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{{Short description|British leftist who became a prominent Communist politician}}
{{Copypaste|url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/08/27/pow02.asp|date=June 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2007}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2007}}
{{More footnotes|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable|Hon.]]
| name = Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
| honorific-suffix =
⚫
| image = Doreen Young Wickremasinghe.jpg
| caption = Doreen in Ceylon


| constituency_MP = [[Akuressa Electoral District|Akuressa]]
⚫
[[File:Doreen Young Wickremasinghe.jpg|thumb|Doreen in Ceylon]]
| parliament = Ceylon
⚫
'''Doreen Wickremasinghe''' (''née'' Young;15 February 1907<ref name="Kumari">{{cite book |last1=Jayawardena |first1=Kumari |title=The White Woman's Other Burden: Western Women and South Asia During British Rule |date=23 April 2014 |publisher=Routledge |location=Oxford |isbn=9781136657078 |page=246 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vjdpAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA246&lpg=PA246 |accessdate=27 June 2018}}</ref> - 29 May 2000<ref name="TheIsland">{{cite news |title=A tribute to Doreen Wickremasinghe |url=http://www.island.lk/2000/06/07/mdwkrvw.html |accessdate=27 June 2018 |agency=The Island |date=7 June 2000}}</ref>) was a British leftist who became a prominent [[Communist]] politician in [[Sri Lanka]] and a [[Member of Parliament]] (MP). She was one of the handful of [[European Radicals in Sri Lanka]].
| majority =
| term_start = 1952
| term_end = 1956
| predecessor = [[W. Wickremasinghe]]
| successor = [[S. A. Wickramasinghe]]


| birth_date = {{birth date|1907|02|15|df=y}}
⚫
==Early life & family==
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|5|29|1907|02|15|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| nationality = British<br />Sri Lankan
| party = [[Communist Party of Ceylon]]
| spouse = [[S. A. Wickramasinghe]]
| partner =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| profession = Politician
| net worth =
| signature =
| known_for = [[Suriya-Mal Movement]]
| website =
| footnotes =
| serviceyears =
| awards =
}}

⚫
'''Doreen Wickremasinghe''' (''née'' Young; 15 February 1907<ref name="Kumari">{{cite book |last1=Jayawardena |first1=Kumari |title=The White Woman's Other Burden: Western Women and South Asia During British Rule |date=23 April 2014 |publisher=Routledge |location=Oxford |isbn=9781136657078 |page=246 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vjdpAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA246 |access-date=27 June 2018}}</ref> – 29 May 2000<ref name="TheIsland">{{cite news |title=A tribute to Doreen Wickremasinghe |url=http://www.island.lk/2000/06/07/mdwkrvw.html |access-date=27 June 2018 |agency=The Island |date=7 June 2000}}</ref>) was a British leftist who became a prominent [[Communist]] politician in [[Sri Lanka]] and a [[Member of Parliament]] (MP). She was one of the handful of [[European Radicals in Sri Lanka]].

⚫
==Early life and family==
Doreen Wickremasinghe was the daughter of two British 'ethical Socialists'. While a student in London in the 1920s, she became involved in the [[Indian Independence League]] and carried out other [[anti-imperialist]] work. Here she met Dr [[S. A. Wickramasinghe]], a radical [[Sri Lanka]]n moving in Communist and radical circles while a post-graduate student in London.
Doreen Wickremasinghe was the daughter of two British 'ethical Socialists'. While a student in London in the 1920s, she became involved in the [[Indian Independence League]] and carried out other [[anti-imperialist]] work. Here she met Dr [[S. A. Wickramasinghe]], a radical [[Sri Lanka]]n moving in Communist and radical circles while a post-graduate student in London.


