Premawathie Manamperi

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Premawathi Manamperi (1949–17 April 1971) was a young woman from Kataragama, Sri Lanka. She was crowned beauty queen in 1970. Police arrested her on suspicion of leading a rebel group that disturbed the country in 1971. Later that year, she was handed over to the army where she was tortured, raped and paraded naked through the streets,^[1] and then burnt alive before finally being murdered by a gunshot to her head. Her death is a prominent event in Sri Lankan crime history.^[2][3]

Early life[]

Premawathi was the oldest daughter of Hendrick Appuhamy, a watcher in the Department of Wildlife in Devatagama, Kataragama. She had ten brothers and sisters.^[4]

She subsequently undertook the Dharmacharya examination and passed it with a distinction and had the opportunity to work as a Dhamma Teacher at the Kataragama Dhamma School.^[5]

In 1970 she was crowned Princess of the Year at a festival in Kataragama.^[6]

Death[]

On 5 April 1971, JVP insurrection started and Kataragama was a center of insurgent activity. The small Kataragama police station, under Sub Inspector Udawatte, was attacked several times by insurgents causing the police to withdraw from Kataragama. Colonel Derrick Nugawela was appointed military coordinating officer of the Hambantota District on 11 April 1971 and began organising military units in the area to counter the insurgents and reestablish government control in the district. Having entered and established control of the town of Tissamaharama, a platoon of troops from the Gemunu Watch held by Lieutenant Alfred Wijesuriya, a volunteer officer, moved to Kataragama on the 16 April under the orders of Colonel Nugawela. They entered Kataragama and established a camp at the Kataragama Pilgrim's Rest with limited opposition. Inspector Udawatte and his policemen were ordered to move into the army camp, as the police station was damaged in the attacks. On 16 April Inspector Udawatte and three police constables came in a jeep and arrested Premawathie at her home. That day several girls, including Premawathi, who were believed to be involved with the rebels were arrested.^[6][7]

Premawathi was tortured through the night but revealed nothing about her activities. Infuriated, the lieutenant made Premawathi take off her clothes, raise her hands, and ordered her to walk across the town nude whilst being beat by him and another officer. She walked towards Kataragama. Finally stopping near a post office, the officers opened fire, killing her. The lieutenant ordered the girl's body to be buried. That task was assigned to a man named Aladdin from Kataragama.^[8]

Aladdin, along with several other men, dug a hole and prepared to bury her, but she was not yet dead and could not be buried alive. Recognising Aladdin, Premawathie took off her earrings and asked her mother to give them to her sister. She ultimately died from a bullet to the head from a rifle of an unknown soldier, who walked up to her and shot her in the head. ^[6]

Aftermath[]

The body of Premawathie Manamperi was exhumed on May 24, 1971, and an inquest was held. The case was later referred to the Galle Criminal Court by the Hambantota Magistrate. Accordingly, the case was heard by a Supreme Court Judge, D.Q.M. Sirimanne.^[5] The 22 years old Premawathie's murder suspects Lieutenant Alfred Wijesuriya and Amaradasa Ratnayake a member of the volunteer force were brought into trial and found guilty for attempted murder on the 17 April 1971 by shooting her with Sterling sub-machine guns, an unidentified soldier shot her head with a rifle to death. The two accused were sentenced to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment in 1973.^[9] Wijesuriya, who was serving a 16-year sentence, died of a heart attack a year later in prison. Later in 1988 Ratnayake was killed at his home in Devinuwara by the suspected JVP hit team at Matara as a punishment for the murder of Premawathie.^[5]

1977 election[]

Her murder attracted national attention and was a major issue addressed in the 1977 election. UNP candidate J. R. Jayewardene discussed the attack in great detail and condemned Sirimavo Bandaranaike's handling of the crime to discredit his opponent.

Legend[]

Baila singer Anton Jones wrote and sang a song about Premawathi. In 2001, a film was made based on her story with Sangeetha Weeraratne playing the role of Premawathi.^{[citation needed]}

Further reading[]

• Justice A.C. Alles (1979). Insurgency – 1971 : An Account of the April Insurrection in Sri Lanka (Third printing ed.). The Colombo Apothecaries' Co. Colombo.
• Gunaratna, Rohan (1990). Sri Lanka - A Lost Revolution? The Inside Story of the JVP. Institute of Fundamental Studies. ISBN 955-26-0004-9.

References[]