Harsha Abeywardena
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Harsha Abeywardena | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the United National Party | |
| General Secretary of the United National Party | |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 23 December 1987 |
| Party | United National Party |
| Occupation | Politician |
Harsha Deva Abeywardena (c. 1950 – 23 December 1987) was a Sri Lankan politician who held senior organisational office in the ruling United National Party (UNP), serving as the party's General Secretary and later as its chairman. A close political ally of President J. R. Jayewardene, he was assassinated in Wellawatte during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection.
Political career
[edit]Abeywardena held two of the UNP's principal organisational offices. He served as General Secretary of the party,[1] and subsequently as chairman, a post concerned with the party's day-to-day affairs, which he had held for about four years by the time of his death.[2] He was re-elected Chairman at the UNP's annual convention shortly before he was killed.[2]
Following the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in July 1987, the UNP leadership became a target of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), whose military wing, the Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (DJV), assassinated numerous party organisers during the ensuing insurrection.[3]
Death
[edit]On 23 December 1987, Abeywardena was shot dead by gunmen in the Colombo suburb of Wellawatte; three others, including his driver, were also killed.[4][2] He was 37.[2] The killing was attributed to the JVP and was followed by a state funeral held under tight security. His death was one of a series of attacks on senior UNP figures, including the assassination of General Secretary Nandalal Fernando in May 1988.[5]
Several men were later indicted over the killing and tried in Colombo High Court No. 2 before Judge T. B. Weerasuriya, with Senior State Counsel Nihara Rodrigo and State Counsel Asoka Weerasooriya appearing for the State and the accused defended by Ananda Wijesekera PC.[6][7] The proceedings were disrupted when several of the accused died before the case concluded.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Thalatha becomes first-ever female General Secretary of a major party". Daily Mirror. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Police arrest 25 people in connection with assassination". United Press International. 24 December 1987.
- ↑ Handunnetti, Dilrukshi; Jayasundera, Ranjith (10 February 2008). "JVP's double take on the 13th Amendment". The Sunday Leader.
- ↑ "UNP Chairman Gunned Down". Tamil Times. VII (2): 3. January 1988. ISSN 0266-4488.
- ↑ "Wajira says JVP killed over 1,900 UNPers". The Island. Sri Lanka. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- 1 2 Hoole, Rajan (30 August 2014). "Discrepancies in Proceedings: The Harsha Abhayawardena Case". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ Kirinde, Chandani (27 September 2009). "It was a time of giants and gentlemen". The Sunday Times. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
