Power to the proletariat the need of the day
The leader of the opposition claimed that the Jaffna May Day rally and the protest was a grand success. Over ten thousand participated in the rally in spite of the campaigns of the government, jacked up by racist campaign of Premadasa. The latter was exposed as the crowd he mobilized, with all such drama was not more than two thousand. His treachery cannot be concealed.

Military leaders kept on saying that under the cover of democratic opposition, terrorists are working. The implication was that those who attend the rally would be classified as terrorist suspects. There were search operations in Batticaloa and Trincomalee where youth, nearly 200, were taken into custody and kept under illegal arrest. On the other hand, pro government Tamil leaders who were accused of para military terror were openly intimidating people. Disregarding all that repression, a significant number of Tamil people have attended the meeting. Hence there was a positive message that was given to the oppressed and suffering Tamil people by this anti racist, united, mass rally. The NSSP contingent that militantly participated in the march and the rally was led by Thirunawakarasu and Dharmasiri Lankapeli. Both were expected to address the rally. Unfortunately  only Dharmasiri could speak; that also without a Tamil translation. In addition, a Lion flag was brought to the stage surreptitiously and displayed by Ranil and Sampanthan. There was no agreement among the parties that participated, to such an action as the meeting was considered to be a protest and a May Day. Neither occasion requires such a symbol which is not accepted as an expression of a democratic unity of the Lankan people. TNA leaders said that it should not be taken so seriously and disputed; in any case as the Lion is the vehicle of Kali it can have a different meaning! But today the Lion symbolizes the domination of Sinhala, claimed to have originated from a Lion man in ancient Bengal, and not Dravidian authority of Kali Amman. Anyway if Tamil nationalist leaders can be pleased with the Lion flag why should others bother?

Land and police powers      Full Story>>>