Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna: A Revolutionary Party in Sri Lanka

• Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party, led two insurrections against the Sri Lankan state.

• The party was led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who rebranded it as a critic of corruption and nepotism, and an upholder of rule of law and democratic norms.

• The party’s rise to power in Sri Lanka has disrupted the dominance of politics in post-colonial Sri Lanka.

• The party’s office is located near parliament, but has rarely been close to power in six decades.

• The party’s rise and fall coincide with major changes in Sri Lanka, including President J.R. Jayewardene’s economic reform in 1977 and the 1983 civil war.

• The party’s counter-insurgency response resulted in the death and disappearance of tens of thousands of Sinhala youth.

• After a few years of underground existence, the party resurrected in the 1994 general election, winning one seat.

• The party’s splits allowed it to refashion itself, blurring its past profiles and making a reputation as a critic of corruption and nepotism.