Somawansa Amarasinghe

Somawansha Amarasinghe (1 January 1943 – 15 June 2016)[1] was a Sri Lankan politician, and who was the 4th leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, after Rohana Wijeweera, Saman Piyasiri Fernando and Lalith Wijerathna.[2]

Somawansha Amarasinghe
සෝමවංශ අමරසිංහ
4th Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
In office
1 January 1990 – 2 February 2014
Preceded byLalith Wijerathna
Succeeded byAnura Kumara Dissanayaka
Personal details
Born1 January 1943
Payagala, Kalutara
Died15 June 2016 (aged 73)
Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Political partyJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna
People’s Servants Party
EducationKalutara Vidyalaya
OccupationPolitician

He was the leader of People’s Servants Party, established on June 2016, until his death.

Personal life

Amarasinghe was a past pupil of Kalutara Vidyalaya, and was born in 1943[3] as the youngest in a family of four elder brothers and three sisters in Payagala, Kalutara. His father was John Amarasinghe, who first served in the police and later joined the Department of Irrigation, and his mother was a housewife. Before joining JVP, he served as a technical officer in Colombo Irrigation Department office and other branches at Galle, Kalmunai, Bibile and Rajangana. His wife was Srimathie Chitraganie Somawansa.[4] His son is Isuru Amarasinghe, who currently lives in England.

Political start

With the JVP classes conducted by Danoris Aiya in 1969, he was influenced to become one of the leading political figures in Sri Lanka. He joined JVP in 1969, where he was very popular as Siri ayya alias Uncle Reggie alias Reginald Patrick among members. During many political meetings, he wore long-sleeved shirts and was well fluent in English. He conducted many rallies and maintained regular contacts with human rights, cultural and media circles all around Colombo, becoming prospects of future JVP hands. In JVP Insurrection of 1971, he was arrested and detained at the prison, being guilty for carrying the bag of bombs, where he met Wijeweera for the first time. Amarasinghe was also the best friend of Wijeweera in his last days.[4]

Under rebels

Amarasinghe became a Politburo Member of the JVP in 1984.[2] With insurrection starting in the late 1980s, his wife and son were sent to Japan in April for safety, but returned home in September of the same year. But on many occasions, he sent his family to many parts of the world many times for safety. He stayed with his JVP friends until Wijeweera was captured and other leaders were killed by the government. Matale Wicky alias Selva helped him escape in late 1990 from Sri Lanka.[4]

Comeback

He returned to Sri Lanka in 1994 after all the JVP inner circle leaders were killed and government has changed. He rebuilt the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna after fourteen of its top leaders were eliminated in 1989/1990.[5] He continued to be the leader until his retirement in February 2014.[6][7]

Late career and death

After his resignation from the JVP due to many political disputes,[8] he formed his own party with name People’s Servants Party in June 2015.[2][9]

Amarasinghe died at the age of 73 on 15 June 2016 at his brothers' residence, where he was living after leaving JVP, in Rajagiriya.[2][10] The cause was a stroke; he earlier had a heart attack.[11]

The biographical film of Rohana Wijeweera's late life titled Ginnen Upan Seethala screened in 2019 on the silver screen. The film was directed by Anurudha Jayasinghe and popular actor Sujeewa Priyalal played Amarasinghe's role.[12]

References
  1. "Somawansa no more". Daily Mirror. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  2. "Former JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe passes away". Ada Derana. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  3. "Death of Somawansa Amarasinghe". Daily News. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  4. Wickremaratne, Dharman (24 April 2016). "Interesting Facts about JVP's Somawansa Amarasinghe!". Think Worth. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  5. "Former JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe Passes Away". Hiru News. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  6. "Somawansa Amarasinghe to form new party". News First. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  7. "Somawansa Amarasinghe concludes fast". News First. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  8. "Former JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe passed away". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  9. "Somawansa Amarasinghe Passes Away". Asian Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  10. "Somawansa Amarasinghe no more". The Nation. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  11. "Court orders remains of Somawansa be handed over to relatives", by Lakmal Sooriyagoda, Daily News
  12. "A film adaptation of Rohana Wijeweera's life". Front Page. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Lalith Wijerathna		 Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
1 January 1990 - 2 February 2014		 Succeeded by
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
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