{"id":106933,"date":"2020-09-23T15:34:45","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T22:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=106933"},"modified":"2020-09-23T15:34:45","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T22:34:45","slug":"erasing-the-eelam-victory-part-17-c-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2020\/09\/23\/erasing-the-eelam-victory-part-17-c-11\/","title":{"rendered":"ERASING THE EELAM VICTORY Part 17 C 11"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Wiswa\nWarnapala declared that violence was first injected into the politics of Sri\nLanka by the JVP. JVP was a violent murderous movement from the very beginning.\nThey were guilty of gruesome killings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite JVP \u2018s attempts to identify itself with Fidel Castro and\nCh\u00e9 Guevara,  JVP had more in common with\nthe Peruvian Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), and Kampuchea\u2019s Khmer Rouge, said\nTisaranee Gunasekera. Its use of lethal violence is very similar to Shining\nPath. Like the Khmer Rouge it eliminated anyone who opposed them. JVP killed their accomplices so as not to leave any evidence.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP indulged in political violence in order to\ndestablise the state, said Wiswa Warnapala. The only threat to state authority which\nexceeded the JVP insurrection of 1971 is the JVP resurgence of 1987\u201389,\nobserved analysts. The LTTE never threatened the state the way JVP did. JVP\nwished to break the will of the state and make it obey their demands. JVP had\ncompiled information regarding vital institutions which affected the country\nsecurity and economy, said Indradasa.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gamini\nSamaranayake made special mention of the JVP controlled Inter-University\nStudent Federation, IUSF. This name is only a cover, he said. The IUSF is a\n\u2018terrorist movement\u2019.  Anybody who wants\nto study political violence and terrorism in Sri Lanka   must look at the IUSF    as well, he said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 One result of the JVP violence was that it\nchanged the attitude of the army. Prior to 1971 Sri Lanka army was a\nsmall force. After the 1971 insurgency the government saw the need for a larger\narmy. They increased the officer cadet cadre, they took in 30 trainees of which\n17 graduated. The training which was 18 months was reduced to one year. Since\nJVP activity was in the jungle, special jungle training was given at Lahugala,\nsaid Kamal Gunaratne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the defeat of 1971 the JVP did not fade\naway, it simply got ready for the 1987 insurgency. JVP\u2019s plans for the next insurgency\nwas known to the authorities from July 1983, said Gunaratne. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Osmund  \nJayaratne recalled that after the 1971 uprising ended, from time to time\nin different areas threatening notes were passed to shops and boutiques and\nanonymous telephone calls were given to them. Even bus drivers were threatened.\nAs a result in several areas there were days when all shops and boutiques put\nup their shutters through fear and normal buses did not ply these routes.     .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then in 1987 JVP started its second\ninsurgency. JVP planned to get \u2018pockets of resistance\u2019 all over the country set\nup between July and August 1987 and use this as basis for war against the\ngovernment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The JVP\nprovided a three year period of terror from 1987-1989. It was a relentless,\ndaily round of killings, sabotage and strikes organized by the JVP and of\ncounter-terror by Security forces. This period saw a huge number of ambushes,\nkidnapping, torture and assassinations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1987 an estimated 40,000 died, mostly men,\nleaving women and children, said Nira Wickremasinghe. In January    1988 the JVP terror campaign was in full\nswing. By November 1988, Sri Lanka\nexperienced near total anarchy. This continued at an increased level and the\ncountry witnessed unprecedented violence in 1989. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peak was in 1989 when the JVP was\neffectively running a parallel government with a military power and, to some\nextent, popular support. The entire\ncountry experienced a terrible wave of violence and collapse of law and order\nin 1989, said Wiswa Warnapala.