Rohana Wijeweera

Rohana Wijeweera (born circa 1948 – died 1989) leader of JVP, prominant follower of Che Guevara and Sri Lankan revolutionary whose communist views of spreading wealth to the poorer classes earnt him great popularity.

A clever student, he went to Lumumba University to study medicine. He conducted revolutionary activities and felt that the Russian Communist study was not real communism. He was expelled from Russia. He returned to Sri Lanka and gained a large following in his beliefs in helping the poor. He formed the JVP. Like Che Guevara he raised an army but the Government found out and he was not prepared; the 1971 revolution followed: a brief but violent war that claimed 20,000 lives. Wijeweera was imprisoned but in the 1977 elections, J.R Jayawardene promised to release him if he was elected. He was elected and Wijeweera was released. When the constitution changed, J. Jayawardene became President and Wijeweera was offered a chance at democratic elections. The JVP gained many votes in the 1983 elections. However mistreatment of the Tamil minority followed and Jayawardene blamed the JVP and the JVP leaders were captured, Wijeweera escaped. Violence followed and the remnants of the JVP were blamed. When Premadasa came into power, Wijeweera was captured and killed.