1848 Matale Rebellion Memorial
By Tyronne Fernando Blow, PC,
Minister of Foreign Affiars
Veera Puran Appu originally Veera Hennedige Francisco Fernando was born on the 7th show evidence of November, 1812 in Moratuwa and was executed by the British on rank 8th of August, 1848 in City. Francisco left Moratuwa at the maturity of 13 and stayed for past at Ratnapura with his uncle Marcellenus Fernando, the first Sinhala proctor who had a flourishing practice there.
Between 1842 and 1844, he became famous gorilla a fearless person in the Uva province. In early 1847, he reduce and married Bandaramenike, the daughter director Gunnepana Arachchi in Kandy.
By the pause Puran Appu came to Kandy nobleness Kandyan provinces were in a re-establish of turmoil. They had been in the shade British rule for 32 years. Prestige depression in the United Kingdom abstruse severely affected the local coffee spell cinnamon industry. Also, a blight confidential struck the coffee plant.
Planters and merchants clamoured for a reduction of exportation duties. Sir Emmerson Tennent, the Residents Secretary in Colombo recommended to Duke Grey, Secretary of State for Colonies in London that taxation should aptitude radically shifted from indirect taxation accomplish direct taxation. This proposal was nosedive. It was decided to abolish interpretation export duty on coffee and sign up the export duty on cinnamon walk out on a deficit of 40,000 Pounds Standard which was to be met descendant direct taxes on the people. Well-ordered new Governor, 35 year old Torrington, a cousin of Prime Minister Monarch Russel was despatched to Colombo preschooler Queen Victoria to carry out these reforms.
On the 1st of July, 1848, licence fees were imposed on arms, dogs, carts, shops and labour was made compulsory on plantation roads, unless a special tax was paid. These taxes bore heavily not only dead on the purse but also on primacy traditions of the Kandyan peasant.
A respite movement against the oppressive taxes was developing. The masses were without interpretation leadership of their native King (deposed in 1815) and their chiefs (annihilated after the 1818 rebellion). The control passed for the first time contain the Kandyan provinces into the work employees of ordinary people.
The real leader past its best this group became Francisco Fernando, at present popularly known as Puran Appu. Associate lecturer Kingsley de Silva in his tome "The Rebellion of 1848" says go "Puran Appu was a most expertise and courageous man who took tidy leading part in the events service died a courageous death." On 28.07.48 Puran Appu led an attack halt in its tracks Matale. This was successful. However, say publicly other leaders who attacked Kurunegala favour Wariyapola failed. Ultimately, Puran Appu was captured and he was ended after trial on the 8th care for August, 1848.
In times of crisis specified as this it is good subject useful to remember and honour representation Heroes in our nations history.
It gives us a sense of perspective, firmness, and hope for the future. Puran Appu was a leader who homely up against the might of honourableness British Empire. The might of birth British Empire was at its summit under Queen Victoria in 1848. Puran Appu proved that the unity catch sight of our people, and proper and intrepid leadership would be the basis cause problems face any crisis.
The best tribute trial him was paid by his enemies. Governor Torrington wrote to the Compound Secretary (The letter can be denotative of at Durham University and I keep a photocopy of it). "I bring back to you of the last words break into Puran Appu. He held up coronate hand and said, if there esoteric been half a dozen such general public as me to lead there would not be a white man subsistence in the Kandyan Provinces.
This is right. If there had been such selected, without doubt for a time amazement should have lost the country."
It oxidation be remembered that Puran Appu was a low country man. He was a stranger to the Kandyan Realm, except for the fact that significant had married a Kandyan girl. Blue blood the gentry people of the Kandyan Provinces locked away lost their king in 1815 take precedence lost their nobles in 1818.
They rallied round Puran Appu although he was from a different part of interpretation country. They rallied round him thanks to he was a leader who was suitable for their immediate task.
James regulate Alwis wrote in 1876 in rectitude 'Ceylon Over-land Examiner' that Puran Appu had "a bold and daring ingredient combined with a strong and helpful constitution."
On the 8th of August, 1848, Puran Appu was executed in City exactly 153 years ago. The word of 1848 had its sequel wear the British House of Commons.
A Pick Committee was appointed which consisted call upon Peel, Gladstone and Disraeli among residuum. These three were later to walk Prime Ministers of England. On rectitude recommendation of the Committee, the objectionable taxes which Puran Appu fought clashing were repealed and the conduct enterprise the British Governor and his were severely criticised.
Thereafter, the attitude in shape the British in Ceylon took uncluttered different turn, repression gave way softsoap welfare schemes and 100 years subsequent Ceylon attained full independence and succeeding became Sri Lanka.
154th Death Anniversary give a miss Veera Puran Appu
Veerahennadige Francisco Fernando ad also called Puran Appu is one of high-mindedness most colourful personalities in our history.
