In Sri Lanka or anywhere in the world, history has been mostly penned about winners and not losers. The same can be said in the field of politics. Yesterday (July 25) the death of leftist politician Vickramabahu Karunaratne was announced. Karunaratne was 81 years old (1943-2024) at the time of his demise. He was one lawmaker who gave his time to speak in Parliament for the welfare of the people. If people asked the late Karunaratne what he had personally gained by spending time in politics, the onetime stalwart of the Nawa Sama Samaja Party might not even have a stock answer to give. He tried to create a just and equitable society and was even labelled a Tamil rebel sympathiser. 

He was one politician who voiced his disapproval about ordinary citizens getting killed due to the civil war. Hence, he wanted the government then to stop the war and agree to a ceasefire with the rebels. He propagated a state of self-rule for the minority Tamils in Sri Lanka. This ideology that he promoted backfired on him very badly at the 2010 Presidential Elections where he was a candidate; representing the Left Front. When reviewing his loss at the elections, he had said that the racist, fascist ideas propagated by the opposition were not effectively countered by his ‘camp’.  

He was born in Lunugala, in the Uva Province at a time when this country was known as British Ceylon. From the outskirts of Matugama-where he had part of his school education-he moved to Colombo to continue his studies at Ananda College Colombo. As his academic qualifications swelled, he became more complete in his thinking and was the ideal person to spread the message on the importance of ‘equality and justice’. For the record after he completed a degree in Electronic Engineering he read for a PHD at the University of Cambridge. 

He was in active politics, possibly at a time when the people of this nation were very immature and not ready to accept the idea that no one should enjoy undue privileges just because you represent the majority community. Today we see top companies in the private sector giving priority to ‘professionals’ and individuals with special skills to get a job well done. Karunaratne was most active in politics at a time when the ‘chit system’ initiated by lawmakers was the method that worked when producing jobs for individuals and buddies. At a time when we start seeing people with skills (regardless of religion and race) being given opportunities, we sadly see individuals like Karunaratne saying goodbye to us. 

The beauty about his skills in time management was that he was already into politics when he was an undergraduate at the University of Ceylon. One key feature about the ‘making of Vickramabahu Karunaratne’ was that despite a busy schedule he left room within for him to grow as an individual. While engaged in politics he found the time to engage in teaching and served as a lecturer at the University of Peradeniya. During the 1983 riots his party along with others were proscribed. He went into hiding and emerged only after the proscription was lifted in 1985. 

In 1978 the then regime arrested him for attempting to put up protest slogans against President J.R. Jayewardene. He lost his job at the university as a result, but was later reinstated in employment following a Cabinet decision. There are records that the ‘Human Rights Commission’ intervened and the incumbent government paid his back wages and restored his status at university. 

He was a fearless activist and spoke against corrupt regimes. He openly criticised the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government; especially against the latter’s fascist way of governance. He championed the cause to speak against suppression. When the 225 members in Parliament ‘served themselves’ either by changing the ministries they served or making crossovers to other parties, Karunaratne doggedly stood by the cause aimed at speaking for the voiceless in Parliament. 

His was a career penned on losses, heartbreaks and disappointments. His vision for this nation was more about what Sri Lanka could have been if more right thinking people entered Parliament.