Clouds clear after May Day rumpus
MAY 09 2016
If one surveys the events that took place this year, especially all Sri Lankan May Day celebrations, one would be able to get a meaningful picture of the political landscape in the country. May Day celebrations here in Sri Lanka are very special.
We had various colourful May Day celebrations in the past including those which were banned or prohibited. However, this May Day, we had the opportunity to witness the entire political picture behind the May Day marches that took place throughout the country.
In Galle, the President led his May Day rally wearing a red jacket. He made two interesting statements. Firstly, he said it is not necessary to debate about federalism, but it is essential to investigate why Tamil leaders make such a demand. It is vital to find the cause of such an agitation. Secondly, he said the populist period of the SLFP is gone, that it is over. It is necessary now to think in terms of social democracy. His May Day rally was organised with groups marching under separate banners and shouting political slogans. Clearly, the pressure of the working masses has made leaders look for left-oriented slogans.
The UNP was better organised as a party with the backing of the urban masses. At a distance, their procession appeared to be a green coloured leftist May Day march! Speaking at the UNP’s May Day rally in Campbell Park, Colombo, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said: “We will take this country forward, without family rule.” He added: “We won’t privatize State institutions, but we will make sure they will not be a burden to the public”.
The Premier also said that government will not increase taxes on essential items, while carrying out work to develop the country with the assistance of the international community.
Social capitalism
He also promised a new salary scheme for public servants, which will be introduced by 2020. His stand is that Sri Lanka should follow social capitalism as spelled out by Bismarck which has become popular in Germany in the recent past.
He said all changes were done after discussions with trade union leaders. “We must follow the ancient tradition of ‘Lichchawees’; we must debate, discuss and try to achieve a consensus.” No doubt, the Prime Minister is under pressure from the working masses.
While both Wickremesinghe and Sirisena appealed to the working masses, Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to the friends of the family. Former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking at the May Day rally organised by the Joint Opposition in Kirulapone, Colombo, said his family members, including his son MP Namal Rajapaksa and brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa faced imminent arrest. He boasted that he would not shy away from fighting for the rights of the people because of such threats. “After today, there will be cases against those who are close to us. I told Namal to be ready. They have implicated Gotabhaya as well. I may also have to go to jail. But our solidarity with the people will never be broken even if I am jailed a thousand times,” he said, adding that the government was making false allegations against his family.
He said it was sad to find that the SLFP, formed by leaders S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and D. A. Rajapaksa after they quit the UNP during its heyday, had been subjugated by the UNP at the moment.
Mahinda wants to be the hero of Sinhala chauvinist forces and he is expecting the victory of Donald Trump in the US who may reject the resolution on war crimes and failure to protect human rights in Sri Lanka.
While clashes among major parties cleared the dark clouds that used to hide their differences, Left and Trade Unions for Justice organised a successful Left May Day rally at Nugegoda.
As I said in a previous column, this happened after many years. LSSP, CPSL, NSSP and the Trade Unions for Justice contributed to the rally at Nugegoda.
Left and TU May Day
The procession started at Narahenpita junction and moved to Nugegoda via Nawala. Except for a few leaders such as Tissa and DEW, almost all others in these parties joined the Left and TU May Day.
It could be a beginning to build a Left front based on the revolutionary traditions set by old generation Marxists in 1935. A large number of trade unions joined the event with the participation of TUs for Justice with their leader Saman Rathnapriya. Their slogans were to push the leaders of the democratic revolution in the correct direction. However, the fascistic Mahinda movement did not accept the defeat.
They have demanded army security for their leader Mahinda while both PM and President are given only police protection. Probably, these chauvinists want a small army contingent to show around as the leader of the armed power in the country.
Their ambition is very clear: To launch a conspiratorial struggle to take over power to establish a fascistic regime.
We had various colourful May Day celebrations in the past including those which were banned or prohibited. However, this May Day, we had the opportunity to witness the entire political picture behind the May Day marches that took place throughout the country.In Galle, the President led his May Day rally wearing a red jacket. He made two interesting statements. Firstly, he said it is not necessary to debate about federalism, but it is essential to investigate why Tamil leaders make such a demand. It is vital to find the cause of such an agitation. Secondly, he said the populist period of the SLFP is gone, that it is over. It is necessary now to think in terms of social democracy. His May Day rally was organised with groups marching under separate banners and shouting political slogans. Clearly, the pressure of the working masses has made leaders look for left-oriented slogans.
The UNP was better organised as a party with the backing of the urban masses. At a distance, their procession appeared to be a green coloured leftist May Day march! Speaking at the UNP’s May Day rally in Campbell Park, Colombo, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said: “We will take this country forward, without family rule.” He added: “We won’t privatize State institutions, but we will make sure they will not be a burden to the public”.
The Premier also said that government will not increase taxes on essential items, while carrying out work to develop the country with the assistance of the international community.
Social capitalism
He also promised a new salary scheme for public servants, which will be introduced by 2020. His stand is that Sri Lanka should follow social capitalism as spelled out by Bismarck which has become popular in Germany in the recent past.
He said all changes were done after discussions with trade union leaders. “We must follow the ancient tradition of ‘Lichchawees’; we must debate, discuss and try to achieve a consensus.” No doubt, the Prime Minister is under pressure from the working masses.
While both Wickremesinghe and Sirisena appealed to the working masses, Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to the friends of the family. Former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking at the May Day rally organised by the Joint Opposition in Kirulapone, Colombo, said his family members, including his son MP Namal Rajapaksa and brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa faced imminent arrest. He boasted that he would not shy away from fighting for the rights of the people because of such threats. “After today, there will be cases against those who are close to us. I told Namal to be ready. They have implicated Gotabhaya as well. I may also have to go to jail. But our solidarity with the people will never be broken even if I am jailed a thousand times,” he said, adding that the government was making false allegations against his family.
He said it was sad to find that the SLFP, formed by leaders S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and D. A. Rajapaksa after they quit the UNP during its heyday, had been subjugated by the UNP at the moment.
Mahinda wants to be the hero of Sinhala chauvinist forces and he is expecting the victory of Donald Trump in the US who may reject the resolution on war crimes and failure to protect human rights in Sri Lanka.
While clashes among major parties cleared the dark clouds that used to hide their differences, Left and Trade Unions for Justice organised a successful Left May Day rally at Nugegoda.
As I said in a previous column, this happened after many years. LSSP, CPSL, NSSP and the Trade Unions for Justice contributed to the rally at Nugegoda.
Left and TU May Day
The procession started at Narahenpita junction and moved to Nugegoda via Nawala. Except for a few leaders such as Tissa and DEW, almost all others in these parties joined the Left and TU May Day.
It could be a beginning to build a Left front based on the revolutionary traditions set by old generation Marxists in 1935. A large number of trade unions joined the event with the participation of TUs for Justice with their leader Saman Rathnapriya. Their slogans were to push the leaders of the democratic revolution in the correct direction. However, the fascistic Mahinda movement did not accept the defeat.
They have demanded army security for their leader Mahinda while both PM and President are given only police protection. Probably, these chauvinists want a small army contingent to show around as the leader of the armed power in the country.
Their ambition is very clear: To launch a conspiratorial struggle to take over power to establish a fascistic regime.
