(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Sri Lanka celebrates 69 years of independence today (04th Saturday). The state function to mark the occasion will be held at the Galle Face Green from 8 this morning under the theme of ‘National Unity’.
Members of the Tri-forces, Police, Special Task Force and Civil Security Forces are part of today’s procession and celebrations. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the Army, Navy and Air Force will be part of the procession.
Independence Day signifies the end of foreign dominance since 1505 when the Portuguese took control of the maritime provinces of Sri Lanka. The Dutch took over from the Portuguese in 1656 and ruled the island for 140 years followed by the British who took control of the coastal regions and later the Kandyan kingdom.
The struggle against colonial power began in 1817 with the Uva Rebellion. The aristocracy which deposed the Sinhala monarch now attempted to restore Sri Lanka to its rightful leaders in a rebellion formed together with the peasants of the island, which only met defeat.
By 1915, commercial-ethnic rivalry erupted into a riot in Colombo with the British reacting heavy-handedly, as the riot was also directed against them. Sir James Peiris initiated and drafted a secret memorandum with the support of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and E. W. Perera braved mine and submarine-infested seas to carry it in the soles of his shoes to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, pleading for the repeal of martial law.
In 1919, the Ceylon National Congress was founded to agitate for greater autonomy. The young people who stepped into the shoes of Sri Anagarika Dharmapala then organized themselves into Youth Leagues, seeking independence and justice for Sri Lanka.
In 1935, the Marxist Lanka Sama Samaja Party was formed out of the Youth Leagues, and was the first party to demand independence highlighting the abolition of inequalities of race, caste, creed or gender. On February 4, 1948 the country won its independence as the Commonwealth of Ceylon.
Don Stephen Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The first President of Sri Lanka was William Gopallawa in 1972 replacing the Governor’s role when Ceylon was a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state and Queen of Ceylon. In 1972, the country became a republic within the Commonwealth, and the name was changed to Sri Lanka.
Today is also significant as Monarawila Keppetipola and 18 others who participated in the 1818 uprising against the then British Rule were declared war heroes. The Head of State annulled the Gazette issued in 1818 listing 19 Wellassa heroes including Monarawila Keppetipola as traitors.
Monarawila Keppetipola better known as Keppetipola Disawe, and his men were declared traitors over the 1818 rebellion against the then British rule by Governor Robert Brownrigg. Accordingly Kiwlegedara Mohottale, Godagedara Rate Adikaram, Ketakala Mohottaale were also declared as war heroes by the President.
