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R.B. HERATH is a professional engineer, author, poet, dramatist, and a political reformer who holds a Ph.D. in organizational behaviour. As an adult, he has always fought for the democratic rights of the people. He did this first as a student leader in his high school and university days, and later as an active participant in the national politics of his country of origin, Sri Lanka; once he cofounded and led a political party in that country by the name Podujana Party (meaning Peoples' Party). It was a nonviolent, centrist party that stood for democracy and consensus among all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka under a theme of One Lanka - One Nation, One Nation - One Family.After the ongoing ethnic crisis of Sri Lanka turned to a separatist war, taking control of its democratic political process, he left the country in 1984. He is well traveled, and has lived in many countries in Asia , Europe , Africa and North America . He has an excellent knowledge of the international scene. Presently, he lives in Canada.
In 1989, while he was in Zambia he wrote and directed a stage drama, Angulimala, depicting a story from Buddhist literature. Later he wrote and directed three other stage dramas based on historical political events of Sri Lanka : Hoisting the British Flag, Keppetipola Heroism, and Independence Struggle. These dramas were presented at the 50th Sri Lankan Independence anniversary celebrations held at Michael J. Fox Theatre in Burnaby, British Columbia, on March 7, 1998.
His earlier writings include four books, two in English and two in a Sri Lankan vernacular language, Sinhalese. One of the books in Sinhalese, Sri Lanka Desapalanaya, Ayanna, Aayanna, Eyanna, Eeyanna (translation reads as A, B, C, D of Sri Lankan Politics), analyses the contemporary political system of Sri Lanka. The other book he wrote in Sinhalese, Desappremayen Odavadiwa Darudariyanta Kavivalinma Liyu Lipiyak (translation reads A Letter to Our Children in Poems Written through Patriotism) is a book of poems. It conveys a message of love, mutual respect and unity to the children of Sri Lanka in a child's diction. The government of Sri Lanka purchased and distributed copies of this book to schools and municipal libraries.
Dr. Herath's latest publication, Sri Lankan Ethnic Crisis: Towards a Resolution (Trafford, 2002), discusses the ongoing ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka and proposes a co-coordinated political solution to the crisis with a realistic plan of action for its implementation. The Honourable Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada, reviewed the book and forwarded it to others concerned, including the Canadian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka (www.rbherath.com).
In Canada, Dr. Herath first served as a member of the Board of Directors of the South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD) for a number of years. Later, he had the distinction of serving as a member of the historic Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform in British Columbia (BC). Dr. Herath believes that the BC Citizens' assembly has provided a template for a new, revolutionary approach to the practice of democracy throughout the world. He is married and has three grown daughters and one granddaughter.