Thirty-six years after the death of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Rohana Wijeweera, a remarkable untold story has emerged about how Sri Lankan Army officers secretly protected his family in the dangerous aftermath of his arrest and subsequent death on November 13, 1989.
The Hidden Chapter of Sri Lankan History
While Wijeweera's capture and death during the second JVP insurrection remains well-documented, the fate of his wife and children has been shrouded in mystery. New accounts from military officers involved in the operation reveal an extraordinary tale of humanity amid one of Sri Lanka's most turbulent political periods.
The second JVP uprising, which began in 1987, had plunged the country into unprecedented violence. The insurgency claimed thousands of lives and created a climate of fear across the island. When Wijeweera was finally captured, his family faced immediate danger from multiple quarters – both from government forces seeking revenge and from JVP factions who might have viewed them as liabilities.
Military Officers' Moral Dilemma
According to recently revealed testimonies, several army officers found themselves facing a profound moral dilemma following Wijeweera's death. Despite being involved in operations against the JVP, these officers recognized that the leader's wife and children posed no threat and deserved protection rather than persecution.
The officers, whose identities remain protected for security reasons, made the unprecedented decision to secretly safeguard Wijeweera's family. This decision required careful planning and significant personal risk, as protecting the family of a prominent insurgent leader could have been viewed as treason by their superiors and colleagues.
The Protection Operation
The protection operation involved relocating Wijeweera's wife and children to secure locations away from public attention. Military sources indicate that the family was moved multiple times to ensure their safety, with officers using their own resources and networks to provide shelter, food, and basic necessities.
The complexity of this operation cannot be understated. Sri Lanka in 1989 was a country under siege, with multiple armed conflicts raging simultaneously. The JVP insurrection in the south coincided with the ongoing civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north and east. In this environment of mistrust and violence, protecting any high-profile family required extraordinary measures.
Risks and Challenges
The officers involved faced numerous challenges in their covert protection mission. They had to maintain absolute secrecy while ensuring the family's basic needs were met. Any leak of information could have resulted in attacks on the family or severe punishment for the officers themselves.
Additionally, the officers had to navigate the complex political landscape of post-insurrection Sri Lanka. The government was conducting extensive operations to eliminate remaining JVP cells, and any association with Wijeweera's family could have been misinterpreted as collaboration with insurgents.
Historical Context and Significance
This revelation adds a crucial humanitarian dimension to the narrative of the JVP insurrection. While the period is primarily remembered for its violence and political upheaval, the story of these officers demonstrates that individual acts of compassion persisted even in the darkest times.
The second JVP insurrection, which lasted from 1987 to 1989, resulted in an estimated 60,000 deaths. The insurgency was characterized by brutal tactics on both sides, with the JVP targeting government officials and suspected informants, while security forces responded with equally harsh measures.
Legacy and Lessons
The protection of Wijeweera's family represents a rarely documented example of military personnel acting beyond their official duties to uphold humanitarian principles. This story challenges simplified narratives about the conflict and highlights the complex moral choices individuals faced during this period.
For contemporary Sri Lanka, this account serves as a reminder that even during the most divisive periods, there were individuals who chose compassion over revenge. The officers' decision to protect an enemy's family demonstrates values that transcend political divisions.
Ongoing Relevance
As Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its complex political history, stories like this provide important lessons about reconciliation and human dignity. The revelation that army officers protected Wijeweera's family offers a counter-narrative to the cycle of violence that characterized the insurrection period.
This untold story also raises questions about how many other acts of humanity occurred during Sri Lanka's conflicts but remain undocumented. It suggests that beneath the official histories of violence and retribution, there may be numerous examples of individuals choosing to protect rather than persecute their perceived enemies.
The emergence of this story thirty-six years later demonstrates the importance of preserving and sharing these hidden chapters of history, as they provide crucial context for understanding both the conflicts themselves and the possibility for reconciliation in their aftermath.