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Philip: Trotskyite-turned social reformer

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2 years ago

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52nd Death Anniversary of Philip Gunawardena falls today

by Dr. W. A. Abeysinghe

The legendary revolutionary and pioneer of the Sri Lankan Marxist movement, Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena, was born on 11 January 1901 in the rural village of Boralugoda in the Hevagam Korale. His father was Don Jakolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena, popularly known as Boralugoda Ralahamy. He was a local landowner who served as the village headman and Vidane Arachchi until he was imprisoned and sentenced to death under martial law during the 1915 Sinhala- Muslim riots. This sentence was later reprieved by the Governor following a petition by his wife.

Philip was the third child of a family of three boys and seven girls.

Having attended the local Boralugoda Temple and the village school Siddhartha Vidyalaya, Kaluaggala for his primary education, he later received his secondary education at the Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa and Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo. After getting through the London matriculation examination, he entered the University College, Colombo to study economics. It was during this time that he joined the Ceylon National Congress. However, he was drawn towards the activities of the Young Lanka League.

His father wanted him to study in the United Kingdom to make him a barrister. Instead, at the age of 21, Philip travelled to the United States where he studied economics at the University of Illinois. There, he was radicalized and got caught up in the declining labour movement during the Great Depression days. Two years later, he moved to the more radical University of Wisconsin where he met Jayaprakash Narayan and a few other radical young men.

In Wisconsin, he completed Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in agricultural economics. In 1925, he joined Columbia University for his postgraduate doctoral studies.

In 1927 Philip Gunawardena joined the League Against Imperialism in New York, where he worked with José Vasconcelos of Mexico, gaining a working knowledge of Spanish. In 1929 he went to London, and participated in anti-colonial mass agitations. excelling as a brilliant orator, trade unionist, and even a political columnist. Jawaharlal Nehru and Krishna Menon of India, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Tan Malaka of Indonesia, and Ramgoolam of Mauritius were some of his contemporary colleagues who later became prominent figures in their respective countries.

In the midst of his anti-colonial enthusiasm, Philip joined the staff of the new Daily Worker and took over the Indian Workers’ Welfare League , an organisation founded by Shapurji Saklatvala. He later crossed the Channel to Europe and worked alongside socialist groups in France and Germany.

In the midst of the Comintern’s ‘Left Turn’, Philip surreptitiously joined the Marxian Propaganda League of FA Ridley and Hansraj Aggarwala, who opposed the Stalinists’ characterisation of the Social Democratic parties. When Ridley and Aggarwala broke with Leon Trotsky, Philip Gunawardena sided with the latter. In 1932 he travelled on the Orient Express to meet Trotsky at Prinkipo, but was stopped at Sofia by the police.

At the British conference of the League Against Imperialism, in May 1932, Philip introduced a counter-resolution on India against those moved by Harry Pollitt. As a result, the Communist Party of Great Britain expelled him on charges of Trotskyism.

However, he had gathered around him several like-minded Ceylonese, including N. M. Perera, Colvin R de Silva and Leslie Goonewardene. They came to be known as the ‘T-Group’ – later forming the nucleus of the Trotskyite faction of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.

Scotland Yard, under orders from the India Office, foiled his intention of going to India to build a new Communist Party there. He set out for the continent, meeting members of the Left Opposition in Paris. He then hiked over the Pyrenees to Barcelona, where he had a rare opportunity to meet the Trotskyites of Spain – who were soon to undergo a civil war. His passport was impounded by the British authorities and on the urging of D. B. Jayatilaka at the request of his father he was allowed to return to Ceylon.

Soon after his return to Ceylon in November 1932, he plunged into active politics organising rural peasants, plantation workers and urban workers. He pioneered the founding of Lanka Sama Samaja Party in 1935. The following year, he was elected to the State Council from his home town of Avissawella where he continued his struggle for the welfare of workers and peasants.

