Saman Piyasiri Fernando
Encyclopedia
Saman Piyasiri Fernando aka Keerthi Vijayabahu (died December 29, 1989), was the military wing leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
during the 1987-89 insurrection in Sri Lanka
, the JVP's military wing also known as Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (DJV). Saman Piyasiri a graduate of the University of Kelaniya
, Sri Lanka
later joined the JVP and promoted to the higher ranks of the party, appointed as the militarty wing leader and finally led the party after the death of the founding leader Rohana Wijeweera
.
The Sri Lankan government media released on December 29, 1989, as "the leader of the JVP military wing killed along with four other cadres due to the cross fire between security forces and the JVP at their military wing head quarters, a farm located at Hedigama-Suwarapola, Piliyandala".
According to the Rohan Gunaratna
Saman Piyasiri was killed by a special team along with two other JVP military wing members Ragama Somay and Pathi the Gampaha
district military wing leader. Rohan Gunaratna also stated before his death he managed to deliver a speech to the service personnel around him about the society of Sri Lanka, capitalism
and socialism
. Rohan further stated, but Saman Piyasiri has not given any single information which could harm the party during the interrogation.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa is a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Sri Lanka. The party was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and 1987-89...
during the 1987-89 insurrection in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, the JVP's military wing also known as Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (DJV). Saman Piyasiri a graduate of the University of Kelaniya
University of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
later joined the JVP and promoted to the higher ranks of the party, appointed as the militarty wing leader and finally led the party after the death of the founding leader Rohana Wijeweera
Rohana Wijeweera
Patabendi Don Nandasiri Wijeweera or Rohana Wijeweera was a Sri Lankan Marxist politician and the founding leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna...
.
Notable attacks
The military intelligence of Sri Lanka believes that Saman Piyasiri was masterminded the attacks on military bases and installations during the insurrection.- Katunayake Air-force base and Kotelawala Defence Academy (May 1987).
- Katunayake Air-force base (April 1988).
- Magazine prison break (December 1988).
- Pannala Army detachment (1989).
- Panagoda Army base (1989).
- Police Field Force head quarters, Colombo (1989).
- Number of Police stations.
Death
On December 27, 1989 a special Police team led by SSP Lionel Gunathilake arrested Saman Piyasiri along with his mother and fiancee who is a sister of JVP politburo member Daya Wanniarachchi at Koswatte, Nawala at a rented house owned by Mark Antony Fernando who works at SLBC. According to the police sources, the number of military books found inside the house and some of them are not found in Sri Lankan military libraries.The Sri Lankan government media released on December 29, 1989, as "the leader of the JVP military wing killed along with four other cadres due to the cross fire between security forces and the JVP at their military wing head quarters, a farm located at Hedigama-Suwarapola, Piliyandala".
According to the Rohan Gunaratna
Rohan Gunaratna
Rohan Gunaratna is an international terrorism expert. He is the head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research ] at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore...
Saman Piyasiri was killed by a special team along with two other JVP military wing members Ragama Somay and Pathi the Gampaha
Gampaha
Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka and is the capital of the Gampaha District in Western Province, north of Colombo. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River.-Namesake:...
district military wing leader. Rohan Gunaratna also stated before his death he managed to deliver a speech to the service personnel around him about the society of Sri Lanka, capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
and socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. Rohan further stated, but Saman Piyasiri has not given any single information which could harm the party during the interrogation.
Further reading
- SRI LANKA - A LOST REVOLUTION? The Inside Story of the JVP by Rohan Gunaratna
- Insurgency – 1971 : An Account of the April Insurrection in Sri Lanka by Justice A.C. Alles
- Sri Lanka, the years of terror : The J.V.P. insurrection, 1987-1989 by C.A. Chandraprema