Can arsonists be called liberators - Former Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake

Former Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake says the violent incidents of May 9 were not one-off incidents but resulted from the social, religious, cultural and political degradation that has taken place in the country over time.

He believes that the attacks on houses and property on the day did not stem from the attack on the citizen’s struggle at the Galle Face Green but were carried out by political groups with vested interests and international backing.

“For years we have been applauding hate and animosity. This is a society that has learnt to hate along the line of caste and social status. Despite teaching Children the Dhamma in Sunday school we haven’t taught them the true meaning of it. It was all this together that led to the May 9 incidents. From the insurrection in 1971 to the 1988-89 violence, the latest of these violent elements were acted out on the day. Everyone remembers their past. Back then the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) tried to kill me several times. May 9 was an extension of these acts,” he said.

On May 9, Wimalaweera’s residence in Ampara was attacked and suffered significant damages. Though an attempt was made to set fire to the house, it was prevented by the Police in the nick of time. Wimalaweera said the house that was attacked was not one built by him. “It was a house built by D.S Senanayake decades ago. But that attack took place because of the lie spread in the society that Wimalaweera was a thief. The media that has survived by creating public dissent and instigating them are also responsible for these incidents,” he said.

Income

According to Wimalaweera, he has served the people for over 35 years. “Today I have neither a house to live nor a vehicle to travel. Nor do I have an income. There is hardly a difference between me and a pauper,” he said. Wimalaweera claims the house destroyed was renovated by his son having taken a loan.

“I had not spent a rupee on it. He built the house after his wife died at a young age. He has a two-year-old daughter and they lived in this house. Why did they destroy it? Did my son or his child attack protesters at Galle Face? By claiming this house was built through stolen money, they even insulted the memory of my late daughter-in-law. Are these the so-called liberators of our country?” he asked. 

He believes the JVP, the Frontline Socialist Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the United National Party members and certain representatives of the party were behind these acts.

“They kept repeating that Ministers and MPs are thieves day in and day out like a mantra. They spread hatred against us among the people despite not being able to prove these claims. These are just myths and fallacies. I am not claiming that every politician in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is clean as a whistle but have there been no politicians who stole and were corrupt in the past? The majority of this took place between 1977 - 1994. Politicians stole acres of land at the time. But were any of their houses stoned or set on fire?” he asked.

Wimalaweera claims corruption was at an all-time low during the tenure of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “But in the end, they made him to be the biggest crook. I feel saddened by these incidents as I dedicated my life for the service of others,” he said.

Wimalaweera is a politician that emerged from the oppressed and underprivileged class. He was born to a poor family of six children in the village of Madeiyyawa, Kegalle. His parents Podi Nona and Tissa Dissanayake had suffered and toiled hard to feed their brood. Due to many difficulties, Wimalaweera Dissanayake had to stop schooling at the age of 11 and help his parents to earn a living by doing various types of work. It was during this time the family moved to Ampara where he joined his mother at the Hingurana Sugar Company as a labourer at the age of 16 to tend to sugar cane palms and other minor labour work there. How that teenager later went on to become a politician is somewhat of an amazing story.

Toiled

 “No one in my family was involved in politics. My family toiled hard to make a living and even as a child I only faced suffering. At 16 I became a labourer. I would carry a hoe on my shoulder and walk for 15 kilometres a day to get to work after just having a piece of roti and plain tea. I faced poverty, hunger, insults and all injustices a labourer can face in his life. I joined politics to help the people who suffered just as I did. I decided I must take my ordinary level exams. Just three months before the exams I began studying during the nights after working during the day. I managed to get through. But after I failed to find a suitable job I decided I will sit for the Advanced Level examination. I studied hard on my own and was able to get brilliant results,” he said.

Despite being chosen to pursue higher education at the University of Colombo, Wimalaweera said the University wanted him to present his school records of the last five years. Not having attended school sessions during the time, he was left in a conundrum. But failing to back down, he presented his plea to the University Grants Commission and was allowed to attend University. Though the university closed down for three years during 1987 - 1990 due to student struggles, Wimalaweera was nonetheless a notable figure in the University after becoming the Secretary of the Students Union.

Member of Parliament, former Minister of State Wimalaweera Dissanayake

After seven years, Dissnayake passed out and became the Manager of the Ampara Weeragoda Cooperative Society. Later in 1993, he received a teaching post at the Ampara D.S Senanayake National School. Dissanayake then began his political career by contesting for the Damana Pradeshiya Sabha in 1994 going on to become its opposition leader. He goes on to be elected to the Provincial Council and then the parliament.

Crook

“I feel saddened when people accuse me of being a thief or a crook as they seem to forget my service all these years. I worked hard to build schools in the Eastern province that were destroyed in the battle against terrorism and open up schools that were forced to close down. The province was lagging behind other provinces but I helped in its development.

I was able to build roads and provide buses to many villages. I gave them electricity. I spent almost 18 hours a day on the people. I gave jobs to the poor in return for nothing. I never obtained lands despite becoming the Minister of Land. But this is how I was treated in the end,” he said.

“They took the roads I built to come and attack my house. Those who took jobs from me came to watch my misery and enjoy themselves. Should I serve such ungrateful people anymore is the question to be asked” he said.

Dissanayake says though he will not quit politics he has decided to not contest any future election. “I do not intend to live in Ampara either. My son has managed to rebuild part of what was destroyed on May 9. I live in Madiwela now. I have no other assets nor anything else I could give people. I have sacrificed everything for the people during the past 35 years. In the end, I have now become an invalid. I had to undergo a kidney transplant. To secure funds for this I had to sell my vehicle. There is nothing remaining to be done by staying in this government. I will eventually go home after the end of my tenure in Parliament. But I will continue to be involved in politics through the SLPP” he said.

There appears to be anger in his words. According to him, this anger comes due to the false allegations levelled against him.

“The children are not being taught the meaning of Buddhism.Parents keep teaching children to become competitive, to hate and to be envious of others.

Therefore, we have created youth that are passing exams but are failing in life. They have no love, kindness or empathy in their hearts. They speak of system change but they insult their elders. Are these our revolutionaries and liberators? The country had to face the results of creating such a generation on May 9.” he added.

This is article is an English translation of Sureka Nilmini Illangakoon