Gamsabha revival of true Democracy

The foundations of Gamsabha were resurrected – Wasn’t it the winning factor?

Many of us were baffled by the two-thirds victory of the SLPP. Guided by the democratic traditions bequeathed to us by our colonial masters it is only natural that we should be baffled by these results. I remember how a die-hard Democrat adhering to that catechism of bourgeois democracy, dismissed the possibility as a pipe dream, giving only 106 seats to the SLPP.

Watching the scenes – Gotabaya Rajapaksa mingling with those hundreds of villagers in his island wide tour, asking them for their problems, responding to them, and the ensuing repartee, I was reminded of a well known Sinhala poem:

Ma weni bilinda

Wara wara langata kenda

Duksepa kumnada

Asana nidrido wena koyinda

(Are there any other kings who would call me to him, and ask me of my wellbeing, my needs and wants?)

This is the cry of a helpless child and his adoration of that benevolent king.

The helpless villagers saw that king in Gotabaya Rajapaksa, probably for the first time in their life. The cry of the helpless villagers was no different to that of the helpless child.

This is the basis of the democracy that was in existence for over two thousand years from the time of Pandukabhaya, who made this country a conglomeration of villages and introduced the Gam Sabha as the foundation of the governance of this country.

Ashley de Vos in his highly perceptive article (The Island 5th August 2020) refers to this model of governance. ” In the historic period, the kings did not administer the people, the village heads did it, and their word was respected and obeyed. No one from outside decided for the village, the responsibility of the king lay with ensuring that the unique irrigation system was protected and enhanced, secondly there was protection for Buddhism, respect for other people and their beliefs, the continuation of the natural Sinhalisation process, and most importantly, it was to ensure the security of the people and the country from foreign invasions”.

It is this civilizational consciousness that made those villagers behave in that manner. And the non-politician in Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was able to understand it and respond to it.

It is time we understood the great significance of this phenomenon and made an in- depth study of it, in framing a new model of governance needed for this country.

This takes my mind back to the Open letter to our leaders, by Rev. Dr.Marcus Fernanado, the ArchBishop of Colombo in the year 2000.

“Let us forget about getting back to the Westminster model or copy the French or any other model. Let us create a system of government, formed on our own anvil to suit our needs”.

The results of the Parliamentary elections, as well as the Presidential election, have provided that anvil – the foundation of Gamsabha, on which we can forge the system of governance needed for the country.

This is only to draw the attention of the public to that phenomenon, lest it be ignored.

GUNADASA

AMARASEKERA