When World War II broke out in the Far East in 1941, the LSSP openly opposed the British war effort and the members of LSSP had to go underground. On the Governor’s orders, Philip Gunawardena was arrested and imprisoned owing to his open opposition to the British war effort. On 5 April 1942, during the Japanese air raid on Colombo, LSSP leaders including Philip were able to escape from prison. Going by the name “Gurusamy,” in July 1942 he escaped to India and participated in the independence struggle there. As a result, his seat in the State Council fell vacant in July 1942 and was filled by Bernard Jayasuriya in the by-election that followed. In 1943 he was rearrested and detained in Mumbai, and after many months deported to Ceylon where he was given a six-month sentence for escaping and was imprisoned till the end of war.

On his release in 1945, he resumed his political and trade union activities. During the war, the LSSP split into factions and Philip Gunawardena with N. M. Perera formed the Workers’ Opposition. Thus, the reformed LSSP contested the 1947 general election emerging as the main opposition party with 10 seats in the first Parliament. Philip Gunawardena who contested from the Avissawella electorate defeating Bernard Jayasuriya was elected to Parliament. His brother Robert Gunawardena too was elected to parliament from the LSSP representing Kotte. However, Philip soon lost his seat when he was convicted by the district court and sentenced to three months rigorous imprisonment for leading employees of the South Western Transport Company of Sir Cyril de Zoysa, the bus tycoon, in the general strike in 1947. As a result of the conviction he lost his civic rights for seven years. In the by-election that followed, his wife Kusuma Gunawardena won the Avissawella seat.

A process of reunification was initiated between the LSSP and the Bolshevik Samasamaja Party (BSP) in 1950. It was opposed by Philip as a result of which he left the LSSP and formed a new party. That was how Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party was formed in 1951. The VLSSP entered into an electoral alliance with the Communist Party and contested the 1952 general election, in which his wife Kusuma Gunawardena was returned to parliament from Avissawella as the only candidate to be elected from the VLSSP.

Since 1951, Philip led the Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party and as a constituent party formed the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna under the leadership of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. At the election in 1956, he won the Avissawella seat with a large majority and was appointed a key member of the Bandaranaike’s cabinet – as the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Co-operatives.

Philip Gunawardena is remembered as the architect of the Paddy Lands Act which brought relief to the tenant cultivator and he spearheaded the Port and Bus nationalization, introduction of the Multi-purpose Co-operative movement. He was instrumental in establishing the Co-operative Development Bank (now known as the People’s Bank). At the 1959 May Day rally, Philip made a public statement claiming that the government was threatened by a conspiracy within. On 18 May 1959, he resigned from his ministerial positions with other VLSSP members citing differences with the right-wing factions of the Bandaranaike’s cabinet.

On 26 September 1959, Bandaranaike was assassinated.

Then he reformed the VLSSP into the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) which was a leftist in ideology, but was not Trotskyist in political character.

Before this metamorphosis took place in Philp, writing a very shrewd column to the Daily News, in early sixties, D.B. Dhanapala, the veteran journalist aptly detected his” originality of approach to the masses” in the following words:

“The Leftists in this country have been bereft of any sense of originality in the preaching of their doctrines, speaking an idiom the people do not understand, referring to musty books that the people have no belief in.

“Philip is the only man who has shown originality of approach to the masses in the adaptation of his theories to the background and needs of the country ….”

(Vide – Page 143 – Among Those Present – D.B. Dhanapala – Second Edition)

MEP contested the March 1960 general election winning ten parliamentary seats! However, this number was reduced to three in the July 1960 general election. Philip Gunawardena retained his seat in parliament on both occasions and later the MEP joined with the LSSP and the Communist Party to form the United Left Front, so far, the strongest socio – political movement in the country.

This writer is of the firm belief that the ULF of 1964 headed by Philip, N.M. and S. A. Wickramasinghe was “the most precious lost opportunity” in the history of Sri Lankan politics in post post-independence era. If that “Leftist Trio” could have sustained their will power and determination for another few more years, the destiny of Sri Lanka would have been wonderfully different .

