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{{Infobox terrorist attack
| title = 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament
| image = Sri_Lanka_Parliament_location.jpg
| caption = The location of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which is situated on an island in the Diyawanna Oya
| location = [[Parliament of Sri Lanka]], [[Sri Jayawardenepura]]
| coordinates = {{coord|6.887174|N|79.918646|E|display=inline,title}}
| date = {{Start date|1987|08|18}}
| time = 9:00am
| timezone = [[UTC]]+5.50
| type = [[Hand grenade|Grenade attack]]
| fatalities = 2
| injuries = 16
| perps = {{flagicon image|Red flag.svg}} [[Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya]]
}}

The '''1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament''' is an attack that took place on August 18, 1987, when an assailant hurled two [[Hand grenade|grenades]] into a room where [[Member of Parliament (Sri Lanka)|Members of Parliament]] were meeting. The grenades bounced off the table at which [[Sri Lanka]]n President [[J. R. Jayawardene]] and Prime Minister [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] were sitting, and rolled away. A Member of Parliament and a ministry secretary were killed by the explosions.

A subsequent police investigation concluded that the grenades had been thrown by a member of the banned [[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]] (JVP) organization, which was [[Insurrection 1987-89|staging a rebellion]] in the country at the time. Five members of the JVP were eventually put on trial for the attack, but were acquitted due to lack of evidence. It is believed the attack targeted President Jayawardene for his signing of the [[Indo-Sri Lanka Accord]] a few weeks earlier. The initial responsibility for the attack was claimed by an organization named [[Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya|Patriotic People's Movement]] better known as the DJV.

==Background==
{{main|1987-1989 JVP insurgency}}
{{further information|Indian Peace Keeping Force}}
Beginning in 1983, [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|Tamil militants]] began a [[Sri Lankan Civil War|war of insurrection]] with the objective of establishing an independent [[Tamil Eelam|Tamil nation]] in the north and east of Sri Lanka. 6,000 people had died as a result of the conflict by 1987. In May 1987, the [[Sri Lanka Army]] launched a [[Vadamarachchi Operation|major offensive]] to defeat the Tamil rebels; the operation was a success, and the rebels were cornered in a small part of the [[Jaffna Peninsula]]. Sri Lankan military commanders believed that they would be able to totally defeat the militants within a few weeks. However, the [[Indian government]] became increasingly involved in the conflict, because southern India was the home of 50 million [[Tamil people|Tamils]]. As the Sri Lankan army was closing in on the rebels, India Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] ordered an [[Operation Poomalai|airdrop of materials]] to the besieged rebels, which Sri Lankan president [[J. R. Jayawardene]] termed a “naked act of aggression” by India.

Faced with the prospect of Indian military involvement to support the militants, Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayawardene was pressured into signing the [[Indo-Sri Lanka Accord]] on July 29, 1987. It called for Tamil rebels to lay down their arms, in exchange for limited autonomy in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Jayawardene also agreed to have India send troops to Sri Lanka to enforce the accord.<ref name='ap-attack'>{{cite news | title=Sri Lanka Attack Misses President; 1 Killed, 14 Hurt | date=1987-08-19 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/19/world/sri-lanka-attack-misses-president-1-killed-14-hurt.html?scp=10&sq=sri+lanka&st=nyt | newspaper = The New York Times | accessdate = 2009-07-04|url-access=registration}}</ref> The accord proved highly unpopular amongst both the [[Sinhalese People|Sinhalese groups]] and the [[Tamil People|Tamil groups]] in the country, who saw it as a sellout to India, and the [[Indian Peace Keeping Force|Indian troops]] as an expansionist force.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kodikara|first=Shelton|title=The Continuing Crisis in Sri Lanka: The JVP, Indian Troops, and Tamil Politics|publisher=University of California press|date=July 1989|journal=Asian Survey|pages=716–724}}</ref>

As [[Rajiv Gandhi]] was leaving Sri Lanka following the signing of the accord, a member of the honor guard stuck him in the head with a rifle butt. Gandhi was not hurt in the incident. The guard was later found to be a member of the outlawed [[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]], a [[far-left]] organisation that was staging a rebellion in mostly south of the country, still there were also members in the north.<ref name='ap-attack'/>

