frontline - january 2013

The democracy of Sri Lanka during the Past YearPage 06 - 07

One Common Front forthe Working ClassPage 05

http://www.flsocialistparty.com

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Recent attacks against the Muslim nationality serves to bring out the vicious nature of chauvinism exercised by the present Rajapaksha regime. It is well known that an organization called Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Brigade), has been waging a most violent and vituperative campaign targeting the Muslim community.

Frontline Socialist Party has organized a series of conferences throughout the country in order to bring the discussion that has been going on as a result of the impeachment of the Chief Justice to a correct political stand. The first conference is scheduled to be held on the 6th of January with the participation ofChameera Koswatte in Gampaha, 10th of January,Duminda Nagamuwa in Kegalle and WarunaRajapakse in Kandy. The Frontline Socialist Party has also organized to print and distribute the contents of the conference as a booklet. The party also says that the conferences are scheduled to be held under the themes, “Judiciary? or Legislature?”.

Equal rights organisation has organized several programs with the aim of defeating the racist and religionist propaganda campaign that has been happening with the full state sponsorship and to help all national communities to win equal rights and build up peace among national communities. A number of conferences have been organized throughout the country to explain the dangers of upcoming racist and religionist trends. As a first step, conferences of equal rights organisation will be held in Galle on 14th of January, in Badulla on 17thof January and in Kandy on 23rd of January.

In addition, a discussion is scheduled to be held on the 13th of January with the participation of Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim community leaders, professionals and artists against racism. Equal rights Movement national organiser, Ravindra Mudalige, says that programs have been organised to explain the truth against the false propaganda originated by the state sponsored racist organisations.He further stated that the program consisted with banners with signatures and petitions and an activity to distribute hand bills.

The "Youth for Change" says that it will camp in order to struggle to regain the lost youth in the market place. The "Youth for Change" has organized to have a youth camp with a large number of youth selected from each district of Sri Lanka on 12th and 13th of January. Change Circles and other youth groups throughout the island have been invited to take part. The applications were closed on 30th of December and the camp will be commenced at 10AM in the morning on 12th of January in NuwaraEliya. This camp consists of various programs such as membership pledge, discussions on environment, investigative challenges, programs to share experiences, sports programs, musical programs and night fire camp display.

Frontline Socialist Party states that the government that is politically being bankrupted on a daily basis has chosen “control” as the main solution for its own crisis and in order to fight against the control directed at the pressured sections of the population, a broad movement will be built. The political bearau member, Chameera Koswatte, says that in order to defeat the legislation that the government is prepared to introduce it will build a front with different social and political groups.

Comrade Chameera further states that the Criminal Procedure(Special Provisions) Act that the government has introduced by amending the Criminal Procedure Code will be a massive challenge to the democratic rights of the people in the country. He further states that a front has been established against that bill by the leftist political parties, trade unions, human right organisations, lawyers and student organisation and steps have already been taken to hand over a petition to the members of the parliament to make a request to vote against the bill. It was agreed in a discussion that if the government makes an attempt to enact“control” bills by force without considering the public opinion, the worker-farmer-student groups would organize a joint protest.

JoinT PRoTeST To deFeAT “conTRoL” BiLLS

GeTTinG ReAdY FoR The dReAM oF chAnGe in YoUTh

SeRieS oF conFeRenceS To eXPLAin The PoLiTicS Behind

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Thousands gathered in front of Fort railway station, Colombo on 10th of December to protest against the abductions, disappearances and other anti-democratic practices that are happening all over the country. The photo shows protesters burning a model of a "white van" commonly used for abductions.

2 Frontline/January 2013

Comrade Ravindra Mudalige

Issuing a statement, the Movement for People’s Struggle points out that the forcibly taking the signatures from the prisoners on blank documents raises serious suspicion of its intent. The notification issued, further states that they take the responsibility in saying that the obtaining signatures on blank paper from the prison detainees is a part of a deplorable plan to cover up the huge massacre that happened at the Welikada prison.

The following is the statement issued by the National operational committee of the movement for People’s struggle,

“It is reported that 27th December over 100 armed personnel belonging to the government security forces came to the Welikada prison and took signatures from a large number of detainees on blank documents. It is also reported that this was a joint operation by the officers attached to the Department of crime investigation, Crimes division Colombo and the Terrorism investigative unit. This act of obtaining signatures on blank paper by using force is a significant anti democratic action and it raises serious suspicion on the government’s intentions behind this.

Though it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety to the life of the prisoners, this has being neglected on several occasions. On the 26th of June 2012 the attack on the detainees of the Vauvnia prison left two prisoners dead and a large number of detainees injured. Some were disabled for life due to the injuries. The attack on the Welikada Prison on the 09th of November 2012 left 27 prisoners dead and hundreds of prisoners injured. There are no clarifying records on the number of prisoners who have disappeared either. Though the government officials promised to have an inquiry in to the incident at the Welikada prison, up to now there hasn’t been any proper investigation that clarifies the truth and it is no longer a secret that these attacks are done with the full knowledge of the government’s highest authority. It is clear that the government is using several plans of action to cover up its violent crimes knowing that they are bounded by the International law to answer to the world regarding the violations to human rights that is happening in Sri Lanka.

The nationalism, extremism or ideology cannot be defeated by not being inconsiderate, but only through building peace and harmony between the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim oppressed masses highlighted the Frontline Socialist party

While condemning the arrest of four students of the Jaffna University on the 30th under the Terrorism prevention Act, The Frontline Socialist party demanded the government to release them immediately.

That statement also states the following, “Last night (30th of November) four students of the Jaffna University were arrested by the police and even after 24 hours have passed after the arrest they have not being produced before a magistrate yet. Police claims that they were arrested under the Terrorism prevention Act. Prior to this incident the police attacked the students protesting against the unlawful entry of security forces in to the university. It is stated that the main cause for this attack was the lighting of a oil lamp on the 30th of November inside the hostel of the University of Jaffna. The government claims that this was done in commemoration of Fallen Heroes Day. On this day the lighting of this lamp was to celebrate a Hindu religious day and on the other hand the university students have the right to light a lamp in commemoration of all the friends and relatives who perished during the war. If we take to account the fact that, in a society there can be

people with different opinions and ideologies and by using force to overpower these than using an ideological debate as a tool is a reason for the insurgency in society. The insurgency that developed in to a 30 year war is due to the suppression of basic democratic human rights of the Tamil people by the use of force. By attacking, assaulting and arresting at a peaceful lighting of an oil lamp at a commemoration that had neither evidence of unlawful activities nor evidence of any armed activity and savagely attacking a student demonstration has the danger of pushing the society into a similar situation. The governments must take the responsibility for creating a volatile atmosphere that developed in to a 30 year war and once again there are number of incidences and activities that are happening today that will give birth to that same destruction.

We condemn the suppression laid on top of the North and North East people by the government and also the publicity being spread to justify this suppression, and we demand that the arrested university students to be released immediately. We believe that the Nationalism or the extremism in the North or in the South can be defeated only through the mutual actions towards peace and harmony among the Sinhalese, the Tamil and the Muslim oppressed masses and we appeal to the whole public to come forward and unite to win this right to live.”

The convenor for equal rights movement, comrade Ravindra Mudalige pointed out that the people in the south expected miracles after war victory, but they only received oppression instead. He also stated that everyone must unite against racism which only provides victory to the rulers. Comrade Ravindra Mudalige expressed these views while addressing a media briefing during a protest organised by equal rights movement, opposite Fort Railway station in Colombo. This agitation was organised to force the government to release the arrested Jaffna university students forthwith, to stop militarisation of North and East and to provide basic rights of its people.

Comrade Ravindra Mudalige further stated, “The government failed to provide even the basic needs of the people in North and east, even though three years have passed after the end of war. Instead they have being subjected to suppression by military rule. The people in the south, who were waiting for the miracle to happen after the end of the war, today are faced with the reality of not getting it. People in the South turned a blind eye and stayed silent when Koneshwary was murdered but today the killings of women appear on their doorstep in the form of incidents in Kahawatta. When prisoners like Nimal Ruban and Delrukshan were murdered in the Vawuniya magazine prison, people in the south observed silence and today, they are experiencing the same fate in Magazine prison in Colombo.

All Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims should unite against racism which has always assisted in the victories for the rulers. Only then the oppressive masses can claim their true victory. We demand that the government must release all Jaffna university students who were illegally detained and to put an immediate stop to the militarisation of North and East and at the same time we invite all progressive forces of workers, farmers, students, youths, women and all sympathisers of humanism to join hands against this anti-democratic situation".

People, who expected miracles after the war, received only oppression

Nationalism or extremism cannot be controlled by being inconsiderate

Frontline socialist party

The Movement for People’s Struggle opposes the taking of signatures from the prisoners

To page 11

The propaganda secretary of Frontline Socialist Party comrade Pubudu Jayagoda said, neither the parliament nor any other institution represents the supremacy of people and therefore the general public in this country should take ownership of the power of supremacy into their hands. Comrade Pubudu Jagoda expressed these views whilst he was involved in a programme of which distributed leaflets to raise the awareness of the people about the controversial impeachment against the chief Justice. On the 19th of December the Frontline Socialist party launched an Island wide programme covering all areas of the country to distribute leaflets and flyers, the main event of the program was held in front of the Fort railway station in Colombo. The FLSP’s propaganda secretary, comrade Pubudu Jayagoda and its polit-beuro member, comrade Duminda Nagamuwa together with a large number of the party’s membership took part in this demonstration.

Comrade Pubudu Jayagoda emphasised that

the everyone should oppose the process of the impeachment and he explained a number of faults in the way the parliament select committee to investigate the alleged offences of the chief justice were selected and the why the conduct of the select committee was wrong.

“The definition the government has put forward on the parliament supremacy and the definition given by the opposition on the sovereignty of the judiciary are both wrong. While the parliament does not represent real supremacy of people and at the same time the judiciary is not sovereign either. What we actually see in reality is that the same anti-democratic processes and actions unleashed upon proletarians, farmers, fishing communities, students, youths, artists and journalists have started to be directed against judges and lawyers. The same anti democratic process has being unleashed against the chief Justice too," said comrade Pubudu Jayagoda.

People should take ownership of the power of supremacy

Frontline socialist party

The whole fisheries community representing all fishing areas from the North to Hambanthota, putting aside their differences of race, religion or territory and uniting into one place to organize a program to save their livelihood is a historical victory, stated the fisheries organizations collective. Comrade Prasanna Abewickrama , the conveyor for the collective, made this observation at the press conference held at the end of the National negotiations assembly which was held in Negambo on 16th of December.

The fisheries action committee had a series of meetings and discussions with various fisheries organizations all over the country with the aim

of uniting all of them into a common platform at the same time protecting their own organizational identities. On the 16th of December, representing most of the active fisheries organizations gathered in the ‘Dinidu’ function hall at Thaladuva road in Negambo under the banner “ heirs of the oceans Unite!” to attend the National fisheries negotiations assembly, fulfilling that aim. Based on the issues and challenges the fishermen are facing according to the concerns put forward by the various organizations at the meeting, the negotiations assembly put forward 34 recommendations for an action plan to tackle those challenges.

Uniting of the whole fisheries community is a historic victory


During the last few weeks there were a number of events

highlighted in the Lankan media. There was a huge air time allocated from the electronic media for the illusionary propaganda of the December 21st as the end of the world. While people were staring at the sky for a collision of the earth with another unknown planet 20 people died and 90000 were displaced due to the bad weather across the country. Because of the greenhouse gas emission due to the unplanned and profit-oriented capitalism, the catastrophic effect of the global warming threatens all the species beings on the planet. A

significant effect is being made to the rise of the sea water level due to global warming and there are number of distortions to the normal weather patterns paving the way for climate change. The likes of El-Niño and La-Niño are a number of distortions which make severe damage to the human life across the globe.

It is very clear that the long lasting art of the present Rajapaksha regime's bankrupted polity is to create illusions among the masses to deviate their consciousness from the real issues. By crook or hook, from time to time they find different subjects to create an illusion among the masses. This time it is not being created by Rajapaksha himself but being offered by the participation of the international coorporate media. On the other hand they very often create the false identity crises among the masses to deviate their consciousness from the class struggle. These days the state sponsored hostility against the Muslim people is in the forefront. This is not a feature only of the present Bonaparte

style family

regime, but has been experienced throughout the history of backward capitalism in Lanka under every successive government which held the reins. The unfolding capitalist crisis and

Real issues Underneath the media

attractions there are number of events and situations unfolding in reality where the toiling masses of Lankan society are being badly affected. Apart from the budget-based issues, there have been a number of events taking place in the recent past which didn't attract the media marketing. A court order was placed against the demonstration organized by the workers of the Bata shoe industry due to the closure of the industry leaving hundreds of workers jobless. That showed how the judiciary and the other two power tools of executive presidency and the legislature work together in order to suppress the masses. Two student leaders were suspiciously killed while participating in a massive demonstration organized by the Inter University Students' Federation from Kandy to Colombo against the privatization of education. This is still a mystery and great suspicion looms large over the inquiry. A number of student leaders are suspended and seven Jaffna university student leaders are still unlawfully kept in custody. In terms of democracy the illegal military rule in North and East is still the biggest issue but still hasn't been changed, and the civil administration hasn't been established. The forced showing of family

The annual budget presentation doesn't

reflect any significant new features of the

Lankan economy other than the increase of taxation on the masses. Most of the structural changes were made prior to the budget presentation and the budget is being used for a traditional and ceremonial event to deceive the masses. Despite this, there are number of trade unions that as a normal practice take some actions which target the budget in November. Surprisingly, this time it hasn't happened even though there was a discussion among the trade unions about requesting a salary hike of 13450 Lankan rupees for the state employees to match the living standard of 2005 prior to the budget presentation. On the other hand most of the trade union leaders were at the Buddhist and Hindu temples to pray and accurse against the Rajapaksha government alongside with the UNP and other political party leaders on the issue of the impeachment against the chief justice Shirani Bandaranayaka and for the safeguarding of the independence of the judiciary system in Lanka. The impeachment against the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka is still remains as a top media attraction apart from the story of the "world's end" throughout the weeks.

group photographs by the civilians in Jaffna and Eastern districts could not be stopped by even court orders. There are many more issues that can be described where the oppressed Lankan masses are being affected on a daily basis by the crisis of capitalist society and the undemocratic Bonaparte-style Rajapaksha regime. Above all the illusions and the impeachment were in the top hit list according to the Lankan media.

Media as an ideological state apparatus

Regardless of the ownership, the government-owned or the privately-owned media has become one of the powerful and necessary ideological state apparatuses which belong to the superstructure of the capitalist society and maintains the hegemony of the state over the oppressed masses.It is presented in different forms by interconnecting with all terms of backward ideologies belonging to the Asiatic society. A close examination of the nature of the backward Lankan capitalism will give further proof. In order to

its effects towards the masses are being covered by the bankrupted regime by using the shield of chauvinism to create a false enemy so as to manipulate the masses into alignment with the bourgeois ideology. And the artificially created illusions of natural disasters are being used to cover up the real disasters created by the ageing and failing capitalism.

Muted trade uniions To page 11

It is very clear that the long lasting art of

the present Rajapaksha regime's bankrupted polity is to create illusions among the masses to deviate their consciousness from the real issues.

That showed how the judiciary and the other two power tools of executive presidency and the legislature work together in order to suppress the masses.


Comrade Lalith Kumar Weeraraju who actively rallied for the release

of Tamil political prisoners and finding missing Tamil youths, has been missing since 9th December 2011. Comrade Kuhan Muruganandan, a resident of Aavarankal, Jaffna, is also missing along with Lalith.

