Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan president declares wartime missing persons dead
By S. Jayanth, 29 January 2020
As the former defense secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse presided over the military and was responsible for the death squads that abducted and killed Tamil youth, journalists and critics during the war.
Sri Lankan graphite mine workers strike over pay and conditions
By our correspondents, 25 January 2020
This week’s walkout is the first workers’ strike this year against the new Rajapakse government.
Indian midday-meal workers strike for higher wages; Australian rail workers strike again
Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia
25 January 2020
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Sri Lankan president announces major tax concessions for foreign investors
By W.A. Sunil, 24 January 2020
Colombo has reactivated its Strategic Development Projects Act in a desperate attempt to boost foreign direct investment.
US official delivers Trump’s threatening message to Sri Lankan president
By K. Ratnayake, 20 January 2020
Sri Lanka is a key focus of intensifying rivalry between US and India, on one hand, and China and Russia, on the other.
Sri Lankan SEP holds public meeting: How to fight the new Rajapakse regime
By our correspondents, 16 January 2020
About 150 workers, youth, professionals and housewives, including party members and supporters from Colombo and outstations, attended the event held in Colombo Public Library Auditorium.
Sri Lankan Central Bank chief demands “structural reform”
By Saman Gunadasa, 15 January 2020
Lakshman’s statements indicate that the government is preparing to further impose the burden of the country’s economic crisis on the back of the working people.
Sri Lankan president outlines big business, communalist policy to parliament
By K. Ratnayake, 10 January 2020
Rajapakse’s demagogy about fighting terrorism, extremism and disruptions to public order are aimed at justifying state suppression of inevitable struggles against his government by workers and the poor.
Sri Lanka: SEP meeting in Colombo demands release of Assange and Manning
By our correspondents, 7 January 2020
Afterwards, a University of Colombo student, declared: “I agree with the point made in this meeting that the fight for the freedom of Assange is so crucial for the defence of democratic rights internationally.”
Sri Lankan police arrest two former government ministers
By Pradeep Ramanayake, 4 January 2020
The Rajapakse government’s attacks on political opponents is a warning to the working class.
Sri Lankan president expands Rajapakse family political power
By Vimukthi Vidarshana, 19 December 2019
Rajapakse is determined to abolish the 19th amendment to Sri Lanka’s constitution which places restrictions on presidential powers, insisting that he needs a “strong government.”
Sri Lankan authorities delay on whether to prosecute award-winning writer Shakthika Sathkumara
By Vimukthi Vidarshana, 16 December 2019
Sri Lanka’s ruling elite is whipping up religious communalism to counter the development of unified mass action by workers, youth and the rural poor against government austerity and attacks on democratic rights.
Sri Lankan SEP/IYSSE to hold public meeting on how to fight the new Rajapakse regime
14 December 2019
We urge workers, young people, intellectuals and everyone concerned about these vital issues to attend our meeting and participate in this important political discussion.
SEP/IYSSE public meeting in Colombo: Free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning!
14 December 2019
We urge all workers, youth and all those who cherish democratic rights to come forward and defeat the attack on Assange and Manning.
World Bank economist warns of worsening crisis in Sri Lanka
By Saman Gunadasa, 12 December 2019
International finance capital is demanding the new regime in Colombo fully implement the IMF’s austerity measures.
Sri Lankan president appoints former military officers to head state institutions
By Pradeep Ramanayake, 11 December 2019
Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse confronts a deepening economic crisis and widespread anti-government sentiment among workers, youth and the rural masses.
New Sri Lankan president visits India amid growing geo-political tensions
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 9 December 2019
Rajapakse’s trip was an attempt to demonstrate that his government will not threaten the interests of India and its strategic partner, the US.
Workers must adopt a socialist internationalist program to oppose Sri Lanka’s authoritarian, communalist Rajapakse regime
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 7 December 2019
Rajapakse’s aim is to secure the two-thirds parliamentary majority necessary to repeal a key constitutional amendment and give the president sweeping authoritarian powers.
