View source for Douglas Devananda

{{short description|Sri Lankan politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable|Hon.]]
| name                = Douglas Devananda
| native_name         = டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா <br /> ඩග්ලස් දේවානන්ද
| honorific-suffix    = [[Member of Parliament|MP]]
| image               = Douglas Devananda 2014.jpg
| image_size          = 240px
| caption             = Devananda in 2014
| order               = [[Ministry of Fisheries (Sri Lanka)|Minister of Fisheries]]{{Efn|[[Ministry of Fisheries (Sri Lanka)|Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources]] from 22 November 2019 to 12 August 2020.}}
| office              = 
| term_start          = 22 November 2019
| term_end            = 23 September 2024
| president           = [[Gotabaya Rajapaksa]] <br> [[Ranil Wickramasinghe]]
| primeminister       = [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] <br> [[Ranil Wickramasinghe]] <br> [[Dinesh Gunawardena]]
| predecessor         = [[P. Harrison]]
| successor           = [[Anura Kumara Dissanayake]]
| office1              = [[Ministry of Resettlement|Minister of Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs]]
| term_start1          = 29 October 2018
| term_end1            = 15 December 2018	
| president1           = [[Maithripala Sirisena]]
| primeminister1       = [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]]
| predecessor1         = [[D. M. Swaminathan]]
| successor1           = [[Ranil Wickremesinghe]]
| office2              = [[Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development|Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development]]
| term_start2          = 23 April 2010
| term_end2            = 12 January 2015	
| president2           = [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]]
| primeminister2       = [[D. M. Jayaratne]]
| predecessor2         = [[Sarath Amunugama]]
| successor2           = [[Risad Badhiutheen]]
| office3              = [[Ministry of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage|Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare]]
| term_start3          = 23 November 2005
| term_end3            = 23 April 2010
| president3           = [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]]
| primeminister3       = [[Ratnasiri Wickremanayake]]
| predecessor3         = [[Nimal Siripala de Silva]]
| successor3           = [[Felix Perera]]
| office4              = Minister of Development, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction of the North and North Eastern Provinces, Agricultural Marketing Development, Tamil and Hindu Affairs, Tamil Language Schools and Vocational Training for the North
| term_start4          = 19 October 2000
| term_end4            = 19 November 2005
| president4           = [[Chandrika Kumaratunga]]
| primeminister4       = [[Ratnasiri Wickremanayake]]<br> [[Ranil Wickramasinghe]] <br> [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]]
| predecessor4         = [[M. H. M. Ashraff]]
| successor4           = [[Chandrasiri Gajadeera]]
| constituency_MP5    = [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]]
| parliament5         = Sri Lanka
| term_start5         = 16 August 1994
| term_end5           = 24 September 2024
| predecessor5        = 
| successor5          = 
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1957|11|10}}
| birth_place         = 
| nationality         = [[Sri Lanka]]n
| party               = [[Eelam People's Democratic Party]]
| otherparty          = [[United People's Freedom Alliance]]
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
| residence           = 121 Park Road, [[Colombo]] 05, [[Sri Lanka]]
| alma_mater          = [[Jaffna Central College]]<br />[[Colombo Hindu College]]
| occupation          = 
| profession          = 
| footnotes           = {{Notelist}}
| website             = [http://www.douglasdevananda.org www.douglasdevananda.org]
}}
'''Kathiravelu Nythiananda Devananda''', commonly known as '''Douglas Devananda''' ({{langx|ta|டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா}}), is a [[Sri Lankan Tamil]] politician, [[Cabinet of Sri Lanka|Cabinet Minister]] and leader of the [[Eelam People's Democratic Party]].<ref name="ts1">{{cite news|url=http://www.epdpnews.com/Media |title='LTTE usurped Lankan Tamils' identity' |publisher=The Statesman |date=10 February 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220214845/http://www.epdpnews.com/Media%20Release/The%20Statesman%2010.02.2007.html |archive-date=20 February 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref> Originally a [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|Sri Lanka Tamil militant]] who fought against the [[Sri Lankan government]] for an [[Independence|independent]] [[Tamil Eelam]], he became a pro-government paramilitary leader and politician. Due to his strong opposition to and vocal criticism of the rebel [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (Tamil Tigers), they unsuccessfully tried to assassinate him over 10 times.<ref name="dn1"/> Devananda is a proclaimed offender in [[India]] and is wanted on charges of [[murder]], attempt to murder, [[rioting]], unlawful assembly and [[kidnapping]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Wanted man with SL delegation: TN passes the buck|url=http://www.zeenews.com/news633001.html|newspaper=ZeeNews.com|date=10 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Devananda case: Madras HC seeks response from TN Govt. |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/news/news/13087-devananda-case-madras-hc-seeks-response-from-tn-govt.html|newspaper=[[Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=15 June 2010}}</ref>
He was sworn in as Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on 22 November 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Cabinet Ministers sworn in|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/11/22/local/203590/new-cabinet-ministers-sworn|newspaper=Daily News, Sri Lanka|date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