During the months before his disappearance, Comrade Lalith was continuously threatened by security forces to leave Jaffna and to halt his activities. He was also abducted, detained and threatened by intelligence units operating based in the North on several occasions. It should be noted that it was none other than the government that was interested in stopping Lalith's activities in the North.

Therefore it is evident that the security forces are directly linked to this abduction. There were several measures taken by the people and various organizations, urging the immediate release of comrades Lalith and Kuhan. Steps have also been taken to inform the foreign high commissioners as well as national and international human rights organizations about these abductions.

However neither the government nor its affiliated administrative bodies have performed an effective inquiry on these abductions and thus the inference is that this abduction has been carried out by a gang who operate according to the commands of the government.

In addition to the abduction of Lalith-Kuhan, twenty nine disappearances (including an attempted abduction) have been reported in the Lankan media between February and March 2012. There were fifteen in March and fourteen in February. Nineteen cases were reported while the sessions of the UN Human Rights Council were in progress in Geneva from the 27th of February to the 23rd of March 2012.

Out of the twenty nine disappearances in February-March 2012, sixteen (16/29) appear to have occurred in the Colombo district while eight have been reported from the Northern districts (8/29). Five of those reported from the North are said to be ex-LTTE cadres who had been detained, released from detention and then abducted. There are also three from the indigenous (Veddah) community.

Amongst the twenty nine are also two school girls (one of whom escaped), one university student, businessmen, a Government politician, relatives of politicians

and

individuals reportedly to be members of underworld gangs. Twenty four were reported as abductions and five as “missing” during the above period. Out of the persons who are reported as “missing” are three people from the Veddah community and two people from Jaffna. It was reported that one person missing in Jaffna was found dead. Media reports presented startling facts about involvement of the government in some of the abductions in March 2012. On 10th March, Mr. Ravindra Udayashantha, a government politician who is the Chairman of Kolonnawa Pradeshiya Sabawa (local government body in the Colombo district), was saved from being abducted when his political supporters intervened. The abductors were apprehended by the supporters, positively identified as being from the Army, and handed over to the Police. The number of the vehicle involved in the abduction, the names of the alleged abductors, their photos and even a

video clip have

been published.However, the abductors were

released from police custody afterwards. On the 26th of March 2012, former Western provincial councilor Mr. Sagara Senaratne, brother-in-law of Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga, was released within hours of being abducted after the abductors had got “a call” while he was still in the van that he had been abducted in. The driver of Mr. Sagara was an eyewitness to the abduction and it appears that “the call” given to abductors to release Mr. Sagara had come after Mr. Sagara’s driver informed Minister Kumaratunga, who in turn had informed two high ranks in the government about it. Mr. Sagara had claimed that he would not be alive if not for the intervention of the Minister and another two key personal. It is not clear how the Minister Kumaratunga and the other high rank personal were able to ensure the release of Mr. Sagara even as he was being taken away by the abductors, without even the involvement of the Police.

In February 2012, Mr. Nethiyas Chandrapala was

abducted outside the main court complex in Colombo. Also, in February 2012 Mr. Ramasamy Prabhakaran, a former detainee who had been severely tortured before being released as innocent, was abducted two days before the case he had filed against senior police officers was to be taken up in the Supreme Court.

Furthermore 21 abductions were reported during the period of April 1st to 30th July including comrades Kumar Gunaratnam and Dimutu Attigala who were political bureau members of Front Line Socialist Party. They were two victims who faced a white van abduction.

It is quite clear that the present Rajapaksha regime will proceed with any sort of undemocratic or illegal acts for its survival as it has been losing its deceived popularity among the masses in terms of socio-economic circumstances. The parliament is still keeping a deafening silence over these abductions. The judiciary system of the country also cannot play an active role in order to protect

the fundamental

rights of the people. These kinds of incidents are abundant in barbaric regimes which were ultimately toppled by the people through exhausting struggles.

Therefore you cannot remain silent over these incidents as once said by Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) nobody will come to salvage you when the killer comes to you.

“First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

“First they came for the communists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”


Frontline:- The labour movement is only depending on Trade Unionism, on the other hand for one trade there are many trade unions and as a result there is no unity within the working class. What is your solution for this prevailing situation?

Comrade Chameera:- At present in Lanka we have many unions for the same classifications and every union operates within the capitalist neo liberal system. We also notice within many classifications that certain groups and workers formed unions purely to represent certain sections of workers and their needs so they only struggle to win pay hikes for their classification but ignore other workers who have

centre for health workers 'struggle for doctors, nurses attendants, cleaners, where traditionally they each had their own unions. These workers then will work not only on issues within their workplace but also with the broader society they live in.

Frontline:- Trade unions are limited only to economic struggles such as pay hikes, bonuses etc. Can you change these limitations? What are your planned programs to attract working people for progressive political slogans and struggles?

Comrade Chameera:- Firstly, for workers in our country outside the public sector there are not many existing organisations to protect workers’ rights. Especially, for casual workers and temporary or seasonal workers in the private sector there are no rights existing within the neo liberal society we currently live in. Those who work in industries such as hospitality , office attendants , labourers, drivers, agricultural sector workers, in fisheries and tea plantation industries neither know their rights nor can they enjoy better

for different trades. What is the progress of such programs so far?

Comrade Chameera:- We have already formed a centre for health sector workers' struggle and formed one for the education sector too. The private sector also needs the same approach and so we have now formed a centre for the private sector as well. This will include transport and other various industries. We are also in the process of setting up workers' struggle centres covering every sector.

Frontline:- Workers who demand a basic minimum wage rise from the budget have not been given any benefit. Do you have any plans to organise these

demanding pay hikes and every time the budget is concluded these actions are also terminated bringing only disappointment for working people. But unfortunately these trade unions that rely on member’s money never had any plan or strategy to continue their struggle to win. Workers within these unions are only facing disappointment and dissatisfaction. We will provide these workers a platform they deserve Our strategy is to demand a salary hike for the entire public sector at once and our aim is to have a co-ordinated struggle by developing a united agenda for every sector, trade workers into one coordination centre.

They will then struggle with determination to win decent respect and dignity in their relevant sectors and to the society as a whole; we believe this will lead into raising political awareness among these workers to act with clear motives as well.

Frontline:- When regime put forward an impeachment process to get rid of the current Chief Justice, there was a trade union front formed to fight

against it, but the Centre for Workers' Struggle has not have been seen? What was the reason?

Comrade Chameera:- We agree that there is a serious development in the country affecting democracy and it’s clear that certain political parties are looking for “short cuts” to win government. They hang onto any issue without looking at the bigger picture to win real victory for people.

These trade unions and affiliated political parties who are now protesting against the impeachment of the Chief Justice did nothing when courts gave orders against workers on their basic right to strike and they did nothing when courts gave an order to prevent workers attending their fellow worker who got killed during the EPF struggle at the Free Trade Zone. When students faced imposed bans endorsed by the same judiciary these so-called unions and their leaders never protested. When the court justifies draconian laws by the regime these trade unions did nothing. When students and political activists in North and South were targeted by the

Today we got the opportunity to discuss with Comrade Chameera Koswatta who is playing a major role to re-organise the labour movement in Lanka.We publish here the conversation Frontline had with him.

different issues and grievances within the same industry. We need to overcome this by organising workers in many trades into one central organisation. The most recent example I can give you is the development in the health sector. We had discussions around union revitalisation, which is paramount to our strategies to resist neo liberal market reforms, as well as to organise health workers into one single entity. Now we have formed a centre for health workers 'struggle where doctors, nurses and other health workers will be fighting together whether they belong to the Private or Public Sector, not only to meet their demands in the health sector but also to promote equal rights in the society. Therefore, to build genuine unity amongst the working class as I mentioned before we will be introducing a new organisational structure for existing trade unions. For instance we are forming a

conditions within their. These workers and their livelihoods are on the verge of collapse and we need to fight together for a decent living with respect and dignity.