Sri Lankan president prorogues parliament to try to consolidate his rule
By Saman Gunadasa, 6 December 2019
Gotabhaya Rajapakse is aiming to seize all governmental powers and thereby strengthen his hand against the working class and his political rivals.
Thousands of Sri Lankan estate workers strike over workloads and wages
By M. Thevarajah and K. Kandipan, 5 December 2019
Strikes have erupted already in tea plantations following last month’s presidential election.
Sri Lankan president appoints minority government and puts security forces on alert
By Saman Gunadasa, 29 November 2019
While the new administration will continue draconian “national security” measures, it confronts deep-seated popular opposition to the attacks on social and democratic rights.
US puts new Sri Lankan president on notice
By K. Ratnayake, 20 November 2019
While Pompeo couched his message to Rajapakse in terms of “human rights,” Washington’s real concern is that the new president will re-orient Sri Lanka towards China.
Former top military official wins Sri Lankan presidential election
By K. Ratnayake, 18 November 2019
Gotabhaya Rajapakse’s election marks a sharp shift towards autocratic forms of rule, amid a deepening crisis of Sri Lankan capitalism and the rising resistance of the working class to austerity measures.
Sri Lankan presidential election: Workers must prepare to fight moves towards police-state rule
By K. Ratnayake, 16 November 2019
Calls by the major candidates for “strong government”—code-words for the development of dictatorial methods—are a response to the growing opposition of workers and the poor to government austerity.
Sri Lankan SEP holds final presidential election meeting
By our correspondents, 15 November 2019
The SEP and IYSSE campaigned extensively in Colombo’s working-class neighbourhoods, and amongst students and the urban poor, in the lead-up to the meeting.
Sri Lanka: SEP presidential candidate exposes pseudo-lefts’ pro-capitalist program at university debate
By our correspondents, 13 November 2019
Wijesiriwardena explained the underlying principles of the Socialist Equality Party’s socialist internationalism and the necessity for the independent mobilisation of the working class in every country.
Sri Lankan daily interviews SEP presidential candidate Pani Wijesiriwardena
12 November 2019
Below is the text of Pani Wijesiriwardena's interview by Sri Lanka's leading newspaper, the Daily Mirror, which published it last week under the title “Capitalism offers no solutions to the dangers facing workers: Pani Wijesiriwardena”
Vote for Pani Wijesiriwardena in the Sri Lankan presidential election! Rally to fight for international socialism!
By Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 12 November 2019
Pani Wijesiriwardena is standing on behalf of the Socialist Equality Party in Sri Lanka on a revolutionary socialist and internationalist program, against imperialist war, social inequality and authoritarian rule.
Sri Lanka: Pseudo-left NSSP promotes UNP presidential candidate
By Vilani Peiris and K. Ratnayake, 11 November 2019
The NSSP and its presidential candidate are trying to tie the working class to the United National Party and capitalist rule.
Build a mass movement to free class-war prisoners Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning
By SEP (Sri Lanka) presidential candidate Pani Wijesiriwardena, 9 November 2019
Assange and Manning are being persecuted because the US and its imperialist allies are preparing for war and want to silence all honest journalists and fighters for the truth.
An appeal from Pani Wijesiriwardena, SEP (Sri Lanka) presidential candidate
Defend the striking transport workers in Telengana, India
8 November 2019
“Workers in India, Sri Lanka, throughout South Asia and internationally must not allow capitalist governments to unleash these reactionary social attacks on any section of the working class.”
Sri Lankan SEP holds presidential election meeting in Hatton
By our correspondents, 6 November 2019
Estate workers, students and youth discussed the necessity for a socialist and internationalist program at a public meeting in the key tea plantation district.
Why the Sri Lankan Tamil parties appeal to the UNP and SLPP presidential candidates
By Pani Wijesiriwardena--presidential candidate of the Socialist Equality Party, 4 November 2019
The Tamil parties, like their bourgeois counterparts in Colombo, fear the unity of workers across ethnic lines.
Sri Lanka: SEP presidential candidate addresses meetings in war-ravaged north
By our reporters, 30 October 2019
The SEP presidential candidate explained that the democratic rights of the oppressed can be achieved only in the struggle for socialism.
