Traitors of Sri Lanka
By Shenali D Waduge
There is no better time than now to look back and recall the traitors of Lanka. Just as a terrorist is a freedom fighter to some, even traitors are somebody’s hero. It was always a case of falling prey to foreigners or seeking the assistance of foreigners to remain in power. Kuveni fell for Indian Vijaya, Moggalana brought an alien army to defeat his brother Kasyapa, the reigning King. King Buvanakabahu sought support from the Portuguese to defeat brother Mayadunne, King Rajasinghe II sought Dutch support to drive away the Portuguese, that became an “inguru deela Miris gaththa vagey” story. Then came the two biggest traitors Don Juan Dharmapala who bequeathed his kingdom, his subjects, his country to a foreign foe while the Kandyan chieftans handed over the entire Sinhale nation to the British in 1815 just to spite the King.
It is only those who are ignorant about Sri Lanka’s history who fail to realize why we need to preserve a very rich civilization and why we should be cautious about the ‘friends’ at our door. It has always been ignorance, misguided trust and lack of leadership that has helped the enemy walk off with national interests. The sceptre of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty has been the Sacred Tooth Relic which denotes the reason why any constitution cannot omit to give State patronage and official status to Buddhism. The first and foremost qualification for kingship in Sri Lanka was the possession of the Sacred Tooth relic.
The black princes that betrayed our motherland are many.
Don Juan Dharmapala
It took just one man to shake a proud historical past and he had to be the son of a Sinhalese hero (Widiya Bandara) and Princess Samudradevi, daughter of King Buwanakabah VII of Kotte. He was none other than Don Juan Dharmapala, the eldest grandson of the King of Kotte.
Dharmapala was baptized as Dom Joao in 1557. His gifting mortis causa the Kingdom to the Portuguese was tantamount to the betrayal of his kingship and agreeing to become a willing puppet a trait that can be compared to present day scenario as well.
Just as a band of ‘yes men’ advisors surround present leaders, the same coterie did not object to Dharmapala forfeiting his religion to become a Catholic. It is a reminder of how the former President chose to ignore advice by patriots not to invite the Pope to canonize a person who was a virtual murderer sent to convert natives or kill those that refused!
Dharmapala’s enthusiasm to please his new masters was no different to the red carpets present day leaders are throwing. Sri Lanka’s ancient temples were all transferred to Franciscan Friars (Kelaniy Raja Maha Vihara, the Kithsiri Mewan Viharaya at Kelaniya and the Dalada Maligawa) Dharmapala did nothing to preserve their ancient value but to watch them be destroyed. 12 churches were built on top of them.
They can commit the crime but when the crime is pointed the persons pointing are at fault. Dharmapala’s actions are no different to the manner present day leaders are doling out all state assets as if it were their own property to foreign powers. Just as Dharmapala watched churches springing up in Panadura, Maggona, Beruwela, Galle and Weligama, present leaders are prostrating before nations out to subjugate our nation and turn our people into virtual slaves. The Portuguese satisfied their lust with women reminding us of the 3000 Tamil women raped by the IPKF in the 1980s.
The lesson for present leaders in Dharmapala forfeiting his powers to the Portuguese is that once given it is not easy to take back. If Dharmapala became a virtual slave and puppet of the Portuguese even to be poisoned after being invited to dinner by Diogo de Melo, it is another reminder of the fates that befell CIA assets like Osama, Saddam and Gaddafi all of them having served their purpose were done away with. Dharmapala did not die but remained toothless and a stammerer for the rest of his life.
Though Konappu Bandara’s name is mentioned for betraying Buddhism by converting to Catholicism and changing his name to Don John of Austria, he will be also remembered for turning against the Portuguese and winning the famous battle of Gannoruwa. The Portuguese called Konappu Bandara a traitor ‘Apostate of Candea’ – traitor of Kandy. Konappu Bandara became King Wimala Dharmasuriya of Kandy and married Kusumasena Devi (Dona Catarina). He will be remembered for safeguarding Buddhism and Sinhalese culture before the Portuguese destroyed it completely.
Dona Catarina
Kusumasana Devi, daughter of King Karaliyadda Bandara was also baptized as Dona Catarina and was brought up by Portuguese missionaries in Mannar. She was proud of her foreign education and upbringing. The Portuguese plan was to marry Catarina to a Portuguese prince. Had that happened Sri Lanka would have become a fully Catholic country under cujus regio, ejus religio (princle that the established religion should be that of the sovereign). What prevents this principle being applied to Buddhism in Sri Lanka?
The division of the Sinhalese is accountable for the fall of the country was aptly shown in the example how the selfishness of King Mayadunne made him join hands with the Portuguese to defeat his son-in-law Vidiya Bandara.
Vidiya Bandara, father of Dharmapala stood up to the Portuguese, was imprisoned but escaped to join King Mayadunne who gave his daughter in marriage. Vidiya Bandara was a very charismatic leader and was able to lay siege on the city of Kotte confining the Portuguese. The Portuguese sought help from King Mayadunne who because of his jealousy over Vidiya Bandara’s popularity took the side of the enemy Portuguese and sent reinforcements to help the Portuguese and Vidiya Bandara was defeated.
