Towards Declaring A National Toady

By Gamini Weerakoon

(April 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Amidst all the frenetic political activity now going in Mother Lanka, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources with true scientific detachment is calmly going ahead with the scientific tasks entrusted to it. The Butterfly Experts Group of the Ministry two weeks ago went ahead and identified a particular species as the National Butterfly — commonly known as the Broad Wing butterfly and described it in zoological nomenclature as Troides darsius from the known 243 varieties in our island. It is reminiscent of the times when British empire builders went round the world capturing and colonising free and independent nations while those British scientists like Charles Darwin were painstakingly studying plants and animals of all kinds of species on Earth and announced the world shattering theory of the Evolution of the Species.

Environmental Renaissance

The Environmental Ministry under the leadership of its Minister Champika Ranawaka has not been confined to butterflies. The Minister has been addressing international conferences on climate change and global warming.

He has opened up the Wilpattu National Park which had been closed by terrorists. We read a report of his declaring open a ‘cycle lane’ for the first time in Lanka while being also photographed riding a bicycle. We hope that Ranawaka gives up his luxury vehicle presented to him by the state and instead keep riding his environmentally friendly bicycle. Wednesday’s papers had him pouring petrol extracted from waste polythene invented by a Sri Lankan genius.

This sudden ecological renaissance brought about under Minister Ranawaka is well and good even though cynics say that it is close to parliamentary elections and that the young man is also running for the premier’s seat.

Why a national butterfly?

Why this sudden desire to name a ‘national butterfly’ will be a question that comes to the mind of an ordinary man. The scientific explanation is that it would provide it legal protection. Once placed in this category the Triodes darsius can be protected by law. Harming the animal could be made an offence punishable in courts. Others could say that this butterfly has been fluttering among Sri Lankan flowers for millions of years before and does not need the protection of Ranawaka and his Ministry for the Environment.

Another explanation could be that Ranawaka is a nationalist. Remember he belongs to the JHU and the UPFA. The head of the UPFA Mahinda Rajapaksa immediately after the victory over terrorism declared that those with him are patriots and those not in the same bandwagon are traitors. Into that category of traitors fall the NGOs and the like against whom Ranawaka rants and raves. So declaring Triodes darsius as the national butterfly could be in the natural order of things, as biologists would say. We already have declared Weli Kukkula as our National Bird, Na — Ironwood Tree — (Musa ferrea) as the National Tree and Nil Manel as the National Flower.

Nationalism and politics

It should also be kept in mind that there is a Sri Lankan passion to have many fields of activities brought under a national policy. Quite often we hear of calls for declarations of national policy : National Education Policy, National Science Policy, National Sports Policy, National Alcohol and Tobacco Policy, National Health Policy and national policies for many other professions and fields of activity. Some of these national policies have been so declared by law for many years but could any person point out to the benefits reaped? Nevermind. It provides a subject for public speakers.

Ranawaka being a politician, we thought, could have used this opportunity to name three quite attractive political butterflies fluttering in the UPFA garden such as Malani and Geetha and Sabitha. Slightly withered in age but still well kept, we would add. Anarkali would of course have been a delightful youthful choice but she is not running for a seat by the Diyawanna Oya. Of course Rosy would have been out of the question. Ranawaka would have been sacked on the spot and had nationalist mobs chasing him.

There are of course dangers in having butterflies named after women. One is domestic, as every married man would know. The other is the fickle nature of women. Even though the intentions may be well meaning and perfectly honourable you could face an irate butterfly screaming at you: ‘How dare you call me a butterfly. Do I flit from flower to flower, you male chauvinist pig?’

Kala Vedda

What we would suggest to the Minister is to have other species of animals too declared as ‘national.’ There is the Hik Meeya and Uru Meeya and Kala Vedda. But bringing in the latter species into the national category could get him into trouble because Gen. Sarath Fonseka is alleged to have compared some dignitaries to that species.

Frogs and toads

Then there is a species that deserve national status — the Sri Lankan toad. The most common is the Bufo Melanostiticus, the poor animals who sacrifice their lives on dissecting trays to aspiring young biologists and doctors. There are other varieties such as the Gas Gemba who live on trees and have a stark resemblance to some of our politicos.

These animals have physiological attributes quite comparable to Sri Lankan politicians — they are the world’s best long jumpers. We remember our Zoology master, the late revered Brooke Da Zilva who was also the college athletic coach asking us: ‘If human beings had the musculature of the toad, what do you think the world long jump record would be?’ Our politicians as you know, can not only do the long jump but also do it in reverse. We suggest that Bufo Melanostictus or any other Sri Lankan toad be declared the national toad or better a national toady — the dictionary definition of toady being: Sycophant, obsequious hanger on, behave servilely.