JR Jayewardene Eviscerated by Rajiva

Rajiva Wijesinha’s New Book entitled “JR Jayewardene’s Racism, Cold War Posturing and the Indian Debacle “

This account of JR Jayewardene’s political life is a unique departure in Sri Lanka, for we have no tradition of analytical biography. This book tries to fill the void, by analysis of the first Executive President of Sri Lanka who ignored all principles in creating a constitution designed to perpetuate his power. The corrosive effect of ad hoc amendments, including to the electoral system, has not been thoroughly examined, but should be in view of the increasingly hopeless situation in which this country finds itself.

 

The book also examines the racist streak he displayed from the start, as well as his obsequiousness to more powerful countries. Unfortunately this led to adventurism with regard to India which forcefully cut him down to size. The effects of that intervention are with us still

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Rajiva Wijesinha:  J R Jayewardene’s Racism, Cold War Posturing and the Indian Debacle

 ISBN 978-624-00- 1387-1

CONTENTS

Part 1 Establishing monolithic power

1. An introduction to the political perspectives of J R Jayewardene
2. Preventing pacts with Tamil parties
3. A tailor made, and constantly re-made, constitution
4. Having elections and ministers at whim
5. The referendum

Part 2 A slow but relentless decline

6. Alienating the Tamils
7. The riots of July 1983
8. The slide towards concessions
9. Indian Interventions
10. Indian involvement

Part 3 And the Fall

11. The Indo-Lankan Accord
12. The War between Indians and Tigers
13. Elections and increasing violence
14. A new President

Index

ALSO SEE

Shamindra Ferdinando: “Rajiva Wijesinha in Wide-Ranging Q and A with Ferdinando on Present & Past PoIitics,” July 2015,

Rajiva Wijesinha in Wide-Ranging Q and A with Ferdinando on Present & Past Politics

 

  Declining Sri Lanka: Terrorism and Ethnic Conlict, the Legacy of J.R. Jayewardene