Sense and statesmanship: Sri Lanka’s path to independence

Further to your editorial Feb 4: A day to honour patriots of the past (The

Sunday Times, Jan.

30), it is interesting to compare Sri

Lanka’s and India’s paths to independence. The Sri

Lankan independence leaders

(Ponnambalam

Arunachalam, W.A. de Silva, D.B.

Jayatilaka and D.S.

Senanayake) are not as well known internationally as their counterparts in India (Gandhi,

Nehru and Jinnah).

And yet, by co-operating with and encouraging

British moves towards transfer of power from the 1920s onwards, Sri Lanka gained independence harmoniously without any protest marches, strikes or violence. Sri Lanka had universal adult franchise from 1931 which India never did before independence. The Indian Congress Party’s policy of non-cooperation resulted in chaos, carnage and partition of the country.

Sri Lankans should be proud of the moderation, good sense and statesmanship shown by our independence leaders and recognise that these qualities are as relevant today as in the past.