Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Encyclopedia
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was the President of Sri Lanka
from May 1, 1993 to November 12, 1994, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
from March 3, 1989 to May 7, 1993 and the Governor of North Western province
, Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1989.
Buddhist family living on the outskirts of the then Udunuwara Parliamentary seat in the Kandy District
of the Central Province in Sri Lanka. On completion of his secondary education at St. Andrew's College, Gampola
, he joined the Co-operative Department as an Inspector.
. A. Ratnayake who was then Minister of Food and Co-operatives in the D.S. Senanayake
Cabinet took him as his Private Secretary.
He joined the United National Party
in 1946. He entered Parliament for the first time when he successfully contested the Udunuwara electorate at the 1965 general election
and quickly made a reputation for himself as an excellent Member of Parliament who constantly worked for the welfare of his electors. In terms of meeting the needs of his constituents, he was considered the most effective MP in that Parliament.
He lost the Udunuwara electorate in 1970
but was returned to Parliament in the 1977 UNP landslide
, being appointed Cabinet Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the J.R. Jayewardene
administration. During this regime Wijetunga functioned in various ministerial capacities holding the portfolios of Posts and Telecommunication, Power, Highways and Agricultural Development.
He served briefly as the Governor of North Western province
in 1988 before returning to Parliamentary politics a few months later. In the last general election
he contested he secured the largest number of preferential votes in the Kandy District.
. Party heavyweights such as Gamini Dissanayake
and Lalith Athulathmudali
were overlooked apparently because the President favoured a deputy who had no further political ambitions. He also held the Ministries of Finance and Labour and Vocational Training in addition to being the State Minister of Defence in the Premadasa administration.
As Prime Minister Wijetunga performed the role expected of him by the President to perfection, playing second fiddle to the charismatic Premadasa. Within the party however there was a simmering winter of discontent, as cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament found themselves powerless as the iron-fisted President used wide executive authority to centralize power to his office.
The former Prime Ministerial aspirants and arch rivals Dissanayake and Athulathmudali united to lead an abortive attempt to impeach the President. Both of them were expelled from the party and consequently lost their Parliamentary seats.
Athulathmudali was shot dead in April 1993 while campaigning for the Provincial Council elections. The killing provoked widespread protests against the government and allegations were hurled at the President for complicity in the assassination. A week later President Premadasa was also murdered in Colombo
on May Day 1993 in a suicide bombing widely considered to be an act of the Tamil Tigers
. Wijetunga became acting President until Parliament convened to elect a successor to the slain President under the terms of the Constitution.
Wijetunga was elected unanimously by Parliament to complete the remainder of Premadasa's term and was sworn in as the fourth executive President on May 7, 1993.
In a moving farewell speech to Parliament Wijetunga cited Shakespeare's oft-quoted line "Do not be afraid of greatness, Some men are born great, Some achieve greatness, And some have greatness thrust upon them."
His rule also coincided with the rise of Chandrika Kumaratunga
within the ranks of the SLFP. For some of the elite the daughter of two Prime Ministers was a refreshing contrast to the humble village peasant in President Wijetunga.
He did not believe that peace could be achieved by negotiating with the LTTE. His rather hawkish approach to the ethnic conflict also made him unpopular especially among the minorities who traditionally backed his party. The Eastern Province was liberated from the LTTE during his tenure except Thoppigala.
After a decisive defeat in the Southern Provincial Council Election in 1994, he dissolved parliament prematurely in June that year, in a desperate bid to stem the rising wave of popularity of Chandrika Kumaratunga.
However his party was defeated in the 1994 general election
and Wijetunga graciously appointed Kumaratunga as Prime Minister. Even though under the constitution, Wijetunga was bestowed with wide powers, he wisely chose not to exercise much authority, letting the Prime Minister manage the affairs of the country.
He decided not to contest the presidential election. He relinquished office in November 1994 after Kumaratunga was elected President
by an unprecedented majority.
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
from May 1, 1993 to November 12, 1994, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is the functional head of the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. However, the President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka...
from March 3, 1989 to May 7, 1993 and the Governor of North Western province
North Western Province, Sri Lanka
North Western Province is a province of Sri Lanka. The districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam formulate Wayamba. Its capital is Kurunegala, which has a population of 28,571. The province is known mainly for its numerous coconut plantations. Other main towns in this province are Chilaw and Puttalam...
, Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1989.
Early life
Wijetunga was born to a middle class SinhalaSinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
Buddhist family living on the outskirts of the then Udunuwara Parliamentary seat in the Kandy District
Kandy District
Kandy District is a district of the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Its area is 1906.3 km². The capital of the district is Kandy.- Demographics :...
of the Central Province in Sri Lanka. On completion of his secondary education at St. Andrew's College, Gampola
Gampola
Gampola is a town located near Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Gampola was made the capital city of the island by King Buwanekabahu IV, who ruled for four years in the mid fourteenth century. The last king of Gampola was King Buwanekabahu V. He ruled the island for 29 years. A separate...
, he joined the Co-operative Department as an Inspector.
Political career
He closely associated with veteran politicians like George E. de Silva and A. RatnayakaA. Ratnayaka
Abeyratne Ratnayaka was a Sri Lankan politician. He was the first Cabinet Minister of Food, Co-operatives and Home Affairs in independent Ceylon and the last President of the Senate of Ceylon, a Member of Parliament & State Council. He received his primary education at Dharmaraja College Kandy...
. A. Ratnayake who was then Minister of Food and Co-operatives in the D.S. Senanayake
Don Stephen Senanayake
Don Stephen Senanayake was an independence activist who served as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1947 to 1952.-Early life:...
Cabinet took him as his Private Secretary.
