Wimal Weerawansa

Honourable
Wimal Weerawansa
MP
Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities
In office
14 April 2010 – 09 January 2015
Leader of the National Freedom Front
Assumed office
14 May 2008
Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament
for Colombo District
Assumed office
2000
Personal details
Born Weerasangili Panikkiyalage Wimalasena
(1970-03-07) March 7, 1970
Kalutara
Citizenship Sri Lanka Sri Lankan
Political party Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (2008 - Present)
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (1988 - 2008)
Other political
affiliations		 United People's Freedom Alliance (2004 - 2005, 2008 - Present)
Spouse(s) Sashi Weerawansa
Occupation Politician
Religion Buddhist

Wimal Weerawansa, MP (Sinhala:විමල් වීරවංශ; born Weerasangili Panikkiyalage Wimalasena (Sinhala:වීරසංගිලි පනික්කියලාගේ විමලසේන; March 7, 1970) is the former Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities in United People's Freedom Alliance Sri Lankan government. After the defeat of former President Mahinda Rajapakshe in the 2015 presidential elections, he remains active in politics and is currently a member of parliament.

Early life

Weerawansa Studied at Kalutara Tissa Central College, Kalutara. He was a team member of the school cricket team. Being attracted to the politics, he joined Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in 1980s when he was schooling at Kalutara Tissa Central College. Later, he worked as a political columnist and cartoonist at the Lakmina newspaper with the alias name "Wimalasiri Gamlath".[1]

Politics with JVP

He was entered into politics through the JVP in 1988 and rocketed to the position of Propaganda secretary. He fell out of favor with top JVP leadership as he insisted publicly that the party should support the Rajapaksa government during its military campaign against the LTTE. However the JVP's inability to impose its will on the president on key policy matters such as the number of ministerial portfolios forced them to oppose the government. The JVP declared that its parliamentary members would abstain from voting for the government budget proposals for the year 2008.[2] The government which did not have a majority at the time was at the risk of losing its budget proposals in a vote, which would require a general election to be held according to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. On April 2008, Weerawansa made an "emotional" speech at the parliament that the party leadership is planning to remove his membership. He alleged that a conspiracy within the party by Western agents led him to be sidelined.[3][4] However, some of the JVP's MPs including Wimal Weerawansa (at the time parliamentary group leader of the party) and Nandana Gunathilake (the JVP presidential candidate for 1999 presidential election) publicly voted in favor of the government while emphasizing the need to support the government war effort to defeat the LTTE. Despite not having JVP's support, the government managed to pass the budget proposal bill in the parliament with help from MPs that joined the government from the opposition After its futile attempt, JVP charged Wimal Weerawansa with corruption, extramarital relationships and espionage (though the JVP leadership and politburo never presented any credible evidence similarly to many of its allegations and conspiracy theories). After an arbitrary investigation by the JVP, he was "expelled" from his positions and party membership.[5] Consequently, 10 party MPs, including Weerawansa, have decided to function as an independent group in the Parliament.

Post JVP politics

JVP suffered major setbacks in following elections, in which it had lost over 70% of the seats held from previous elections, and currently has itself relegated to the status of a minority party with little political leverage. On May 2008, Weerawansa formed a new political party named Jathika Nidahas Peramuna[6] Weeransa played a key role in president Mahinda Rajapaksa's the 2010 presidential election campaign against Sarath Fonseka. He was re-elected in 2010 general election with highest number of preferential votes in Colombo District.[7]

Controversies

Hunger strike on UN

On July 8, 2010 Weerawansa and his party colleagues started a Hunger strike in front of the Colombo UN office to protest against the "Experts Panel" appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.[8][9] With the intervention of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Weerawansa gave up his 'Fast unto Death' after 2 days.[10]

Calls to boycott US products

On March 2012 while addressing a rally minister Weerawansa said that Sri Lankans should boycott American products in protest against the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council. Further he added "I will stop using my gmail account. Let us boycott Pepsi, Coca Cola, Google and McDonalds".[11]

Police investigation

Weerawansa was seen in CID few times facing charges against him and his wife for illegal actives namely getting a fraud diplomatic passport and national identification card for his wife and issuing 6 houses for his close relatives from his ministry during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. CID has confirmed that Mrs. Shashi Weerawansa had used a fraudulent date of birth in getting this government issued identifications.[12]

Spreading communalism

Weerawansa has been accused of spreading communalism and hatred by various people and organizations.The Puravesi Balaya (Citizen’s Power) Organisation have accused Weerawansa of ‘stirring ethnic fires’ and Prof Sarath Wijesuriya called Weerawansa "a sick idiot who spreads communalism" and a "pseudo-patriot".[13][14][15] Weerawansa was also against the Sri Lankan anthem being sung in Tamil and gave a very inaccurate and ill informed speech which was criticized by D.B.S Jeyaraj.[16]

Publications

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.kalaya.org/files2/i100714.pdf
  2. ↑ "BBCSinhala.com". Bbc.co.uk. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  3. ↑ "Wimal Weerawansa cofirms his suspension in an emotional speech in the Parliament". Asian Tribune. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  4. ↑ "Wimal Weerawansa's Speech at The Parliament". Lankapuvath.lk. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  5. ↑ "BBCSinhala.com". Bbc.co.uk. 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  6. ↑ "The Sunday Leader Online". Thesundayleader.lk. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  7. ↑ http--www.slelections.gov.lk-pdf-GE2010_preferences-Colombo_pref_GE2010.pdf
  8. ↑ Thamby7 (2010-07-08). "Minister Wimal Weerawansa to start fast unto death from today in front of the UN Complex". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  9. ↑ "BBCSinhala.com | Sandeshaya | Int. with Minister Weerawansa". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  10. ↑ Iqbal Athas (2010-07-10). "Former Sri Lankan Cabinet member ends 'fast unto death' - CNN". Articles.cnn.com. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  11. ↑ "Wimal calls for boycott of US products | The Sunday Leader". Thesundayleader.lk. 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  12. ↑ http://www.adaderana.lk/news/30880/shashi-weerawansas-passport-and-nic-forged-cid-informs-court
  13. ↑ "Weerawansa a sick idiot who spreads communalism – Sarath Wijesuriya". www.slguardian.org. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  14. ↑ "Defeated politicos ‘stirring ethnic fires’ -Puravesi Balaya". www.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  15. ↑ "" Weerawansa Destroyed Mahinda Rajapaksa" – Prime Minister". www.asianmirror.lk. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  16. ↑ "Singing the National Anthem in Tamil Hailing "Mother Lanka" as "Sri Lanka Thaaye"". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  17. ↑ "Sri Lanka Political News | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers". Dailynews.lk. 2010-02-25. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  18. ↑ (PDF) http://www.wimalweerawansa.net/Wimal%20Book%20page%20WEB_re.pdf. Retrieved 2012-08-27. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ "The Island-News". Island.lk. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  20. ↑ "wimalweerawansa.lk" (PDF).
  21. ↑ "Adaderana". 2015-10-22. Retrieved 01/03/2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

External links

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