The JVP secondly attacked a government-broadcasting center and stole a radio set.{{sfn|Guneratne|1990|p=271}}

==Grenade attack==

The first session of [[Parliament of Sri Lanka|Parliament]] after the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was due to be held on August 18, 1987.<ref name='ap-attack'/> Before the convening of Parliament, the bi-weekly Government Parliamentary Group meeting was held in Committee Room A of the Parliament Complex. Approximately 120 legislators were at the meeting, which started at 8.40am.<ref name='ap-attack'/> The group initially observed two minutes of silence in memory of Jinadasa Weerasinghe, the [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Tangalle]], who had been assassinated a few days earlier by the JVP.<ref name='island-escape'>{{cite news | title = The day Parliament was bombed | access-date = 2021-03-28 | url = http://www.island.lk/2006/09/24/features2.html | work = The Island.lk | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2015-07-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150710055209/http://www.island.lk/2006/09/24/features2.html }}.</ref> As MP A. D. B. Ekanayake was speaking to the group, an assailant in the adjoining room hurled two grenades at the head table where the President [[J. R. Jayawardene]] and Prime Minister [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] were sitting. The grenades bounced off the table, and rolled close to the table where National Security Advisor [[Lalith Athulathmudali]] and Matara District Minister [[Keerthisena Abeywickrama]] were seated, and exploded in front of them.<ref name='island-escape'/>

According to a government press officer who was at the meeting, pandemonium reigned following the explosions. He said some legislators thought Parliament was under attack.<ref name='island-escape'/> Using wooden chairs, they broke the thin plate glass overlooking the Parliament lawn to escape the room, and were immediately bundled into cars and driven away.<ref name='island-escape'/>

Member of Parliament for the [[Matara District]] [[Keerthisena Abeywickrama]], whose face was blown off due to the explosion, was carried outside and rushed to hospital, but died on the way there.<ref name='island-escape'/> Norbert Senadeera, an official with the Parliament staff, died later of a [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|shrapnel]] wound to the head.<ref name='island-escape'/><ref name='daily-bombing'>{{cite news|last=Wickramaratna|first=Dharman|title=Bomb attack on Parliament |date=14 Nov 2014|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/bomb-attack-parliament |work=Daily News |accessdate=2021-03-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628205707/http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features%2Fbomb-attack-parliament |archive-date=2015-06-28 }}</ref> Sixteen others were injured in the attack, including National Security Advisor [[Lalith Athulathmudali]], Prime Minister Premadasa and Ministers [[Gamini Jayasuriya]], [[Montague Jayawickrama]], and [[E. L. B. Hurulle]].{{sfn|Pfaffenburger|1988|page=7}}<ref name='daily-bombing'/> President J. R. Jayewardene escaped injury.<ref name='ap-attack'/>

Although initial reports indicated that gunfire had preceded the attack,<ref name='ap-attack'/> no shots were fired during the incident.<ref name='island-escape'/>

==Aftermath of attack==

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene blamed "terrorists" among the Sinhalese population for the incident. He also appealed for calm in the country, and called the attack an "attempt to destroy the parliamentary democratic system of the country".<ref name='ap-attack'/>

A day after the attack, the [[BBC]] reported that the [[Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya]] (DJV), which would later be identified as the military wing of the [[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]], claimed responsibility.{{sfn|Weisman|1987a}} They also distributed leaflets in [[Colombo]], calling on "patriotic people in the armed forces" to resist "Indian expansionism", and calling President Jayewardene "a traitor whose death would be welcome". They also told the BBC they were seeking revenge for Jayewardene's "betrayal of Sinhalese interests in granting greater political autonomy to ethnic Tamil areas".{{sfn|Weisman|1987b}}

==Investigation==

Although the [[Sri Lanka Police|Police]] sealed off the Parliament building following the attack, initial reports stated that the assailant fled in the panic that followed the explosions.<ref name='ap-attack'/> No arrests were made immediately following the attack.{{sfn|Weisman|1987a}}

Subsequent investigations suggested that Ajith Kumara, an activist of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna who was working for a private catering service inside parliament, had thrown the grenades into the committee room. He was friendly with most of those working in the complex and had access to the room from where the bombs were flung. Kumara disappeared immediately after the incident. A Million LKR ($35,000) bounty was placed on his head, but he evaded arrest for several months. He was however subsequently arrested on April 8, 1988, when he tried to flee from police who were conducting an unrelated search for illegal liquor in [[Naula]]. The Police did not realize who he was until they conducted further investigations.<ref name='island-escape'/>

