Following are the May Day Proposals of JVP, presented on the last INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY 2000:
MAY DAY PROPOSALS OF THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION FRONT (JVP)
The 6th year governing period of People’s Alliance (PA) is coming to its end. Having cheated Sri Lankan people to come to power in 1994, after the 17 years of United National Party (UNP)’s suppressive rule, PA has proved its incompetence in doing anything for the sake of country or people. Despite of their pledges given to people in 1994 general election, PA is following the footsteps of United National Party (UNP). Prices of goods are >increased, people’s democratic rights are denied suppression launched, >state assets are sold cheap and the free education rights are denied. Even the natural resources such as lakes, croplands, mineral deposits and national forests are to be sold to multi-national companies or foreign investors. Then the number of civil crimes plus the suicides have increased. As a whole our country is being led to destruction. The pledge given in 1994 general election to abolish Executive Presidency before 15th of July 1995 is shamelessly forgotten. The President, holding her full office power contested for another period of power. The 1999 Presidential Election was called before the due times and it’s a snatch of luxurious executive presidential power. PA govt. is consuming the privileges and luxuries of being in power but they do nothing for the well being of country and people. It’s fair enough, if anybody says that PA has given the people nothing but suppression, hunger, malnutrition and death. It’s a serious problem since the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities of Sri Lanka are trying to fight with each other owing to no solutions given to National Question. The new constitutions they have introduced will constitute the separation of Sinhala,Tamil and Muslim communities in Sri Lanka.
No confidence is left with people owing to PA’s broken pledges and the UNP’s attempt to win the people is becoming unsuccessful. So having failed to succeed the way for power by overthrowing PA govt., the UNP is now coming to a compromised cooperation with the destruction led by PA. But its clear those common masses all around the country are coming closer to JVP instead of those capitalist parties. The 1999 provincial council election has very clearly revealed this trend. But the capitalist PA govt. and the UNP have conspired to mislead people and suppress JVP under the charges of communalism. While the imperialistic strategy of ‘divide and rule’ is activated to separate Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities of Sri Lanka. The oppressed class of our country has a huge challenge to face. Within this political situation, celebrating the International Workers’ Day, the People’s Liberation Front states their May Day proposals to this massive Red May Day Rally, as following:
02. PA govt. promised the people to reestablish the democratic rights and for that the barrier of executive presidency is to be abolished. But nothing has happened till now. The pledge to abolish executive presidency before the 15th of July 1995 was broken without shame. An illegal presidential election is held in last December 1999, in which the President contested with her full executive powers. Workers, farmers, students, journalists, artists and other oppressed people of Sri Lanka are under the threat of state power. The Emergency Regulations and the Executive Presidential power are used to deny the people’s democratic rights. Workers are suppressed without letting them to fight for better service conditions. Students are denied from their rights to fight for Free Education Rights. This Red May Day Rally condemns all these suppressive activities of the PA govt. and demands democratic rights as well as abolition of Executive Presidency forthwith.
03. The lie of giving a “human face” to open economy has now forgotten even by the PA leaders. PA govt. is following the footsteps of former destructive rule of UNP. State assets are being sold cheap to the foreign business racketeers. Best agricultural areas including the irrigation projects are proposed to be sold. State banks, croplands, lakes, natural forests and natural mineral deposits are being sold out. The paddy cultivation is undermined under the World Bank orders and the whole sector of agriculture including farms, estates and research laboratories are sold cheap to investors. Working class including farmers is to be betrayed into the exploitative grip of multi-national companies. This massive Red May Day rally condemns those policies followed by PA govt. and demands to hands off the national resources and to stop selling out of economic resources to multi-national, multi-lateral companies. We hereby appeal the workers, farmers and common people to gather together hand in hand to defeat this danger.
04. Owing to the shortsighted economic plans of PA govt., corruption and wastage is increased. Socio-economic and political projects are fruitless owing to such deformities. The heavy burden of capitalist economic incapability is laid upon common masses. Cost of living is increased as a result of raised commodity prices and taxes. Welfare and social security levies are reduced. While the common masses are suffering hunger, malnutrition and poverty, the parliament members and ministers have greedily increased their own salaries. Instead of listening to the fair demands of the working class, the govt. is following a rigid pre-assumed suppressive policy. Strikers are expelled from the work places. Working class struggles are crushed using the armed forces. Condemning these law level political actions, this Red May Rally demands salary increments for all employees relevant to their cost of living and fair rights demanded by workers to be given forthwith.
05. Instead of finding scientific solutions for the National Question which pile up corpses within the island the PA govt. has preparing to constitute territorial separation fitting the needs of imperialists. The mediation of Norway govt., an imperialistic agent is clearly a step that taken forward in this need which also is a hard blow on the unity of oppressed people. This Red May Rally disgustfully condemn the division oriented actions authored by PA, UNP and Norway govt. altogether and urge the govt. to stop such actions taken to separate Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities and instead solve the National Question on the basis of equality and democracy.
06. Being the political parties who ruled Sri Lanka for 52 years, UNP and member parties of PA have proved their inability and reluctance to engage them in an actual development program for this country. So, having understood the practice and political discipline of our party, the people of this country are gathering around the banner of JVP. The capitalist leaders are desperately furious of this situation and they try to plot coups against JVP. Distracting the oppressed people from the path of class struggle, the capitalist govt. try to mislead them in communalist or racist groups. Several of such groups and parties are aided by the govt. Warning about these possible conspiracies we appeal the oppressed class people of Sri Lanka to understand this risky political situation and to gather together united, around our party banner defeat capitalist treachery and to create a Socialist Sri Lanka.
People’s Liberation Front (JVP),
Sri Lanka
01st of May 2000