Hence this is vital for these workers to get job security in their respective trades or sectors and organise to win rights to strike or peaceful assembly, rights for women, equal rights in tea estate sector. In order for them to win we will be providing them the leadership, discussions, and lead them in actions with far better strategies, and engage them into broader struggle but not limited only to wage struggles.

Frontline:- Your movement has mentioned in the past that you will build a central organisation

disappointed working people into a common struggling front with far better slogans and vigour?

Comrade Chameera:- Yes we are building up the working class into a one common front, and it’s a well known fact that within current trade unions in the country the unionists only work on calendar based activities. A clear example is every time

a state budget approaches these so called ‘Unions’

will have some actions

To page 11

we are building up the working class into a one common frontComrade Chameera Koswatta Member of Polit-beuro Front Line Socialist Party

It’s clear that certain political parties are looking for “short cuts” to win government. They hang onto any issue without looking at the bigger picture to win real victory for people.


Year 2013 has been dawned concluding the year 2012.year

2012 had been commenced with the memory of Lalith and Kuhan who were abducted by the state security units in Jaffna. At the tail end of Year 2012 four university Students of Jaffna University were arrested and still they have been detaining under detention orders without charges while questioning lecturers of the university for hours by the terrorist investigation division. During the past year plenty of abduction, apprehension, killings, threatens, harassments have been reported in the country. This is to have a quick sight on these violations of the democratic rights of the country during the year of 2012.

Having discussed the challenges before the Democracy in Sri Lanka there are various aspects to be considered. For instance it is imperative to discuss attacks on struggles led by the people. A fisherman namely Antony Perera was killed due to gunfire by the Police on 15th February 2012.Two University Students namely Sisitha Priyankara and Janala Ekanayake were met an accident during a protest organized to protect education rights and the said accident has created a suspicion that it has been done intentionally. It was reported killings of the suspects regular basis when they were in the Police custody. According to the government own sources 32 people were killed during the year 2009 when they were in the police custody. Though there are no subsequent official reports it is evident that the said trend was further developed. In addition to killings of suspects who were in the police custody subsequently prisoners were killed inside the prison worsening the situation. Two Tamil suspects namely

Nimala Ruban and Dilrukshan were killed during their incarceration in Vavuniya Prison and on another was permanently disabled due to serious injuries. On 9th November the state security forces attacked the Welikada Prison and killed 27 prisoners. According to the reliable sources these killings were not consequential to a fight but they were killed according to a pre arrangement.

According the Police it was reported 86,543 complaints on abductions during the past decade and out of these complaints they were able to resolve 54,769 incidents. It means still there are unsolved 31,774 abductions. Most of these abductions were conducted by armed gangs who were coming by white vans without number plates.

According to the official figures of the police it was reported 759 abductions during the first half of year 2012.But it is pertinent to say that the exact amount is more than this. The reason for not taking prompt and effective action against these abductions is clear that some high handed person of the government is leading all these abductions. The sais fact has been further proved in the incident of abduction of two polit-beauro members of Frontline Socialist Party namely comrade Kumar Gunarathnam and Dimuthu Attigala on 6th April 2012.As a result of the local and international interventions through protests the culprits

their studentship, Some students Unions were banned and some of them were arrested and detained for long period of time without bail which shows the seriousness of the suppression

The government wanted to deactivate the student movements by banning the Students Unions which were appointed through the elections. Forty Two Students Unions were banned including Faculty Unions and Main Students Unions during the year 2012.The working Committees which were appointed consequent to the said banning also faced the same suppression.

In the year 2012, 524 students were prevented from attending the lectures and 67 students were deprived form taking the scholarships. Out of 129 students who brought before court under persecuting Laws 44 students were remanded. All those cases filed for the purpose retaliation and subsequently their innocence was proved. For instance the police has failed to prove a single charge against the 98 students of University Of Jayawardhanapura before the Gangodawila Magistrate. Most of the chargers were prima facie baseless. Furthermore 67 students were suspended on the basis that they have fired a structure erected by the administration of the University of Jayawardhanapura at on 1st October 2010 at 4 a.m. in the morning. Most ridiculous fact is out of that 67 students 15 students were female students. Normally after 8 p.m. in the evening girls hostels are closing and they are not allowed to go out and thus it is clear as crystal that allegations were false. Another four students were charged on the basis that they hanged white flags to commemorate the death of their intimate friend. It is absurd to hear that some

students were punished on the basis that they have organized art festivals and they addressed the meetings.

Three female students of University of Ruhuna had been detaining for 3 months in the prison base on purported charges and after the 1980’s none of the female students

were faced such a serious consequences. The tyrant nature of the administration of the University of Kelaniya can be realized that in August 2011

two students were arrested charging that they collected money for the Art festival. Another 45 students were charged that they organized a welcome for new comers by serving milk rice.15 Students of Peradeniya University criticized the shameful act of a Minister of Higher Education by opening a building as a new building which was only refurbished were suspended. Another four and two students were arrested and detain for 52 days and 45 days respectively purportedly alleging that

they have misbehaved. Nine students were charged in the University of Peradeniya based on an unknown charge to the law namely “rebellions”. The

Secretary of the Student Union of Jaffna was attacked and he was seriously injured on May 2012.The President and Secretary of the Student Union of Jaffna and the President of Art faculty Student Union have been detaining in the Police Custody base on a detention order without framing any allegation against them due to the reason that that they organized a protest on 1st December 2012.Another 11 were released subsequently.

The officers of the state

were compelled to release them and according to the experience of the said comrades it was revealed the fact that the state security units were involved in these abductions. Moreover another white van group was captured by the people of Kolonnawa when they were attempting to abduct the Chairman of the Kolonnawa Urban Council and the said group is nothing but the soldiers who were in active service.

In the year 2012 the struggling people have faced a massive suppression from the government. Around 11 labour strikes were banned through court orders. Some peaceful trade union actions were also being stayed and Trade Union leaders were summoned who did not comply with these unfair orders. The student movement had been faced an immense suppression. The government intended to bring a new Act to privatize the education which paved the way for student uprising. The Higher education Minister was boasting that some or rather he brings the said Act an in supporting that state has taken all the necessary steps to curb the student protests. Ultimately the government was forced to step down and postpone the said bill. But several university students were victimized to the state suppression whereas some students were deprived their scholarships, suspended

in order to do so we must not confine our struggle

for safeguard the democratic rights of the people but it must be a struggle against the whole system. The struggle against the dictatorship of the regime must be a struggle against the neo-liberal reforms.


intelligent unites have threatened the houses of 20 students of University of Sabaragamuwa.119 monks of the Buddhist and Pali

university,64 students in the North-Western University,95 of the Indigenous Medicine University were suspended. Cases have been filed against 31 female students in the University of Rajarata. Now universities like jails. Nobody is allowed to do day today activities together. Even though the government has unleashed such a massive suppression they have failed to implement their privatization agenda.

This suppression has not been confined to students. The

University teachers’ struggle for better service conditions and to increase funds for the education was also curbed by the government. Their one day

the European Union decision of not to grant GSP plus tax concession to Sri Lanka. They are labeled as betrayals. The state Newspaper called ‘Dinamina’ has reported that the journalist who addressed the international community on 16th March 2012 on media suppression should be punished as Iran by killing them throwing stoned over them.

the editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper was killed on 6th January 2009.The Lanka Newspaper press had been sealed on 31st January 2010 and its editor Mr. Chandana Sirimalwatta was arrested. Mr. Pregeet Eknaligoda was abducted on 27th January 2010.The protest organized to condemn all these uncouth acts on 25th January 2012 was prevented through a court order while keeping thugs with sticks to attack the journalists.

