Sunday 22 April 2012
No one can tell me
to stop my politics
No one can tell me to stop my politics
Kumar Gunaratnam
Central Committee member of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Kumar Gunaratnam spoke to LAKBIMAnEWS about the allegations levelled against him, his many aliases and the future plans of the FSP in an interview with Rathindra Kuruwita:
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the media last week that you will never be allowed to return to Sri Lanka. What implications would this have on your political activities?
I could not follow the reports on what he has said but no one can tell me to stop my political interactions with the Sri Lankans, especially the proletariat and the leftist elements. That cannot be decided by a person or a party in power. I will engage in political activities with left leaning progressive elements in Sri Lanka and in other countries. These kinds of obstacles are to be expected if you are engaged in politics aimed at changing society. Every political activist who has chosen this path knows it. I will do my best to assist the party from wherever I live.
The JVP and the previous avatar of FSP, Movement for Peoples’ Struggle (MPS) have consistently stated their opposition against international
interference in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. But it was international influence that played a big role in your release...
When we say international interference we meant imperialism and neo liberalism; that has been the theoretical stance of the JVP since its inception.
We have stated that the governments which have ruled the country have bowed down before the imperialist powers and carried out the economic, political and social agendas of these powers. Although the current UPFA government talks about patriotism and sticking it up to the western powers to win votes of the people, in reality it is owned by the forces of capitalism represented by the World Bank, IMF and the World Trade Organization. We are against this neo liberal interference. And we would like to say that all the negative influence of neo liberalism comes to the country through governments. That is something the people should know.
That is what we are against. We are not against international progressive elements, intellectuals or human rights organizations. There are many such groups working around the world to protect peoples’ rights, to counter the growing militarism which is becoming an inherent part of neo liberal agenda and to push for socialism. We have nothing against building a broad coalition with such elements, and it is only through strengthening leftist parties in all countries that we can overcome the challenge posed by capitalism.
Socialists should be global in view, especially now when the traditional boundaries of the national state have become invalid in the 3rd quarter of capitalism. Full Story>>>
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the media last week that you will never be allowed to return to Sri Lanka. What implications would this have on your political activities?
I could not follow the reports on what he has said but no one can tell me to stop my political interactions with the Sri Lankans, especially the proletariat and the leftist elements. That cannot be decided by a person or a party in power. I will engage in political activities with left leaning progressive elements in Sri Lanka and in other countries. These kinds of obstacles are to be expected if you are engaged in politics aimed at changing society. Every political activist who has chosen this path knows it. I will do my best to assist the party from wherever I live.
The JVP and the previous avatar of FSP, Movement for Peoples’ Struggle (MPS) have consistently stated their opposition against international
interference in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. But it was international influence that played a big role in your release...When we say international interference we meant imperialism and neo liberalism; that has been the theoretical stance of the JVP since its inception.
We have stated that the governments which have ruled the country have bowed down before the imperialist powers and carried out the economic, political and social agendas of these powers. Although the current UPFA government talks about patriotism and sticking it up to the western powers to win votes of the people, in reality it is owned by the forces of capitalism represented by the World Bank, IMF and the World Trade Organization. We are against this neo liberal interference. And we would like to say that all the negative influence of neo liberalism comes to the country through governments. That is something the people should know.
That is what we are against. We are not against international progressive elements, intellectuals or human rights organizations. There are many such groups working around the world to protect peoples’ rights, to counter the growing militarism which is becoming an inherent part of neo liberal agenda and to push for socialism. We have nothing against building a broad coalition with such elements, and it is only through strengthening leftist parties in all countries that we can overcome the challenge posed by capitalism.
Socialists should be global in view, especially now when the traditional boundaries of the national state have become invalid in the 3rd quarter of capitalism. Full Story>>>
