Premadasa: A post script

P. L. N. de Silva

REMEMBERED: Long after the death of President Premadasa, the daily papers reported that he, indirectly, was, probably, responsible for a number of deaths and disappearances. Some stories before commissions set up by the succeeding Government to investigate, were so gruesome that it was difficult to believe that such crime could have been associated with a man who took Sil on every Poya Day and spent it in meditation at a temple.

He was a vegetarian, a non-smoker and a teetotaler, rare qualities in any leader. A man who repaired kovils, churches and temples destroyed by thugs and the corrosive hand of time and they were done with private funds.

Such contradictory information caused confusion in my mind not knowing what to believe. I know what I have stated in my poems is true.

Hence, the evidence before the commissions, adverse to the President, was saddening my vision. Can anyone sustain such a dual personality?

In my experience, there has been no one. However, up to now the evidence before the commissions could only be supported by witnesses who are dead.

Hence, the unconfirmed statements of dubious characters whose own records were subnormal in content, can hardly be accepted when they say that the crimes were committed with the knowledge of President Premadasa.

Therefore, I prefer to believe the man as I knew him. A man whose schemes and plans were boons to the poor. His Gam Udawa resurrected rural areas from oblivion.

The massive Kettarama sports complex helps our young men to shine in world competitions. His credit scheme provided the much needed finance for village people to start self financing projects.

He took the Government and ministers to rural areas to provide direct democracy to his people and thousands of problems were instantly solved.

His year of the global homeless, provided a habitation to millions all over the world. He was a man who worked from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in the service of the ordinary people.

A man of such vision, wouldn't have been able, to act in the heartless manner, described by witnesses before the commissions, witnesses who had confessed to crimes themselves as agents and accomplices.

Therefore, I will continue to have for the present the beliefs I had when I wrote those poems. In the decency of the man, I still have faith for, my faith could not be impaired by vile accusations made on flimsy and indefensible grounds by characters who were self-confessed criminals. The truth will be out some day.

Nevertheless, one inexcusable error of judgment he made, was his belief in the reliability of the LTTE. (Even Rajiv Gandhi was a victim to this belief.) He gave it weapons to fight the TNA and the IPKF but the LTTE uses them to kill our soldiers and also civilians. Their blood is on his hands both lost their lives at the hands of the LTTE.

This is the danger of over confidence in oneself, that leads to the disregard of wholesome advice. Ultimately, this trait made him sacrifice his life. "Did his honour rooted, in dishonour stand and did his faith unfaithful, keep him falsely true?" Even Tennyson couldn't have resolved this contradiction.