Ranasinghe Premadasa
Encyclopedia
Ranasinghe Premadasa (June 23, 1924 - May 1, 1993) was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka
from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister
in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene
from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989. He was assassinated in Colombo
in a suicide bombing, by the LTTE
.
caste families who had inherited political power, during and post British colonial rule. He attended St Joseph's College, Colombo which at that time had started an oriental languages course. Richard Ranasingha wished his son to follow this course. He originally planned to be a journalist, and translated an autobiography of Jawaharlal Nehru into Sinhala.
Premadasa was married to Hema Wickrematunge and had three children.Sajith
and daughter Dulanjali and Ranjith, his son, is the MP for Hambantota District
.
. Having realized that the Labour Party in the 1950s didn't have a very promising future, Premadasa joined the moderate United National Party
, and became the first non-Govigama
politician to reach to the highest levels in democratic, post-independence Sri Lanka.
During his tenure as Minister of Broadcasting
in Dudley Senanayake
's cabinet, Premadasa turned Radio Ceylon
, the oldest radio station in South Asia, into a public corporation - the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation on 5 January 1967.
Part of his political program was shelter for the poor, after the United Nations
declared a Year of Shelter. Other policies included Jana Saviya, the instrument he used to help the poor, a foster parents scheme, the Gam Udawa project with which he tried to stir up the stupor in the villages, the mobile secretariat whereby he took the central government bureaucracy to the peasants, the Tower Hall Foundation for drama and music, and the pension schemes he initiated for the elder artistes. On the economic front, the garment industry project that he initiated became a forerunner in earning foreign exchange and provision of employment in the villages. This was just one step in the direction of taking the economy to the outstations.
. When he assumed office, he faced a rebellion in the south from the hardline Sinhala-nationalist, Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
(JVP). The security forces brutally put down the revolt and killed many of its leaders. In the north, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
were facing off against the Indian Peace-Keeping Force. The Indian presence on the island was unpopular, and Premadasa requested India to leave. In order to force IPKF to leave the island, he authorized a clandestine operation to supply arms to LTTE according to the report published by the Srilankan Presidential commission to inquire into the 1992 assassination of one of the senior most officers in the Sri Lankan army, Lt Gen Denzil Kobbekaduwa
. The inquiry also found that Premadasa ordered clandestine supply of arms to LTTE. In the end, LTTE massacred 774 policemen using the same weapons he had given to LTTE (the policemen were asked to surrender to LTTE in Batticaloa at Premadasa's request). After the IPKF left in 1990, the government's war with the LTTE resumed, and resulted in stalemate.
Premadasa is well-known for the unostentatious life led by him in his simple home, away from his luxurious official residence. He perhaps travelled less than any other leading Sri Lankan politician. During his presidency, he also expelled from the UNP his two formidable rivals Lalith Athulathmudali
and Gamini Dissanayake
, who then joined to form the Democratic United National Front
(DUNF). He was found to be involved in the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
by a presidential commission appinted by President
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
.
rally, by an LTTE suicide bomber. Little more than a week before, Lalith Athulathmudali
had also been assassinated. A boy born 4 years later said he is his reborn.
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989. He was assassinated in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
in a suicide bombing, by the LTTE
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
.
Early life
Ranasinghe Premadasa came from a family of modest means, as such his political rise was resented by some of his rivals from the two or three GovigamaGovigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
caste families who had inherited political power, during and post British colonial rule. He attended St Joseph's College, Colombo which at that time had started an oriental languages course. Richard Ranasingha wished his son to follow this course. He originally planned to be a journalist, and translated an autobiography of Jawaharlal Nehru into Sinhala.
Premadasa was married to Hema Wickrematunge and had three children.Sajith
Sajith Premadasa
Sajith Premadasa is a Sri Lankan politician, current deputy Leader of the United National Party , the main Opposition party of Sri Lanka and Member of Parliament for Hambantota District and was the former Deputy Minister of Health in Sri Lanka. He is the son of Ranasinghe Premadasa the former...
and daughter Dulanjali and Ranjith, his son, is the MP for Hambantota District
Hambantota District
Hambantota District is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern Province. It has an area of 2,593 km² and a very dry climate. The district capital is Hambantota town; the administrative headquarters are located there as well as the center of salt production...