On 29th June 2012 the Police had raided the offices of

Lanka X news an Sri Lanka Mirror news web sites and arrested the journalists thereof. Beforehand five Tamil medium websites namely "Tamilwin" Arthiv" Sarithan" Ponguthamil and pathivu were banned. Subsequently government brought

regulations to register all the websites under the government. In 2012 the government has reestablished the Press council which has powers to conduct criminal proceedings against the

journalists.Not only

had the state, some owners of the media institution taken steps to throw out journalists who worked independently. The owner of the Ceylon today Newspaper removed its Editor Mr. Lalith Alahakoon from the newspaper merely because

he refused to publish a news suggested bu the said owner. Four other members of the staff have resigned from the said company by protesting the said move. Due to a political reason the Director Board of the ''Iru resa'' newspaper has decided to remove Mr. Sunil Jayasekara from the said newspaper. The shares of the Sunday Leader newspaper company were brought by a pro government businessmen and thereafter the Editor of the said Newspaper Fedrica Janz

was insisted to resign which inferred the that the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksha is the person who behind the screen. This experiences over the media sector prove the fact that the struggle should not be confined to topple the government in the name of the independence of the Media but that should be extended up to topple the system. Lenin in his work of “Thesis and Report on Bourgeois Democracy and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat ” States as follows.

“And capitalist usage, freedom of the press means freedom of the rich to bribe the press, freedom to use their wealth to shape and fabricate so-called public opinion.”

Therefore the year 2012 was marked as a year which created serious new ways of suppression for the journalists in the history.

Though the concept of democracy was developed under capitalist system the capitalist leaders of the backward countries such as Sri Lankan have failed to protect the said concept which needs for very existence of their own system. All these examples shows the crisis of the democracy in Sri Lanka. Lenin had further stated as follows in his work of “The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky”,

‘Bourgeois democracy, although a great historical advance in comparison with medievalism, always remains, and under capitalism is bound to remain, restricted, truncated, false and hypocritical, a paradise for the rich and a snare and deception for the exploited, for the poor.’

In comparing with the modernism this trend in the country has overturned the historical front steps. These are the attributes of the demolishing capitalist system. The neo-liberalism also does not show

liberal attributes. It gives freedom only for oppression and free movement of the capital. Without suppressing the groups such as labors, fishermen, students, journalists and alternative forces the rulers cannot open the country for global capital. The democracy of the country is attached to the social and economic strategies under neo liberalism.

President Mahinda Rajapaksha by passing the 18th amendment has taken steps to iron out all the impediments under the 1978 constitution which has given supreme power to the president. By way of the said amendment his power has been further increased and in the guise of that he brought laws to strengthen horrible laws such as Prevention of terrorism Act, Public Security Act, Criminal procedure(special provision) Act etc. alarming the danger of a dictatorship. Though the capitalist class cannot assure the democratic rights of the people they are depending on the slogans of democracy. The Mahinda Rajapaksha fracture is managing the fight for the democracy against the other capitalist fracture of United National Party. Now it is the duty of the left movement of the country to convert the struggle for democracy to a system change by not giving another chance to the capitalist class to manage the struggle for their survival.

In order to do so we must not confine our struggle for safeguard the democratic rights of the people but it must be a struggle against the whole system. The struggle against the dictatorship of the regime must be a struggle against the neo-liberal reforms. For instance the student movement was able to extend their struggle against the suppression up to a struggle against the privatization of the education and but on the other hand the struggle for media freedom was stagnated in the border of the neo-liberalism. We must educate the power forces such as labors, peasants, students, fishermen, journalists that there are no concrete solutions for their problems under the present system while fighting against the dictatorship. They should be realized that the fight is not for capitalist democracy but for the proletariat democracy .As Lenin said now it is high time to reach proletariat democracy and we cannot turn back to the democracy which was existed at the beginning of the capitalism. The struggle for democracy must be led towards that.

salary was cut down by the government on the basis that they involved in a token strike under the flag of Federation of University Teacher's Associations – FUTA on March. University teaches were labeled as terrorists during their trade union action which has been extended for 3 months from July to September.

The journalist of the country also cannot be get rid of this suppression. Two leaders of the Independence Media Movement were threatened charging that they are responsible for

‘Bourgeois democracy,

although a great historical advance in comparison with medievalism, always remains, and under capitalism is bound to remain, restricted, truncated, false and hypocritical, a paradise for the rich and a snare and deception for the exploited, for the poor.’


After Nicolas Chauvin, a soldier of Napoleon Bonaparte's era,

Marxists apply the term chauvinism to any determinate support for the ideology of the superiority of one nation over others. Therefore, chauvinism means the assertion of the supremacy of one’s own nation above others, and the right to dominate and subjugate other nations or national communities. Both nationalism and chauvinism emerged simultaneously with the emergence with capitalism during the era of the creation of nation states. In the era of World War 1 social-chauvinism had become another opportunist tendency among the proletarian movement under the pretext of "safeguarding the fatherland" by some of the leaders of the Second International. On the other hand it is an expression of the strategy of divide and conquer applied by all rulers, invaders and dominators throughout the ages. Modern imperialism and its present era of neo-liberalism has not only adopted this strategy

an essential ideological state apparatus of present day neo-liberalism

as an essential feature of its rule, control and domination, but also raised it to the most barbaric and hideous forms, as for example in carrying out wholesale massacres and genocidal wars. Chauvinism is being heavily used by present day neo-liberalism to create false identity crises to deviate from the real class struggle among the oppressed masses throughout the world.

In this article it is not the subject to deeply analyse the concept of chauvinism but to illustrate it by referring to present Lankan circumstances.

The modern backward capitalist state of Lanka had

been crafted by the British colonial power and foisted upon society based on this very same strategy of divide and conquer. This was accomplished with the active collaboration of the majority Sinhala and minority Tamil and Muslim capitalist class. The genuine anti-imperialist aspirations and struggle raised in the early stages by some political forces was

effectively drowned by the politics of chauvinism. The ultimate result was that the Sinhala and Tamil bourgeois leaderships capitulated to this reactionary agenda. The super-imposed capitalism

in Lanka was backward at its emergence. Unlike some advanced capitalist countries, there are number of unfinished bourgeois democratic tasks to be accomplished including the national question. The backward and feeble comprador capitalist class of Lanka didn't have an effective program or the capability to mobilize the masses against the colonial

rulers. For this very reason Lankans haven't experienced a strong national movement in history. Hence the backward capitalism in Lanka was not able to bring the broader masses into political

activism under the banner of a national movement. Therefore, it evident that the capitalist class comprising all national communities fell into chauvinist political programs to grab and maintain power by playing into the hands of colonial rulers. Intentionally the backward Sinhala capitalists adopted nationalistic and chauvinist political programs since the so-called independence by using their advantageous position to get the support of the majority Sinhala voters over the other national communities. As a reaction the Tamil and Muslim bourgeois drag the respective masses towards the same reactionary nationalistic abyss. Since then the politics of chauvinism and class collaboration and the strategy of divide and rule have dominated and over determined the political landscape, which has assumed the most hideous and perverse forms.

Recent attacks against the Muslim nationality serves to bring out the vicious nature of chauvinism exercised by the present Rajapaksha regime. It is well known that an organization called Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Brigade), has been waging a most violent and vituperative campaign targeting the Muslim community. This is being carried out with state patronage, and has included repeated attacks against Islamic places of worship, combined with a widespread media assault. Eight such web sites in Sinhala and ten English web sites and hundreds of Face Book accounts have been deployed for this purpose. The level and content of this media campaign is most depraved, degrading and openly inflammatory. Needless to say, all these activities are being carried out with the complete

knowledge and complicity of the government and the armed forces. The campaign sank to such low depths that during an attack led by a Buddhist priest on the Dambulla Mosque, one

To page 11


to page 11

How do you tell the difference between an economic immigrant

and a refugee?This is the question now

confronting the Australian government as more Lankans than ever before are deciding to board boats and emigrate to Australian shores. Expecting the opportunity to live and work in Australia, Lankan emigrants are instead taken to camps and greeted with an unfriendly array of Australian laws that brand them as either an economic immigrant or a refugee.

Under Australian law, a refugee has a far greater claim to citizenship than an economic immigrant. The United Nations Refugee Convention of 1951, to which Australia is a signatory, states that a refugee is a person who, "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country". Despite Australia being legally obligated to accept such refugees, since 2011 only 512 Lankans – or 12 per cent of the 6,393 that arrived on boats in 2012 – were granted refugee status.