==Early life==
Kathiravelu Devananda was born on 10 November 1957. His father was Subramaniam Kathiravelu, an employee of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and his mother was Maheswary, a teacher at [[Jaffna Central College]]. He has three brothers and a sister. Maheswary died when Devananda was six-years old.

Devananda studied at Jaffna Central College before moving to [[Colombo]] in 1974. He lived with his paternal uncle K. C. Nythiananda at 17 Francis Road in Colombo 06 and studied at [[Colombo Hindu College]].

As a teenager, Devananda was influenced by the political work of his father, a member of the [[Communist Party of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka Communist Party]] and his uncle, a leading trade unionist. Feeling discriminated by certain government policies, he wanted to be engaged in the emerging Tamil liberation movement. Thus he joined the Eelam Liberation Organisation (ELO) and later became a founder-member of the [[Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students]] (EROS).<ref name="ts1"/> He took on the [[nom de guerre]] '''Douglas'''.

Following his victory in the 1977 election, President [[J.R. Jayawardene]] appointed Nythiananda as the chairman of the newly formed Palmyrah Development Board and Devananda functioned as his personal assistant.<ref name="ts1"/>

==Militant==
Devananda was in charge of EROS' student wing, the General Union of Eelam Students (GUES). In 1978, the EROS dispatched Devananda to [[Lebanon]] for military training with [[Al Fatah]], an organization within the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]].<ref name="SL181101">{{cite news|author=DBS Jeyaraj|author-link=|title=The Dougles Devananda phenomenon|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20011118/issues.htm|newspaper=[[Sunday Leader]]|date=18 November 2001}}</ref> In 1980 EROS split into two as [[K. Pathmanabha]] (Padmanaba) and [[Varatharajah Perumal]] broke away and formed the [[Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front]] (EPRLF). GUES and Devananda joined EPRLF.

Devananda was twice arrested in 1980 under the [[Prevention of Terrorism Act (Sri Lanka)|Prevention of Terrorism Act]] (PTA) and was held in various prisons in the country. He was imprisoned again after a bank robbery at [[Thirukkovil]].<ref name="SL181101"/> He was in Welikada prison when the [[Black July|July 1983 anti-Tamil riots]] began. On 25 and 27 July 1983 53 Tamil prisoners were [[Welikada prison massacre|massacred]] by [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] prisoners. Devananda and 27 other Tamil prisoners who survived were transferred to Batticaloa prison. On 27 September 1983, 41 Tamil political prisoners including Devananda [[1983 Batticaloa Jailbreak|escaped]] from Batticaloa prison.<ref name="SL181101"/> Devananda fled to [[Tamil Nadu]] in [[India]].<ref name="ts1"/>

In India Devananda was given training by the Indian authorities. He was made commander of the ''People's Liberation Army'' (PLA), EPRLF's military wing.<ref name="SL181101"/> Devananda and other PLA members were given military training by the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]]. On returning to [[Jaffna]] Devananda was put in charge of all of the EPRLF's military activities in Sri Lanka.

