Champika Ranawaka

Honourable Ir
Patali Champika Ranawaka
පාඨලී චම්පික රණවක
Ministry of Power and Energy
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 January 2015
President Maithripala Sirisena
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
Preceded by Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi
Minister of Environment & Natural Resources
Ministry of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy
Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament
for Colombo
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 April 2010
Personal details
Born 4 August 1965
Sri Lanka
Nationality Sri Lankan
Political party Jathika Hela Urumaya
Alma mater University of Moratuwa
Taxila Central College, Horana
Occupation Politician
Profession Electrical & Power Engineer
Religion Theravada Buddhism
Website www.champikaranawaka.net

Ranawaka Arachchige Patali Champika Ranawaka (Sinhala: පාඨලී චම්පික රණවක; born 4 August 1965) is a MP in Sri Lanka, and an Electrical Engineer by profession. Champika held Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources, Power and Energy and Technology, Research and Atomic Energy in the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa.[1]

Champika Ranawaka entered the University of Moratuwa, to study engineering, in 1984. As a university student he was involved in political activities. Initially, he aligned with Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a revolutionary Marxist party. However, he ideologically shifted towards Sinhala Buddhist nationalism later on and aligned with Jathika Chinthana group. Due to his involvements with JVP, who had been engaged in an uprising against the United National Party (UNP) government then, Champika Ranawaka was arrested and detained.

After released, Champika Ranawaka formed "Janatha Mithro" (People’s friends) group, which is generally regarded as Sri Lanka's first green party, and helped Chandrika Kumaratunga to power in 1994. Then he joined Sinhala Nationalists Thilak Karunaratne and S.L. Gunasekara to form Sihala Urumaya, a Sinhala nationalist party. Sihala Urumaya was later dissolved to found Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) to facilitate Buddhist monks entering the parliamentary in 2004.

JHU supported Mahinda Rajapakse in 2005 presidential election. Champika Ranawaka became a prominent figure in the presidential campaign. He was appointed to the cabinet as the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in 2007. In 2010, he was given the post of minister of Power and Energy and finally the ministry of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy.

Over the past two decades, Champika Ranawaka emerged as one of the prominent Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist leaders of Sri Lanka. He is quite vocal against Tamil Separatism and Islamic fundamentalism. However in 2015, Athuraliye Ratana Thero, currently an MP representing JHU, revealed that their party had never spoken of a Sinhala Buddhist base.[2]

Early life

Champika Ranawaka entered Taxila Central College, Horana after being qualified from the Scholarship Examination. Been an all-rounder at different extra curricular activities, Champika got qualified from G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination ranking first from the Kalutara district to the Engineering faculty of the University of Moratuwa. In 1988 he was graduated with a bachelor degree in Electrical and Power Engineering. Ranawaka was writing articles to the newspaper in which the 'unofficial' editor was Prof. Nalin de Silva.Also, he wrote to the newspaper Vidusara, alias 'Sapumal Senanayake'[3]

He was an activist in the student movements in Sri Lanka during the late 1980s and was a member of the pro-J.V.P. student union. Quitting J.V.P. due to political and visionary reasons he formed the Non-political organization called, 'Janatha Mithuro' with some of his colleagues like Ven.Athuraliye Rathana Thero, Nishantha Warnasinghe and Malinda Seneviratne. 'Janatha Mithuro' was criticized for its right-wing anti-Tamil ideology and actions.[4] In the 1993 presidential elections they backed the People's Alliance headed by Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Member of Parliament

When the JHU joined the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2007 they were offered a cabinet ministerial position. Since an ordained monk could not hold such a position Rev.Dr.Omalpe Sobhitha Thero resigned from his seat in parliament thus making way for Ranawaka to be nominated to parliament as a national list MP (appointed by the party and not elected). Ranawaka then accepted the post of minister of environment and natural resources.

Minister Ranawaka contested the 2010 General Election under the UPFA from Colombo District and was placed third place by obtaining 120,333 votes securing membership in the Sri Lanka Parliament.[5]

Allegations of racism

In 2008 Ranawaka called the Muslim community in Sri Lanka 'outsiders' sparking widespread protests.[6]

Criticism of international interventions

Ranawaka has also been critical of international intervention in Sri Lanka stating that anyone who takes action against Sri Lanka will be supporting terrorism.[7] In April 2011 Ranawaka called the United Nation's report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka 'diplomatic terrorism'.[8] Ranwaka has also opposed airstrikes against Libya.[9]

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/01/29/news23.asp
  2. ↑ "Executive presidency will remain, Ven. Rathana thera". ceylontoday. January 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ http://www.champikaranawaka.com/common/pdf/paper_articles/kaalaya_saha_awakaashaya_01.pdf
  4. ↑ "Sri Lanka: State-owned newspaper publishes death threat against SEP". World Socialist Website.
  5. ↑ Official Website
  6. ↑ "Muslims protest 'racist' remarks". BBC.
  7. ↑ "Champika: Action Against SL Will Be Supportive Of Terrorists". The Sunday Leader.
  8. ↑ "UN unleashes diplomatic terrorism". Daily News.
  9. ↑ "Air strikes against Libya wrong". Daily News.

External links