Colvin R. de Silva
Encyclopedia
Colvin R. de Silva was a former Cabinet Minister of Plantation Industries and Constitutional Affairs, prominent member of parliament, Trotskyist leader and lawyer in Sri Lanka
. He was one of the founders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
– the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka.
. He then went on to study at the University College, Ceylon
.
He gained his PhD from the University of London
for his thesis: Ceylon Under the British Occupation, later published as a book. Dr De Silva died on 27 February 1987. A Sri Lankan news source credits him with coining the famous response to the slogan The Sun never sets on the British Empire
: "That's because God does not trust the British in the dark."
, after escaping from Bogambara Prison
, where he had been imprisoned for anti-war activities. In India he became part of the leading nucleus of the Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma
(BLPI). After the war he returned to Ceylon and became the main leader of the Bolshevik Samasamaja Party
. In 1947 he was one of five BSP candidates who were elected to parliament. His constituency was Wellawatte-Mount Lavinia. After the reunification of LSSP and BSP, de Silva became an important leader of LSSP.
In 1952 he lost the Wellawatte
-Mount Lavinia seat to a United National Party
candidate, but regained it in 1956 and 1960.
De Silva was responsible on behalf of LSSP for the liaisons with the Fourth International
. He was elected to the International Executive Committee of the International, a position he held until the LSSP was expelled from the International.
In 1964 de Silva had urged against the LSSP joining the government, but unlike others who stood by that line he stayed in the party.
He won the Agalawatte
parliamentary seat in a by-election
in 1967 and in 1970. In 1970 he became the Minister of Plantation Industries and Constitutional Affairs in the cabinet of Sirimavo Bandaranaike
. His tasks included drafting the new republican constitution of Sri Lanka, which is seen by Kumari Jayawardena
as the first constitutional enshrinement of Sinhala chauvanism which had previously been limited to statue law. He served until 1975, when his party was dismissed from government following a split.
LSSP nominated de Silva as its presidential candidate in 1982. He finished 5th and only polled around 1% of the votes cast, as the election was polarised between the ruling United National Party
and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
– the latter being backed by almost all the other left parties.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He was one of the founders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
– the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka.
Personal life
Colvin R. de Silva received his education at the St. John's College PanaduraSt. John's College Panadura
St John’s College is a prominent school in Panadura, Sri Lanka, that was founded in 1876. The school has a proud history of more than 100 years and celebrated the 125th anniversary during the year 2000. Even though there were only few girls and boys at the beginning, the number has increased up to...
. He then went on to study at the University College, Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
.
He gained his PhD from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
for his thesis: Ceylon Under the British Occupation, later published as a book. Dr De Silva died on 27 February 1987. A Sri Lankan news source credits him with coining the famous response to the slogan The Sun never sets on the British Empire
The empire on which the sun never sets
The phrase, "the Empire on which the sun never sets", has been used with variations to describe certain global empires that were so extensive that there was always at least one part of their territory in daylight....
: "That's because God does not trust the British in the dark."
Political career
During the Second World War he fled to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, after escaping from Bogambara Prison
Bogambara Prison
The Bogambara Prison is a maximum security prison and is the second largest prison in Sri Lanka. Situated in the old city of Kandy in the Central Province it was built in 1876 by the British colonial government under instructions of Inspector General Of Prisons and Police, N.R. Saunders...
, where he had been imprisoned for anti-war activities. In India he became part of the leading nucleus of the Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma
Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma
Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma was a revolutionary Trotskyist party which campaigned for independence and socialism in South Asia.-History:...
(BLPI). After the war he returned to Ceylon and became the main leader of the Bolshevik Samasamaja Party
Bolshevik Samasamaja Party
The Bolshevik Samasamaja Party was the Ceylon section Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma after 1945 and of the Fourth International in 1948-1950, after the dissolution of the BLPI....
. In 1947 he was one of five BSP candidates who were elected to parliament. His constituency was Wellawatte-Mount Lavinia. After the reunification of LSSP and BSP, de Silva became an important leader of LSSP.
In 1952 he lost the Wellawatte
Wellawatte
Wellawatte, a suburb in Colombo, lies immediately south of Bambalapitiya and is classified as zone 6 within the Colombo Municipal region. The town begins at the old Dutch canal just before the Savoy Cinema and extends all the way south to the same canal that spills into the sea just before the...
-Mount Lavinia seat to a United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
candidate, but regained it in 1956 and 1960.
De Silva was responsible on behalf of LSSP for the liaisons with the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
. He was elected to the International Executive Committee of the International, a position he held until the LSSP was expelled from the International.
In 1964 de Silva had urged against the LSSP joining the government, but unlike others who stood by that line he stayed in the party.
He won the Agalawatte
Agalawatte
Agalawatte is a town in Kalutara District of Sri Lanka, and is an electoral division.- History :Agalawatte is part of the Pasdun Rata or Pasyodun Korale , created when King Parakramabahu the Great drained the Kalu Ganga basin.North of Agalawatte is the 'Fa Hien Cave', where evidence has been found...
parliamentary seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1967 and in 1970. In 1970 he became the Minister of Plantation Industries and Constitutional Affairs in the cabinet of Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
. His tasks included drafting the new republican constitution of Sri Lanka, which is seen by Kumari Jayawardena
Kumari Jayawardena
Kumari Jayawardena is a leading feminist figure and academic in Sri Lanka. Her work is part of the canon of third-world feminism which conceptualizes feminist philosophies that are indigenous and unique to non-Western societies and nations rather than mere off-shoots of Western...
as the first constitutional enshrinement of Sinhala chauvanism which had previously been limited to statue law. He served until 1975, when his party was dismissed from government following a split.
LSSP nominated de Silva as its presidential candidate in 1982. He finished 5th and only polled around 1% of the votes cast, as the election was polarised between the ruling United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
– the latter being backed by almost all the other left parties.
Legal career
In the court room, he enjoyed an unparalleled reputation as a criminal lawyer of great distinction. He appeared in virtually every high profile criminal trial of his day. In the Sathasivam murder case, his exceptionally brilliant cross-examining skills resulted in the rightful acquittal of his client, while in the Kularatne Murder case appeal, it was his intimate knowledge of the law of circumstantial evidence that saved the accused. With the advent of Fundamental Rights litigation, Dr. de Silva also appeared in many such cases before the Supreme Court, most notably in the Vivienne Goonewardena assault case.Publications
- De Silva, Colvin R., Ceylon Under the British Occupation, 1795-1833 First published 1941. Reprint: Delhi, Vedam Books, 1995