B

Bahu goes North Presidential

V
1 Jan 2010 - Jaffna 2010 Issue 1

ahu 2 - 5 Jan 2010 - Vavunia

6 Jan 2010 - Mannar

otesolidarity newsletter
Vickramabahu was born in March Contact:www.nssp.info Email:votebahu@googlemail.com
08, 1943 at Lunugala in Badulla in
a traditional teacher's family. His
father Vickramabahu for national unity based on Equality
was late Mudiyanse Karunaratne.
Mother was late Vimala
Kothalawale both retired as
principals.
Autonomy and the Right of Self Determination
He received primary education at Vickramabahu Karunaratne has been nominated as the Left Front Candidate for the
Ananda Shasthralaya, Mathugama. coming presidential elections. He has been invited to stand for the elections by Leftist
Joined Ananda College Colombo in organisations not aligned with the government, several people’s organizations and
1953. Passed university entrance intellectuals.
from Ananda College, Colombo in
mathematics stream and entered Presidential candidate of the Left Front Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne say that he will
the Engineering faculty of the
University of Ceylon. He graduated
take up the issue of national unity based on Equality, Autonomy, and the Right of Self
Determination. Read more page 2....
as a first class electrical engineer
and qualified for a commonwealth
scholarship to read for a doctorate
at the Cambridge University.
With a doctorate from Cambridge
Vickramabahu for National Unity
he returned to Lanka in 1970. As
an under graduate he joined the
LSSP in 1962.
He was elected to the Central
Committee in 1972. But in the
same year he was sacked from the
party for opposing opportunist
politics of the leadership.
While being brilliant in education,
he excelled as a sportsman and a
sculpture artist as well.
While teaching at Peradeniya
University he was thoroughly
engaged in politics.
In 1978, he was sacked from
university and jailed for hoisting
black flags against the draconian
constitution of J. R. Jayawardhane.
Since then he dedicated his life for
left politics.
He always actively participated in
struggles of workers and for the
rights
of the communities that were
marginalized gender wise, racial
wise and economic wise.
He was in remand for long periods
and in 88 he was shot by the JVP
for defending the rights of the
Tamil speaking people. Dr
Vickramabahu Karunaratne is
contesting Presidential elections as
the candidate of the Left Front.

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 Bahu and Shivaji
The First Salvoes of
a Crucial Battle

The Platform of the Common Left Candidate, Bahu, held its first public meeting following nominations on
17th December 2009. It was a spirited and inspiring meeting.
The most significant feature was that parliamentarian MK Sivajilingam of the TNL, who has courageously
come forward as an independent candidate, shared the platform with Com.Bahu.
This was seen as a breakthrough in overcoming the North-South divide in confronting a common threat to
freedom and democracy represented by both Mahinda Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka.

from Page 1..Vickramabahu for..

In a media briefing held in Colombo on the 25th of November, Bahu said that he will be addressing the issue of how Sri
Lanka can project itself as a nation state. "Neither Mahinda Rajapaksa nor Sarath Fonseka is providing an answer to this,"
he said.Announcing the decision by left and democratic parties, organizations and intellectuals Dr. Vickramabahu said
that the incumbent president followed the agenda given by the Indian rulers backed by global powers while the terrible
bankruptcy in Lankan society is used by far-right militaristic section of the global powers to put forward the former
military chief. Following is the statement issued by the Left Front:"We are suffering because we have failed to resolve
basic problems in our country. We cannot claim to be a free and democratic country unless we resolve the national
problem and also stop international global capitalist interference. Mahinda regime used military forces backed by India
and global powers to crush the Tamil uprising caused by continuous discrimination and repression. They claim it is a great
victory. However our country is devastated. The Tamil homeland is in ruins and people are made paupers drifting here and
there. Thousands were killed; thousands disappeared; thousands are disabled, and thousands are made political prisoners.
Large numbers living abroad curse the rulers who brought this misery to them. In Sinhala areas too a large number is
killed while a larger number are made invalids.
The people in general are made poorer. Many young people are unemployed. Cost of living is simply unbearable and the
working masses are forced to bear the cost of the war. Continuation of 300,000 armed forces means that they are unable
to find suitable jobs for them. On the other hand the war is not over. If this situation continues, and there is no other way
out, inevitably youth will take up arms against oppression and discrimination. In the mean time unbelievable corruption
exists from top to bottom. Corruption and misappropriation has become the common practice in society. Indian and global
companies are gobbling up the economy. We have become vassals of Indian rulers.
Estate worker's powerful strike started a wave of strikes that came to Colombo shaking the regime. The inability of
Mahinda to use the military power accumulated during the war, against the workers, created a big hole in the system. The
repercussion of this strike wave was a split in the monolithic chauvinist structure. The inability of Mahinda Regime to
crush worker's strikes, student's actions and mass protests, made the capitalists to seek an alternative leadership from a
military hard liner, General Sarath.
Mahinda followed the agenda given by the Indian rulers backed by Global powers. He is still prompted by these masters to
continue their agenda. On the other hand the terrible bankruptcy in Lankan society is used by far-right militaristic section
of the global powers to put forward General Sarath. Sarath hails bloody devastation created by the war and stands for
strengthening the military, and also for centralization. JVP four points proposal designed to eliminate devolution and
crush aspirations of Tamil speaking people is accepted as the common programme of General Sarath. It is no way an
answer to the tragedy created by Mahinda Chinthanaya.
It is necessary to condemn what Mahinda regime has done and sharply take up the issue of national unity based on
Equality, Autonomy, and the Right of Self Determination. Democracy and freedom can prevail only if there is state based
on national unity. Without this fundamental task achieved, no development could take place, and we will be eternally
trampled by Global powers. Therefore on behalf of workers, peasants, fishers and other suffering masses, Left Front with
the support of other left and democratic parties, organizations and intellectuals decided to put forward Comrade
Vickramabahu as its Presidential Candidate.”
 - Message from LF
Election Campaign Committee

