We have come together today to face the dictatorial Mahinda regime. This regime has used all tactics of repression against the oppressed masses. Police arrests, court cases, abductions, disappearances and torture are used even against trade unions involved in demonstrations and strikes. Mahinda used all that to sabotage the united struggle of the left. Regime knew what it really means. We are challenging the system. But with all that repressive apparatus Mahinda failed to stop us. This rally is a blow on his face. We must be prepared to face his counter attack, what ever form it takes. However the times have changed. Now the masses are coming out. They are breaking away from the dreams of chauvinism. Mahinda claimed to eliminate terrorism and went into a genocidal war against Tamil insurgency. One hundred and fifty thousand or more were killed and Vanni Tamil civilization was razed to the ground. He claimed this will bring prosperity to Lanka. We said it was the greatest misfortune of Lanka. This terrible situation today is the result. With the repression of the Tamil insurrection, minds of the people in the south were filed with chauvinist dreams. On that basis enormous power was taken over by Mahinda. This power is used to trample the rights of workers and other oppressed masses. State terror became a common thing while the north was submerged in military rule. Mahinda had the backing of the security agreements that was established with America, Israel and India.
With power in his hand Mahinda borrowed money from the IMF and international bankers agreeing to their conditions. He followed their advice and indulged in mega projects which do not bring benefit to the local producers. So called international investers are yet to come in this crisis ridden world economic situation. World masters praise this path of development but they have pushed Mahinda regime to implement conditions to drain the masses. More taxes, devaluation of the rupee, higher interest rates, pruning subsidies and demolishing of welfare system. While these are carried out, steps are taken to improve private education. In the mean time state education gets depleted. Same is true for the free medical facilities. This merciless attack opened the eyes of many. Strikes are breaking out and leftward drift has started. This meeting is wittiness to what is happening.
Mahinda has sold our country to new imperialists of global capitalism. Our motherland, land that had civilization for thousands years build by Sinhala Tamil, Muslim and others, is under the jack boot of multinationals of global capitalism. Land, earth resources, marine resources, Minerals, water etc every thing is sold to these masters. Mahinda has made us all slaves of an alien system. With all that subservience to global masters, he is claiming that imperialists are against him; because human rights volitions are questioned by the very masters who pushed him to this terrible war. This is the joke of the century! Unable to face the masses, regime has resorted to arouse Sinhala chauvinism against Muslims. Dambulla pogrom was for that purpose. Mahinda expects global masters to stomach anti Muslim actions and to continue their support. Unfortunately the system of the global masters is in deep crisis. Global capitalist system faced a crisis situation at the time of the First World War and after. Lenin at that time assumed that capitalism could be eliminated by the proletarian movement. Bolshevik revolution was the beginning. However capitalism survived using two instruments, firstly coalition politics, secondly fascism and war that used nuclear weapons. They destroyed part of mankind and huge amount of wealth. Then, after the war they managed to expand production using automation and new technologies gained through war. But as Marx has explained, automation has reduced rate of profit almost to zero. In the last crisis even General Motors was helped by the American state. State had to intervene to make the system profitable, at least for the present. But this intervention of state, in large scale, shows that socialism has arrived at the door step.
Even in Lanka there is no alternative that could be given by the bourgeoisie opposition. Neither Ranil nor Premadasa could give a way out as both are seeking a solution within capitalism. Mahinda is doing well according to global masters. Human rights are the only problem which needs facial change! Then why seek an alternative within capitalism? We must be prepared to go beyond capitalism to seek a solution. That means we must install a proletarian power with the support of all oppressed. Such a power can bring liberation to the oppressed nationalities. Also it will bring peace and prosperity and collaborate internationally to go for socialism. We must start with the struggles developing in this country. For the sake of struggle we have to go into alliances, we cannot be sectarian in the unfolding struggles of the masses. We can establish a proletarian power with the support of all oppressed. Obama put forward the slogan yes we can! Mahinda also repeated that recently. Of course we are the only people who could really say yes we can. But it is a negative slogan. We need to take positive steps to establish a proletarian power. As we are in praxis; we must say yes we will.
Vickramabahu (NSSP)