===Allen kidnappings===
On the night of 10 May 1984 the PLA, on the orders of Devananda, kidnapped newly-wed Ohio couple Stanley Bryson Allen and Mary Allen from their home on Beach Road, Gurunagar, Jaffna.<ref name="TS">{{cite book|author=T. Sabaratnam|title=Pirapaharan: Volume 2|url=http://www.sangam.org/Sabaratnam/index.htm|chapter=15}}</ref> The EPRLF/PLA suspected the Allens of being [[CIA]] agents. The PLA threatened to kill the Allens unless a ransom of 50 million rupees ($2 million) was paid and 20 militants released.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lankan Kidnappers Say U.S. Couple is Safe|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/14/world/around-the-world-sri-lankan-kidnappers-say-us-couple-is-safe.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=14 May 1984}}</ref> The Allens were released on 12 May 1984 after pressure was exerted by the Indian authorities.

On 5 May 1985 the PLA led by Devananda attacked the [[Sri Lankan Navy]] base at [[Karainagar]].<ref name="SL181101"/> It was a disaster: Devananda's cousin Shobha (alias Mathivathani) and PLA second-in-command Sinnavan were amongst the PLA cadres killed.

By early 1986 disputes had arisen between Devananda and Pathmanabha, the EPRLF's political leader. The EPRLF leadership split into two factions: EPRLF (Ranjan) and EPRLF (Douglas). Devananda was replaced by Gaffoor as the EPRLF's military commander. In late 1986 Devananda travelled to [[Madras]] (now [[Chennai]]) to meet Pathmanabha.

===Choolaimedu murder===
On 1 November 1986 Devananda was at the EPRLF's office in [[Choolaimedu]], Madras when it was attacked by locals. Devananda opened fire, killing Thirunavukkarasu, an Indian lawyer, and injuring four others.<ref name="SL181101"/><ref name="Hin100610">{{cite news|title=Chennai Police alert Delhi on Douglas Devananda|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article452023.ece|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=10 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="IE110610">{{cite news|title=Rajapaksa minister wanted for murder, kidnapping in TN|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rajapaksa-minister-wanted-for-murder-ki.../632376/|newspaper=[[Indian Express]]|date=11 June 2010}}</ref> Devananda and nine others were arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. Two [[AK 47|AK-47]] assault rifles and ammunition were seized. Devananda was released on bail.

In late 1986, whilst Devananda was in India, the Tamil Tigers attacked the EPRLF, inflicting a heavy losses and killing Gaffoor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uthr.org/Reports/Report1/Appendix1.htm|title=The Snares of Violence|publisher=[[University Teachers for Human Rights]]}}</ref> Many of its cadres were killed or taken prisoner and its camps and weapons were seized by the Tigers. Devananda was blamed for the debacle because he had sent EPRLF cadres from [[Vanni (Sri Lanka)|Vanni]] and Eastern Province home before going to India.<ref name="SL181101"/> He was also accused of hiding EPRLF weaponry and ammunition and some of his supporters were accused of running away when the Tigers attacked.<ref name="SL181101"/>

===EPDP===
In 1987 the ''EPRLF (Douglas)'' faction formally split from the EPRLF. Devananda initially formed the [[Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front]] (ENDLF) with a breakaway faction of the [[People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam]] led by Paranthan Rajan. The ENDLF collapsed when Rajan started working with Indians – Devananda was opposed to the [[Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War]]. Devananda, now living in Madras, then formed the [[Eelam People's Democratic Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sangam.org/ANALYSIS_ARCHIVES/Jeyaraj_11_22_01.htm|title=The Douglas Devananda phenomenon|author=DBS Jeyaraj|author-link=|date=22 November 2001|publisher=The Sunday Leader, Sri Lanka|access-date=14 December 2009}}</ref>

In late 1987 the Tamil Tigers murdered Devananda's brother Premananda.

