The Entire Nation Paid a Heavy Price for Jayewardene’s Lust for Power: JVP General Secretary

11-Oct-2025

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Although false propaganda was spread claiming that the “Black July” riots were orchestrated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the truth is that we ourselves were gravely affected by those riots, said JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva. 

He pointed out that because of the lust for power of one individual—J. R. Jayewardene—the entire nation, north, east, and south alike, paid a heavy price without exception.

He made these remarks while addressing a discussion held on October 9, 2025, at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium in Colombo, organized by the People’s Union for Democratic Rights. The event discussed the investigative book “The Seven Days of Black July 1983 that Shook the Nation”, written by Nandana Weeraratne and translated into Tamil by Manoranjan.

Tilvin Silva further said:

“This book on Black July contributes to revealing the truths of history that were either hidden or distorted. Various conflicting opinions continue to circulate about the 1983 Black July riots. Similarly, the 1988–1989 uprisings are branded as ‘JVP uprisings’. But in truth, we were not the ones who initiated those uprisings; on the contrary, we were deeply victimized by them.

Likewise, I was personally affected by the Black July violence. At that time, I was the JVP’s full-time district organizer for Kalutara, based in Beruwala. However, following the riots, our party was banned. Consequently, our political activities were crippled, forcing us to continue our work in secrecy.

President J. R. Jayewardene wanted to establish an authoritarian government. To achieve that, he resorted to oppressing the Tamil people and promoting Sinhala nationalism. Furthermore, through constitutional reform, he introduced the Executive Presidency system, concentrating all powers in one individual. The Prevention of Terrorism Act introduced at that time remains in force even today, although our government has taken necessary steps to repeal it. All forms of repression against us and the people were deliberately and systematically carried out.

At the same time, narratives were aggressively spread claiming that the JVP was behind the Black July riots. I do not know if the Tamil people still believe that we (the JVP) were responsible. Later, the United National Party also spread propaganda that we maintained links with the northern militant movements. There is a serious contradiction between these two claims. Thus, it was due to the power-hungry ambitions of one man—J. R. Jayewardene—that the entire country, regardless of region, paid an immense price,” he concluded.