Dr Wickremasinghe offered to find her a job in Sri Lanka. She became the principal of a Buddhist girls' school in [[Matara, Sri Lanka|Matara]], [[Sujatha Vidyalaya]] (1930–32), where her work on the curriculum included replacing British history with Sri Lankan and world history, and permitting the teachers to get qualified, moving the school away from its emphasis on 'training for wifehood'. During this period she learnt Sinhala. In 1933 she was offered the post of principal at the leading Buddhist girls' school, Visakha Vidyalaya, but the offer was withdrawn on the news that she was to marry Dr Wickremasinghe. After marrying Dr S.A Wickremasinghe, she took up another post as principal of a leading Colombo Buddhist girls school, [[Ananda Balika Vidyalaya]], where her work included promotion of Sri Lankan arts, and teaching Asian poetry. She was removed in 1936 because it was feared she had made the school a centre for anti-British activity - she definitely was responsible for many young women from the Buddhist schools joining the Left.<ref>Douglas Allen, 'Religion and political conflict in South Asia: India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka', Greenwood Publishing Group, 1992; {{ISBN|0-313-27309-X}}, 9780313273094 p177</ref>
Dr Wickremasinghe offered to find her a job in Sri Lanka. She became the principal of a Buddhist girls' school in [[Matara, Sri Lanka|Matara]], [[Sujatha Vidyalaya]] (1930–32), where her work on the curriculum included replacing British history with Sri Lankan and world history, and permitting the teachers to get qualified, moving the school away from its emphasis on 'training for wifehood'. During this period she learnt Sinhala. In 1933 she was offered the post of principal at the leading Buddhist girls' school, Visakha Vidyalaya, but the offer was withdrawn on the news that she was to marry Dr Wickremasinghe. After marrying Dr Wickremasinghe, she took up another post as principal of a leading Colombo Buddhist girls school, [[Ananda Balika Vidyalaya]], where her work included promotion of Sri Lankan arts, and teaching Asian poetry. She was removed in 1936 because it was feared she had made the school a centre for anti-British activity - she definitely was responsible for many young women from the Buddhist schools joining the Left.<ref>Douglas Allen, 'Religion and political conflict in South Asia: India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka', Greenwood Publishing Group, 1992; {{ISBN|0-313-27309-X}}, 9780313273094 p177</ref>


She and Dr Wickremasinghe had two children, Suren (an architect) and Suriya ([[Amnesty International]] IEC Chairperson, 1982–85).<ref>[http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/10/14/main_Obituaries.asp Obituaries, ''Sunday Observer'', 14 October 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419075814/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/10/14/main_Obituaries.asp |date=19 April 2009 }}</ref>
She and Dr Wickremasinghe had two children, Suren (an architect) and Suriya ([[Amnesty International]] IEC chairperson, 1982–85).<ref>[https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2007/10/14/main_Obituaries.asp Obituaries, ''Sunday Observer'', 14 October 2007] </ref>


==Political career==
==Political career==
In 1933 she wrote an article, ''The Battle of the Flowers'' which appeared in the Ceylon Daily News and exposed the absurdity of forcing Sri Lankan schoolchildren to purchase poppies to help British veterans at the expense of their own, which caused her to be vilified by her compatriots. This was the beginning of the involvement of the South Colombo Youth League in the revival of [[Suriya-Mal Movement]] on a new anti-imperialist and anti-war basis. The movement, which both opposed school pupils' compulsory participation in Poppy Day, and offered yellow ''Suriya'' ([[Portia tree]]) flowers for sale as an alternative, posing the question, 'whose need is more dire, the ex-servicemen in England or the poor of this country?'
In 1933, she wrote an article called ''The Battle of the Flowers'', which was published in the ''[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)|Ceylon Daily News]]'' and detailed what Young thought was the absurdity of forcing Sri Lankan schoolchildren to purchase poppies to help British ex-servicemen at the expense of those from Sri Lanka, which led her to be vilified by her compatriots. This was the beginning of the involvement of the South Colombo Youth League in the revival of [[Suriya-Mal Movement]] on a new anti-imperialist and anti-war basis. The movement, which both opposed school pupils' compulsory participation in Poppy Day, and offered yellow ''Suriya'' ([[Portia tree]]) flowers for sale as an alternative, posing the question, 'whose need is more dire, the ex-servicemen in England or the poor of this country?'