===Kidnapping and extortion===
The EPDP lacked funds and Devananda resorted to kidnapping and extortion of Sri Lankan Tamils living in Madras.<ref name="SL181101"/> In 1989 Devananda and 25 others were arrested for the second time by the Indian police (Tamil Nadu state police), this time for kidnapping a ten-year-old boy for ransom at Poonamallee High Road, [[Kilpauk]], Madras, and imprisoned.<ref name="SL181101"/><ref name="Hin100610"/><ref name="IE110610"/> He was given bail. In 1990 police in [[Kodambakkam, Chennai|Kodambakkam]], Madras, started an investigation on Devananda on charges of rioting and criminal intimidation of a person called Valavan.<ref name="Hin100610"/><ref name="IE110610"/> In 1990 Devananda jumped bail and returned to Sri Lanka.<ref name="SL181101"/>

==Paramilitary==
In 1990 Devananda arrived in Colombo. A meeting was arranged by Sri Lankan intelligence between Devananda and Deputy Defence Minister [[Ranjan Wijeratne]].<ref name="SL181101"/> Devananda offered to place the EPDP under Sri Lankan government control in return for support and protection from the Tamil Tigers.<ref name="SL181101"/> The government accepted – the EPDP had transformed itself into a paramilitary organisation. Devananda was attacked for betraying the Tamil people and collaborating with the enemy.

EPDP cadres from all over Sri Lanka and India converged on Colombo. The government gave the EPDP vast financial assistance.<ref name="SL181101"/> The EPDP, with the support of the government, took control of the islands off [[Jaffna peninsula]] after the Tigers withdrew.<ref name="SL181101"/> The EPDP used the islands as a base to transport goods, particularly dried fish, between India and Sri Lanka.<ref name="SL181101"/> It also imposed taxes.<ref name="SL181101"/> Tamils living in Colombo were extorted money.<ref name="SL181101"/>

On 1 January 1993, Tharmalingam Selvakumar, a former EPDP sympathiser, was abducted from the Premil Sports Club at Kotahena, Colombo. Selvakumar has alleged that he was taken in a van driven by Devananda to Devananda's house at 121 Park Road, Colombo 5.<ref>{{cite web|title=ASA 37/009/1993 Sri Lanka: death threats / fear of torture: Tharmalingam Selvakumar and others|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa37/009/1993/en/|publisher=[[Amnesty International]]|date=13 April 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Transnational social movements and global politics: solidarity beyond the state|year=1997|publisher=Syracuse University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IpF2RlHxQiQC|author=Jackie Smith|author2=Charles Chatfield|author3=Ron Pagnucco|page=88|isbn=9780815627432}}</ref> He was detained along with other prisoners in cells at the back of Devananda's house. Selvakumar was tortured and the EPDP tried to extort money from his family.

All of this resulted in Devananda making a fortune.<ref name="SL181101"/>

The EPDP claims to have given up the armed struggle and joined the democratic process in Sri Lanka. However, the EPDP's paramilitary activities are well documented.<ref name=WSWS>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/sril-m31.shtml |title=Sri Lankan SEP holds media conference over disappearance of party member |access-date=3 November 2007 |year=2007 |work=[[World Socialist Web Site]]|publisher=International Committee of the Fourth International}}</ref><ref name=IPF>{{cite web |url=http://www.medico-international.de/en/projects/srilanka/watch/20070824rsf.pdf |title=Jaffna's media in the grip of terror |access-date=3 November 2007 |year=2007 |work=IPF |publisher=[[Reporters Without Borders]]}}</ref><ref name=BBC>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2340433.stm |title=Killed journalist: Sri Lanka 'injustice' |access-date=3 November 2007 |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=18 October 2002 |first=Frances |last=Harrison}}</ref> The paramilitary wing has been accused of helping the [[Sri Lankan Navy]] commit massacres in places like [[Allaipiddy massacre|Allaipiddy]]
<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport23.htm | title = The Choice between Anarchy and International Law with Monitoring | access-date = 16 August 2007 | date = 7 November 2006 | work = [[University Teachers for Human Rights|University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna)]]}}</ref>

==Politician==
Devananda and the EPDP entered politics in 1994 when it contested the [[1994 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|1994 parliamentary election]] as an independent group in [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]]. Most of the district was under Tamil Tiger control and so did not vote, allowing the EPDP win nine parliamentary seats with just 10,744 votes, of which 9,944 votes came from the EPDP controlled Jaffna islands. Devananda was elected with just 2,091 preference votes. Devananda has been re-elected to Parliament in all subsequent elections.

