matara appeared to be as lovely as the lawns at Kandawela.

In other words, it was 1955 and a benevolent US State department had generously offered me a double-barrelled Leadership Grant for Drama and Journalism which I gratefully accepted with both hands. For three full months it was my good fortune to move among Americans in all strata of society. To say that I was overwhelmed by their kindness will be a gross understatement. But that is a chapter that deserves fuller treatment.

My story today has been provoked by the fact that October 24, was the birthday of the United Nations. On that day, 35 years ago was born that unique institution which stands, like its building, four-square against the winds of War and rumours of War. My humble mission on this occasion was to go to the UN Secretariat and find out the exact procedure or modus operandi for Ceylon joining the UN. After I had collected all the relevant material, I despatched it to Colombo, and I believe Esmond Wickrem-esinghe, in his usual large-hearted way, did me the honour of passing my memo on to the Cabinet. Thus ended the first and last occasion on which I was cast in the role of a political errand-boy.

TOP

At this distance of time, my only recollection of the United Nations building, apart from one of the offices in Dag Hammerskjold’s vast secretariat, was the room at the top where there was a cafeteria. Here, overlooking the River, the tables were groaning under the most delicious foods from over 50 countries.

There were yoghurts, pastries, steaks, fried fish, baked fish, lobsters, prawns and vegetables of all kinds with all the mouth -watering, tongue-tickling pickles and palate-pleasing desserts you could think of. Being an abstemious man I stuck to a dish of smoked salmon and followed it with what looked like a jaggery pudding. The latter was a disappointment. In fairness to my Muslim friends I must say that the Ceylon delicacy known as Vatallapan, prepared according to the old Arab formula brought by Ibn Batuta from Indonesia, is hard to beat. It will be the Muhammad Ali of puddings for a long time to come.

Ceylon eventually was admitted to the big international club known as the United Nations after a mighty effort by Ambassador Gunewardene who, according to Krishna Menon, “carried on a one-man struggle against the obstructionist tactics of the Great Powers”. It was a package deal in which some hard bargaining had to be done by the man from Colombo with such giants as Molotov, Dulles, Pierson-Dixon and Cabot Lodge. Ceylon was finally included in a group of 16 names put forward after Japan and Mongolia had been dropped.

Sir Senerat was just plain Mr. R. S. S. Gunewardene when he welcomed to his table visiting Ceylonese and made them feel quite at home over a nice curry-and-rice with hot sambols which brought tears of joy to home sick wanderers. I was one of the recipients of Mr. Gunawardene’s hospitality in Washington DC where he was greatly in demand as a public speaker.

Americans dearly love a man, especially a non-white, who can speak without a note, and that is a thing RSS was able to do especially when he started unraveling the mysteries of the Dhamma or dilating on the scenic splendours of his native land. RSS was both a deeply religious man as well as an ardent lover of beauty.

KNIGHTHOOD

There appears to be a little confusion in the public mind as to when Mr. R.S.S. Gunawardene became Sir Senerat, and how and why at one time he reverted to his old name. Here is the inner story of the knighthood as told by Sir Senerat himself:

“When Ceylon was admitted to the United Nations in December 1955, Sir John Kotelawala made a request that I be included in the 1956 Honours List and be given a KCMG. The Honours List was closed in July 1955 and Ceylon’s quota was exhausted. I was treated as a special case and made a Knight Bachelor in January 1956, and given a promise that I would made a KCMG in July. There was no rejection on my part and the honour was accepted and gazetted.

“When the SLFP was returned to power in March 1956, Mr. Bandaranaike stated there would not be any more Birthday Honours in Ceylon and appealed to title-holders not to use their titles.

I then wrote a private letter to Sir Oliver that I was willing not to use my title if that were the policy of the Government. Obviously it was not, because other members of the Government continued to use their titles.

“Sir Oliver wanted me to continue to use it. I was also told that Mr. Bandaranaike was hurt that I should be made the only scape-goat. The UN has always used my title.”

Mr. R. S. S. Gunawardene was, however, not the first Ceylonese ambassador to the United States of America. That honour belonged to Sir Claude Corea who had cut his diplomatic teeth in London for two years before he was sent by D. S. Senanayake as our envoy to Washington in 1948.

Unlike his successor, Sir Claude was a man of few words. Just as Sir Senerat was a devout Buddhist, Sir Claude was a devout Christian who was brought up by his saintly mother, Sarah Herat, to have faith in the efficacy of prayer. His mother’s advice stood him in good stead in more than one emergency.

Once he was returning to Washington in 1951 from San Francisco after attending the Japanese Peace Conference at which President Jayewardene had made his historic speech. In the plane beside Sir Claude and Mr. Jayewardene was Mr. R. G. Senanayake.

Half an hour after the take-off, one of the plane’s twin engines spluttered and came to a dead stop. There was much excitement on board especially among the women passengers. One of the few people who remained calm in the crisis was Sir Claude. He was praying. He did not utter a word until the aircraft returned safely to San Francisco.

Once again Death knocked at Sir Claude’s door when during the Easter of 1952 he had a heart attack and the doctors in Washington gave up hope. His family was summoned to the bedside and his three sons rushed in by the US authorities without the formalities of entry visas. But a few hours later, on a glorious Easter morning Sir Claude was well again and on the way to complete recovery. Sir Clause loved this story and never failed to add: ” “As I lay there helpless, I prayed.”

Sir Claude’s success as a diplomat in the Embassies in Washington and London, at the United Nations in New York and as he untied problems of GATT in Geneva was due to his inherent intellectual qualities as well as to the inspiration and strength he derived from his wife whom he married in 1933.

Her maiden name was Karmanie Chitty, but all her friends call her Lylie. Known in DPL circles as the perfect hostess, Lady Corea sparkled even in the most glamorous company. Lady Corea was like a mother to Ceylonese students who had lost their bearings in London, and her home at 21, Addison Road, was a haven of refuge for many half-starved and financially embarrassed young people from Sri Lanka.

REGRET

In the 16 years that he represented his country abroad Sir Claude Corea never deviated from his high code of conduct. His industry and integrity were talking points among international statesmen. When ill-health forced him to retire from the Political Committee of the UN in 1961 there was universal regret.

U. Thant. the Secretary-General said that “Sir Claude served the UN for three years with distinction and endeared himself to all.” Adlai Stevenson added that Sir Claude had dignified the UN and he would be remembered with respect and affection. He also set an example which people like Shirley Amerasinghe and Neville Kanekaratne followed bringing credit to their country.

It is nice to note that the Corea tradition in the UN family is being worthily maintained by one of Sir Claude’s kinsmen. Dr. Gamini Corea, the boss of UNCTAD, had added lustre not only to Lanka but to the post he occupied. Perhaps the high-water mark of the Sri Lanka connection with the UN is yet to come. That may be when Prime Minister Premadasa lassoes the General Assembly once more, probably next year, and makes “Homes for the Homeless” one of their big slogans in the future.

(Excerpted from The Good At Their Best first published in 1980)