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals or organizations were warned or\nintimidated with messages dropped in the night to homes or posters or graffiti\nthat appeared over night. Those that did not cooperate were brutally killed,\nwith the repercussions extended to their family members. Executions were mostly\ncarried out at night with armed groups coming to the homes of the victims and\ncarrying them away to be tortured, executed and left as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sagarika Gomes was killed because she read the\nRupavahini news when the JVP had forbidden it and many of the newscasters\nrefused to present the evening news. She was kidnapped from her home on\nSeptember 13 1989, by a group of armed men. She was then taken to the beach,\nraped and killed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DJV murdered probably thousands of people and\ncrippled the country with violently-enforced general strikes for two years said\nthe media. Killings took place in both urban and rural areas. JVP killed 30\npoliticians, 23 academics, one clergy, two government officials, 89 civilians\nand 61service personnel, from July 1987 to January 1990. DJV killed more than\nseventy (70) members of parliament between July and November 1989. . In most cases the funerals of these\nvictims were not allowed by the DJV, traditional final rights were not allowed\nand the caskets were to be carried below knee level as a mark of disrespect,\nconcluded the media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Wijeweera and Gamanayake were killed\nSaman Piyasiri Fernando, head of DJV and Lalith Wijeratne, (Aravinda) had taken\nover leadership of JVP. There was an immediate escalation of violence.  UNP supporters were killed in Tangalle,\nAhangama, Poddala, Ambalangoda Hikkaduwa, Akuressa and Baddegama. This violence fizzled out when Saman and\nLalith were arrested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP also\ncommitted murders for personal reasons and robberies for personal gain, added\nChandraprema. They had long lists of persons to be\neliminated. Prof  Patuwatavithana,  when Chairman of Plywood Corporation   had \nrefused to reinstate four officers and nine employees of Kosgama\nComplex   who had been dismissed for\nfraud. He was shot and killed. One JVPer said\nthat after the 1971 insurgency he had carried out several murders of alleged informants,\npolitical opponents and vigilantes on his way from Kegalle to Wilpattu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP had a\ngood spy network which they used to extort money. In 1989 JVP came to home of\ngarments exporter Ramya Weerakoon and demanded money. Come out you and your\ndaughters, api deshapremi jatika sahodarayo, they said.  They mentioned a bank account to which Ramya\nhad received a remittance for a shipment sent out earlier.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 She said the payment was for raw material for\nthe new shipment. We don\u2019t care the sahodarayo said. Our leaders have ordered\nus to take Rs 50,000 from you. We will come here tomorrow. Have the money\nready. The next day they came at 9.30 pm and took the money away.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to 1987, no weapons were available for the\nJVP to train the youths, said analysts. \nCollection of weapons started in early 1987    and weapons training began in mid 1987. The\ninstructors were deserters from the army. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weapons were purchased for Rs. 50,000 from Nimrods. Galkatas\nmanufacture increased in Weeraketiya, Beliatte and Middeniya in 1987,  but this was not sufficient. Guns were got\nafter breaking into houses Island wide. There was a set pattern in doing this. JVP collected pistols and shotguns from\npeople who had gun licenses from the Government. They only took the guns and ammunition,\nnothing else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spate of gun thefts were reported from Hakmana, Deniyaya,\nNochchiyagama, and Balangoda in 1987. There were reports in May 1987 that more\nand more youths were collecting such weapons from houses in the south. 600\nweapons, mostly shot guns were taken by JVP in July 1987. An\nASP reported that his pistol and ammunition had been   stolen from his car in May 1987. 24 shot guns\nwere taken from   villagers in Kohombana\narea in August 1988.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also increasing theft of firearms from police stations\nand military stations.  JVP took guns and\nammunition from Bentota and Kurunegala police stations and from Kotelawala Defence\nAcademy, Panagoda army camp and Modera army    \ncamp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP  also had a quantity of quick firing automatic\nrifles better than what the IPKF had. Peradeniya\nundergrads were  armed with lethal\nweapons, observed Wiswa. Where did they get these guns Peradeniya academics\nasked. The frequent use of landmines by the JVP indicated that JVP was\nreceiving regular supplies of explosives from overseas, said Intelligence. The\nmystery surrounding the sources of arms supply to the JVP has not been\nresolved, said analysts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1987, the JVP moved weapons to strategic\nlocations in Colombo and other southern spots. JVP distributed