Eightieth birthday tribute to Sri Lankan Trotskyist Nanda Wickremasinghe
By David North, 26 October 2019
Nanda Wickremasinghe, who turned 80 on October 15, is a founding member of the Sri Lankan section of the ICFI.
Sri Lankan SEP holds inaugural presidential election meeting
By our correspondents, 26 October 2019
Speakers explained that the Socialist Equality Party is the only one presenting an international socialist program for the working class and the poor.
Vote for SEP candidate Pani Wijesiriwardena in the Sri Lankan presidential election
Build a socialist movement against imperialist war, austerity and dictatorship
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 25 October 2019
There is no solution to the immense dangers facing workers in Sri Lanka and internationally—war, austerity and the threat of dictatorship and fascism—within the framework of capitalism and its outmoded nation state system.
Sri Lankan SEP and IYSSE hold successful meeting on India’s Kashmir lockdown
By our correspondents, 19 October 2019
“The Modi government’s anti-democratic moves are not just directed against the Kashmiri people, although they are the immediate target, but against the working class as a whole.”
Sri Lankan SEP presidential candidate holds press conference
By our correspondents, 15 October 2019
“This election is being held in the midst of a growing political and economic crisis of the government and the ruling class as a whole.”
Video: SEP presidential candidate Pani Wijesiriwardena addresses nationally-televised meeting in Sri Lanka
By our reporters, 11 October 2019
Wijesiriwardena’s speech was heard by about 4,000 people at the event and watched by tens of thousands across Sri Lanka on two television networks.
Sri Lankan railway unions end strike, after “promises” from President Sirisena
By Pradeep Ramanayake and K. Ratnayake, 9 October 2019
Sirisena’s assurances are worthless but always seized on by the union bureaucracy to shut down industrial action and impose a sell-out.
Sri Lankan SEP announces presidential election campaign public meetings
9 October 2019
The Socialist Equality Party meetings will discuss the vital social and political issues confronting workers, youth and the poor.
Socialist Equality Party in Sri Lanka to contest the November presidential election
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 5 October 2019
The election has been announced amid rising opposition to the government’s austerity measures and the eruption of mass strikes by public sector workers for higher pay.
Growing strike wave challenges Sri Lankan government
By K. Ratnayake, 28 September 2019
The Sri Lankan trade unions are hostile to a unified movement of working people against the Colombo government’s IMF-dictated austerity policies.
How to win the teachers’ fight in Sri Lanka
By the Socialist Equality Party teachers group, 25 September 2019
Teachers must organise independently of the unions, build rank-and-file action committees and unite with all other sections of the working class fighting Colombo’s austerity measures.
Sri Lankan SEP/IYSSE public meeting: The political issues at stake in the Indian government’s savage Kashmir lockdown
By the Socialist Equality Party and IYSSE (Sri Lanka), 25 September 2019
We urge workers, youth and WSWS readers to attend our Colombo meeting in order to participate in this important discussion on the political perspective required by the working class, highlighted by Modi’s brutal crackdown in Kashmir.
Sri Lankan university workers indefinite strike at a critical juncture
By our correspondents, 24 September 2019
The treachery of the trade unions demonstrates that workers must take the struggle into their own hands and wage a political fight based on a socialist perspective.
Thousands of Sri Lankan university workers demonstrate in Colombo
By our correspondents, 19 September 2019
In contrast to the efforts of the unions to shut down the strike, workers’ opposition is growing, not only to the government but also to the unions and capitalist parties.
Sri Lanka: Tamil People’s Council calls rally to stir up Tamil nationalism
By M. Thevarajah, 14 September 2019
The reactionary “Rise up Tamils” campaign aims to divide Sri Lankan workers along ethnic lines as they are coming into struggle against Colombo’s austerity measures.
Sri Lankan university workers continue indefinite strike
By W. A. Sunil, 12 September 2019
The unions are looking for any excuse to call off the strike, but workers are calling for an expansion of the struggle.
