March 05, 2014

Beyond UNHRC Resolution

Demand a Constituent Assembly

LankaSocialist Correspondent

First published in http://www.socialistworld.net on February 04, 2014
Original source: http://www.tamilsolidarity.org/?p=3507

Genocide – that is the recent verdict given against the Sri Lankan government by the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) in relation to the carnage in the last stages of the civil war. Yet this verdict will have no value for Tamils other than serving as a propaganda point. As we know, the PPT decisions are never acknowledged by the ‘international community’ of world governments. But that is largely beside the point; the volume of established evidence that has been accepted by the PPT could have been accepted in any court of law. Is a court challenge to the Rajapaksa dictatorship likely to take place? We all know the answer. Similarly we all know the answer to the question of what is likely to come out of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in March this year.

There will be no talk of a political solution either or any attempt made to address the national aspirations of the Tamil masses in Sri Lanka. It is not a lack of evidence that is holding them back. Rather a severe lack of ‘political will’. And that ‘will’ is not determined by genuine interest in ‘justice’, but rather by the competing economic interests in the region. Read More...

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February 18, 2014

Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya
Commissioner of Elections
Elections Secretariat
Rajagiriya.

Request to initiate action against Secretary to MoD and UD for participating in election campaigns

Dear Sir,

You are well aware by now that Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Urban Development (UD), Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has participated in the launch of the election campaign of the Colombo District Jathika Hela Urumaya nominee Udaya Gammanpila, a candidate for the provincial council elections for the Western Province, on the UPFA list, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on 13 February, 2014.

The law is quite clear about senior public service officers taking part in political activities. All officers from staff grade and above are prohibited in taking part in political activities including attending any event that can be identified by the public as political. Read More...

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February 18, 2014

United Socialist Party Press Statement

Western and Southern Provincial Election 2014-02-15

Unites Socialist Party, Sri Lanka

The Rajapakshe regime is using the holding of elections on a staggered basis as a trump card so that it can detract the peoples' attention from the anti-government struggle, while the workers, peasants, and youth are being suppressed by the emerging constitutional dictatorship using the military and police. It is the strategy of this coalition government to hold elections as it deems fit as a means to cut across the generalized political process utilizing the whole state apparatus and resources. Suppressing all democratic rights and deceiving the youth, who are yearning for jobs, peasants, and workers have been burdened with the unbearable cost of living. It is very clear that the aim of the government is to safe keep the state power which is in crisis in the face of mounting opposition to the government from the workers, the poor and the youth. We cannot expect these elections to reflect a clear public opinion while the departments of elections and police are under presidential rule with their supposed independence being dismantled under the 18th amendment to the Constitution. Read More...

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January 28, 2014

Where is Prageeth?

LankaSocialist Correspondent

January 24, 2014 marked the four year anniversary of the abduction of Sri Lankan Journalist and political analyst Prageeth Ekneligoda.

The following pictures were taken at the Sathyagraha (protest) campaign in Maharagama, Colombo, where demonstrators demanded the Rajapakshe Regime expose what happened to Prageeth.

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January 15, 2014

Perspectives Document

Challenges Facing Sri Lankan Working Class - 2014

United Socialist
Party Sri Lanka

Introduction

We are now in the midst of the worst systemic crisis for capitalism in generations, which is already shaping the world around us. The initial attempt by the capitalists to inject public money in to save big businesses through various stimulus packages has not rescued capitalism. The capitalists’ austerity offensive now taking place in western countries is devastating the life of millions of workers. Despite this, the world economy has shown no sign of proper recovery. There is no doubt that this will be a prolonged crisis. According to one statistic, over a quarter of the European population will be living in poverty by 2025.

Deteriorating conditions in Europe have been met with a ferocious fight-back of the working class in many countries. Greece has seen over thirty general strikes. Portugal has seen the biggest mass movements since the time of the revolution in 1974/75. In Spain, Ireland, Britain and many other so-called ‘developed’ countries we see the working class moving into mammoth battles to defend their conditions. Read More...

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December 23, 2013

IEC thesis

The world situation and tasks for the CWI

Document discussed, amended and voted at the recent meeting of the International Executive Committee (IEC) of the CWI, which took place in Belgium during the first week of December.

Originally posted by Socialistworld.net on December 16, 2013.

1) The last IEC concluded that we were “living through one of the most dramatic periods in history”. This would be marked by mass movements of the working class in Europe, continuous upheavals in the neo-colonial world, particularly in the Middle East, the re-emergence of the working class in South Africa, expectations of important developments in the US following the US elections, as well as changes in China and Asia as a whole and a significant turn in the situation in Latin America. Eastern Europe and Russia were also likely to see oppositional movements of the masses to the corrupt, parasitic robber-gangster capitalists. The impetus for all of this would be the continuation of the most serious world capitalist economic crisis since the 1930s. We also emphasised the crucial role of the CWI in this situation. Despite some difficulties for us arising from conjunctural complications, we would nevertheless be able to intervene successfully in movements likely to erupt and, in the process, attract some of the best of the workers and youth to our banner. Read More...

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December 23, 2013

South Africa

Mandela’s legacy

Heroically leading ANC to power but struggle tragically into dead end.

Weizmann Hamilton and Thamsanqa Dumezweni, DSM (CWI South Africa)

Originally posted by Socialistworld.net on December 07, 2013.

The Democratic Socialist Movement offers condolences to the Mandela family and all those in South Africa and internationally who are mourning the passing of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Mandela is a symbol of the struggles and sacrifices of millions over decades to end apartheid and win democracy. The hopes and aspirations of that heroic struggle – with the mighty black working class playing the decisive role – were invested in Mandela. We recognise him for his role in the defeat of one of the most odious systems of oppression and exploitation in history.

Mandela’s death on Thursday 5th December 2013 brings to an end a period of pre-mourning that commenced six months ago when he was admitted to hospital with a recurrent lung infection. His lung condition had its origin in the tuberculosis he contracted during hard labour in lime quarries on Robben Island where he served the first part of his 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid. For many his death will be seen as a welcome relief from the suffering he endured as he lay completely incapacitated in his Houghton home in Johannesburg, not least because it was widely believed that the ANC leadership was cynically keeping him alive with the intention of pulling the plug to derive the maximum benefit from his death in the 2014 elections. Read More...

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November 26, 2013

US

Victory for socialist in Seattle!

www.socialistworld.net (Originally published on November 19, 2013) website of the committee for a workers' international, CWI

“Earth-shattering consequences” in the US and internationally

An interview with Kshama Sawant. Sarah Wrack, from The Socialist (weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party, England & Wales)

The evening of 15 November will go down as marking an historic step in re-building a socialist movement in the US, the world’s leading capitalist nation. Kshama Sawant, candidate of Socialist Alternative (co-thinkers of the CWI in the US), was poised to win a seat on the Seattle City Council after her opponent conceded the race. This is the first time in many decades that a Socialist in the US won an election by defeating the Democrats, a party that pretends to be pro-labour. Further counts continued to show Kshama’s lead increasing in this city wide vote. As of November 18 Kshama stands on 93,168 votes. She spoke to Sarah Wrack about the campaign. Read More...