The Wind of Change

By Dr Nihal D. Amerasekera 

There are times I reflect on the endless twists and turns of my life’s fandango. As I age there is now an ever-present urge to return to the dim and distant past. It gives me a soothing warmth to rummage through the archives of my mind to return to my childhood memories. The late 1940’s and early 50’s were a peaceful time in Ceylon. This period will always remain foremost in my mind. February 4 was a very special day for me as Sri Lanka celebrated 75 years of Independence from British Rule. This narrative is not a thesis or treatise of the political and economic changes since independence. It is merely a reflection on how the changes affected and touched my young life all those years ago.

As the dust settled from the tragedies of WWII, the wind of change swept across the Indian subcontinent with the growth of national consciousness. With the surge for freedom the British withdrew from India and Pakistan in 1947 and others soon followed. Independence from British rule is an event deeply etched in my memory. It is acknowledged by historians that the authority was transferred by the British democratically, constitutionally and peacefully. We now had our freedom, and our destiny was in our hands. On looking back the transition post-independence was never easy or seamless. Some of the changes to the constitution and the later Acts of Parliament were not for the benefit and welfare of all Sri Lankans. These had a lasting impact on the country and the lives of every citizen.

I grew up through the dying embers of colonial Ceylon.  There began an interminable conflict between British values and post independent nationalism. Meanwhile the schools in the big cities encouraged us to maintain British ways. In many affluent homes, English remained the spoken language. We took on British culture, manners and mannerisms. On February 4, 1948, the administration and the flag changed overnight. But the cultural change took a lot longer.  Still at school, we were discouraged from speaking in Sinhala. “Godaya” was a term reviled by all.  The word “Swabasha” was used as a derogatory expression.

The British introduced their own social structure and aristocracy, to help in their administration. This social hierarchy was added on to our own class and caste system.  These hereditary titles and privileges prevailed all through the British period. After independence the aristocracy declined, but slowly. Even now a few families dominate the political parties and a few parties dominate the political arena. This has created several ruling political dynasties. However, with every general election the voice of the people began to be heard with ever increasing force until the emergence of the age of the common man. Many welcomed the triumph of meritocracy, but they were less enthusiastic to accept the power of the people.

Up until our country’s independence, Medical College was the citadel of the privileged class. The medical students were educated in the top schools and came mostly from the upper echelons of Ceylonese society. Their bohemian lifestyle and legends had entered the folklore of that great institution. In 1948 the cultural transformation began and when we joined the Faculty in 1962 it was at the tail-end of this remarkable era.  In our batch we had the rich and the poor and the many in-between.  There were those from different ethnic and social classes.

Although I would like to think elitism didn’t exist in Medical College of our time, the cliques and exclusive parties of a privileged few would say otherwise. That was the way society had turned us out .  We often rose above those differences.  In good times and bad, as a batch we jelled marvelously well.  We remained united during the tension and turmoil of the rags and suspension. The success of the Block Night and the Final Year Trip speaks volumes. Our fine multiple Batch Reunions are a great tribute to our members unity. What age has taught me over the years is that we are all different. But it is important we are equal.

My generation grew up with these changing cultural attitudes and beliefs. Sometimes we felt stranded in ‘no man’s land’.  There are many who accepted change with good grace. The Colombo schools hung on to British values a lot longer.  English classical and popular music remained in their curriculum as did ballet and English drama at the expense of our own.  There was a resurgence of the local dances and drama which gradually gained popularity after independence.  Those lost arts took a lot longer to be revived. We must be grateful to those village schools that maintained Sinhala and Tamil traditions and preserved the arts for posterity.

During the post-independence surge of nationalism, I was living and schooling in Colombo. One that I remember so clearly was the change in street names. The British names changed overnight into local names. I recall being confused and disorientated by this rapid switch. These names had some historical context which was lost forever. Some of the changes were most welcome like Victoria Park to Vihara Maha Devi Park. In 1972 Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka. I do agree as a new nation we had to get our culture and dignity back. We remained a democracy but in 1978 replaced the Westminster style Parliamentary system of government with a Presidential system modeled after France. We somehow retained the British systems of law and order and held on to their fine system of education and healthcare to serve the hopes and expectations of the people.

As a young nation when our politicians got things wrong some of the older generation muttered, we were better off with the British Raj. But these were ill thought out and perhaps off the cuff remarks. There are many issues which could have been handled better by successive governments. The establishment of a welfare state, although now fraying at the edges, was a remarkable achievement. This gave the poor and the village folk upward mobility providing a better life with good education.

Like many of my generation I was caught up in the transition. In many ways we were fortunate to get the best of both worlds. It seems we were better prepared for life.  English is a universal language and our early exposure to this at home and at school made our professional lives so much easier.  After independence the wide gap that existed between the schools of the big cities and villages have largely disappeared. The world is a much smaller place in the 21st Century than when we were growing up.  Television and the digital age have brought knowledge far closer to everyone. I hope we can retain our national identity and values whilst accepting what is good and wholesome from the rest of the world.

Politics is described as a circus as it gains public approval by distraction and diversion and not by public service. There are times when the White House in Washington and the Palace of Westminster in London becomes noisy, raucous and undignified. Despite this politics and politicians have enormous power and prestige all around the world. Politics is a noble profession stained by greed and corruption. Politicians are indispensable. Governments cannot function without them. They are aware of our utter dependence on them.

The murky politics of the developing world is an enormous hindrance to progress and providing a better life for its people. When our neighboring countries have surged forwards, we have remained stagnant. We cannot go on like this for the next 75 years. Something must change and soon. In a democracy like ours the people get the politicians they elect, for better or for worse. I wish politics is a compulsory subject in all schools. This will educate the would-be politicians of their obligations and enlighten the would-be voters of their duties.

The country has endured tremendous hardships since independence but nothing as severe as the current crisis. Sri Lankans are an intelligent people with a high literacy rate. We have the resilience and the flexibility to survive adversity and misfortune. We have come through tough times but have much further to go.  We now recognize conflict and fear and the consequences of poor monetary policies and bad economic planning.  I hope we have learnt from the mistakes of the past.  Respect for law and order and honoring the tenets of democracy will enhance our reputation as a nation to receive the assistance we need. The premise that we are all equal, whatever the ethnicity or religion is important. We must work together for our future peace and prosperity.