Who actually has people's power?

MAR 28 2016

For last few months, leftists who supported the democratic revolution wanted to come into streets to mobilize masses to challenge the fascistic drama of the Mahinda group. Some of these leftists and radicals of the democratic movement have strenuously urged in their columns and articles that the democratic movement should "smash the Rajapaksas on the streets". Luckily for the desperate fascistic gangs devoted to leader Mahinda, there was no proper organization on the side of the government. All are busy getting involved in positive governmental activities and chose to take the challenge of Mahinda facetiously; or else it would have been a case of "Neela Maha Yoda meeting Kuru Mitta".

Young politicians

The Prime Minister started the game with ease, and gave the lead to the young politicians and modestly walked around among the crowd. Threat to take to the streets in March was, evident with the modest display the UNP put up in Town Hall, on March 15. Though the numbers were sufficient to hold a public meeting at Hyde Park they settled for a few speeches at the Lipton Circus which is the usual venue for trade union picketing. That is the change Ranil is expecting; workers coming out to challenge the racist and fascistic cowards rather than the police and military. It was something really new, to see pictures of Ranil Wickremesinghe viewing the participation while standing in the crowd, arms folded and smiling.

The large crowd was strongly determined. It was an urban gathering, ranging from the underprivileged to white collar workers, professionals and managers. That was a democratic mass movement, and it was also a popular political movement whose leadership clearly showed that it will not be intimidated. They came to meet racist fascistic elements who shouted to frighten innocent women and children.

Day after, in complete contrast, desperate and angry Mahinda was shouting for power and demanding President to give him back the power which was taken away from him. He was pleading, threatening and crying for power from his vantage point at Hyde Park.

Parasitic political Brahmins could say, Wijeweera's famous Hyde Park meeting of early 1971, that large meeting was a mere fraction of the crowd that packed the place and its environs on March 17. According to them that is also a movement that is on the offensive (or as the Americans say 'on the offense').

Anti-Indian and anti-Tamil feelings

Its discourse revealed its intention and goal: the removal of the democratic government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Of course this did not necessarily mean overthrow, and left room for its replacement by an SLFP dominated government of a coalitional character. But their aim is clear from all speeches made: throw out the elected government by use of force. Anger can come from the task before the democratic government. They have got a magnificent chance to arouse anti-Indian and anti-Tamil feelings!

Listen to what the vulgar Panditha says "How on earth does the UNP leadership hope to implement painful IMF cutbacks, push through devolution beyond the 13th Amendment, cooperate in a Hanuman bridge connecting Tamil Nadu with northern Sri Lanka, sign ECTA which opens our IT sector to the neighbouring behemoth, and set up special laws and special courts with foreign participation to try those who fought and won the war, when standing against it is a strong, motivated opposition movement with a formidable political leadership? Any single one of those measures could trigger a storm of protest within and outside parliament."

As far as these pandiths see "Hyde Park showed that the Joint Opposition has arrived, entrenched itself. It is the real Opposition and politics is polarized between the UNP government of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and the Joint Opposition. There was repeated reference to the respected Dinesh Gunawardena as the leader of the Joint Opposition, while Mahinda Rajapaksa is clearly the magnetic national leader of the movement as a whole." So they are ready with the leadership.

They see the easy path of mass action combine with military upsurge as the line of struggle. Pandith explains the present situation in these ugly words "Ranil Wickremesinghe is the Prime Minister but Mahinda Rajapaksa is the President of the Streets. The UNP leads the government but the Joint Opposition holds 'people's power'. The UNP proposes from above; the Joint Opposition disposes from below. It is a classic situation of 'dual power'". My foolish question: what about the proletariat - workers? I do not need any answer; let the history move on. This is a small country we know each other so well. They have set the battleground; we have to take the positions, that's all.