So, once again, at the cost of some Rs 12 billion of public funds, we have to face a Presidential
election. Two equally bloody, corrupt and parasitic Capitalist Alliances have come forward for the
contest, represented by Mahinda Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka. This Presidential campaign is
going to be a bitter and deadly fight between two equally reactionary camps of the ruling class as to
who is going to feast on the blood of the Tamil nation, and that of the proletariat and all exploited
and all oppressed classes and nationalities and communities, and exercise chauvinist-fascist
dictatorship over the people. Let us not become mere pawns in a deadly game of chess played by
two rival camps of the very same Capitalist ruling class. Let us hold this State and this ruling class
accountable for the crimes willfully committed against the people and against humanity. Let us do
so as a basis to mobilize mass protest and agitation against the prevailing Capitalist political order
which represents the interests of global Capitalism, by building resistance and revolutionary
struggle to defeat the militarist-chauvinist-fascist agenda represented by both ruling class
candidates.

The continued incarceration of some 200,000 internally displaced Tamil persons in concentration
camps in the North, including elderly, children, wounded, sick and pregnant women, under pitiful
sub-human conditions, is a damned indictment of the prevailing neo-colonial Capitalist State and
political order. Along with the gross criminal violations of human rights committed during the war,
these violations constitute continued crimes against humanity. Who is to be held accountable for
the horrible massacre of seventeen humanitarian aid workers, the murder of five Tamil students,
the assassination of Hon. Joseph Pararajasingham, Hon Raviraj, Mr. Lasantha Vickrematunga and
others? Along with these abominable crimes, is the crime of keeping some 12,000 political
prisoners in various detention camps and prisons, against whom no legal charges have been filed.
Some have languished in these dungeons for over a decade. In this context of the willful defiling of
our collective dignity and humanity, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of all
detainees and political prisoners. Until such time that these internally displaced detainees are
released, their supervision and management should be undertaken by their own representatives. In
order that they may be resettled in the original areas of habitation and enjoy the right to life, the
military regime in these areas, along with all high security zones, should be dismantled, and the
armed forces withdrawn. We demand that Emergency Regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism
Act and all such draconian fascist legislation be rescinded. We demand the dismantling of the
Sinhala supremacist Comprador Capitalist state, which functions as an agent of Global Capital, as a
basis for granting the democratic freedom of the exploited and oppressed masses, including the
right of national self-determination of the Tamil nation cohabiting in the North-East so it may enjoy
its right to live with dignity, equality, autonomy, security and democratic freedom, equally with that
of the Hill Country Malayaga Tamil nationality, the Moslem nationality and all other ethnic-religious
communities.
The Executive Presidency: A Tool of Global Capitalism

