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Rohana WijeweeraSri Lankan Marxist politician, founder of the People's Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna).
Date of Birth: 14.07.1943
Country:  Sri Lanka |
Content:
- Rohana Wijeweera: Founder of the JVP
- Early Life and Education
- Political Activism
- April Revolution and Imprisonment
- Second Insurrection and Assassination
Rohana Wijeweera: Founder of the JVP
Rohana Wijeweera, a prominent Sri Lankan Marxist politician, was born on July 14, 1943 in southern Sri Lanka to a member of the Ceylon Communist Party.
Early Life and Education
Wijeweera attended school and later joined Ambalangoda College in 1959. In September 1960, he traveled to the USSR, where he enrolled at the University of Peoples' Friendship and worked on a collective farm in Moldova. However, illness forced him to take an academic break in 1963, prompting his return to Sri Lanka.
Political Activism
Upon his return, Wijeweera joined a pro-Chinese communist group following a split in the Ceylon Communist Party. This resulted in his visa to the USSR being revoked. On May 15, 1965, he founded the Marxist political party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Wijeweera actively engaged in political lectures to mobilize support for his cause.
April Revolution and Imprisonment
In 1971, Wijeweera led an unsuccessful insurrection known as the April Revolution. He was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. During his sentencing, he delivered a famous speech, invoking Fidel Castro's words, "You can kill us, but you cannot kill our voice." Wijeweera was released in 1977 by an opposition political party that came to power.
Second Insurrection and Assassination
From 1987 to 1989, Wijeweera led a second JVP insurrection. However, in November 1989, he was fatally shot. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unresolved, with rumors of him being killed or burned alive after being captured by the Sri Lankan army, while the defense minister claimed a fellow captive had murdered him.
