By Raju Prabath Lankaloka
There is no doubt that the reactionary and treacherous regime has suffered a lot due to the people’s struggle, which is going on for a few months. The crooked former central bank governor had to go home. Two Cabinet of Ministers had to go home in a very short period of time. Mahinda Rajapaksa had to go home on May 9 and Basil Rajapaksa followed the same path on June 9 in a humiliating manner. At this moment people are determined to chase out Gotabhaya and Ranil at once. On July 9, we are rallying for that purpose.
We have repeatedly said that the purpose of these protests should not be to overthrow one government and bring another similar capitalist regime to power, but to change the entire system. Therefore, we said from the beginning that there should be a broad discussion about the demands of the struggle and the program of the struggle.
After waiting so much time, certain elements connected to the ‘Struggle’ have now come up with a program, in which they have been cautious enough to make sure their proposals are not going beyond the existing system and the existing constitutional framework. At the same time, the struggle that once claimed to be ‘non-partisan’ is now suddenly becoming ‘all-party’.
The ‘Action Plan’ presented on 05.07.2022 by a group called ‘Protesters of Galle Face’, who called themselves activists of the struggle, gave an indication about the current direction of the struggle. It is clear that this program is a replica of the program earlier proposed by the Bar Association. We have discussed it many times before. It is significant that elements attached to parties like SJB, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, PP, Frontline Socialist Party and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress also participated in the event unveiling this programme. It is very much regrettable to note that SJB, SLFP and the SLMC who were in the gathering are equally responsible for the current crisis.
We must not forget that the United National Party and the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, a group of long-serving leaders of the United National Party (UNP), are co-owners in the current crisis. It was the UNP governments, which initiated naked exposure of Sri Lanka to imperialist finance capital, privatization of state-owned enterprises on the advice and conditions of the World Bank and the IMF, sharp devaluation of the rupee, massive foreign borrowing under the guise of development, degrading labour laws and creating conditions to exploit labour cheaply, creating conditions which created an environment conducive to the rise of corruption and frauds, etc. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party-led regimes since 1994 have maintained that economic and political framework and structure, UNP had established earlier. Accordingly, the United National Party and the SJB are equally responsible for the current crisis at an equal level to the present government.
Today they are trying to do fishing in muddy waters. For months, people did not give them a single chance for it. But now, due to the bankruptcy of some members of the ‘struggle’, they have been able to get a chance for it.
We have also emphasised that solutions shall not always have to be confined within the limits of the existing constitutional framework. Especially within a crisis situation, when it is clear that the existing constitutional framework has contributed significantly to the crisis, there is no possibility of finding solutions within the same constitutional framework. It is a futile attempt. At this moment, people are quite fed up with the current system, therefore, have a great desire to get rid of this system.
It is clear that the current system including the executive presidency and the parliament is by no means a system that addresses the needs of the people or provides the solutions to their problems. This system was designed to establish a stable political atmosphere in the country to implement the neo-liberal program, based on imperialist interests. Today it is clear what that economic program has brought to the people. Accordingly, the present Constitution, which was drafted to carry out that catastrophic economic program, and the institutional structure it was created, including the Executive Presidency and Parliament, must be abolished. Therefore this system must be changed by building workers ‘committees at the workplace level, forming farmers’ and fisheries committees and people’s councils at the local level and building a people’s government consisting of their elected representatives has become a paramount need for any approach in the direction of providing solutions to the crisis, that the country is facing today.
On the other hand, the problem in the country is not the lack of wealth, but the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a very small number of people. Even the figures presented as the value of the property destroyed on May 9, is bear witness to this. On the other hand, even though the country does not have dollars in foreign reserves, there are plenty of dollar transactions are taking place on Sri Lanka’s black market. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the accumulated wealth and use it for the benefit of the people. Instead, the country should not be dragged on the path of borrowing more and selling off the country’s property, which will put future generations into a bigger disaster
It is also unfortunate that Sri Lankan trade union leaders have not been able to call a general strike in the midst of such a magnificent and powerful mass movement. Only a continuous general strike can make a tremendous impact on the government and later overthrow it. That is how the mass protests can be brought to a successful end. But even though months have gone since the struggle commenced, the failure to call a continuous general strike underscores the backwardness and weakness of the trade union leadership. Therefore, it is a must to change this attitude and take the class movement to a fighting stance on July 9.
Thus, our responsibility on July 9 is very clear. Our primary aim should be to expel Gotabhaya and Ranil at once and not allow any similar group of crooks, who are equally responsible for this crisis to be back in power. For that, we must be armed with the following demands on July 9.
• Both Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe must resign immediately!
• No to the interim or similar government, which would be only a farce!
• Immediate cessation of all forms of repression and human rights abuses by the government! As a step in that direction, repeal the Emergency Law and the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
• All those who planned, facilitated and participated (including senior police officers) the MainaGoGama and GotaGoGama attacks that triggered the May 9 incidents must be Arrested and brought to justice!
• Immediate release of protesters and supporters who have been arrested due to the actions taken for self-defence and to defend the right to protest, subsequent to May 9 brutal attack!
• Changing the economic and political system which is a catastrophe for the people! For this, building people’s committees consisting of workers ‘committees at the workplace level, farmers’ and fisheries committees and people’s councils at the divisional level and a peoples rule from elected representatives from them!
• Use those people’s committees to establish a people’s constitution with the participation of the people outside the Parliament!
• Suspend all foreign loan payments! Reject the terms of IMF as the IMF is not a solution but just tightening the noose around!
• Acquire the wealth of multinational corporations and multinational banks to provide the necessities to people!
• Nationalise the essential services such as health, education and transportation!
• Taking the entire power and energy sector under the state control to guarantee uninterrupted power to people and reasonable fuel prices!
• Develop a mechanism to increase wages proportionate to inflation!
• Abolition of small and medium scale loans given to farmers and fisheries communities!
• Audit the income and expenditure and assets and liabilities of all politicians and all public servants covering the last 25 years and take action to recover misappropriated income and assets back to the Government!
• Stop all forms of fraud, corruption and irregularities. Fraudsters and corrupt persons must be brought before a people’s court to recover the stolen property from the people!
• Develop and implement a program that will eliminate unemployment and ensure environmental and climatic sustainability with industrial development!