Former president J R Jayewardene brought in the executive presidency to serve a particular agenda.
The open economic policy needed such a strong political head. If the Multi National Corporation
(MNC) system is to come in and play the important central role expected of them, it was necessary
to give all the facilities requested by them. Thus it was introduced as an instrument to support the
MNC system. When they need any agreement either economic or security or any other it will be
easy to go through an executive head, with the ministries of Defense and Finance than through
parliament with all the obstacles of transparency and criticism. Information will be confined to
secretaries and advisers to the president and decisions can be arrived at, without delay. So it was
brought in to facilitate international moneylenders and plunderers of global capitalism. Global
Cont. page 4
capitalism is the modern version of imperialism. It integrates the entire MNC system with
the IMF, WB and the WTO as management organs. We explained all that in 1978 Feb. 4
and Bahu was locked up in prison for that. Now everyone is clamoring for the removal of
this tree of vultures, but once they get elected they hold on to it not necessarily due to the
greed for power, but because of international pressure of the global masters.
Today, the global capitalist system is in disarray facing an acute economic crisis. All
attempts to put the system into order have not been sufficient so far. Still to come is a food
crisis that could put a large part of humanity into hunger and death. There is an energy
crisis and a threat to the global environment so it is vital for us to seriously consider
developing our food production, particularly paddy, fish and milk. If we do not turn towards
a nature oriented, environmentalist approach we may be too late. In the past three
decades, the so-called development projects were responsible for the insurrections both in
Sinhala and Tamil rural areas. Because it created poverty and alienation while rich became

vote Bahu left front

richer. While local industrialist and producer were marginalized a large section of the
population was thrown out as human dust unconnected to the system. The plight of women
and children, particularly in slums and in rural areas became most miserable. Patriarchy
combined with militarization and the rise of under world reduced most women to the level
of domestic slaves. Struggle of youth and the proletariat was used to intensify the
repression in all sectors. The media repression was so bad many media people ran away
from the country to escape death. But the world tendency is against this global system
working on the imperative of super profit. The global capitalist system based on unbridled
search of super profit should be displaced by a system of collective ownership based on
sharing the earth in human kindness and cooperation. No need to keep affirming Marx,
but turn to Thripitakaya, Baghawat Geetha, Bible and Koran, and just read the sections on
kindness and cooperation.
Intensifying Exploitation, Oppression and Repression
While denying the vast majority of toiling, suffering people of their right to a life free of
poverty, indebtedness, misery and degradation, the ruling class used the open economy to
amass vast fortunes, build empires of private profit and plunder, and to waste public funds,
through naked corruption. The Collective Agreement relating to the Plantation workers,
which has split the workers movement and betrayed their interests, is a good example of
bondages crated. It should be torn up. A minimum basic daily wage of Rs 500 for all
plantation workers with the minimum wage in all sectors at Rs15000 per month should be
established with an increase in wages/salaries of all government and private sector
workers in accordance with the present Cost of Living Index. The just grievances of workers,
graduates and students should be addressed democratically and with justice, as opposed
to erecting barricades, baton charging, showering tear gas, arresting and violently
suppressing their human and democratic rights. This regime is on trial for unleashing the
very same armed forces that brutally decimated the Tamil uprising and its leadership,
against the predominantly Sinhala workers, students, graduates and other oppressed
masses. So much for the 'patriotism' of these chauvinist candidates.
Away with Illusions: Raise our Vision and Advance to the Future
How can there be democracy in a land, which is kept divided by nationality and religion?
Even now, the two agents of the global system Mahinda and Sarath, clamor for democracy
without any hint of pulling the masses together in national unity.
Both worked together to crush the Tamil uprising that was waged ferociously to defend the
autonomy of their people. Both were singing and dancing with their masters about the
victory until the workers started the battle in the work places.
The strikes pushed them in to a fresh debate and they emerged as a two headed serpent to
face the people. Yes, we lost in both insurrections but we beat them back in the trade union
battle. Now they have come out in a presidential election united in policy but divided in
camouflage. Let us get together and give a real blow to both of them, and move forward for
a united Lanka to face the dictates of global capital. Let us build the strength to raise our
vision of a world without domination, exploitation, oppression and WAR! Let us unite our
forces across divided boundaries. Let us march forward towards a people's democratic
state governed by People's Assemblies representing the workers, peasants and all
oppressed classes, nations and nationalities and communities. This shall embody the unity
and solidarity, the freedom and democracy of- North-East-South-and Hill Country in the
form of a united, free and democratic People's Republic of Lanka.
- Comrade Surendra Communist Party (Maoist) for ECC