By the time Sri Lankan politics reached the year 1965, just a little more than five years after the assassination of Bandaranaike, the ultra Trotskite Philip Gunawardane had undergone an ideological transformation of colossal nature. It resulted in a political metamorphosis of rare nature in him, which enabled the fire brand Marxist revolutionary to come to terms with the affable Dudley Senanayake to form a national government. It was the only option left for the well experienced and matured veteran Marxist and political activist of formidable character Philip, during his ripe years was to join the National Government. Thereby, he was able to render his final contribution to the people of the motherland, he immensely loved.

Philip’s historic words as the Minister of Industries and Fisheries, addressing the Parliament on 18th July, 1967, at the debate of the Governor General’s speech, are worthy of reiteration:

“I have always said that I will work with any group of people who are ready to develop this country, who are ready to defend the independence of this country, who are ready to serve the people of this country. Let it be any group of people – Yes, not only with the devil, but with the devil’s grandmother.”

In 1964, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party government of Sirima Bandaranaike lost its majority in parliament on its move to nationalize Lake house Newspapers where the defection of the senior minister C. P. de Silva played a big role. In the election that followed in 1965, only Philip Gunawardena was elected to parliament from the MEP and he joined the national government led by Dudley Senanayake. He was appointed as the Cabinet Minister of Industries and Fisheries and he served till 1970.

He established the Industrial Development Board, strengthened and expanded state industrial corporations and national private sector industries, and planned the development of the fisheries sector with the formation of the Fisheries Corporation. With Soviet aid he developed the Tire Corporations and Steel Corporation.

He transformed and activated, in a formidable manner, already existing industrial ventures in the country. The rejuvenation he ushered in as well as the farsighted transformation with which he fashioned the industrial sector in Ceylon from 1965 to 1970, I believe, is an integral part of our national development which the present-day students of politics should carefully study.


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Opinion

When will this craziness end?

Published

14 hours ago

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2026/07/14

By

Trump with his ‘FIFA Peace Medal

We are living in ‘Trump times’ characterised by never ending craziness but it is not confined to the USA alone. I will come to our part of the world later. As a large part is due to Trump, perhaps, normalcy may return when he ends his second term on 20th January 2029, at 12.00PM Eastern Standard Time. We cannot be sure of that either because the ‘Great man’ may decide to govern the world for ever, after having purchased Greenland and forcing Canada to be the 51st state of the US!

Trump had an unprecedented opportunity, being only the second to be elected to a non-consecutive second term as the US President, the other being Grover Cleveland at the tail end of the nineteenth century. If only he kept to his campaign promises, his name would have been written in history in golden letters but the complete transformation, following the election, is likely to make his name go down as one of the craziest!

It is a moot point whether even Trump knows what he is going to do that day, when he wakes up, considering the illogicality of some actions, best illustrated by the ad-hoc imposition of tariffs without any discussions or negotiations. The adverse effects of these, to the world economy, is yet to be seen compounded, of course, by the continuing war with Iran. He promised to be a ‘Peace-maker’ but turns out to be a war-monger, like many of his predecessors! His excuse was that he went to war because he was denied the Nobel Peace Prize.

Well, he got the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, another shameless leader who is ruining the ‘Beautiful Game’. When a US team member was given the red-card, Trump, who claims to know better than referees, decided it was not so, with a successful appeal to Infantino. During the next World Cup match, Belgium, supercharged with this injustice, thrashed the USA team 4-1.