Doreen was elected first President of the Suriya Mal Movement at a meeting held at the residence of [[Wilmot Perera]] in Horana. [[Terence de Zilva]] and [[Robin Ratnam]] were elected Joint Secretaries, and Roy de Mel, Treasurer. Yearly until the Second World War, young men and women sold Suriya flowers on the streets on [[Armistice Day]] in competition with the Poppy sellers. The purchasers of the Suriya Mal were generally from the poorer sections of society and the funds collected were not large - part the Proceeds were used to educate a girl from the depressed Rodi [[caste]]. But the movement provided a rallying point for the anti-imperialist minded youth of the time. An attempt was made by the British colonial authorities to curb the movement's effectiveness through the 'Street Collection Regulation Ordinance'.
Doreen was elected first President of the Suriya Mal Movement at a meeting held at the residence of [[Wilmot Perera]] in Horana. [[Terence de Zilva]] and [[Robin Ratnam]] were elected Joint Secretaries, and Roy de Mel, Treasurer. Yearly until the Second World War, young men and women sold Suriya flowers on the streets on [[Armistice Day]] in competition with the Poppy sellers. The purchasers of the Suriya Mal were generally from the poorer sections of society and the funds collected were not large - part the Proceeds were used to educate a girl from the depressed Rodi [[caste]]. But the movement provided a rallying point for the anti-imperialist minded youth of the time. An attempt was made by the British colonial government to curb the movement's effectiveness through the 'Street Collection Regulation Ordinance'.


After many more years of the couple's campaigning, Dr Wickremasinghe was jailed for sedition in 1939.
After many more years of the couple's campaigning, Dr Wickremasinghe was jailed for sedition in 1939.
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In 1947, the LSSP and CPC formed the ''Eksath Kantha Peramuna'' (United Women's Front) in which Wickremasinghe took a leading role.
In 1947, the LSSP and CPC formed the ''Eksath Kantha Peramuna'' (United Women's Front) in which Wickremasinghe took a leading role.


In 1952 she was elected to Parliament as [[Communist Party of Ceylon]] (CPC) member for the [[Akuressa]] seat, beating C. Wijesinghe of the [[United National Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1952%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204000000/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1952%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archivedate=2016-02-04 }}</ref> In 1998 the Sri Lankan government conferred on her the title of [[Deshamanya]], a prestigious national honour.
In 1952 she was elected to Parliament as [[Communist Party of Ceylon]] (CPC) member for the [[Akuressa]] seat, defeating [[Chandradasa Wijesinghe|C. Wijesinghe]] of the [[United National Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1952%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115603/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1952%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-date=2015-09-24 }}</ref> In 1998 the Sri Lankan government conferred on her the title of [[Deshamanya]], the second-highest civil [[National Honours of Sri Lanka|national honour]] awarded by the [[Government of Sri Lanka]].


== Publications ==
== Publications ==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.ibiblio.org/ahkitj/wscfap/arms1974/PRAXIS/1980/2/a.htm The Participation of Women in the social reform, political & labour movements in sri lanka] WSCF Asia-Pacific newsletter - May–August 1980
*[http://www.ibiblio.org/ahkitj/wscfap/arms1974/PRAXIS/1980/2/a.htm The Participation of Women in the social reform, political & labour movements in sri lanka] WSCF Asia-Pacific newsletter - May–August 1980

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wickremasinghe, Doreen Young}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wickremasinghe, Doreen Young}}
[[Category:Anti-racism activists]]
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[[Category:British communists]]
[[Category:British communists]]
[[Category:Lanka Sama Samaja Party politicians]]
[[Category:Lanka Sama Samaja Party politicians]]
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[[Category:Sri Lankan Buddhists]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Buddhists]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan people of English descent]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan people of English descent]]
[[Category:Sinhalese politicians]]
[[Category:Deshamanya]]
[[Category:Deshamanya]]
[[Category:Women legislators in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Women legislators in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Indian Independence League]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan independence activists]]

Latest revision as of 05:21, 22 October 2024

Hon.
Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
Doreen in Ceylon
Member of the Ceylon Parliament
for Akuressa
In office
1952–1956
Preceded byW. Wickremasinghe
Succeeded byS. A. Wickramasinghe
Personal details
Born(1907-02-15)15 February 1907
Died29 May 2000(2000-05-29) (aged 93)
NationalityBritish
Sri Lankan
Political partyCommunist Party of Ceylon
SpouseS. A. Wickramasinghe
ProfessionPolitician
Known forSuriya-Mal Movement

Doreen Wickremasinghe (née Young; 15 February 1907[1] – 29 May 2000[2]) was a British leftist who became a prominent Communist politician in Sri Lanka and a Member of Parliament (MP). She was one of the handful of European Radicals in Sri Lanka.