The EPDP became an ally of President [[Chandrika Kumaratunga]] and her [[People's Alliance (Sri Lanka)|People's Alliance]] (PA) government. In October 2000 Kumaratunga appointed Devananda as Minister of Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North, and Tamil Affairs, North and East. He lost his ministerial post following the change of government in December 2001 but was reappointed Minister of Agriculture, Marketing Development, Hindu Education Affairs, Tamil Language & Vocational Training Centres in North when the [[United People's Freedom Alliance]], the successor to the PA, returned to power in April 2004. He was appointed Minister for Social Service and Social Welfare by President [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] in 2005.<ref name="ts1"/> There are unproved allegations of corruption against Devananda.<ref name="SL181101"/>

==Opposition to the Tamil Tigers==
As the leader of EPDP, which is opposed to the Tamil Tigers, and due to his continuing criticism of the Tigers, he was regularly targeted by the Tigers, and was thought to be high up on their list of targets for assassination. The Tamil Tigers undertook over 10 attempts on his life:
* 9 October 1995 – raid by the Tigers on Devananda's residence in Colombo.
* 30 June 1998 – Devananda attacked by Tiger prisoners whilst visiting Kalutara Prison.
* 7 July 2004 – Attempted suicide bomb attack on Devananda's Ministry.<ref name="dn1">{{cite news| url =http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/07/08/sec01.html| title =Devananda survives 10th assassination bid| work =Ranil Wijayapala| publisher =The Daily News| date =8 July 2004| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070930013054/http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/07/08/sec01.html| archive-date =30 September 2007| df =dmy-all}}</ref>
* 28 November 2007 – Suicide bomb attack on Devananda's Ministry.<ref>{{cite news | title= Suicide bomb attack hits Colombo | date=28 November 2007 | work=BBC News | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7116335.stm | access-date = 28 November 2007 }}</ref>

==Criminal charges==
Devananda is wanted in India on connection with the Choolaimedu murder, kidnapping and other charges. In 1994 the Madras VI Additional Sessions Court declared him a proclaimed offender.<ref>{{cite news|last=Subramani|first=A|title=Minister in Rajapakasa team is a proclaimed offender in India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Minister-in-Rajapakasa-team-is-a-proclaimed-offender-in-India/articleshow/6029939.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811080113/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-10/india/28310828_1_douglas-devananda-industries-and-small-enterprises-offender|url-status=live|archive-date=11 August 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=10 June 2010}}</ref> Devananda claims he, along with other militants, was [[Amnesty|amnestied]] by the 1987 [[Indo-Sri Lanka Accord]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Chennai cops pass on Devananda file to Delhi|url=http://www.island.lk/2010/06/12/news11.html|newspaper=The Island, Sri Lanka|date=12 June 2010}}</ref>

==Further reading==
*{{Cite news|title=Not nine, but twelve lives|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/not-nine-but-twelve-lives/article30109096.ece|date=29 November 2019|first=Amit|last=Baruah|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}

==See also==
*[[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan Civil War]]
*[[Colonel Karuna]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Douglas Devananda}}
*{{Facebook|ddevananda}}
<!-- per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
*{{Cite news|title=Indo-Lanka accord still best way to solve Tamils issue: Douglas Devananda|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/160918/indo-lanka-accord-still-best-way-to-solve-tamils-issue-douglas-devana.html|date=2016-09-18|author=R Bhagwan Singh|newspaper=[[Deccan Chronicle]]}}

{{Members of 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devananda, Douglas}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Alumni of Colombo Hindu College]]
[[Category:Alumni of Jaffna Central College]]
[[Category:Eelam People's Democratic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front militants]]
[[Category:Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students militants]]
[[Category:Cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Social affairs ministers of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Hindus]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Tamil politicians]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil rebels]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil people]]
[[Category:United People's Freedom Alliance politicians]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]
[[Category:People of the Sri Lankan civil war]]
[[Category:Fugitives wanted by India]]