==Trial==
[[Image:Lanka99-01-jvp4.jpg|thumb|200px|After their insurrection was crushed in 1989, the JVP was decriminalized, and they entered mainstream politics in the 1990s]]
After his arrest, Ajith Kumara, along with four others, were charged with carrying out the grenade attack. They were indicted on ten counts, including [[conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] to commit the murder of President J. R. Jayawardene; and attempting to commit the murder of Lalith Athulathmudali.<ref name='daily-bombing'/> In court, State Counsel Palitha Fernando claimed Kumara was a member of the [[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]] (JVP), which was a banned organization at the time, and that the JVP ordered the attack as a result of President Jayawardene’s decision to deploy the [[Indian Army]] in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Kumara held in the maximum security [[Welikada Prison]] throughout his trial.<ref name='daily-bombing'/>

On October 12, 1990, the Colombo High Court at Bar delivered a unanimous verdict acquitting Kumara, the first accused, and M. Jayasiri Gunawardena, the fifth accused, due to lack of evidence. Delivering the verdict, High court judge Ananda Grero said the prosecution had not proved the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The three other suspects had previously been acquitted on October 4.<ref name='daily-bombing'/> During the trails, the defendants were represented by future Minister [[Susil Premajayantha]] and diplomat [[Mangala Moonesinghe]].<ref name='daily-bombing'/>

Ajith Kumara was ultimately released on August 6, 1993. He entered politics afterwards, becoming an active member of the JVP, which had since been decriminalized. He later became a JVP politbureau member, Pradeshiya Sabha member and unsuccessful [[Chief Minister]]ial candidate of the JVP for the 1999 [[Sabaragamuwa Province|Sabaragamuva Provincial Council]] elections.<ref name='daily-bombing'/>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
*{{cite news | title=Stunned Sri Lanka Studies Parliament Attack | date=1987a | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/20/world/stunned-sri-lanka-studies-parliament-attack.html?scp=15&sq=sri+lanka&st=nyt | newspaper = [[New York Times]]| last = Weisman| first = Steven R. | access-date = 2021-03-24 }}
*{{cite news | title=India's Aid To Tamils Is 'Aggression' To Sri Lanka | date=1987b | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/07/weekinreview/india-s-aid-to-tamils-is-aggression-to-sri-lanka.html | newspaper =New York Times | last = Weisman | first = Steven R. | access-date = 2009-07-04}}
*{{Cite journal|title=Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP|last=Pfaffenburger|first=B.|journal=[[Asian Survey]]|volume=28|number=2|date=1988|page=137-147|doi=10.2307/2644815|jstor=2644815|jstor-access=free}}
*{{cite book|last=Guneratne|first=Rohan|title=
Sri Lanka, a Lost Revolution?: The Inside Story of the JVP|year=1990|publisher=Institute of Fundamental Studies|isbn=9552600049}}

==External links==
{{url|jvpsrilanka.lk/english}}, Official website of the JVP

{{JVP}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sri Lankan Parliament attack}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Explosions in 1987, Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1987, Terrorist attacks attributed to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Failed assassination attempts in Asia, Attacks on legislatures, J. R. Jayewardene, August 1987 events in Asia, 1987 murders in Asia, 1987 murders in Sri Lanka, 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, Battles and Operations of the Second JVP insurrection, Grenade attacks, Indian Peace Keeping Force
|description=
}}

[[Category:Explosions in 1987]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1987]]
[[Category:Terrorist attacks attributed to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]]
[[Category:Failed assassination attempts in Asia]]
[[Category:Attacks on legislatures]]
[[Category:1987 in politics|Grenade attack]]
[[Category:J. R. Jayewardene]]
[[Category:August 1987 events in Asia]]
[[Category:1987 murders in Asia]]
[[Category:1987 murders in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:1987–1989 JVP insurrection]]
[[Category:Battles and Operations of the Second JVP insurrection]]
[[Category:Grenade attacks]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]

1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament - Revision history

MetaBOT at 15:23, 8 July 2023