Early life and family

[edit]

Doreen Wickremasinghe was the daughter of two British 'ethical Socialists'. While a student in London in the 1920s, she became involved in the Indian Independence League and carried out other anti-imperialist work. Here she met Dr S. A. Wickramasinghe, a radical Sri Lankan moving in Communist and radical circles while a post-graduate student in London.

Dr Wickremasinghe offered to find her a job in Sri Lanka. She became the principal of a Buddhist girls' school in Matara, Sujatha Vidyalaya (1930–32), where her work on the curriculum included replacing British history with Sri Lankan and world history, and permitting the teachers to get qualified, moving the school away from its emphasis on 'training for wifehood'. During this period she learnt Sinhala. In 1933 she was offered the post of principal at the leading Buddhist girls' school, Visakha Vidyalaya, but the offer was withdrawn on the news that she was to marry Dr Wickremasinghe. After marrying Dr Wickremasinghe, she took up another post as principal of a leading Colombo Buddhist girls school, Ananda Balika Vidyalaya, where her work included promotion of Sri Lankan arts, and teaching Asian poetry. She was removed in 1936 because it was feared she had made the school a centre for anti-British activity - she definitely was responsible for many young women from the Buddhist schools joining the Left.[3]

She and Dr Wickremasinghe had two children, Suren (an architect) and Suriya (Amnesty International IEC chairperson, 1982–85).[4]

Political career

[edit]

In 1933, she wrote an article called The Battle of the Flowers, which was published in the Ceylon Daily News and detailed what Young thought was the absurdity of forcing Sri Lankan schoolchildren to purchase poppies to help British ex-servicemen at the expense of those from Sri Lanka, which led her to be vilified by her compatriots. This was the beginning of the involvement of the South Colombo Youth League in the revival of Suriya-Mal Movement on a new anti-imperialist and anti-war basis. The movement, which both opposed school pupils' compulsory participation in Poppy Day, and offered yellow Suriya (Portia tree) flowers for sale as an alternative, posing the question, 'whose need is more dire, the ex-servicemen in England or the poor of this country?'

Doreen was elected first President of the Suriya Mal Movement at a meeting held at the residence of Wilmot Perera in Horana. Terence de Zilva and Robin Ratnam were elected Joint Secretaries, and Roy de Mel, Treasurer. Yearly until the Second World War, young men and women sold Suriya flowers on the streets on Armistice Day in competition with the Poppy sellers. The purchasers of the Suriya Mal were generally from the poorer sections of society and the funds collected were not large - part the Proceeds were used to educate a girl from the depressed Rodi caste. But the movement provided a rallying point for the anti-imperialist minded youth of the time. An attempt was made by the British colonial government to curb the movement's effectiveness through the 'Street Collection Regulation Ordinance'.

After many more years of the couple's campaigning, Dr Wickremasinghe was jailed for sedition in 1939.

In 1947, the LSSP and CPC formed the Eksath Kantha Peramuna (United Women's Front) in which Wickremasinghe took a leading role.

In 1952 she was elected to Parliament as Communist Party of Ceylon (CPC) member for the Akuressa seat, defeating C. Wijesinghe of the United National Party.[5] In 1998 the Sri Lankan government conferred on her the title of Deshamanya, the second-highest civil national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Publications

[edit]
  • Doreen Wickremasinghe (ed), Poems of East & West. Colombo: Colombo Apothecaries Co., 1950.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jayawardena, Kumari (23 April 2014). The White Woman's Other Burden: Western Women and South Asia During British Rule. Oxford: Routledge. p. 246. ISBN 9781136657078. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  2. ^ "A tribute to Doreen Wickremasinghe". The Island. 7 June 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ Douglas Allen, 'Religion and political conflict in South Asia: India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka', Greenwood Publishing Group, 1992; ISBN 0-313-27309-X, 9780313273094 p177
  4. ^ Obituaries, Sunday Observer, 14 October 2007
  5. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24.
[edit]
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