Even the Semiquincentennial celebration of the US was not about the country but about himself! In fact, a cynic may point out that most of what the US has left behind, over the 250 years, is death and destruction. Paradoxically, whilst fighting a war with Iran to prevent it acquiring nuclear capabilities, the US is the only country to have dropped Atom Bombs, not one but two. Even though Japan was on the verge of admitting defeat, ‘Little Boy’, a uranium-based bomb, was dropped over Hiroshima on 6th August, 1945. Not giving time for Japan even to consider surrender, the second ‘Fat Man’, a plutonium implosion bomb, was dropped over Nagasaki, just three days later. Why did the US drop two A-bombs in rapid succession? It was to test the two different types of bombs they had.

Over the past 250 years, the US has started wars in many countries and, in most instances, lost leaving behind a trail of devastation and destruction. In spite of all that, it is continuing its war with Iran, a war that was started with false intelligence supplied by the war-monger Netanyahu who predicted the instantaneous fall of the Clerical regime in Iran. This war has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Iran, as it realised the economic value of the Strait of Hormuz. The language Trump uses in reference to Iran is despicable. What sane person, nay a world leader, refers to flattening of a country and erasure of a civilisation?

Back in Sri Lanka, we know that most of our modern-day politicians are also self-serving. They are also very good at amassing wealth, when in power, just like the Trump family had done. However, what is of concern is the rapid decline in the standards of some vital professional classes. Special reference has to be made to the Attorney-General’s Department. Perhaps, the present holder is a decent man but some of his predecessors brought the high position into disrepute.

Dappula Livera allegedly concocted a conspiracy theory about the Easter Sunday terror mastermind as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa denied him an extension in service as the Attorney General. If he has any information about such a conspiracy, it is his bounden duty to come out with facts but has not done so.

A remark recently made by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris about gallantry medals awarded to military personnel is said to have caused an affront to the dignity of Air Force officer Shantha Jayathilleke, who has received the highest decoration awarded to a living officer and sought to represent the interests of former Director of State Intelligence Service Maj. Gen. (retd.) Suresh Sallay as permitted by the Penal Code.

When political leaders and professionals holding high office behave in this manner, is there any hope for the nation?

By Dr. Upul Wijayawardhana

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Opinion

Prime Minister’s contribution to education reforms

Published

15 hours ago

on

2026/07/14

By

PM Dr. Amarasuriya

Education has always been one of the strongest foundations of Sri Lanka’s social and economic development. In today’s rapidly changing world, however, education must prepare students not only for examinations but also for life, employment, innovation, and responsible citizenship. Recognising this need, the government of Sri Lanka has introduced a new programme of education reforms. As Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has played a leading role in guiding and promoting these reforms, with the aim of creating a more inclusive, modern, and student-centered education system.

One of the Prime Minister’s most significant contributions has been providing a clear vision for transforming the education system. Rather than focusing only on examination results, the reforms seek to develop students’ creativity, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and emotional well-being. This approach recognizes that success in the twenty-first century requires a broad range of skills that go beyond memorisation.

A major feature of the reforms is the introduction of a new curriculum. The Prime Minister has emphasised that revised syllabuses will be introduced in stages, beginning with Grades 1 and 6, before expanding to other grades over the following years. The updated curriculum is designed to make learning more engaging, practical, and relevant to modern society. It encourages inquiry-based learning, teamwork, creativity, and the application of knowledge to real-life situations rather than relying solely on textbook learning.

Teacher development has also been identified as a key priority. The Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that meaningful reforms cannot succeed without well-trained and motivated teachers. As a result, the government has planned professional development programmes to help teachers understand the new curriculum, adopt modern teaching methods, and integrate digital technology into classroom instruction. Strengthening teachers’ skills ensures that students receive a higher quality education and are better prepared for future challenges.

Improving school infrastructure is another important contribution under the Prime Minister’s leadership. Many schools across Sri Lanka continue to face shortages of classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and digital learning facilities. The reform programme aims to reduce these disparities by giving priority to improving physical infrastructure, upgrading learning environments, and ensuring that children from rural and urban areas have more equal educational opportunities. These investments are expected to create safer, more effective, and more inclusive learning spaces for all students.

