THE JOINT DECLARATION BY
THE LEFTIST MOVEMENTS OF THE
UNITED ACTION
Leftist parties and organizations of Sri Lanka, with the hope of establishing an awareness and a compromise, discussed with each other. The participants of these discussions were People's Liberation Front, Nawa Sama Samaja Party, United Socialist Party and Diyesa Adyayana Kawaya. These participants in their discussions agreed to publicize a joint declaration regarding the political facts related to their attempt for a unity. This declaration is the result of that decision.
Following the 17 years suppression lead by the former UNP govt which by all means was lenient to the imperialists, the people of Sri Lanka in 1994 elected the People's Alliance (PA) govt into power. The PA gave several pledges to the people of Sri Lanka who were oppressed by the former govt. But after four years still they have not been able to achieve any of the pledges that they promised.
Instead the PA govt is also following the footsteps of UNP. They, just as the UNP are following the advices of IMF, World Bank and the World Trade Organization. Prices of goods increased, subsidies and public welfare cancelled. But the national assets regardless of their importance are being sold out to Multi National Companies. Workers, farmers, students, youth and media personnel are being suppressed. Denial of democratic rights, postponement of polls and the use of racism to gain political power are the other malpractices of present govt. The harassments and illtreatments for the minority communities contributed the national crisis of Sri Lanka. And without solving that for an enduring peace the capitalist PA govt just as the former ones, is manipulating the war in north and east. They are leading the country towards deterioration. This has given endless grievances for the common people of Sri Lanka especially the women and children.
The representatives of the oppressed class protested and struggled against this anti democratic practice of PA govt. But since their struggles are solitary and seperate for the particular organizations they belong those struggles didn't have the power to defeat those anti democratic activities. So it is a duty of historic value to defeat the anti democratic practice of the PA govt as soon as possible by guiding and leading the oppressed people of Sri Lanka into that political struggle.
After being a colony of British Imperialists we achieved a fake independence in 1948. Afterwards the island of Sri Lanka became a victim of neo-colonialism. Several capitalist political parties have ruled the country for half a century and no doubt they somehow or other have lead the country to destruction. Some of the leftist parties having contributed to these capitalist regimes, spoiled their chances to establish a leftist govt in Sri Lanka. So ultimately the strength of the people's movements were given to the capitalists.
The capitalist parties, who continued the ruling process of backward capitalist socio-economic system for the sake of neo-colonialism, did not have the ability and objective of solving the crisis of Sri Lankan society. Instead of solving the crisis it will merely contribute in reckless development of the crisis. So we have to rescue our society by moving it away from the neo-colonial deterioration and lead it towards an actual development. It is clear that this duty can be fulfilled only by achieving the state power by the proletarian class. As a step towards that goal it is a historic necessity to establish a leftist centre.
The situation of this country as discussed above has enforced the leftist parties and organizations within the country to come to an agreement in unity. There are various attempts towards that and as an advancing step towards that intention we have begun a discussion among the leftist parties and organizations.
Since the social, economic and political conditions of our society summons us for a common united struggle, as organizations representing the necessity of that struggle we should have a clear idea about our minimum and maximum objectives. The minimum objectives for us will be to lead a protest struggle against the anti democratic decisions of the capitalist govt. By that we can strengthen and guide the people's movements towards the achievements of their rights in that level. And our maximum objective will be to establish a leftist centre which is needed for the victiory of a leftist govt. So now the leftist movement of our country has the longtime duty beginning from the struggles against the day to day socio-economic problems to move forward towards the objectives of a leftist govt. We should establish a leftist centre which activates in various aspects of the leftist struggle to defeat the capitalism and establish the prospective leftist govt.
It should be understood according to the nature of our task that it is not an easy job. This mobility towards a well established leftist centre will be a complex difficult task that asks for our devotion. For that we must work with clear and definite objectives both in minimum and maximum levels.
The prevailing conditions have forced us to consider the similarities as well as differences of the member organizations of this unity. Especially the experiences of various fronts and united actions of left in the history and also the the challenge we have faced have forced, us to keep on alert while continuing with this united action.
There will be united actions related to the facts of which we can agree and the ideological differences of us can't be taken as barriers for the united struggle. Meanwhile there will be positive type of political discussions regarding the ideological problems. This understanding and intention of the common struggle will cause the durability of our united struggle. Since we are ready to place the necessities of society and people, at the prominent place we believe that this united action will end in victory. So we honestly appeal the intelligentzia, artists, media personnel, progressive organizations as well as the Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil people of Sri Lanka to join hand in hand to make this attempt a success.
M. Tilvin Silva
(General Secretary) People's Liberation Front
Dr. Wickramabahu Krunaratne
(General Secretary) Nawa Samasamaja Party
Sirithunga Jayasuriya
(General Secretary) United Socialist Party
Wasantha Dissanayake
(General Secretary) Diyesa Adyayana Kawaya