Prince Vijayapala
Was one of the 2 sons of King Wimala Dharmasuriya. After the King’s death, King Senarath took over legitimizing his throne by marrying Dona Catarina and thereafter dividing the Kandyan Kingdom into three between his son (Prince Rajasinghe) and his own 2 sons (Prince Vijayapala and Prince Kumarasinha). Prince Vijayapala was given the Matale province.
He was educated by Franciscan Friars resulting in his conversion. The strategy was simple. Convert members of the royal families a strategy that continues to be adopted by somehow marrying a member of the Church to political leadership in Sri Lanka.
He was sent to Goa educated by Franciscan Friars and baptised on 8 Dec 1646 and given the name Dom Theodoscio, his entourage of army generals, members of the royal family were also converted. The Viceroy of Goa declared him the “Emperor of Candea” though he was in Goa.
A letter to the Viceroy of Goa by Vijayapala confirms his true allegiance
” I was born with a strong predilection for the Portuguese nation. In my earliest days greatly to the satisfaction of the Queen my mother, there was assigned to me as Mestre the Padre Frey Francisco Negrao, who taught me to read and write. Under his instructions I learnt very good customs and etiquette and some special habits which Royal persons employ. Though I am a Chingala by blood I am a Portuguese in my ways and affections” questioning the on paper Buddhist leaders in Sri Lanka.
Another letter of Vijayapala states “I have no confidence in my own people” (how many of our leaders today think like him) reminding us of the present leadership whose opinion is that solutions to any problems must come from foreign minds only. Nursing such sentiments questions with what integrity leaders can profess to lead a nation when their allegiance is elsewhere.
Vijayapala’s treachery came in crossing over to the Portuguese side to seek assistance to defeat his brother and gain the Kandy Kingdom. He becomes a traitor for forsaking his country, crossing over to the enemy, denouncing his race, betraying his religion and giving up his Sinhala name to embrace an alien Portuguese name. Not stopping there he went on to marry a South Indian opening the doors for the Nayakkar dynasty from Malabar and the influx of Dravidians into the country.
Kandyan Chieftans who signed the 1815 Kandyan Convention
The 1815 betrayal by the foolish and selfish Kandyan Chieftans falling prey to the scheming British goes down as the greatest betrayal in modern history. To spite the King the Chieftans chose to go after the British and the nation ended up saddled with foreigners who refused to leave. The Kandyan Chieftans are responsible for Sri Lanka losing its treasured independence and sovereignty which had been protected and preserved for over 2300 years. It is the principle Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelam; et ad inferos – He who owns the soil owns it up to the sky; and to its depth that fights in the Sinhalese still.
Self interest of various actors that have included, Kings, chieftans, priests, monks joining hands with the enemy are endless.
Never before had the Kandyan Kingdom been conquered. The Chieftans handed the nation on a platter to the foreigners. It was due to misinformation that eventually lost Ehelepola his family, misinformation and lies have been hallmarks of the pitiful situation Sri Lanka now lies in. Do these events not strike resemblances of late?
Have we not learnt from the past? If the Chieftans conspired against the ruling King so that they may remain in power enjoying continued favors while sacrificing the nation and its people, is there really any difference in the manner politicians today behave? The Chieftans handed the nation on a platter to the British, what are the present politicians now doing?
In flow of conversions which started out with Don Juan Dharmapala and included King Karalliyadde Bandara’s nephew Yamasinghe who was christened Don Philip, while Konappu Bandara became Dom John of Austria (he poisoned Yamasinghe), Dom Joao, King Yamasinghe’s son eventually became a Catholic priest.
Incidentally, JRJ, SWRD Bandaranaike, DS Senanayake were not Buddhists and came from Christian backgrounds. It has become fashionable to project oneself as a Buddhist to woe the majority masses.
These examples of traitors of Sri Lanka are shown to depict the principle debile fundamentum fallit opus – where there is a weak foundation, the work fails. Where our leaders lack leadership the foundations of the nation have shaken. It was to them the nation was handed to be looked after. They cannot re-delegate what has been given to them – Delegata potestas non potest delegari. Presently we see various parties holding secret discussions and coming to private agreements these private contracts cannot derogate from public law.
Through history we have had lascorins, sepoys, brown sahibs, kalu suddas betraying our own. The Catholic Church has been an accomplice in continuing to occupy Buddhist temple lands that were confiscated, temples destroyed and on top of which Churches now stand. The very culprits of these atrocities point fingers and demand Sri Lanka to reconcile when none of their crimes since 1505 have been acknowledged, apologized or even compensated. The wrongs done to the Sinhalese taking their lands, destroying their crops, livelihoods, murdering their families, converting or killing them have never taken any podium for discussion. This is a miscarriage of justice. Within 2 years the Kandyan Chieftans realized their mistake. Now in 2016, we are seeing the present British envoy saying there is no need to take the President’s statements seriously and there is no reaction from the Government.
There are still traitors amongst us because we have not learnt from history and our past mistakes that we continue to repeat. With each mistake we have conceded what is ours. We are now confined to a very limited space and even that is being siphoned off deceptively to our enemies.
For the people it will always be a case of ‘kabalen lipata’ (jumping from the pan into the fire)
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