Dr Sarath Obeysekera

JVP and Tamil  failed insurrection ……..

When I keep remembering the experiences I had in Moscow, it may give some light to all of us about this country .We were taught political economy based on Socialist Doctrine and History of Soviet Union ( after 1917 only –nothing much about Tzar’s regime except the Exploitation by land owners etc) and the last was Scientific Communism based on Materialism .We skipped many classes but at the end of the year we had to sit a simple test.Some Sri Lankans took the subjects quite serious but some just followed it as it was mandatory.When I talked about it to  outsiders they called it brainwashing”

Everything depended on the individuals and acceptance of the theory of communism and socialism and based on upbringing of the foreigner who were given scholarships.

We  went to England after the first year  of Russian Language course .Rohan Wijeweera’s  followers in England held a meeting with few of us in 1969 ( I remember that it was in a basement in Sussex Gardens in Paddington .This was two years before failed revolution by JVP in Sri Lanka .I can very well remember telling them that  it is too early for Sri Lanka to have a revolution as the conditions in Russia and China were different. The people who conducted the meeting were not happy with our opinion.We never knew who Wijeweera at that time he was in Lumumba University

A recent article in new papers I read about a statement made by Wijeweera that he was not allowed to return to Russia as he was  of Chinese communist Faction who wanted to take power without understanding the prevailing conditions in the country .

We came back to study and Wijeweeera tried something impossible  and failed as I predicted .

We were never taught to do any revolution in our countries by Russians but they expected us to follow their principles and spread to the world that they are not that evil.

Nigerians and some Africans were always criticizing the system but Sri Lankans were much more sensible .

In 1975 Tamil liberation movement was showing signs in Moscow when one Tamil Counsellor ( I cannot mention his name but he joined the tiger Diaspora in London)  in the Embassy of Sri Lanka trying to favour tamil students and mistreating Sinhalese .I was the General Secretary of the Union ,and I got the complaint  and mustered all the student ,about 30 -and planned to walk into the Embassy and take out the Counsellor by the neck to teach him a lesson .

As usual a Sinhalese called Banda” ( just like Ahalepola Banda” became a traitor and informed the Ambassodor of Sri Lanka at that time ( I think that it was Jack Kothalawala) who informed Militzia to surround the Embassy for  protection .We arrived at the embassy and the Militzia did not allow us to proceed into the embassy .

After some time one of the higher-ups from the Ministry of Education came by car and ask me to get in and took me to their office .Explained to me that it will be embarrassing for Russian Government to explain to Sri Lankan Government about Sri Lankans revolting .We retreated and the counsellor went back to London .

After that apartheid in the Embassy never took place anymore .

Without being revolutionaries we were quite aggressive and we learn how to survive .The secret is winning the heart of the majority  .

Wijeweera failed to do so but Russians did it because they had backing from the masses .

Dr Sarath Obeysekera