List of assassinations of the Second JVP Insurrection

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The following is a list of notable assassinations of the Second JVP Insurrection, most of which were carried out by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or by government security forces.

Politicians[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Jinadasa Weerasinghe UNP MP (Tangalle) 31 July 1987 Angunakolapelessa Shot JVP is blamed.[1][2]
Keerthi Abeywickrema UNP MP (Deniyaya) 18 August 1987 Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Bombing JVP is blamed.[3][4][1][2]
Harsha Abeywardena Chairman, UNP 23 December 1987 Wellawatte Shot JVP is blamed.[1]
Daya Sepali Senadheera UNP MP (Karandeniya) 1988 JVP is blamed.[1]
Vijaya Kumaratunga Founder of Sri Lanka Mahajana Party and actor 16 February 1988 Colombo Shot JVP is blamed.[3][4][1]
G.V.S. de Silva District Minister & UNP MP (Habaraduwa) 1 May 1988 Galle JVP is blamed.[4][1]
Nandalal Fernando General Secretary, UNP 20 May 1988 Wellawatte JVP is blamed.[1]
S. B. Yalegama Former SLFP MP (Rattota) & USA candidate 28 May 1988/
25 August 1988?		 Matale JVP is blamed.[3][1][2]
L.W. Panditha CPSL member and trade unionist 27 July 1988 Dematagoda, Colombo District JVP is blamed.[3]
Lionel Jayatilake Minister & UNP MP (Kuliyapitiya) 26 September 1988 Kuliyapitiya Shot JVP is blamed.[4][1][2]
Indrapala Abeyweera SLFP organiser, Kalutara 10 January 1989 JVP is blamed.[3][1]
P.D. Wimalsena LSSP member and trade unionist 15 May 1989 JVP is blamed.[3]
Merrill Kariyawasam UNP MP (Agalawatta) September 1989 JVP is blamed.[4][1][2]
O. Kariyawasam Liberal candidate 26 October 1989 Wattala, Gampaha District JVP is blamed.[3]
W.M.P.G. Banda UNP MP (Galagedara) JVP is blamed.[1]
Lesley Ranagala UNP MP (Borella) Shot JVP is blamed.[1]

JVP leaders[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Rohana Wijeweera Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 13 November 1989 Borella Shot Government Forces are blamed.[5]
Upatissa Gamanayake Deputy leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 13 November 1989 Government Forces are blamed.[5]
Saman Piyasiri Fernando Military wing leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 29 December 1989 Government Forces are blamed.

Journalists[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Thevis Guruge Chairman, ITN & broadcaster, Radio Ceylon 23 July 1989 JVP is blamed.[3][4]
Premakeerthi de Alwis Broadcaster 31 July 1989 Colombo Shot Pro-government paramilitary squads are blamed.[3][4]
K. Amaratunge Chief News Editor, Rupavahini 13 August 1989 JVP is blamed.[3]
Sagarika Gomes Broadcaster, Rupavahini 13 September 1989 JVP is blamed.[3][4]
Richard de Zoysa Journalist, author, human rights activist and actor 18 February 1990 Moratuwa Shot Pro-government paramilitary squads are blamed.[6]

Academics[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Professor Stanley Wijesundera[7] Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo 8 March 1989 Colombo Gunshot JVP is blamed.[3][4]
Professor Chandratne Patuwathavithane Vice Chancellor, University of Moratuwa JVP is blamed.[3][4]
Captain T.E. Nagahawatte Assistant Registrar, University of Peradeniya October 1989 Peradeniya Gunshot JVP is blamed.[8]

Professionals[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
D. C. Athukorale Chief Engineer, Colombo Port Authority 17 November 1988 Welikada Gunshot JVP is blamed.[9]
E. Liayana Pathirana Working Director, Salt Corporation 22 June 1989 Opanayake Gunshot JVP is blamed.[9]
Wijedasa Liyanarachchi Lawyer 2 September 1989 General Hospital, Colombo Multiple injuries resulting from torture Sri Lanka Police is blamed.[10][11]
Dr Gladys Jayawardene Chairperson, State Pharmaceuticals Corporation 12 September 1989 Slave Island, Colombo Gunshot JVP is blamed.[3]

Police and Military officers[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Terrence Perera Deputy Inspector General of Police, Director - Counter Subversive Division 12 December 1987 Battaramulla Shot JVP is blamed.[12]
Bennet Perera Deputy Inspector General of Police, Director, Criminal Investigation Department 1 May 1989 Mount Lavinia Shot JVP is blamed.

Activists[edit]

Victim Position Date Location Method Perpetrator(s)
Daya Pathirana Leader, Independent Students Union, University of Colombo 15 December 1986 Near Bolgoda Lake, Piliyandala Cut-throat JVP led Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) is blamed.[4][13][14][15]
Padmasiri Thrimavitharana Medical student and prominent student activist 22 October 1988 Rathnapura Multiple injuries resulting from torture Pro-government paramilitary squads are blamed.[16]
Nandathilaka Galappaththi Education Secretary and Political Secretary of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 10 September 1989 Mattegoda Multiple injuries resulting from torture Paramilitary squads are blamed.[17]
P. R. B. Wimalarathna Teacher and the leader of the National Center for Workers' Struggle. 19 September 1989 Borella Multiple injuries resulting from torture Paramilitary squads are blamed.[18]

The number of activists killed exceeded 13,000 as the following quote from Barbara Harff, professor of political science emerita at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland showed:

“And on the democratic side, Sri Lanka is one clear case of a democratic regime that in 1989–90 authorized military squads to track down and summarily execute members and suspected supporters of the JVP (Peoples Liberation Party), which had begun its second rebellion that threatened to overthrow the state. Between 13,000 and 30,000 were killed in this politicide...” [19]


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dilrukshi Handunnetti and Ranjith Jayasundera (10 February 2008). "JVP's double take on the 13th Amendment". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ferdinando, Shamindra (23 January 2008). "Political killings: Some intriguing facts". The Island, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jansz, Frederica (15 January 2004). "The JVP's new clothes". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Is the JVP Prepared to Disown its Pol Potist Past". Tamil Times. XVIII (4): 27–28. 15 April 1999. ISSN 0266-4488.
  5. ^ a b Rajasingham, K.T. (12 November 2008). "Rohana Wijeweera's killing - still a mystery". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Richard de Zoysa after 21 years". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  7. ^ "featur03". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  8. ^ Chandraprema, C. A. Sri Lanka: The Years of Terror. The J.V.P. Insurrection 1987-1989.
  9. ^ a b "JVP – A never-ending power struggle". The Nation. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  10. ^ "The Sunday Times Special Assignment". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  11. ^ "LankaWeb news". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  12. ^ Wijesinghe, Geoff. "Sri Lanka's biggest-ever serial killer - Part I: The birth of JVP fear psychosis". Daily News. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  13. ^ Seneviratne, Malinda (15 November 2001). "November is for remembering". The Island, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  14. ^ "15 December 1987". pact.lk. 2009. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  15. ^ "The JVP and 'Pol Potism'". Ilankai Tamil Sangam. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  16. ^ "news10". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  17. ^ "Nandathilaka Galappaththi is the end of an unwavering revolutionary who is dedicated to a socio-political movement". Silumina. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  18. ^ "A man who should be read in the memory of a massacre: PRB Wimalarathna". Silumina. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  19. ^ Harff, Barbara (2017). "Chapter 12: The Comparative Analysis of Mass Atrocities and Genocide". In Gleditsch, N. (ed.). R.J. Rummel: An Assessment of His Many Contributions. Springer. pp. 111–120. ISBN 978-3-319-54462-5.
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