evidence: A recent statement attributed to Prasanna Ranatunga, the Urban Development and Housing Minister of Sri Lanka, and publicised by the A5 News Facebook page prompted the drafting of this article. Whether Ranatunga’s statement was a misguided attempt to mislead the younger generation born post-1980 remains unclear. Many of them might be unaware of the role played by President JR Jayewardene’s regime during that period, which led to two insurrections, one by the JVP under the Desha Vimukthi Vyaparaya in the South, and a decades-long armed conflict in the North and East. [...] • Mr Siresena Cooray, Mayor of Colombo and a protégé of Premadasa who filled the Ceylon Transport Board with his thugs; and • Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe, (the Current President) at the time, Minister of Education and Youth Affairs. While there is no direct evidence of his involvement, his trusted assistant Gonawela Sunil and members of Sunil’s gang did participate.