From 1977 to 1994, the Bandaranaike and Rajapaksa factions of the SLFP were unable to defeat the UNP government. The JVP, even through armed struggle, could not destabilize the UNP government.
In 1994, the SLFP and the JVP adopted a new slogan to defeat the UNP: “Against corruption and terror.” Although J.R. Jayewardene deployed the army to suppress the JVP’s armed rebellion, the SLFP and the JVP accused him of being responsible for killings.
Despite the JVP being blamed for the killing of Vijaya Kumaratunga, his wife Chandrika Kumaratunga claimed he was killed under the Premadasa government. Similarly, although Velupillai Prabhakaran was blamed for assassinations such as Lalith Athulathmudali, General Kobbekaduwa, Vijaya Wimalaratne, Ranjan Wijeratne, and former Navy Commander Clancy Fernando, the SLFP and the JVP attributed responsibility to the UNP leadership.
Ranil Wickremesinghe and other UNP ministers were also accused of human rights abuses, including allegations that youth were burned in torture chambers such as Batalanda. While the SLFP promoted these claims publicly, the JVP helped spread them among the people.
Eventually, the SLFP and JVP united and defeated the UNP in the 1994 Southern Provincial Council elections. Chandrika Kumaratunga, leading the SLFP-led alliance, promised to establish a Presidential Commission to investigate these alleged killings. After becoming President, she appointed Sarath Silva as Attorney General and tasked him with leading such investigations. These commissions contributed to her political success, including her re-election.
In 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa, with JVP support, won the presidential election by highlighting the violence and assassinations of 1988–89.
From 1994 to 2015, the UNP struggled to defeat the SLFP. In 2015, with JVP support, the UNP adopted a new slogan: “Catch the thieves; end the culture of murder.” By then, the JVP had split, with one faction supporting Mahinda Rajapaksa and another aligning with Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During the 2015 campaign, the UNP and JVP accused Mahinda Rajapaksa’s family of corruption and linked them to high-profile killings, including those of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda, and rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. These allegations influenced public opinion, leading to the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa and the election of Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate, with Ranil Wickremesinghe becoming Prime Minister.
After forming the government, investigations into alleged corruption and killings were assigned to Shani Abeysekara. Having joined the police in 1986 and later the Criminal Investigation Department in 1999, he was tasked with leading major investigations following discussions among Maithripala, Ranil, Chandrika, and JVP leaders.
However, political divisions soon emerged. Maithripala Sirisena, seeking support for the 2019 presidential election, was accused of protecting Gotabaya Rajapaksa from investigation. At the same time, internal conflicts weakened the UNP, and the opposition gained strength.
Following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory in 2019, several investigators faced consequences. Nishantha de Silva, a police officer working under Shani, fled the country with sensitive investigation files. Shani Abeysekara was later suspended, arrested, and detained during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While in custody, his lawyers warned that he was at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to exposure to infected detainees. He eventually contracted the virus and was reportedly in critical condition, further compounded by serious health issues, including heart problems, without adequate medical care.
During this period, opposition figures, including Sajith Premadasa and other SJB MPs, spoke out in his defense. However, the JVP remained largely silent.
Despite previously supporting the JVP, Shani faced severe personal and professional consequences. He had believed that under reformist leadership he could carry out investigations freely. Instead, he was suspended, imprisoned, and placed in life-threatening conditions.
After Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s political rise, Shani was reappointed as Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, resuming investigations into past allegations involving the Rajapaksa family. These developments have been interpreted by some as part of a broader political strategy that has placed the opposition in a difficult position.
