Who Is Anura Kumara Dissanayake? Sri Lanka’s New President

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has been elected as Sri Lanka’s new President. He won with 42% of the vote, surpassing rivals Sajith Premadasa and outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Early Life and Political Beginnings

1. Humble Origins:

Born to a lower-middle-class family in Thambuttegama village, Anura Kumara Dissanayake worked his way up through education, earning a science degree from the University of Kelaniya.

2. Student Activism:

Dissanayake began his political career as a student leader, actively participating in JVP’s 1987–1989 anti-government uprising.

Rise in Politics

3. Key JVP Role:

He rose to become the national organizer of the Socialist Students Association in 1995 and later joined JVP’s political bureau.

4. First Parliamentary Role:

In 2000, Dissanayake became a Member of Parliament, later opposing peace negotiations with the Tamil LTTE rebels.

Key Political Stances

5. Alliance with Mahinda Rajapaksa:

Dissanayake’s JVP supported Mahinda Rajapaksa’s anti-ceasefire campaign in the 2004 elections, opposing the LTTE’s demands.

Stance on Buddhism and Ethnic Minorities

6. Buddhist Nationalist Support:

He strongly supports protecting Buddhism’s place in the Constitution, gaining favor from Buddhist monks.

7. Warnings to Tamil Voters:

He urged Tamil voters not to oppose changes sought by southern Sri Lanka, warning that it could affect their standing with the majority.

Relations with India and Tamil Ethnic Issues

8. Anti-India Sentiments:

Dissanayake’s party has opposed Indian influence in Sri Lanka and has rejected attempts to return Katchatheevu island to India.

9. Opposition to Tamil Autonomy:

Dissanayake opposes devolving power to Tamil provinces and was against the Indo-Lanka Accord, which granted more control to Tamil regions.

Backing the Military

10. Support for Armed Forces:

Dissanayake has consistently backed the military and opposed international investigations into war crimes during the civil war with the LTTE.

Economic Policies and IMF Stance

As the new President, Dissanayake has expressed intentions to renegotiate the terms of Sri Lanka’s IMF bailout package, creating uncertainty around the future economic direction of the country.