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank demands commercial banks provide cheaper credit
By Saman Gunadasa, 11 September 2019
The demands are a desperate attempt by the Central Bank and the government to halt Sri Lanka’s falling economic growth rates.
Build action committees! Expand the strike!
A socialist perspective for the Sri Lankan university employees’ struggle
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 10 September 2019
Non-academic university staff, who are beginning an indefinite strike today, should expand their struggle by appealing to other sections of the working class.
Sri Lankan university unions threaten indefinite national strike over wages and benefits
By our correspondents, 4 September 2019
Following last week’s two-day strike by non-academic workers, unions covering all university employees have threatened an indefinite national walkout on September 10.
Sri Lankan president “lifts” emergency but armed forces mobilised to “maintain security”
By W.A. Sunil, 29 August 2019
When emergency rule was imposed after the April terrorist bombings, the SEP warned that the real target of the government’s measures was not terrorists, but the working class.
Sri Lankan PM backs Indian repression in Kashmir
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 28 August 2019
The support for New Delhi’s anti-democratic measures in J&K reflects the fact that all factions of Sri Lanka’s ruling elite are moving towards the imposition of dictatorial rule.
Sri Lankan SEP holds “Free Assange” rally and public meeting in Hatton
By our reporters, 21 August 2019
The hour-long morning demonstration won important working-class support in the central province town, which is surrounded by Sri Lanka’s major tea estates.
Sri Lankan opposition party picks Gotabhaya Rajapakse as presidential candidate
By K. Ratnayake, 19 August 2019
The former defence secretary was directly implicated in war crimes and gross human rights abuses during final stages the war against the separatist LTTE.
Persecuted Sri Lankan writer released on bail
By Vimukthi Vidarshana, 13 August 2019
Although Shakthika Sathkumara is out on bail, the threat to his freedom of expression and that of other artists remains.
Sri Lankan parliamentary parties back extension of emergency rule
By Saman Gunadasa, 7 August 2019
The endorsement came four days after President Sirisena declared that the railways and public transport were essential services, effectively banning strikes in those sectors.
Sri Lanka: Colombo University students call for release of Julian Assange
By our reporters, 6 August 2019
“American imperialism is now seeking its revenge against Assange because he told the truth.”
Jailed Sri Lankan writer Shakthika Sathkumara defends Julian Assange
By our reporters, 6 August 2019
“The system that has put Assange behind bars is the same system responsible for putting me behind bars in Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lankan president extends emergency rule for another month
By K. Ratnayake, 29 July 2019
The real target of the emergency laws is the rising social unrest of workers, students and the poor.
Socialist Equality Party in Sri Lanka intensifies the campaign to free Julian Assange
By our correspondents, 22 July 2019
The Sri Lankan Trotskyists held a well-attended public meeting in Colombo and a powerful rally in Jaffna.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna calls for removal of Sri Lankan government
By K. Ratnayake, 18 July 2019
Under conditions of political crisis, in which the main parties of government are widely discredited, the JVP is proposing itself as the party capable of saving the capitalist system.
Sri Lankan prime minister promotes US defence agreement
By Vijith Samarasinghe and K. Ratnayake, 15 July 2019
Although Wickremesinghe has tabled a planned Status of Forces Agreement with the US, its contents and political implications remain a secret for millions of Sri Lankans.
Sri Lankan writer still detained on bogus blasphemy allegations
By Vimukthi Vidarshana, 12 July 2019
The detention of Shakthika Sathkumara is part of the escalating attack by the Sri Lankan political elite against writers, journalists, artists and more broadly the working class.
Strong support for Julian Assange at Sri Lanka’s Jaffna University
By our reporters, 9 July 2019
SEP and IYSSE campaigners campaigned for a July 10 picket that will be held in defence of the WikiLeaks founder in the war-ravaged city.
Sri Lankan president signs four death warrants
By Vijith Samarasinghe, 8 July 2019
The signing of the death warrants comes at a time when the Sri Lankan ruling elite is turning towards more dictatorial forms of rule.
SEP (Sri Lanka) to hold Free Assange meetings and demonstrations
6 July 2019
The SEP and IYSSE calls upon workers, students, youth, artists, journalists and intellectuals to support the campaign to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.
