- D.M. Ananda
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D.M. Ananda Born Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nandasena
1954
Wariyapola, Sri LankaNationality 
Sri LankanOther names Amal Mahattaya Alma mater University of Peradeniya Occupation Politician, Revolutionary Political party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nandasena alias D.M. Ananda alias Amal Mahattaya (1954–1989) was a senior leader and a politburo member of the Jantha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) during the 1987-89 insurrection.[1] A hard working man, D.M. Ananda had slaved indefatigably to build up the movement. He was captured and killed by the government forces in 1989.
Contents
Early life
D.M. Ananda was a native of Wariyapola, North Central Province.[1] He graduated in Arts form the University of Peradeniya in 1980. He entered the University as Buddhist monk and later gave up robes to engage in political activities.[1]
Student Leader
During his University days D.M. Ananda was a fervent student activist. He was the President of the Socialist Students Union, which is the student arm of the JVP, and the Secretary of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF).[1] He came into real prominence during the countrywide protest against White Paper on Educational Reforms, which were put forward by the government of Sri Lanka, in 1981. As the chief organizer of this campaign, which was largely steered by the JVP, he took thousands of University and school students to the streets.[2] The protest was a major success as J.R. Jayawardane, the President of Sri Lanka, was compelled to shelve the reforms.
As a result of this campaign the JVP was able to draw a large number of radical youths to the movement. D.M. Ananda was widely recognized as a capable organizer within the party. He became the key link between the JVP and the student activists in the Universities. In fact, University students played the most vital part of the 1987-89 insurrection, and many of the party’s leaders were University students or former students.
Rise in the Party
By in 1985, some of the top leaders had left the party including Lionel Bopage, Daya Wanniarachchi, Vaas Thilakaratne and Mahinda Pathirana. Therefore, some young leaders such as D.M. Ananda, H.B. Herath and Shantha Bandara had the opportunity to move up in the party hierarchy. D.M. Ananda was appointed to the politburo of the JVP.[3] He was placed as the political leader of Western Zone which included Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces.[4] In addition, three of the five frontal organisations of the party were under the leadership of D.M. Ananda: Students, Bhikku and Women.[4]
Generally, the politburo of the JVP is at the apex of the party power structure. It is the party’s main decision making body and consisted of the 12 top most members. During the proscription, politburo members came to a decision not to gather in full session as a safety measure; they got together in two’s or three’s. Once again, D.M. Ananda played the key role here by conveying the decisions from one gathering to another.
Due to these reasons, the importance of D.M Ananda within the party tremendously increased. During 1987-89 insurrection he was generally regarded as the rank no. 3 in the JVP after Rohana Wijeweera and Upatissa Gamanayake.[1] However, the movements of Wijeweera and Gamanayake, who were the only known leaders to the public by then, were severely restricted after the proscription of the party in 1983. Both of them were not in the eyes of the junior party comrades. This made D.M. Ananda the single most powerful person or functionally the no.1 in the JVP. This is not to say Wijeweera was superseded as the charismatic leader of the party; but D.M. Ananda's sphere of responsibility in the organization was much larger than Wijeweera's.[5]
Capture and Death
Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) of the Sri Lankan Army was able to arrest one Raja Mahattaya, who was the Colombo District division 2 leader, in October 1989. D.M. Ananda was there too where Raja Mahattaya was captured; but he had left the place few hours early. However, through the information received from Raja Mahattaya, RDF was able to trace and arrest him near Eheliyagoda. After the capture D.M. Ananda was held at Mattegoda Army camp. After weeks of interrogation and possibly torture, he divulged one important JVP hideout: Araliya Estate in Galaha. A party led by Col. Janaka Perera were able to arrest politburo members Piyadasa Ranasinghe and H.B. Herath at this place which lead to the subsequent arrest of the JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera in Ulapane.[5][6]
What happened to D.M. Ananda is largely unknown. It is widely believed that he has been killed during the captivity.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e C.A. Chandraprema (1991), Sri Lanka, The Years of Terror - The JVP Insurrection, 1987-1989, Lake House Bookshop,ISBN 955-9029-03-7, p.10
- ^ Rohan Gunaratne (1990), Sri Lanka, a Lost Revolution? - The Inside Story of the JVP, Institute of Fundamental Studies, ISBN 955-2600-04-9, p.38
- ^ C.A. Chandraprema (1991), Sri Lanka, The Years of Terror - The JVP Insurrection, 1987-1989, Lake House Bookshop,ISBN 955-9029-03-7, p.6
- ^ a b C.A. Chandraprema (1991), Sri Lanka, The Years of Terror - The JVP Insurrection, 1987-1989, Lake House Bookshop,ISBN 955-9029-03-7, pp.16-17
- ^ a b C.A. Chandraprema (1991), Sri Lanka, The Years of Terror - The JVP Insurrection, 1987-1989, Lake House Bookshop,ISBN 955-9029-03-7, pp.302-304
- ^ "Suppression of JVP Terror and Premadasa Regime" by Leslie Fernando, Sunday Observer, 07.02.2010 [1]
Further Reading
- C.A Chandrapream (1991), Sri Lanka, the Years of Terror - The JVP Insurrection 1987-1989, Lake House Bookshop, ISBN 955-9029-03-7[2]
- Rohan Gunaratne (1990), Sri Lanka, a Lost Revolution? - The Inside Story of the JVP, Institute of Fundamental Studies, ISBN 955-2600-04-9 [3]
- A.C. Alles (1990), The JVP 1969-1989, A.C. Alles, ISBN 955-9520-33-2 [4]
Categories:- 1954 births
- Living people
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