பேச்சு:ரோகண விஜயவீர

He returned to Sri Lanka and gained a large following in his beliefs in helping the poor. On the 14th May 1965 he formed the JVP after a discussion in a house at Akmeemana in Galle district southern Sri Lanka. - - Like Che Guevara he raised an army but the Government found out and he was not prepared; the 1971 uprising followed: a brief but violent struggle that claimed 15,000 lives. Wijeweera was imprisoned but remained a popular figure. - - In the 1977 elections, J.R Jayawardene promised to release him if he was elected. This earned him many votes and when Jayawardene was elected, Wijeweera was released. - - The JVP was offered a chance at democratic elections and gained around 4% of the votes in the 1982 presidential election. However, civil disorder and mistreatment of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka followed. Jayawardene blamed the JVP for this and the leaders of the JVP were captured. Wijeweera managed to escape, but in the violence that followed, Wijeweera was captured and -