Mr. Farmers book been available to underline the deplorable effect of centuries of
troubled history upon the Ceylonese today... Needless to say the consequences have
been a bitter disappointment to myself and my fellow Commissioners…"
The Tamils however hoped that the administrative unity established by the British
Government could be preserved and towards that end made three significant
suggestions.
(a) Balanced Representation:
Our earliest request was for balanced representation in the legislature as advocated by
the Duke of Devonshire, who was Secretary of State for Colonies. It was based on a
balanced scheme of representation that would avoid the danger of concentration of
power in one community but would ensure its equitable distribution among all
communities and the people as a whole. But the Soulbury Commissioners did not
grant this.
(b) The demand for a Federal Constitution:
Secondly, within a year of independence, when the position of the Tamils was fast
deteriorating, the demand for a federal form of government was put forward. It was
felt that this was the only way of keeping together two distinct nations in one state. It
may be remembered here that Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake strongly advocated
federalism as far back as May 1926 or even earlier, but would not concede when he
came to power. The following excerpts are taken from his speech of his in the Ceylon
Morning Leader July 17th.
"If they considered past history then they would see that the three communities, the
Tamils, the Low-country Sinhalese and the Kandyan Sinhalese had lived for over a
thousand years in Ceylon and had not shown any tendency to merge... A central
form of Government assumed a homogenous whole..."
But when the objections were dissipated he was convinced that some form of
FEDER