arms to its\nloyalists in the villages as well. On the day of the signing of the Indo-Lankan\naccord, Upatissa Gamanayake, General Secretary, came to the safe house in\nHokandara, where a large haul of weapons was in place. He met JVP activists and\nbriefed them on the course of action to be taken. They were told to take\npositions in Colombo, Kaduwela, Welikada, Battaramulla Homagama and Maharagama. JVP was getting ready to carry out violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two specific instances of JVP violence which need\nspecial mention. First, the plan to assassinate Prime Minister Sirimavo\nBandaranaike, second the attack on the Dalada Maligawa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sirimavo\nBandaranaike.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP was always against Sirimavo and out to kill her. Somawansa\nAmarasinghe was instructed to kill or abduct Sirima, said Gunaratna.  The interview data from JVP cadres said that\nthe instruction was to abduct or kill Sirima. That cannot be correct. What can\nJVP do with the abducted Sirimavo? The instruction would have been to abduct\nand kill, that is, take away and kill where no one could see. Kamal Gunaratne\nalso confirms that the JVP was planning to assassinate Sirimavo in 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The 1971 attack on Sirimavo was planned. Prime\nMinister Sirimavo Bandaranaike would be taken into custody from her Rosmead\nPlace residence. The attack would be carried out by the JVP cadres in\nUniversity of Sri Jayewardenepura. The\nattackers were given a plan of Rosmead Place, additional supply of ammunition\nwas kept at Ritz cinema.  At the same\ntime, the army cantonment at Panagoda would be attacked.  Navy personnel at Ragama and Air force\npersonnel at Katunayake were to be immobilized by introducing a purgative to\ntheir food.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This plan\nfailed. The attackers were arrested by the police at Vihara Maha Devi park,\nsaid Kamal Gunaratne. JVP  tried to have\nanother go at Sirimavo, in the 1987 insurgency. The JVP attacked the SLFP\ninaugural rally at Hingurakgoda in 1988 and Mrs. Bandaranaike barely escaped\ndeath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attack\non Dalada Maligawa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP attacked\nthe Dalada Maligawa, Kandy on 8 February 1989. Eyewitness accounts, including a\nformer JVP member who took part in the attack, describe the incident in detail.\nFormer JVP member, Adhikari alias<\/em> Kosala, had  participated in the attack. A fully-fledged\nmember, Adhikari had received arms training, and participated in several\noperations on behalf of the party, including the 1987 Pallekelle Army camp\nattack, 1987 Bogambara prison attack and Digana bank heist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to\nAdhikari, the first meeting to plan the attack was held at the house of a JVP\nco-ordinator named Sunanda, in Kandy. In that meeting, Sunanda explained the\nmotivation behind the attack.  He said\nthat if they stole the Tooth Relic, which had been residing in the country for\nat least 1,700 years, would have made the people to rise up against the\ngovernment which couldn’t even protect the sacred property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next week,\nanother meeting was held at the same place, with the presence of D.M.\nAnanda<\/a> alias<\/em> Kalu Ajith, the JVP leader of Western<\/a> and Sabaragamuwa<\/a> provinces, and Somawansa\nAmarasinghe alias<\/em> Sanath, In that meeting, Adhikari proposed a place in\nMedamahanuwara, to hide the relic after getting hold of it. He was asked to be\npresent near the Queen’s Hotel, Kandy<\/a> around 2.00\n\u2013 2.30 pm  the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There Sarath,\none of his colleagues in Digana bank heist, \nintroduced him to 4 boys and 2 girls. The girls, dressed in white lama\n<\/em>saris<\/em><\/a> were\ncarrying two trays filled with flowers. Adhikari’s task was to bring the group\nto the entrance to the Maligawa. There he would meet two gentlemen, who would\nbe carrying pens attached to their pockets. After that he was to proceed\nto  Kundasale where he would  receive the casket which contained the tooth\nrelic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the plan went\nwrong. The two girls had gone past the checkpoint near the entrance, without\nbeing properly searched, and waited for the others to follow. A guard had\nbecome suspicious and had come forward towards the girls. The other members of\nthe group  then arrived. They had\nsnatched the guns hidden inside the flowers on the tray; and shot at the\nguards. Guards had returned fire. The following firefight left at least two\nattackers dead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the\n2001 Parliamentary election,  JVP denied\nthat the JVP was involved in the attack. The politburo of the party issued