The reforms also place strong emphasis on digital education. As technology continues to shape every aspect of modern life, students need digital literacy to succeed in higher education and future careers. The Prime Minister has supported initiatives to expand the use of digital tools in teaching and learning while encouraging schools to make greater use of educational technology. By promoting digital learning, the reforms seek to narrow the technological gap between schools and prepare students for a knowledge-based economy.

Another noteworthy contribution is the promotion of vocational and skills-based education. Traditional education has often placed greater emphasis on academic achievement, while practical skills received less attention. The new reforms aim to change this balance by introducing vocational subjects within the school system and creating clearer pathways for students who wish to pursue technical and vocational careers. This approach helps students develop employable skills while supporting the country’s economic growth and workforce needs.

The Prime Minister has also encouraged a more balanced approach to student assessment. Instead of measuring success only through final examinations, the reforms seek to include continuous assessment, classroom activities, projects, and practical learning experiences. Such an approach recognises different learning styles and provides students with more opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. It also reduces excessive pressure associated with high-stakes examinations and supports the overall development of children.

Inclusivity is another important aspect of the Prime Minister’s contribution. The reform process has involved experts, educators, and advisory committees representing diverse communities. The government has emphasised that curriculum development should reflect fairness, inclusiveness, and respect for Sri Lanka’s multicultural society. By involving different stakeholders in the planning process, the reforms aim to build a national education system that serves all children equally.

Despite these promising initiatives, implementing large-scale education reforms is not without challenges. Teacher training, infrastructure development, adequate funding, and effective monitoring are essential for the long-term success of the programme. Public awareness and cooperation among parents, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers will also play a vital role in ensuring that the reforms achieve their intended outcomes. Sustained commitment from the government and continuous evaluation will be necessary to address emerging issues and improve implementation over time.

The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka has made a significant contribution to the country’s new education reforms by promoting a modern, inclusive, and future-oriented vision for education. Through curriculum modernization, teacher development, improved infrastructure, digital learning, vocational education, and better assessment methods, the reforms seek to prepare students not only for examinations but also for lifelong learning and responsible citizenship. If implemented successfully, these reforms have the potential to strengthen Sri Lanka’s education system, reduce inequalities, and equip future generations with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to contribute positively to national development in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Saumya Aloysius
saumyaaloysius@gmail.com

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Opinion

Appeal for tobacco-free generation policy in Sri Lanka

Published

2 days ago

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2026/07/13

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Open letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

We respectfully call on Your Excellency and the Honourable Minister of Health to adopt a Tobacco-Free Generation policy, that prohibits the sale of all tobacco products to any person born on or after 01 January, 2010.

It is a futuristic, step-wise commitment to the children of our nation. Tobacco is the most destructive commercial product in the world, engineered deliberately by an industry that profits from it. Our children deserve to inherit freedom from this substance that kills one of two of its users. This appeal is based on the following grounds.

* In Sri Lanka it is estimated that tobacco kills 20,000 people annually, in addition to causing widespread economic losses which was estimated to Rs. 214 billion in 2019. This is in addition to the misery that tobacco causes to its users and families due to dependence, expenditure, economic loss and from diseases caused by tobacco. These diseases range from heart disease, strokes, and cancers to dementia and blindness. It is also a gateway drug to other substances including cannabis and heroin.

* It is well known that the tobacco industry deliberately and systematically targets young people through digital media, point of sale displays and product design. Children initiated into tobacco use during adolescence bear lifelong health consequences, contributing to reduced workforce productivity, increased healthcare costs and preventable premature death. Sri Lanka’s ageing population and declining birth rate make the health of younger generations a matter of direct national economic relevance. A Tobacco-Free Generation policy addresses these harms at source, with long-term benefits to public health, workforce capacity and health system sustainability.

