CO885-11 — Page 576

203.

Enclosure 3 in No. 167.

570

SIB,

Enclosure 2 in No. 167.

Nuwara Eliya. 11th May, 1931.

The Jaffna Boycott.

I HAVE the honour to forward a letter addressed to me by the Reverend Dr. T. Isaac Tambyah, one of the leading public men of Jaffna. His remarks confirm my view already reported that the boycott was a hollow demonstration organized by the Youth Congress.

The Honourable the

Colonial Secretary.

DEAR MR. DYSON,

I am, &c..

E. T. DYSON, Government Agent. Northern Province.

Penang House, Jaffna, 7th May, 1931.

THIS is a demi-official communication, the contents of which I shall thank you to convey to Government.

1. The impression sought to be created by a few people in Jaffna that "the country is for boycotting the State Council is absolutely erroneous.

1

The recent

regrettably tolerated visit of a seditious Indian lady to Jaffna has inspired pliant politicians with the idea of a sensation, and none cheaper was available than the boycott.

2. "The country

for the purposes of the boycott may be said to mean the electoral areas of the north. Roughly the electoral areas of the north comprise 116,000 voters, so many persons entitled to have a say on the subject. It is safe to say that not 1/100 of this large number had been consulted. The fifteen candidates, three of whom on financial and other grounds had reasons to foresee failure, and part of the small youthful section of the electorate had no right to say that "the country has been consulted.

3. The following bodies of recognized importance had not been asked their Opinion:-

4.

1. The Jaffna Association.

2. The Jaffna Diocesan Union representing about 50,000 Roman Catholics of

whom over two-thirds are voters.

3. The Jaffna Central Ratepayers' Association.

4. The Jaffna Depressed Classes League.

5. The Valigamam West Association.

6. The various Maha Jana Sabbhas.

Under the new Constitution many women are registered as voters. has been no ascertaining of their opinion on the subject of a boycott.

There

5. The constitutional and conventional manner of ascertaining public opinion is a public meeting, or many public meetings, duly convened. Except the Youth Con- gress there has been no meetings of any section of the general electorate and public opinion had not been ascertained, before deciding on a boycott. Even the meeting to be held to-morrow at the Esplanade is not to consider the question, but to definitely ** call upon the public of Ceylon to boycott the State Council and to demand the immediate grant of full responsible self-government."

6. The question at stake is a very vital one and requires the ascertaining of views of various sections of the people. The idea of a Commission taking evidence on the subject would not be out of place at this juncture.

7. I am convinced that there are many, like the Biblical 7,000 that have not howed their knees unto Baal, who are against the boycott, who think that the achieve- ment was a strategic mistake calculated to imperil the best interests of the people, and who feel that the country should not be made to suffer for lack of foresight on the part of a few.

F. T. Dyson, Esq.

Yours, &c.,

T. ISAAC TAMBYAH.

The Honourable the

Colonial Secretary.

Wir reference to my memorandum of 4th May, I wrote to the Government Agent, Northern Province, on the 4th May, 1931 :—

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I have the honour to request you to report what in your opinion was the cause of the boycott of nomination proceedings and the cause of its effectiveness.'

2. He replies as follows:-

•

I have the honour to state that in my opinion the immediate cause of the boycott was the recent visit of Mrs. Chattopadhyaya to Jaffna. In the course of one of her addresses to the Youth Congress she said that Government treated them like babies offering them this new Constitution as a plaything to keep them quiet, and she urged them to be men and to have nothing to do with it.

* 3.

** 2. It is true that the Donoughmore Constitution has always been looked upon with disfavour by most of the Tamil leaders, and that most of the Tamil members in Council voted against it. The ostensible grounds of objection are, I believe, the reserve powers vested in the Governor, the special provisions with regard to the public services, the substitution of the Committee System for individually responsible Ministers, and the wide extension of the franchise. In fact I believe that the opposition is due to the consciousness that the new Constitution based as it is on majority rule will give the Sinhalese a dominating position such as they have never had in the past.

In spite, however, of dissatisfaction, active steps were taken by prospective candidates to canvass the various electorates, and I am confident that they had every intention of going to the poll. Even after Mrs. Chattopadhyaya's speech preparations for the elections on the part of the prospective candidates were actively continued: but I am sure that her address stimulated the activities of the more advanced young politicians and ultimately resulted in their going round the town on the 3rd May and calling at the residences of the various intending candidates, all of whom, with one or probably two exceptions, were induced to promise not to stand. The young enthusiasts even went to Vavuniya and roused Mr. Anandam who was at the Rest House at 3 a.m. in an attempt to induce him not to stand for Mannar-Mullaittivu.

"4.

I was informed by a supporter of one candidate that the origin of the boy- cott goes further back than Mrs. Chattopadhyaya, and that some of the members of the old Legislative Council fearing that they would not be elected by the new electorate welcomed the idea of a boycott. Personally I do not think that any of the prospective candidates had any notion of boycotting the elections: but it may be true that the boycott having been as it were imposed upon them by the Youth Congress some who felt doubtful of their chances saw in it a graceful means of withdrawal without loss of prestige. Some, however, of the new candidates were really anxious to stand, and were only induced to agree to refrain by the certainty of incurring the hostility of the Youth Congress if they did not do so. Some, I believe, entertained the hope that they might make this demonstration to satisfy the politically-minded youth, and that another nomination date might be appointed.

"5.

I attribute the effectiveness of the boycott to the fact that men of moderate views were not prepared to stand up against the demand of the political youths for some spectacular mark of their disapproval of the new Constitution. A large crowd had assembled outside the Kachcheri with the avowed intention of acclaiming as heroes those who carried out the boycott, and no doubt any candidáte who had submitted his nomination papers would have been greeted as a traitor. Mr. Saravanamuttu who came to the room where I was ready to receive nominations very nearly had the courage of his convictions; but various other candidates followed him and watched him closely until at two minutes to one he withdrew. In case he put in his nomination the others were all ready with their nominations and deposits. This appears to me to indicate the hollowness of the demonstration. If they could make the boycott complete they would do so, but if one man broke it the other candidates were not going to let him in un- opposed, but were prepared, apparently with the approval of the 'Youth Congress,' to abandon the boycott."

12th May, 1931.

T. REID

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

HPTLC.O.882/11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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