The first issue of Vame Handa (‘Left Voice’), a newspaper for socialist unity, was launched on 1 July at a felicitation event in the Colombo Public Library.

More than 50 activists including leaders of Left groups, trade union leaders (Bank Employees Union, Teachers Union, Joint Committee of the Government and Semi-Government Trade Union Federation, and Nurses Union), students and youth, participated in the event.

Three leading members of the Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP): Linus Jayatilake, Niel Wijethilake and Mahinda Ratnayake addressed the meeting on the current political situation; divisions within the Left; and the problem of rebuilding a revolutionary Left movement.

They are part of a group formed within the NSSP to counter conciliatory positions with the so-called liberal democratic capitalists, and to promote independent class politics, as well as regroupment of the radical Left.

These ideas were received with enthusiasm by most of those gathered. An appeal for donations to support Vame Handa raised LKR4,000. Hundreds of copies of the new monthly Sinhala-language newspaper were also taken by them for public distribution in different parts of the country.

Many former members of left organisations agreed to support Vame Handa in taking up the challenge of overcoming sectarian divisions within the socialist Left while reviving and renovating the Left movement in SriLanka.

Vame Handa