.
Political career
Premadasa's entry into politics was made from the Labour Party, then headed by A. E. GoonesinhaA. E. Goonesinha
Alexander Ekanayake Goonesinha was a pioneering trade union leader known as the "Father of the Labour Movement" in Sri Lanka. He was the founder of the Ceylon Labor Party, Sri Lanka's first labor organization and was the First Ceylonese Mayor of Colombo. A. E...
. Having realized that the Labour Party in the 1950s didn't have a very promising future, Premadasa joined the moderate United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
, and became the first non-Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
politician to reach to the highest levels in democratic, post-independence Sri Lanka.
During his tenure as Minister of Broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
in Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...
's cabinet, Premadasa turned Radio Ceylon
Radio Ceylon
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...
, the oldest radio station in South Asia, into a public corporation - the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation on 5 January 1967.
Part of his political program was shelter for the poor, after the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
declared a Year of Shelter. Other policies included Jana Saviya, the instrument he used to help the poor, a foster parents scheme, the Gam Udawa project with which he tried to stir up the stupor in the villages, the mobile secretariat whereby he took the central government bureaucracy to the peasants, the Tower Hall Foundation for drama and music, and the pension schemes he initiated for the elder artistes. On the economic front, the garment industry project that he initiated became a forerunner in earning foreign exchange and provision of employment in the villages. This was just one step in the direction of taking the economy to the outstations.
Presidency
Premadasa met with less success in dealing with Sri Lanka's civil warSri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. When he assumed office, he faced a rebellion in the south from the hardline Sinhala-nationalist, Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa is a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Sri Lanka. The party was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and 1987-89...
(JVP). The security forces brutally put down the revolt and killed many of its leaders. In the north, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
were facing off against the Indian Peace-Keeping Force. The Indian presence on the island was unpopular, and Premadasa requested India to leave. In order to force IPKF to leave the island, he authorized a clandestine operation to supply arms to LTTE according to the report published by the Srilankan Presidential commission to inquire into the 1992 assassination of one of the senior most officers in the Sri Lankan army, Lt Gen Denzil Kobbekaduwa
Denzil Kobbekaduwa
Lieutenant General Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, rcds, psc, SLAC was a highly decorated and respected General in the Sri Lanka army...
. The inquiry also found that Premadasa ordered clandestine supply of arms to LTTE. In the end, LTTE massacred 774 policemen using the same weapons he had given to LTTE (the policemen were asked to surrender to LTTE in Batticaloa at Premadasa's request). After the IPKF left in 1990, the government's war with the LTTE resumed, and resulted in stalemate.
Premadasa is well-known for the unostentatious life led by him in his simple home, away from his luxurious official residence. He perhaps travelled less than any other leading Sri Lankan politician. During his presidency, he also expelled from the UNP his two formidable rivals Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali , PC was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.-Early life and teaching career:Born to a family of Lawyers, his...
and Gamini Dissanayake
Gamini Dissanayake
Lionel Gamini Dissanayake was a prominent Sri Lankan politician and a former presidential candidate and Leader of the Opposition.-Early life:...
, who then joined to form the Democratic United National Front
Democratic United National Front
The Democratic United National Front is a political party in Sri Lanka.At the last legislative elections, held on 2 April 2004, the party was part of the United People's Freedom Alliance that won 45.6 % of the popular vote and 105 out of 225 seats....
(DUNF). He was found to be involved in the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
Assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali, the former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and Deputy Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka was killed at 8:10 p.m. Sri Lanka Time on 23 April 1993 in Kirulapana...
by a presidential commission appinted by President
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
.
Death
Ranasinghe Premadasa was killed on 1 May 1993, during a May dayMay Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
rally, by an LTTE suicide bomber. Little more than a week before, Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali , PC was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.-Early life and teaching career:Born to a family of Lawyers, his...
had also been assassinated. A boy born 4 years later said he is his reborn.