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| Wesley
Muthiah- who along with Late Sydney Wanasinghe wrote a series of books
on the history of the LSSP passed away.
By Charles Perera
On the fourth of August, 2007, passed away Wesley S.Muthiah. He did not survive long after the death of Sydney Wanasinghe- with whom he brought out a series of books on the history of the left movement in Sri Lanka. He was a Trotskyist from his youth, a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and a Socialist to the very hilt. He was a product of the left moment at a time the leftists were an underground movement working behind pseudo names. Yet he pioneered in organising a local LSSP group in Matale, and was active selling the LSSP Journal the Samasamajist, which was the only publication then to publicise the activities of the Party.
His home was the principle venue for the clandestine meetings, and occasionally in the homes of some of the other members. The group was composed of Sinhala, Tamils and Muslims. Wesley who as a Labour Officer had access to tea and rubber plantations was able to organise estate workers, roping in young Tamil youth in to the local nucleus of the LSSP. The group was well organised each member having been allocated a specific branch of activity. It represented all levels of the local society, both the intelligentsia and the workers. There were young graduates, teachers, government and Local government employees, self employed traders, and even a barber who participated actively in the meetings of the group. The livewire behind it was Wesley. He had an inane ability with his captivating smile and convincing way of speaking to win a person to his way of thinking. First time I met him he spoke to me of Socialism, offering me a copy of the Samasamajist. He invited me to his home to meet some friends. That was it, and I never regretted it. The group meetings were an informal gathering of friends of sort, and his wife, Tencey, very loyally provided short eats and tea for the participants.
He had a very pleasant and a direct way with people and he organised the group and its activities without taking the leadership or forcing his points of view, remaining behind scene seeing that every thing goes well, giving each one a responsibility. I learnt a lot from him and when I later organised an association of religion and culture, followed Wesley’s method of organising.
Finally, when the left movement rose from its clandestine existence to respectability, the activities of the group came to an end as some members left Matale, on transfers or taking new appointments else where.
It was largely due to relentless effort of Wesley that LSSP had the largest number of estate workers from Matale , in its Lanka Estate Workers’ Union. He was dedicated to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, but it was the cause of socialism that the Party stood for that mattered to him. He was seeking neither credit nor office for his contribution to the cause.
His life was one of adventure . He studied in Jaffna and Kandy, but went to Madras to read for his MA in English. His marriage, sailing off to London with his family, while his wife was expecting her second child, and travelling overland to Sri Lanka with his family in his Volkswagen Beetle, were all a part of that adventure. In London he joined the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn to become a Barrister, but decided to teach. Wesley could not separate himself from politics. He soon started contacting Social groups , and Trotskyists in London, and with a few expatriates, formed the Lanka Socialist League the fore runner to the London Branch of the LSSP.
He did not believe in socialist slogans, public meetings and empty rhetoric, but in practical work to uplift the socially handicapped people. He collected typewriters and stitching machines and transported them to Sri Lanka. With which he started workshops in Talawakelle and Nuwara Eliya to help the poorest of the poor the children of the Upcountry Estate Workers to learn a trade. When a library was to be opened in the N.M.Perera Centre, he sent out letters to all he knew, and collected the books personally.
He was very religious, and he did not fail to bring the Church to participate in his social activities for the betterment of the poor. His wife too participated, by organising classes in various activities for the elderly persons.
He was a very positive person, even after the fall of the USSR, and the Socialist Governments were defeated in most of the Western countries, the news did not discourage him. He saw a renaissance of Socialism if not in the West or the East, perhaps he told me, it may begin in South America, with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela spear heading the movement.
He did not change his political convictions, and remained loyal to LSSP.
He leaves behind his wife Tencey, two sons Ninesh and Romesh, a dear grandson Ravishan, and two daughters-in law-Nina and Geeta.
May your Rest In Peace, dear Wesley. |
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