W. A. Waruna Priyankara, the author of popular investigative novel Andonawa (Wailing) was felicitated with ‘the Colombo Public Library Readers’ Award’ at the Public Library Colombo, by a group of readers in admiration of his novel, last week.
Priyankara is a Political Science undergraduate and a teacher of Political Science, hailing from Embilipitiya, Ratnapura. His novel, Andonawa, written in the style of investigative journalism is based on the disappearance of more than 30 Advanced Level students from two schools in Embilipitiya, during the anti-JVP crackdown in 1989-90. The novel documents in detail the background, the setting and principal protagonists of this morbid, but fascinating drama, which concluded in an ineffectual trial. According to experts, the State, judiciary and civil society missed a golden opportunity to rise to a higher level of accountability through the judgment of this case. The book is illustrated with personal and court documents, letters and photographs of individuals and places.