a\nstatement denying that the attack ever took place. These statements were\nrejected by the Diyawadana\nNilame<\/a> and Mahanayake theros of Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters\n.Diyawadana Nilame said “There was blood-letting at the Sri Dalada Maligawa and five persons\nwere killed in the JVP attack”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The police stations and police officers were  a permanent target of the JVP , both in 1971\nand 1987. They were an easy target. The police were not  trained in protecting themselves or detecting\nenemy activity. Kamal Gunaratne commented on the planning that would have gone\ninto a simultaneous attack on 92 police stations  in 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP  killed police in  1971 and then again in 1987. JVP killed many\npolicemen in cold blood. A reserve constable was killed while drinking tea  at a Kegalle hotel.  Police on duty at Hingurakgoda town were  killed with knives.   At Pitakotte two constables were   stabbed. \nPoliceman on guard duty at CSU unit \nat Uduwella , Galle was  shot\ndead. A reserve police constable was beheaded in Matara .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police sergeant  Wijesooriya\nwas  shot and killed in Hungama in 1987.\nIn June 1988 JVP  stabbed policeman\nat  Minneriya. A policeman was shot and killed in Alawwa in 1988. JVP  also shot the administrative officer\ncoordinating  the police HQ. He was on\nhis way to church. At Kudagammana  in\nJune 1988,JVP   fired at police\npatrol  and killed one PC. In 1989 police\nsergeant  was shot dead in\nMiddeniya,   and one   PC was \nkilled in landmine blast in Embilipitiya. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP also attacked police stations. The police stations attacked n\n1988 and 1989, included, Gothatuwa, Moratumulla, Kirulapona, Mattakkuliya,\nRagama , Bambalapitiya, Pitigala, Moratuwa.  \nIn July 1988 fifty JVPers attacked Madulsima police station and took\naway a large  haul of arms. Padukka\npolice station was  attacked in 1988  and weapons removed. Bentota police  station was raided  in 1989 . JVP had attacked Kahawatte police\nstation and taken away much ammunition, also police uniforms, typewriters, gun\npowder, caps with insignia, explosives\u2019. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP  \nattacked police patrols and even resorted to killing unarmed constables\non beat duty and traffic duty. JVP\nassassinated several servicemen and policemen in<\/em> their homes or while on leave or off duty when they could not\ndefend themselves. Director CID and\nDirector, Counter subversive Drive were gunned down close to their homes while\non their way to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marxist\nparties.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The JVP\nalways maintained that it was the only genuine Marxist-Leninist revolutionary\nmovement in Sri Lanka.  JVP tried to make\nthis a reality by killing all other \nMarxists. Wijeweera   wanted\nleaders of all leftist parties destroyed before the revolution, reported\nGunaratna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The JVP is\nthe only \u2018Left\u2019 party in Sri Lanka which \nhas  engaged in killing fellow\nLeftists. The  older Marxist parties in\nSri Lanka did not kill each other, though they had deep  differences with each other. This indicates\nthat JVP was not a true Leftist party at all, but a killer  organization .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hundreds of leftist leaders, activists, sympathizers were killed\nin1988-89, said Chandraprema. PD Wimalasena, veteran  LSSP trade union activist and manager of Star\nPress was  shot inside the Press in May\n1989.  In 1988  LW Panditha, Communist Party trade union\nstalwart  was killed in Dematagoda.  Gamini Medagedara , Communist Party ,\nwas  killed at Polonnaruwa . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

KAD Saddhatissa,  a retired\nschool principal living in Akuressa and supporter of Communist party  , was killed while he was sick and in bed.\nHis son was also killed. JVP then \nordered the  perturbed villagers\nnot to put up white flags. No flags went up. Six members of a NLSSP family\nwere  killed at Pujapitya in Katugastota,\nin  1989. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP\u2019s main target was not the old left but the so called \u2018new\nleft\u2019 because only  they could have  functioned as \nan alternative to the JVP. JVP launched a massive campaign against\nleftist activists who were seen to be rivals of JVP . JVP   shot and \nkilled a lot of student leftist leaders, such as Yapa Bandara of the\nUniversity of Kelaniya. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The killing\nof Daya Pathirana signalled the beginning of a concerted campaign aimed at\nexterminating  all those leftists who\nwere competitors, said Tisaranee Gunasekera. Daya Pathirana, was  the leader of the Independent Students Union\n(ISU) of the University of Colombo. He\nand the ISU led by him was the sole obstruction to the JVP\u2019s domination of the\nuniversity students\u2019 movement. Taking over the universities was  vital. The Inter-University Students\nFederation (IUSF)  had an important role\nto play.  There were gang wars between ISU\nand Deshiya Sisya Viyaparaya of the JVP . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nPathirana killing was a targeted assassination. \nJVP did not have good hit squads at the time, and had developed links\nwith the underworld for the purpose. \nPathirana was killed by hired killers from Piliyandala underworld. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Pathirana, along with a colleague Somasiri,\nwas abducted on 15th December 1986 and taken to a lonely spot off the Bolgoda\nLake in Piliyandala. The JVP abductors then began to torture him and Somasiri,\ndemanding information about other students and left activists. The intervention\nof a group of pilgrims \u2013 it was the full moon poya day \u2013 saved the life of\nSomasiri. Pathirana succumbed to his wounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLFP\nand UNP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLFP thought\nJVP was going to support them in  1988\nfor the forthcoming election 247. SLFP was mistaken. JVP was anti SLFP. The\nintensity of JVP violence reached its peak after the announcement of Sirimavo\nas presidential candidate in 1988, said Wiswa Warnapala.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a\nspate of killings of SLFP candidates between Presidential election   (1988) and Parliamentary elections\n(1989).  In 1988, there was a bomb attack\non SLFP  rally at Matara  and another at the SLFP meeting at Badulla.  In 1989 SLFP Parliamentary candidates\nwere  killed in droves and supporters\ntoo. SLFP\nmember  for Dambagalla was shot dead in\nJune 1988. JVP planned to take SLFP away from Bandaranaikes.  JVP\nliquidated thousands of  SLFP supporters.\nMost had a personal allegiance to Bandaranaikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP  was also anti-UNP. JVP assassinated UNP  activists. \nUNP Chairman was  attacked in\nDecember 1987.  UNP branch meeting at\nKotahena attacked in 1988. Senkadagala UNP office was bombed and six persons\ndied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 UNP officials were killed in Colonne,\nEmbilipitiya, Suriyawansa, Panamure, \nBalangoda and Kuttigala.  UNP\nProvincial councilor was  killed  in his house at Wanathamulla in 1989. At\nPitipana, UNP candidate for PC elections, was killed together with wife,,\ndaughter ,  supporters and home guards. A\nUNP supporter was taken away at midnight, \ntied to a tree, tortured, and killed brutally, there were many such\ninstances, said Evans Cooray. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP attempted to disrupt the Presidential\nelection of 1988  and Parliamentary\nelection of 1989. The JVP \nkilled voters  and\ncandidates.   JVP\ndeclared an unofficial curfew and people had to remain indoors. When they went\nelectioneering down south, they found electricity supply cut off, Kalutara\nstreets deserted,  shops closed. Same at\nAlutgama and Galle, recalled Evans Cooray, who accompanied Premadasa on his\nelection campaign. Even the friend where they ate was scared to host us,  he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the\n1988 election, JVP atrocities in south were increasing. People kept away from\nelection rallies.    Hand bombs were\nexploding at the site of the meetings. At one meeting, probably Dodanduwa,  the audience was just one old female betel\nseller. She came near the stage and leaned against it listening. She was killed\nthe next day, said Cooray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the\nUNP knew to outwit the JVP .At Dodanduwa meeting Premadasa spoke  through loudspeakers and the people listened\nfrom behind closed doors. He did so at other meetings as  well. He spoke for hours to empty seats,\nknowing that they were listening to him behind closed doors, said Cooray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How was the JVP  able\nto  exercise such power  when  the country had strong elected\ngovernments.   The answer is,  because the heads of  these governments pandered to the JVP  and did not allow the government or  armed \nforces to crush  JVP .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When  Wijeweera  was arrested \nin 1970 Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike  released him. Wijeweera thereafter  held a dozen spectacular, well attended     rallies all over the island  in August-October 1970. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JR Jayewardene (1977-1989) released JVPers  held in prison in three bouts.  65 university students were released by\nAugust 5, 1987. In October 1988 government had released fifty detainees as a good\nwill measure . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest release was in \nMarch 1989,  About 1500 JVP\ndetainees from Boossa and Moratuwa were released and the proscription against\nJVP was lifted. By April 1989  JVP was   a major force.  They had posters on all the walls possible\nand was starting hartals, said Gunaratna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November  1988 JR invited\nJVP for talks.  Gunaratna says JR had\noffered to dissolve Parliament and have an interim government if JVP stopped\nviolence. In 1989  he invited the\nJVP  to the All Party Conference. JVP\nignored both requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JVP knew it\nhad the support of JR and knew when to use it. \nWhen  the police intervened at\nthe  Tissamaharama  JVP mass rally in 1978  JVP complained to JR and Prime Minister.   Shantha Bandara, was  captured \nin 1988 but was released on intervention of JR.  JVP \nhad threatened to retaliate if Shantha Bandara was executed.  There was support of another sort too from the\ntop..   Instead of using pepper gas, plastic bullets\nand other means of riot control, JR\u2019s government used  live ammunition for the  school demonstrations  organized by the JVP .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JE had repeatedly told the forces \nthat Wijeweera was in Sinharaja and kept telling the army to search Sinharaja.\nWijeweera was on an estate. Chandraprema commented that the JVP leadership did\nnot go into the jungles.  If\nWijeweera  had been in  the jungles he would never have got caught,\nJVP had watch posts on top of trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranasinghe Premadasa (1989-1993) \nwho succeeded JR as President was also supportive of the JVP . He had a\nsecret meeting with JVP leaders on 1 August 1989. Premadasa asked JVP to come\nfor talks, several times. Others opposed this.  One\nsaid it was futile to  release JVP and\nask them to join democratic stream, their activities must be met with force.\nPremadasa gave JVP venues to address \nmeetings,  but those  who objected to JVP went and booked them beforehand.\nClearly, the  administration was getting\nfed up with JVP .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nthe President of Sri Lanka  danced\nattendance on the JVP , the army and police \nhad stayed alert. The security establishment knew all along what the JVP\nwas  doing, but their hands were tied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nthe period 1983-1987    state\nIntelligence knew  that JVP  cells were being built at village level.  UNP government was told , it took no action ,\nbut the  police crackdown continued, said\nGunaratna.  The Police also\nsuspected  that an attack was being\nplanned but the authorities and the Parliamentarianshad ignored the information given to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government\nknew in 1986  from an arrested JVPer that\nthere were plans to capture power through armed struggle,  also that there was  a secret programme of recruitment. But\ngovernment took no action.   In 1987,   arrests were made after the after     Galgamuwa and Maradankadawala bank robberies\nand Kalebokka estate pay roll and this provided further concrete information on\nJVP.  Lastly, Ministry  of Defence was given a report in late\n1988  predicting the creation  of an insurgent movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By this time, that is 1988, the villagers were fed up of the JVP,\nsaid Chandraprema.  In Meetiyagoda,   when the\nJVP  had arrived to kill a villager\n,the  villagers had beaten to death the\ntwo hit men and arrested a third. But JVP issued death  threats and the village youth responsible for\nthe killing,  had panicked and run away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By August\n1989  JVP started losing popularity.,\nsaid Gunaratna. When President\nPremadasa held his first mobile ministry on November2, 1989, JVP could\nnot prevent people from attending it, thousands turned up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally,\nthe armed forces moved in and the insurgency was crushed in late 1989 and early\n1990, with almost the entire leadership being executed.But when they were caught the JVP  leadership had wanted to meet the President.[1]<\/a>  (Continued)
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/a> CA Chandraprema sri lanka the years of terror. P  308<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS Wiswa Warnapala declared that violence was first injected into the politics of Sri Lanka by the JVP. JVP was a violent murderous movement from the very beginning. They were guilty of gruesome killings. Despite JVP \u2018s attempts to identify itself with Fidel Castro and Ch\u00e9 Guevara,  JVP had more in common with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kamalika-pieris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106933\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}