Jump to content

Wimal Weerawansa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Gayannr (talk | contribs) at 02:53, 6 August 2015 (removed alias names used for political hate speech). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Honourable
Wimal Weerawansa
Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities
Leader of the National Freedom Front
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 May 2008
Member of Parliament
for Colombo
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 October 2000
Personal details
Born (1970-03-07) March 7, 1970 (age 54)
Kalutara
CitizenshipSri Lanka Sri Lankan
Political partyJathika Nidahas Peramuna (2008 - Present)
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (1988 - 2008)
Other political
affiliations		United People's Freedom Alliance (2004 2005, 2008 - Present)
SpouseSashi Weerawansa
OccupationPolitician

Wimal Weerawansa (Sinhala:විමල් වීරවංශ ) 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]

Publications

  • Garu Kathanayaka Thumani [12][13] - Excerpts of speeches delivered by Weerawansa in the Parliament
  • Naththa Wenuwata Aththa [14] - Controversial revelations about the split in the JVP.

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 confrimed that Mrs. Shashi Weerawansa had used a fraud date of birth in getting this government issued identifications.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.kalaya.org/files2/i100714.pdf
  2. ^ "BBCSinhala.com". Bbc.co.uk. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Wimal Weerawansa cofirms his suspension in an emotional speech in the Parliament". Asian Tribune. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Wimal Weerawansa's Speech at The Parliament". Lankapuvath.lk. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  5. ^ "BBCSinhala.com". Bbc.co.uk. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  6. ^ "The Sunday Leader Online". Thesundayleader.lk. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  7. ^ http--www.slelections.gov.lk-pdf-GE2010_preferences-Colombo_pref_GE2010.pdf
  8. ^ Thamby7 (8 July 2010). "Minister Wimal Weerawansa to start fast unto death from today in front of the UN Complex". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 27 August 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "BBCSinhala.com | Sandeshaya | Int. with Minister Weerawansa". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  10. ^ Iqbal Athas (10 July 2010). "Former Sri Lankan Cabinet member ends 'fast unto death' - CNN". Articles.cnn.com. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Wimal calls for boycott of US products | The Sunday Leader". Thesundayleader.lk. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  12. ^ "Sri Lanka Political News | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers". Dailynews.lk. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  13. ^ http://www.wimalweerawansa.net/Wimal%20Book%20page%20WEB_re.pdf. Retrieved 27 August 2012. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ "The Island-News". Island.lk. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  15. ^ http://www.adaderana.lk/news/30880/shashi-weerawansas-passport-and-nic-forged-cid-informs-court

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Wimal_Weerawansa&oldid=674781172"