Shantha Bandara
{{short description|Sri Lankan politician (1951-1990)}}
{{About|the student activist|the Member of Parliament|K. W. Shantha Bandara}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shantha Bandara
| image = Shantha Bandara.jpg
| caption =
| party = Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
{{Infobox Military person
| embed = Yes
| embed_title = Military service
| allegiance = Patriotic People's Front (Sri Lanka)
| rank = Commander
}}
}}
Shantha Bandara alias Mahanama (1951−1990) was the first convenor of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF){{cite web | url=http://www.iusfsl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=2&Itemid=3 | title=Our History | publisher=Inter University Students' Federation | year=2010 | accessdate=2010-07-31}} and a key leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Marxist-Leninist political party in Sri Lanka. He was killed in January 1990.
Student activism
Shantha Bandara was a student at University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya campus when he started his political career joining the Samaja Adhyayana Kavaya (Social Studies Circle) of the university.{{cite web | url=http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/11/rebel_with_a_causean_interview.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103211222/http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/11/rebel_with_a_causean_interview.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=November 3, 2009 | title=Rebel with a cause: An Interview with Dayan Jayatilleka | publisher=TransCurrents | year=2009 | accessdate=2010-07-31}} He was instrumental in creating the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) - a major university student union in Sri Lanka - in 1978. He also led a protest against the prevailing United National Party government in 1979. Bandara did not complete his degree.
JVP and insurgency 1987−1989
He joined Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in 1977. After becoming the leader of southern region, he headed the list of candidates of JVP at the Colombo Municipal Council elections. Bandara was a key leader of the unsuccessful JVP insurrection during 1987−1989. He led an unsuccessful attack on Wadduwa Army Camp and many other clandestine operations.{{cite web | url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20040404/issues-4.htm | title=Law closes in on Somawansa | publisher=The Sunday Leader | year=2004 | accessdate=2010-07-31}} In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion at Beliatta. At the time of the arrest, he was ranked No.9 in the JVP hierarchy.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/03/18/fea11.asp | title=JVP fear psychosis - Part VIII: JVP attack on Wadduwa Army Camp foiled | publisher=The Daily News | year=2010 | accessdate=2010-07-31}} He tried unsuccessfully to bribe the guards, but was released four months later{{cite web | url=http://cssaame.dukejournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/9/1/64 | title=Amnesty International report 1989: Sri Lanka | publisher=Amnesty International | year=1989 | accessdate=2010-07-31}} on the promise to cease violence and bring about a settlement. But he reneged on his promise. Eventually, he was killed by the armed forces in January 1990.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.iusfsl.org Official Inter University Students' Federation website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bandara, Shantha}}
Category:Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna politicians