* This is also a policy grounded on international commitments of Sri Lanka, as well as its own national laws. Sri Lanka is a State Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) – being the first country in Asia to ratify it – as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and International Labour Organisation Conventions. Collectively, these instruments require states to protect children from preventable harm, uphold their right to the highest attainable standard of health, and shield them from commercial exploitation. Sustainable Development Goals further commits all signatory nations, which includes Sri Lanka, to strengthen FCTC implementation as a specific development obligation.

* The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act No. 27 of 2006 already mandates discouraging tobacco use among children and curtailing their access to tobacco products. The proposed policy is consistent with and is a direct extension of these existing obligations of this Act.

* This policy is by design a long-term measure. Its public health impact will be realised progressively as successive groups reach adulthood, free from tobacco initiation. Similarly, any effects on tobacco-related employment, revenues, retail and cultivation will unfold gradually over many years, providing ample time for affected industries and livelihoods to adapt other alternatives.

* The Tobacco-Free Generation model has gained significant momentum internationally. The Maldives became the first country in the world to enact such legislation, prohibiting tobacco sales to all persons born after 01 January, 2007. The United Kingdom followed, with the Tobacco and Vapes Act in 2026, permanently banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 01 January, 2009, Canada, Denmark, Singapore and the European Union are each at various stages of discussing, examining or adopting comparable measures. The policy is no longer at the margins of tobacco control debate.

Sri Lanka is no newcomer to this fight against this killer substance. In 2003, Sri Lanka ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as the first country in Asia and the fourth in the world to do so. The Sri Lanka National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act has been considered one of the best examples of comprehensive tobacco control laws during the last 20 years. As you are aware, this law was enacted, despite strong and sustained opposition from the tobacco industry.

Every day this policy is delayed, another group of Sri Lankan children are exposed to an industry whose profit depends on recruiting them. As around 50 people are killed by tobacco use each day in Sri Lanka, the industry needs to snare at least 50 new users daily to maintain its profits.

Sri Lanka has the legal framework, the international standing and consensus to act. Therefore, we earnestly urge Your Excellency and the Honourable Minister to take this step not only as a matter of sound public health policy, but also as a demonstration of your commitment to the wellbeing of the of children and young people who will define Sri Lanka’s future.

The Presidents of the following professional Colleges and Associations have strongly endorsed and signed this appeal to Your Excellency. This list is annexed for your perusal.

We assure that we stand ready to support Your Excellency in this effort in every way we can.

Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke

President, Sri Lanka Medical Association

Dr. Anula Wijesundere

Chairperson, Expert Committee on Tobacco, Alcohol and illicit Drugs

President of Ceylon College of Physicians

Prof. Namal Wijesinghe

President of The College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka

Prof. Ajith Malalasekera,

President of Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists

Prof. Rukshan Fernandopulle,

President of College of Peadiatricians of Sri Lanka

Prof. Pujitha Wickramasinghe,

President of Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists,

Dr Sumana Handagala,

President of Sri Lanka College of Cardiology

, Dr Asunga Dunuwille,

President of Sri Lanka College of Oncologists

, Dr Sanjeewa Gunasekera,

President of Ceylon College of Critical Care Specialists,

Dr A. D. Mudalige,

President of Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists,

Dr Dilum Palliyaguruge,

President of Sri Lanka College of Haematologists,

Dr T. Sooriyakumar,

President of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka,

Dr K. R. Dayawansa

President of Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists,

Dr Dasanthi Akmeemana

President of Sri Lanka College of Endocrinologists,

Dr Tharanga Samarakoon,

President of the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka,

Dr Pushpa Weerasinghe,

President of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka,

Dr Vindya Kumarapeli,

President of Sri Lanka College of Radiologists,

Dr. Nayana Samarasinghe,

President of Sri Lanka College of Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine,

Dr. Nayani Madarasingha,

President of the College of Dentistry and Stomatology,

Dr Pemith Liyanage

CC: Hon. Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health, Dr Anil Jasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Health

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