The vast majority of arrivals from Lankan have been labelled economic immigrants by the Australian government and are being

deported back to Lanka en masse. So far 700 Lankans, including 550 Sinhalese and 150 Tamils, have been sent back to Lanka with the promise of many more to follow. Although the Australian government allegedly considers Tamil emigrants to have a strong refugee claim in light of the recent civil war, when confronted with the economic reality of accepting a large number of poor Lankan immigrants, Australia’s humanitarian commitment has wavered. As a result, it has recently been reported that a number of Tamils were deported back to Lanka despite informing Australian immigration officials that death threats and persecution awaited them upon return.

Unfortunately for the Lankan emigrants arriving in Australia, the UN refugee convention fails to recognise the most pervasive and brutal persecuting force of all – the capitalist system itself. There is no doubt that every Lankan arriving on Australian shores owe their misery and suffering to this all-consuming persecution. Although in some cases,

particularly regarding the Tamil population and the anti-regime political activists, Lankans are persecuted because of their race, religion or political opinions, the savagery of Lankan capitalism ultimately transcends these boundaries. Indeed, the Lankan capitalist state actively seeks to reinforce

their homeland as a country that is not only unable to protect them from this persecution, but were responsible for it in the first place. The Australian government needs to realise that the majority of the 6,393 Lankans that clambered in ships for the gruelling 14-day journey to Australian shores are neither economic immigrants nor refugees – rather they are victims of failing capitalism.

As far as the Lankan democracy is concerned it is not going be an easy task to put an end to Lankans' seeking refuge in other countries by. The prevailing military rule in Northern and Eastern districts hasn't been abolished. The establishment of civil administration in North and East is still an utmost priority. It can be achieved only by fighting against the undemocratic family regime. Under the pretext of re-emergence of LTTE, the entire country is being militarized by the regime. Disappearances of political opponents have become a norm under the Rajapaksha family regime. Workers, students, fishermen, journalists and even university lecturers or judges who are fighting against the regime in democratic terms are being attacked or killed by the state sponsored terrorism. Since the emergence of the Front Line Socialist Party, it has been experiencing a number of

disappearances, abductions and killings of party activists. It can be true that there are people who are not directly affected by these undemocratic acts who are seeking refuge in Australia or some other country. Also we cannot deny the illegal people-smuggling business uses this opportunity for their own sake. But at the same time we must acknowledge the bitter reality prevailing in Lankan politics. It is quite clear that the Australian government tries to resolve its own political crisis under the pretext of fighting against people-smugglers. We are not advocating that people seek refuge in another country or risk their lives for an unachievable dream. We believe that it is worth enough to risk our lives to regain peace, democracy and finally equality among the Lankan society.

SRI LANKAN CAPITALISM FAILS ITS CITIZENS

Despite the Rajapaksa government boasting about the post-war economic boom that has seen the Lankan Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rise considerably in the last two years, the benefit of this boom has yet to affect those who need it most – the Lankan working class. It is well known that GDP figures do not take into account how that wealth is distributed within a society, and are therefore unreliable. For example, the GDP figures give no indication of the inequality of Lanka, which according to the 2010 Gini index of wealth distribution places Lanka as the 27th most unequal country in the world.

Colombo, the most populous capital city in Lanka, provides the perfect insight into the stunning inequality of Lanka. In early 2012, it was alleged that the poverty rate in Colombo stands at 40 per cent, with 30 per cent earning less than US$15 per month. Anyone who has travelled from the city centre of Colombo, which has the appearance of any other modern city, to the slums of

and strengthen these divides in order to affect its complete domination over society. For the Rajapaksa government, a society divided is a society easily controlled.

By reducing countless Lankans to lives of endless exploitation, poverty and in some cases homelessness, Lankan capitalism has

ultimately forced its citizens to

view

We are not advocating that

people seek refuge in another country or risk their lives for an unachievable dream. We believe that it is worth enough to risk our lives to regain peace, democracy and finally equality among the Lankan society.


cont. page 11

The optimism that existed in Egypt after President Mubarak

was deposed in early 2011 is gradually turning to disillusionment. Only one-third of the people voted in the recently held constitutional referendum. That suited the well-disciplined Muslim Brotherhood, which is the only political force in the country able to mobilize large numbers of illiterate people to vote. The Brotherhood is working in co-operation with Saudi Arabia, other Persian Gulf despotic states such as Qatar, and the United States to achieve its political goals. The absence of a strong Leninist political party in Egypt and the other Arab countries means that the working class has no-one to represent its interests, and enables the United States and its allies to shape the entire course of the so-called 'Arab Spring'.

A 234 article draft constitution, devised by an Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly, is being currently put to a referendum in two rounds. It includes a guarantee of the privileges of the Egyptian Army though an article that creates a special Defence Council, to be run by the President and the army commanders, which is not subject to Parliament. The Egyptian military is mainly financed through $1.3 billion in annual aid from Washington. The first round of this referendum was reported to have had a narrow win for the "yes" vote, but only 33 per cent of eligible voters took part. Such a low turnout is not consistent with the claim that Egypt is going through some sort of democratic revolution, but rather the reverse: that the people are becoming depoliticized. Food prices, which were one of the main reasons fuelling the initial unrest in 2010, are now higher than they were under Mubarak.

U.S. influence behind the 'Arab Spring'

A New York Times article of April 14 2011 entitled "U.S. Groups Helped Nurture Arab Uprisings" stated that that "the United States’ democracy-building campaigns played a bigger role in fomenting protests than was previously known, with key leaders of the movements having been trained by the Americans". A number of the individuals and groups involved in the destabilization, including the April 6 Youth Movement in Egypt, "received training and funding from groups like

the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House, a nonprofit human rights organization based in Washington, according to interviews in recent weeks and American diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks". The National Endowment for Democracy, which fostered colour revolutions abroad in Ukraine (orange), Georgia (rose), Czech (velvet), receives about $100 million annually from Congress. Freedom House also gets the bulk of its money from the U.S. government, mainly from the State Department.

Preparations for the Arab Spring began in 2008 within seminar rooms in Washington DC and New York, U.S. funded training facilities in Serbia (the NGO "Otpor"), and camps held in neighboring countries, not within the Arab world itself. The U.S. not only funded and trained grass roots activists such as the Alliance of Youth Movements (Movements.org), but was behind the new leaders installed after the so-called revolution. Moncef Marzouki, the current President of Tunisia, was founder and head of the Arab Commission for Human Rights, a collaborating institution within the NED's World Movement for Democracy (WMD), which is sponsored by billionaire banker George Soros's Open Society and USAID. The London-based National Front for the Salvation of Libya has been backed by the CIA and MI6 since the 1980s. The same

Western organizations covertly behind the Arab Spring have also been active in Belarus, according to President Alexander Lukashenko. The new Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib spent decades in the U.S., and was employed by the Petroleum Institute, sponsored by British Petroleum, Shell, Total, and other oil giants. Egyptian protest leader Mohammed ElBaradei is also a devoted agent of the West, with a long-standing membership within the Wall Street/London funded International Crisis Group (ICG) alongside "senior Israeli officials" including the current Israeli President Shimon Peres, the current Governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, and former Israeli Foreign Minister, Shlomo Ben-Ami. The ICG also includes senior American bankers and geopolitical manipulators such as George Soros, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Richard Armitage, and Wesley Clark.

The Muslim Brotherhood takes power

The group formally known as the Society of Muslim Brothers was founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna under the slogan "the Koran is our constitution". Banna described the Brothers ultra-orthodox brand of Islam as "a Salafiyya message", which emphasises the Salaf ('predecessors' or 'ancestors'), the earliest Muslims, as models of Islamic practice. The Brotherhood – in Arabic, the Ikhwan – is a regional movement that

transcends national borders. It has been responsible for decades of violent discord across the Arab world and has remained a serious threat to secular governments from Algeria to Syria. It aims at the destruction and replacement of non-Islamic governments by the "Great Islamic Caliphate", a worldwide government founded on Sharia law. Sharia Law is Islam's moral and religious code based on the Koran.

