”Yes. I joined the United National Party.”

Bahu

Above quotations were extracted from statements issued by Professor Wickrmabahu Karunaratna to print and electronic media recently.

He opined in appearing in Derana T V channel garbed in green shirt unabashedly that none should be ashamed to change his or her political stand. He was repeating this to media and on U N P political platforms.

Wickramabahu contesting the election as a candidate of U N P. The reason is U N P contesting the election this time without entering in to an alliance or M O U with any other political party. Therefore Wickramabahu contesting in Kalutara district as a member of United National Party.

Wickramabahu enters politics in nineteen sixties as a radical samasamaja youth leader. With this background Wickramabahu is known to the country as a leader engaged in radical revolutionary politics. When in 1964 Lanka Samasamaja Party entered into a coalition with Sirimavo Bandaranayake government Wickramabahu was one of the leaders rose against in revolt within the party.

When in 1978 Nava Samasamaja Party was formed, the majority of radical youths of LSSP, political intellectuals, trade unions in public and private sectors including the Government Clerical Services Union joined it. Charismatic leaders who gave leadership to 1980 July general strike in the caliber of Vasudava and Wickramabahu were seen an inspiration to the people.

Vasu and Bahu

NSSP which rendered a yeoman service to move forward the left tradition of the LSSP and the fought to seek a political solution for national question and against the coalition politics under the leadership of Bahu. Now these are wasted and at last buried that fight at the feet of Ranil Wickramasinghe.

Everyone who struggle against the bureaucratic leadership of Wicramabahu left the party to form their own political parties. Comrade Sirirtunga who left the party formed United Socialist Party and we in 2012 successfully organized under the banner of Left Voice to preserve the political identity of the party and to continue struggle against anti-left politics of Bahu.

At a time when the identity of the party is seriously eroded we the majority of the Central Committee of the political bureau decided to lay the foundation for a political movement to preserve and promote the ideals of NSSP. Working with all left groups comradely our political aim is to mobilize the mass organizations especially the trade unions on a political platform.

We carried out our struggle against the so-called theories of Wikramabahu into international arena. We, the Left Voice were admitted to the permanent membership of the Fourth International and its secretariat officially rejected the political line of Wikramabahu categorically. It is another victory for our struggle.

During past few years Bahu who has been advancing fake political analysis argued that the leader of UNP Ranil Wikramasinghe is a liberal social democrat fighting racialism, religious bigotry, and fascism and embraced him wholeheartedly. Final episode of this charade is the obtaining the membership of UNP and standing for election in Kalutara district under the symbol of elephant. Now it is crystal clear. Now is it not good enough a reason to be heart stricken to wit that Bahu contesting under the symbol of elephant? Will it not stir the consciousness of anybody who sympathize with the anti-racialist politics of NSSP? How many sympathizers of NSSP will whole heartedly support the decision of Bahu?

In abject frustration of the disintegration of the labour movement leaders like Vasudeva decided to join the so called progressive leader of the capitalists Chandrika. You may remember Wikramabahu unequivocally stood against the coalition politics and stood resolutely to protect the identity of the party.

Vasudeva said at the time that Chandrika Kumaratunga is a social democrat left leaned leader who stood for national unity in opposing racialism and religious bigotry. Therefore we must cooperate with her to realize these objects.

Following the footsteps of Vasu’s theory Wikramabahu refurbished unashamedly the theory of Vasu since about 2012 in introducing a cooperative programme within the party to support the U N P leader Ranil Wikramasinghe as a social democrat opposing racialism and religious bigotry.

It is true that a few leaders of the NSSP waged a long drawn struggle opposing these trends within the party and still others inadvertently supported Bahu in sincere belief to move forward the illustrious history of the party standing on the national question. Initially they said that they are joining with the capitalist parties not as partners of governance or will not compromise on policies but to be partners in the struggle against the fascistic trends.

The comrades now organized as Left Voice warned that this erroneous political path will end in abominable capitulation. They did not believe that our prediction will come true soon.

Dear comrades, Wikramabahu not only joined the United national Party but also agreed to contest the election under the symbol of elephant revealing the shameful history of political capitulation.

We understand some of the leaders of left joined hands with U N P. Especially late Philip Goonawardane joined the UNP under an agreement as a coalition partner. We know the leaders of LSSP joined with SLFP signing an agreement with some proposals and conditions of interest to the working class.

Vasudeva entered into a partnership with Chandrika under a hurriedly set up contraption of a party to preserve his political identity. All those are nothing more than outright capitulations. Wikramabahu who styled himself as an outstanding international Trotskyites in creping to obtained the membership of reactionary UNP, abandoning any hope of a front with it and thereby exposing his stark nakedness to the society at large.

Dear comrades,

Please take cognizance of our stand at the Left Voice shouldering the responsibility of advancing political tradition of samasamajists to nurture and promote the political vision of our martyrs who dedicated their lives in the name of the party for at just and equitable cause of Tamil people opposing so called patriotism.

In brotherhood,

Linus Jayathilaka
Neil Wijethialaka
Gerard Gamage
Dharmasiri Lankapeli
Chamil Jayanetti
(Formerly members of the polit bureau of NSSP)

For more information please call us.

05^th July 2020