Abdul Ghafoor
Dr. A.C.S. Hameed entered Parliamentary politics in March 1960, representing the Akurana Parliament seat, which was later changed to the Harispattuwa electorate.
He continued to represent Harispattuwa until his death on September 3, 1999, after a short illness, serving 39 years in Parliament, without a break.
In 1977, when the U.N.P. under President J.R. Jayawardene returned to power, Dr. Hameed was appointed as the 1st Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose portfolio was held by the Head of Government until this period.
It was noted that President J.R. Jayawardene rarely intervened on Foreign policy matters, seeking to act through his foreign minister.
President J.R. Jayawardene had implicit faith in Dr. Hameed to do what was right in furthering the interests of the country.
Along with the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Hameed was also made responsible for the Immigration Department for a short period. He made it possible for people to get their Passports without a guarantor, which made it a great convenience for people. Even today, it is practised.
In 1973, the Middle East experienced an employment boom, however, according to the Central Bank report in 1977, it states that only 10,000 Sri Lankan workers had gone for employment in the Middle East.
The only embassy we had was in Egypt, but Dr. Hameed opened Embassies in Kuwait, Doha, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE and today thousands of Sri Lankan women and men are working in these countries, and millions of dollars are being sent to Sri Lanka by these workers.
Sri Lanka was made chairmanship of the Non-Alignment movement from 1976 to 1979 and was called upon constantly to deal with some of the thorniest international issues of the Non-Alignment.
In many ways, Sri Lanka was able to punch above its weight by making a viable contribution to Foreign Affairs and this returned many economic benefits to the country. This dovetailed neatly with J.R. Jayawardene’s policy of the open economy in that many countries which Sri Lanka had lent its assistance were happy to help in the form of economic aid to Sri Lanka.
Dr. Hameed helped the Buddhist community in many ways, and in constructing the Seemamalakaya Warathenna at Harispattuwa at his cost, and also helped most of the Buddhist Temples in Harispattuwa.
He also helped the Muslim community by appealing to President J.R. Jayawardene to amend the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963.
Due to this act, the Muslims were deprived of their rights to buy and sell lands without proving their citizenship.
As a consequence, Thousands of deeds were stagnating in the land registries without being registered.
It was a problem faced by the Muslims in other parts of the country compared to those in the central province, as they had ‘GE’ names in their Birth certificates.
President J.R. Jayawardene and the cabinet later amended this act, thereby enabling Sri Lankan Muslims to buy and sell lands without needing proof of their citizenship.
Harispattuwa is the second largest electorate after Colombo Central.
Though Harispattuwa was adjoining Kandy, it was an undeveloped electorate with about 1230 villages without proper roads, electricity, water and dilapidated school buildings, when Late A.C.S. Hameed took over in 1965 as Member of Parliament for Akurana.
By about 1985, he developed the electorate, connecting with all the villages, providing electricity to all the villages, pipe-borne water and Nala Lin (Tube Wells) to the entire electorate.
He gifted Percussion Music band sets and also double-story buildings to all the Maha Vidyalayas.
He was accorded a Doctorate in Political Science by the Hankuk University of the Republic of Korea in 1978, and an Honourary Doctorate of Letters by the Sri Jayawardenapura University in 1990.
He authored and published some books, which include ‘The Pursuit Of Peace’, ‘Disarmament’, ‘Multilateral Approach’, ‘Foreign Policy Perspective Of Sri Lanka’, ‘The Owl And The Lotus’ and ‘Spring of Love and Mercy’.
Allahummaj al Kabrahu Rawlathan min Riyalul Jinan Wala Thaj al Kabrahul Huffrathan min Hufrin Niran.
May Allah Almighty grant the highest felicity to this departed soul in Jennathul Firdous.
· Aameen.The writer is the brother of the Late Dr. A.C.S. Hameed Daily Mirror