From its early days the Brotherhood was financed generously by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which appreciated its ultra-conservative politics and its virulent hatred of Arab communists. In the 1930s Banna established the Secret Apparatus, an underground intelligence and paramilitary arm with a terrorist wing. The Brotherhood had enormous power behind the scenes in monarchical Egypt, playing politics at the highest level, often in league with King Farouk against his political opponents, including the left, the communists, and the nationalist Wafd Party. For the next five decades, the Muslim Brotherhood would serve as a battering ram against nationalists and communists. Despite the Brothers' Islam-based anti-imperialism, the group often ended up making common cause with the colonial British. It functioned as an intelligence agency, infiltrating left-wing and nationalist groups. By 1954 the central figure in the Brotherhood's international organization was a known

CIA agent, (Said Ramadan, the son-in-law of Hassan al-Banna) The Brotherhood was used as a weapon against Gamal Abdel Nasser (whom they tried twice to assassinate) and, in fact, all Arab socialist leaders who at that time were part of a rising tide of Arab nationalism which sought, as its ultimate goal, independence from Western imperial domination.

The Brotherhood (and its women's wing the Muslim Sisterhood) set up the Freedom and Justice Party last year to contest the 2011-2012 Egyptian parliamentary elections. The best-organized political group in Egypt, it won 47% of the seats. An even more fundamentalist Sharia law group, the Al-Nour party won another 25%. As its candidate for President the Brotherhood appointed Western-educated Mohammed Morsi, who narrowly won the 2012 Presidential elections against Mubarak's last Prime Minister.

Since his election President Morsi has visited the Brotherhood's main sponsors in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and written a friendly letter to Israeli President Shimon Peres, whom he called Egypt's "great and good friend". The Brotherhood's organization in Syria is playing a leading role in the foreign-based and foreign-backed assault on President Assad's secular government, and Morsi has said it is an "ethical duty" to support the Syrian people against the "oppressive regime". Last month Morsi

Neither the Muslim Brotherhood

government nor the Opposition co-ordinated by the above-mentioned Mohammed ElBaradei has anything to offer the Egyptian working class, who need salvation in this life, not in the hereafter.


The Arab Spring From page 10Illusion From page 03

we are building up the From page 03

Chauvinism From page 08

Emigration From page 09

The Movement for From page 02

Buddhist priest had raised his robe and urinated in front of the mosque. We should not engage in the debate as to whether these extremist groups are practicing according to the lines of Buddhism or they are not true believers of Buddhism. But the main objective of these sorts of backward acts was to deceive Sinhala masses in the name of Buddhism and forcing other religious communities to fall in the lines of extremisms. It is quite clear that they are being used by the ideological state apparatuses to deceive and subjugate the masses under the name of safeguarding Buddhism, and to widen the gap among the masses in terms of religious and ethnic lines. This shows the bankruptcy of the present Rajapaksha regime and how the neo-liberal ideology intervenes in the social consciousness to create a false enemy so as to deviate the masses from confronting against the class enemy. Even in a capitalist secular state, anyone should be able to practice their religious or cultural beliefs without confronting other religious or cultural communities, and the state should not interfere or involve itself in citizens' intellectual matters. Contrary to this, in Lanka there are number of ministries that have been introduced in the names of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islamism, which shows how the backward state intervenes in these matters.

Chauvinism is one of the most powerful poisonous weapons used by the state and the capitalist class in its arsenal to suppress class consciousness, and divide the masses on national, religious and all other sorts of sectarian lines. Here the exploited and oppressed classes are manipulated to unite with their exploiters. This was exemplified by the fact that the vast majority of the exploited and oppressed Sinhala masses have been deceived and allured by the successive governments who reigned since the so-called independence to justify the national oppression and the violence against Tamil people and Muslim minorities. Vice versa, the vast majority of Tamil people also have been subjugated, deceived and allured by the Tamil bourgeoisie and finally by the LTTE while using violence against Sinhala and Muslim people. The bloody shield of chauvinism is being pierced by the practical life experience of the oppressed masses comprising all national communities, when it is realised that very same violent and apparently non-violent state apparatuses are being used to subjugate and deceive themselves. The same armed forces of the state that destroyed mostly Sinhala youths in 1971 and 1987-89 periods and destroyed thousands of Tamil civilians throughout the decades-long war have now again turned their guns to suppress and kill Sinhala workers, fisherman, students in the South while maintaining an illegal military rule in the North and East.

It is clear that in order to build a genuine proletariat revolutionary movement comprising all national communities, it is absolutely necessary to build a united battlefront to thoroughly expose and defeat the politics of chauvinism. This is a foremost task of all genuine communist revolutions. On the basis of recognising this should be the respecting of the dignity, equality, security, and democratic freedom of all national communities constituting the people of Lanka.

tried to grant himself unlimited powers to "protect" the nation, but withdrew that decree under the pressure of widespread protests. In economics, the Brotherhood doesn't have any opposition to neo-liberal capitalism. In one of the first decisions of the new government, Morsi (who incidentally has two children with U.S. citizenship) announced that it would welcome conditional IMF loans that will drastically reduce subsidies and regulations.

Neither the Muslim Brotherhood government nor the Opposition co-ordinated by the above-mentioned Mohammed ElBaradei has anything to offer the Egyptian working class, who need salvation in this life, not in the hereafter. There are several obvious points of similarity with the Sri Lankan regime – the attempt to expand Presidential powers, the feigned anti-imperialism, the sectarianism, the acceptance of IMF loans and neo-liberalism. Although there is genuine political opposition in Egypt, it has so far found itself outmanoeuvred by the better funded and better organized forces of imperialism.

create the ideology of the ruling class, as Marx insisted long ago, these ideological apparatuses are being used to spread Sinhala Buddhist or Tamil Hindu or Muslim Islam or any other reactionary ideology to subjugate and allure the oppressed masses comprising different national communities, and to widen the vertical gaps to manipulate them along the lines of bourgeois programs. It should be noted that neo-liberal capitalism is not only a mere set of economic policies but also it has become an ideology. Capitalism which is led by imperialism with its neo-liberal ideology has interwoven with all categories of backwardness in Lankan society. Therefore, as an ideological state apparatus the media carries this ideology accordingly. There is no independent mass media institutions which can deny their role of being a part of the ideological state apparatus. Being independent of the government's hand is a different phenomena and it doesn't change the nature of its historical role as a state apparatus. It doesn't want to emphasis class struggle or to take any action to stimulate class struggle. It is being created to spread the ideas and view points which reform

the system but not to change the system. When it comes to the topic of democracy it takes the more popular issues but not the real issues as those real needs cannot be achieved without changing the system. It prefers that a proletarian movement should play on the ground of the demarcations set up by them to stimulate the reformist struggle so as to topple only the governments without harming the system. By using the issue of impeachment the political debate can be divided into two opposite camps of friends and foes of the Rajapaksha regime, but not the capitalist system. But democracy or any other socio-economic or political issues should be taken into account by the left movement to mobilize the oppressed masses comprising all national communities to concentrate in one huge camp against the system. It doesn't deny the participation of left movement in the issue of the contradiction between the judiciary and the executive presidency, but that participation should combine the "unpopular" but real issues of democracy to bring about equality and social justice.

Rajapaksha regime, these so called progressive unions never voiced their anger. Until now this capitalist regime used the judiciary for their political advantage.

It is a well known fact that the current crisis was created as a result of the neo- liberal policies of the Rajapaksha regime, therefore we believe we need to fight against the entire system to win democracy for people. That is the reason we did not take part of those short sighted protests and instead we will be having educational meetings, workplace level discussions, home visits and meet them in their neighbourhoods to educate and politicize the working people,

Frontline:- To organise the working class and to politicize them you may need new structures in the country. Do you have any

strategic plan to fulfil this need?Comrade Chameera:- As I mentioned before,

within the current capitalist system trade unions also created structures to suit the neo liberal environment. But we as a movement need to provide a real alternative for the working class. Currently we are setting up committees in all parts of the country. These workers' struggle committees target various workplaces and regions to facilitate vigorous debate and comprehensive strategic planning in order to implement and execute our next action to bring real change to current socio economic political landscape of Lanka.