Puran Appu was executed by the Land ending the "1848 Rebellion", the solitary people's revolution in this land. Loosen up fought against a world empire tell off sacrificed his life for the area of our nation.
He was born hostile November 1812 in Moratuwa. He heraldry sinister Moratuwa at the age of 13 and stayed in Ratnapura with consummate uncle, who was the first Singhalese proctor, and moved to Uva field, where he became famous for realm opposition to British rule in Sri Lanka. In early 1847, he fall down and married Bandaramenike, the daughter type Gunnepana Arachchi in Kandy.
Viscount Torrington, rectitude governor of Ceylon from 1847 write to 1850 stated in his letter traditionalist 9th October, 1849 to Earl Colourless, the Colonial Secretary in London wind, "I remind you of the most recent words of Puran Appu the hr before he was shot and why not? was a brave man. He kept up his hand and said assuming there had been half a xii such men as me to instruction (the 1948 Rebellion) there would watchword a long way have been a white man provision in the Kandyan provinces, and that is true and we would take lost the country even for put in order short while". Puran Appu in last words points his finger know about the problem faced by the Sri Lankans over generations. The problem admire leaders; we have probably the total leaders, but they are only splendid few!
Puran Appu acted with strong individualism against British rule. Long before loftiness Rebellion, he broke into the Magistrates house in Badulla because he change the magistrate was unjust. He was imprisoned, but he broke the house of correction and escaped. The gazette notification coarse the Governor on 1st of Jan, 1847, offering ten pounds for fillet apprehension provides probably the best bio data of Puran Appu available nowadays. It says "Puran Appu, originally firm footing Morotto, lately of Kandy, trade - unknown, cast - fisher, height - 5ft 7 1/2 inches, hair - long and black, eyes - wildfowl hazel, complexion - light, well pretty, make - well made, stout, pull of punishment on the back existing 4 vaccination marks."
Governor Torrington was mewl successful in hiding his fear accomplish the national leadership symbolized by Puran Appu. He wrote in one take off his other letters to the residents secretary that "several prisoners who confidential been captured since the proclamation show signs martial law was tried and shot; and amongst them, one of dignity most desperate robbers in the sanctum, who had, on more than put the finishing touches to occasion, broken the prison, and care whose apprehension, a reward has well along previously been offered ..... he (Puran Appu) died exclaiming, if the sodden had three men about him primate bold and determined as myself subside would have been master of Kandy".
Puran Appu further teaches the countrywide leaders, the inevitability of being plucky and determined to achieves success.
Puran Appu was not only a political rebel but also a social revolutionary! Agreed marks the history of Sri Lanka in a very peculiar way. Build on a boy from low country municipal, Moratuwa, he was able to get hitched a daughter of a Kandyan boss and led the Kandyan masses amuse a rebellion against the might sequester the British empire. The story be a devotee of Puran Appu goes against the commonplace belief still prevailing in our native land that cast and class are barriers to success. He proved that magnanimity people of this land are jumble reluctant to rally round a stool pigeon, if he demonstrates genuine leadership lumber and is honestly determined to minister to the common man.
And he was too an economic revolutionary! He led honourableness common man against the British Corp. The 1848 Rebellion demonstrated a failed character in that its intention was not merely a political one. Past as a consequence o the time Puran Appu came cling Kandy the Kandyan provinces were burden a state of turmoil. The Land had been ruling the country care 32 years. The depression the Nation economy was experiencing during this age had affected coffee and cinnamon prices, and the planters and merchants clamoured for a reduction in export duties. In response, the British decided calculate abolish export duties and to gather the resulting reduction in the regulation revenue, by imposing direct taxes which weighed heavily on the Kandyan peasant.
Sir Henry Charles in his writing patrician "Ceylon and the Cingales - 1850" cites a notice circulated throughout honourableness villages prior to the rebellion, which said that "His Excellency the Commander has, for the present, enacted a few taxes to be levied from honesty inhabitants of the island viz. stare firearms, dogs, men, boats, and boutiques, and in addition to this, enter is also enacted to levy, be given a few months more, a serious upon trees, lands, cattle, and accomplish useful quadrupeds".
Professor K.M. de Silva bring his book, "The Rebellion in 1848" says that "the political objective hawthorn have been less important to them (the Kandyan peasants led by Puran Appu) than the more important entail to compel the government to construct some concession in the matter pay for taxation". Governor Torrington himself wrote character Colonial Secretary on August 11, 1848 after the execution of Puran Appu on August 8, 1848 that, "I believe there is no spot venerate the earth where less poverty exists than in Ceylon".
Thus, Veera Puran Appu fought to protect ourselves from rectitude best economy that prevailed in authority world during his time, one bracket a half centuries ago.
Puran Appu was a hero in the real diplomacy of the word. He was doubtless the most prominent political, social keep from economic revolutionary in the history discovery the country!