He joined the United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
in 1946. He entered Parliament for the first time when he successfully contested the Udunuwara electorate at the 1965 general election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1965
-Background:The SLFP government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike lost its majority in December 1964 when some MPs deserted it over the nationalization of Lakehouse Newspapers....
and quickly made a reputation for himself as an excellent Member of Parliament who constantly worked for the welfare of his electors. In terms of meeting the needs of his constituents, he was considered the most effective MP in that Parliament.
He lost the Udunuwara electorate in 1970
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1970
-Background:SLFP leader Sirimavo Bandaranaike had come to the conclusion that her party's best hope of power was forming a permanent alliance with Ceylon's Marxist parties. She assembled the SLFP, the Trotskyist LSSP, and the Communists into the United Front coalition...
but was returned to Parliament in the 1977 UNP landslide
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1977
The 1977 Sri Lankan election heralded the beginning of a new period of Sri Lanka's history - a period of unprecedented violence.-Background:Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but was...
, being appointed Cabinet Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the J.R. Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
administration. During this regime Wijetunga functioned in various ministerial capacities holding the portfolios of Posts and Telecommunication, Power, Highways and Agricultural Development.
He served briefly as the Governor of North Western province
North Western Province, Sri Lanka
North Western Province is a province of Sri Lanka. The districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam formulate Wayamba. Its capital is Kurunegala, which has a population of 28,571. The province is known mainly for its numerous coconut plantations. Other main towns in this province are Chilaw and Puttalam...
in 1988 before returning to Parliamentary politics a few months later. In the last general election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1989
Sri Lanka had not had a parliamentary election since 1977. The elections that should normally have been held by 1983 had been cancelled by the 1982 referendum.President Ranasinghe Premadasa called the election for February 15.-Electoral District:...
he contested he secured the largest number of preferential votes in the Kandy District.
Prime minister
Wijetunga was surprisingly appointed Prime Minister in 1989 by President Ranasinghe PremadasaRanasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989...
. Party heavyweights such as Gamini Dissanayake
Gamini Dissanayake
Lionel Gamini Dissanayake was a prominent Sri Lankan politician and a former presidential candidate and Leader of the Opposition.-Early life:...
and Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali , PC was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.-Early life and teaching career:Born to a family of Lawyers, his...
were overlooked apparently because the President favoured a deputy who had no further political ambitions. He also held the Ministries of Finance and Labour and Vocational Training in addition to being the State Minister of Defence in the Premadasa administration.
As Prime Minister Wijetunga performed the role expected of him by the President to perfection, playing second fiddle to the charismatic Premadasa. Within the party however there was a simmering winter of discontent, as cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament found themselves powerless as the iron-fisted President used wide executive authority to centralize power to his office.
The former Prime Ministerial aspirants and arch rivals Dissanayake and Athulathmudali united to lead an abortive attempt to impeach the President. Both of them were expelled from the party and consequently lost their Parliamentary seats.
Athulathmudali was shot dead in April 1993 while campaigning for the Provincial Council elections. The killing provoked widespread protests against the government and allegations were hurled at the President for complicity in the assassination. A week later President Premadasa was also murdered in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on May Day 1993 in a suicide bombing widely considered to be an act of the Tamil Tigers
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
. Wijetunga became acting President until Parliament convened to elect a successor to the slain President under the terms of the Constitution.
Wijetunga was elected unanimously by Parliament to complete the remainder of Premadasa's term and was sworn in as the fourth executive President on May 7, 1993.
In a moving farewell speech to Parliament Wijetunga cited Shakespeare's oft-quoted line "Do not be afraid of greatness, Some men are born great, Some achieve greatness, And some have greatness thrust upon them."
President
As president, Wijetunga set about his work in his own simplistic, inimitable fashion. After the authoritarian Premadasa, Wijetunga ushered in a more political free era.His rule also coincided with the rise of Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
within the ranks of the SLFP. For some of the elite the daughter of two Prime Ministers was a refreshing contrast to the humble village peasant in President Wijetunga.
He did not believe that peace could be achieved by negotiating with the LTTE. His rather hawkish approach to the ethnic conflict also made him unpopular especially among the minorities who traditionally backed his party. The Eastern Province was liberated from the LTTE during his tenure except Thoppigala.
After a decisive defeat in the Southern Provincial Council Election in 1994, he dissolved parliament prematurely in June that year, in a desperate bid to stem the rising wave of popularity of Chandrika Kumaratunga.
However his party was defeated in the 1994 general election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1994
The Sri Lankan parliamentary election of 1994 marked the decisive end of 17 years of UNP rule and a revival of Sri Lankan democracy.-Background:Democracy in Sri Lanka had seemed doomed as the presidencies of J.R...
and Wijetunga graciously appointed Kumaratunga as Prime Minister. Even though under the constitution, Wijetunga was bestowed with wide powers, he wisely chose not to exercise much authority, letting the Prime Minister manage the affairs of the country.
He decided not to contest the presidential election. He relinquished office in November 1994 after Kumaratunga was elected President
Sri Lankan presidential election, 1994
The Sri Lankan presidential election of 1994 was the third presidential election of Sri Lanka. Nominations were accepted on 7 October 1994, and the election was held on 9 November 1994. Electoral participation was 70.47%...
by an unprecedented majority.
Death
D.B. Wijetunga died after a prolonged illness around 9.30 am on September 21, 2008 at Kandy General Hospital.External links
- Dingiri Banda Wijetunga – the journey to greatness by M.B. Dassanayake
- Sri Lankan Daily News Editorial on Sep 22, 2008
- A rare politician with exemplary qualities
- A president and gentleman
- President D.B. Wijetunga – An end of an era
- President D. B. Wijetunga The final journey
- Website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Presidents of Sri Lanka
- Rivira Katu Satahana in Sinhala
- Biography Sri Lankan Daily News on the 23 of september