We are confident the year 2013 will provide us real opportunities to defeat the neoliberal policies of this government.

the outer districts, will tell you of their shock upon realising just how unequal Colombo has become.

Across the whole of Lanka, the richest 10 per cent own 40 per cent of the total wealth, while the poorest 10 per cent own barely over 1 per cent. In Lanka they have what is called a regressive taxation system, which essentially means the percentage of tax Lankans pay on their income decreases as they get richer. Considering such endemic inequality, it is unsurprising that 6,393 Lankans jumped at the opportunity to leave for Australia during 2012.

The inequality of Lankan society stems from an inherently corrupt government. With President Mahinda Rajapaksa holding the financial portfolio, brother Gotabaya in charge of defence, and brother Basil, in charge of ports, redeveloping the East and some others, it has been estimated that the family directly control approximately 70 per cent of Lanka’s budgetary allocations.

AUSTRALIA AND LANKA SIGN JOINT AGREEMENT As Lankans account for more than a third of all migrants

attempting to enter Australia by boat, Australian foreign minister B. Carr visited Lanka in December 2012 and has signed a joint plan with the Lankan government to combat the wave of Lankan emigration. Under the joint agreement, the Australian government will give the Rajapaksa government AU$45 million in foreign aid, as well as equipment to assist the interception of Lankans as they leave their homeland. The Lankan navy has already intercepted 3000 Lankans bound for Australia in 2012, bringing the total of Lankans who attempted to leave for Australia to just fewer than 10,000.

While Australia has recently become the preferred destination for Lankans who can afford to pay people smugglers up to AU$5000 for the privilege ($500 up front, and the rest upon arrival), this is in line with a general trend of migration across the board. Even the official figures acknowledge that between 2001-2010, departures of Lankan nationals have been rising each year and outnumber arrivals by 390,317. That’s almost four hundred thousand Lankans who have left the country and have not returned. If Lankan capitalism continues on this path of inequality, corruption and undemocratic practice the wave of emigration will continue.

We state with full responsibility that the taking the signatures of the prisoners on blank paper by force yesterday inside the Welikada prison is deplorable plan to cover up the huge massacre at the prison.

The coercion faced by the prison detainees is another offshoot of the anti democratic dictatorship that is common all over the country. Countries that are in a half developed stage like Sri Lanka only have the option of using coercion and suppression in order to put in to action their neo liberalistic plan and these incidents will accumulate in History as evidence of this. In the face of growing dictatorial tendencies in governance we appeal to the whole Lankan society and to the people who value democracy to come forward and oppose the government’s neo liberal agenda and join hands to prevent the cover up of these savage massacres that happened inside prisons and bring to justice those who are responsible for these acts”.

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The capitalist mode of production and distribution is characterised by glaring and growing contrasts between want and luxury, and a small possessing class that rules over a large labouring class which produces all wealth. Despite the permanent injustices within such a society, the oppressed labouring class generally remains silent and does not rise up in righteous anger to overturn it.

There are many subjective reasons for this silence. Workers may have a feeling of political powerlessness, which is a survival from older modes of production in which people were legally unfree. Or they may believe, as a result of brainwashing by the ideological state apparatus that they can succeed as an individual and eventually become a member of the capital-owning class. Many people still have a belief in an all-powerful supreme being who decides everything, whose wishes it would be futile to oppose. Others may fear that the police of the repressive state apparatus will punish them severely if they take a strong political stand. A real social revolution is an unpredictable business which individuals may believe will leave them worse off

The founders of scientific socialism knew of all these and other hindrances which inhibit workers from taking action, but nevertheless taught that capitalism's days are numbered. They showed capitalism to be a giant with feet of clay, a system which as it expands produces its own gravediggers. Capitalism is a relatively modern phenomenon which had its beginnings in the 16th century and will inevitably have its end, like all previous modes of production. That is because of the inescapable contradictions, discovered by Marx and Engels that exist within it.

The objective material conditions make it the urgent task of our time to prepare the proletariat for the conquest of political power. It is because of these conditions that V.I. Lenin said "Whatever difficulties the revolution may have to encounter, whatever possible temporary setbacks or waves of counter-revolution it may have to contend with, the final victory of the proletariat is inevitable."

The Movement for Peoples struggle held a massive protest at Colombo Fort on the 10th of December to mark the one year anniversary of the abduction of the Jaffna organiser of the movement for peoples struggle, comrade Lalith Kumar Veeraraj and Kuhan

Muruganandan who were abducted in Jaffna.

The movement for peoples struggle demanded that the government must put a stop to the abductions and disappearances that are happening all over the country and to end the anti democratic

practices throughout the country.The protest march which started

from the technical junction in Pettah, Colombo, came together in front of the Fort railway station and continued as a protest demonstration with a large number of the public joining in.

The rulers use racism as a shield to cover up their political bankruptcy. This is a political plan. Frontline Socialist Party expressed these views at a media briefing held at the party office on the 26th of December.

"This is not patriotism or love of religion. This is a subtle political plan. The workers were eagerly waiting for pay rise from the budget, the state workers were waiting for their pay rise, they were disappointed because they got thing. There is no mention about private workers or the workers in the plantation sector. The farmers and students receive none. Therefore, government needs to maintain racism, terror politics, suppression and deception in order to shield their political bankruptcy". Propaganda secretary of FLSP comrade Pubudu Jayagoda asserted.

"The police assaulted and arrested Jaffna University students while they were on a protest. When comrade MP Ajith Kumara questioned about the arrest of

students, he was told that University students arrested under Terrorism Act. They are now on detention orders. The defence secretary had told the university teachers and the vice chancellor that these students cannot be released. What are they accused of in regard to terrorism? If Kelaniya and J'pura students protest tomorrow, the government would recommend rehabilitation. While raising racism against Tamil people, government use racism also against Muslims. A protest had been organized recently by an organization called 'Bodu Bala sena' in Ambilipitiya. The day before the protest, a group of people in saffron robes attacked two Muslims.

These two Muslim are 'Samurdhi' recipients. The defence secretary said to the representatives of the Ulama council that government has no relationship with those offenders. However, Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thero and mayor of Ambilipitiya (another monk) were seen walking at the front line in Ambilipitiya protest. They are

members of the Hela Urumaya which is part of coalition government.MP sunny Rohana was also behind the organization of this protest. MP Luxman Wasantha perera had been involved in the attack of Dambulla mosque on the 20th of April. The local Government politicians have been involved in all the attacks on Tamil and Muslim. If government has not got a hand on these assaults, why not bring those perpetrators to justice. 'Bodu Bala Sena' broke into archaeology department and held lectures to its employees, as to how to protect national heritage from Muslims. Sinhala Businessmen did not agree when they were asked to shut down the shops. A few people organized this racist protest while majority of people disagreed with protesters. We believe people in the other parts of the country, would follow in the footsteps of the Ambilipitiya Business community". Comrade Duminda Nagamuwa, polit-beuro member of FLSP was also participated at this media briefing.

The convener for the Movement for Equal Rights claimed that the Mahinda Rajapaksghe regime is using Nazi tack tics to intimidate opposition activists and are trying to use the media to manipulate the social consciousness. He stated this in a media briefing held at Colombo on the 5th of December.

He urges the public to come forward to challenge the regime and to build bridges between the divided communities. Co-secretary Paniwel Richard, National Organiser Jude Pulle and National Committee member K. Thirubaharan attended this event.

GoveRnMenT USe RAciSM To hide TheiR cRiSiSFrontline socialist party

Mahinda Regime Uses Nazi Tack -TicksRavindra Mudalige

The Silence

frontline - january 2013

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