Sri Lankan president calls for autocratic executive presidency
By K. Ratnayake, 5 July 2019
The political instability is a result of infighting between factions of the ruling elite against a backdrop of enormous social opposition in Sri Lanka to the austerity agenda.
Sri Lankan railway unions cave in to government’s strike ban
By Saman Gunadasa, 1 July 2019
The RTUA’s betrayal has once again demonstrated that workers cannot defend their democratic rights and fight for jobs and decent working conditions through the trade unions.
SEP wins support for Assange and Manning at Sri Lanka’s Peradeniya university
By our reporters, 29 June 2019
Tenishan, an agriculture student, asked: “Is it democratic to imprison journalists who have revealed war crimes?”
Sharp downturn in Sri Lankan economic growth
By Dilruwan Vithanage, 27 June 2019
International credit rating agency Moody’s revised down its prediction for this year from 3.4 percent to 2.6 percent.
Sri Lankan government moves to criminalise “fake news”
By Naveen Dewage, 19 June 2019
Colombo’s new laws to censor and control the internet and social media are moves towards the establishment of dictatorial forms of rule.
Indian prime minister boosts strategic ties with the Maldives and Sri Lanka
By Rohantha De Silva, 15 June 2019
Modi’s visits were to make clear that New Delhi is determined to prevent China regaining influence in the two Indian Ocean island nations.
Sri Lankan workers need a socialist program to defeat Colombo’s police-state preparations
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 12 June 2019
All factions of the warring Sri Lankan bourgeoisie are united in the use of communalism to divide the working class and in moves towards police-state rule.
Sri Lankan Trotskyists win strong support for Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning
By our correspondents, 7 June 2019
University students voice their concerns about the US-led assaults on Assange and Manning and speak out in defence of free speech.
Sri Lankan Muslim ministers resign amid growing threats of anti-Muslim violence
By K. Ratnayake, 6 June 2019
Every faction of the ruling elite is systematically using Islamophobia to divide the working class along ethnic and religious lines as part of its preparations for autocratic forms of rule.
Why ISIS launched a terror attack on Sri Lanka
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 29 May 2019
The US has, over the past four years, taken steps to transform Sri Lanka into an important base for its military operations throughout the region, including the Middle East.
Aftermath of terrorist attack: Sri Lankan SEP public meeting warns about threat of dictatorship
By our reporters, 27 May 2019
The speakers explained that the dictatorial turn by the Sri Lankan government is part of the international response of ruling classes to the resurgence of class struggles.
Tamil nationalists support anti-Muslim witch-hunt in Sri Lanka
By V. Gnana and K. Nesan, 24 May 2019
The bourgeois Tamil National Alliance is joining hands with the government as it sets up a police state targeting the entire working class.
Ten years after civil war ends, Sri Lankan ruling elites prepare for class war
By Pradeep Ramanayake and K. Ratnayake, 22 May 2019
The entire political establishment is preparing another bogus “war on terror” which is targeting the island’s Muslims, but will also be used to suppress the opposition of the working class.
240 Sri Lanka government targets Muslims
18 May 2019
Muslim victims of violence in Sri Lanka speak to the WSWS
By our reporters, 17 May 2019
WSWS reporters visiting Minuwangoda, a bustling town in the Gampaha district of Sri Lanka, discovered a ghost town.
Defeat the government’s police-military dictatorial plans
SEP/IYSSE public meeting in Colombo on Sri Lankan emergency declaration
17 May 2019
The meeting will discuss the revolutionary socialist perspective needed to defend the democratic and social rights of working people.
Sri Lankan austerity measures to deepen after terrorist attack
By Saman Gunadasa, 15 May 2019
In its efforts to justify spending cuts, the government has adopted the slogan, “national security first.”
Sri Lankan government imposes island-wide curfew amid anti-Muslim violence
By K. Ratnayake, 14 May 2019
While the curfew is supposedly to prevent violence, the attacks on Muslims have continued, indicating that the security forces are turning a blind eye to the thugs.
Washington uses terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka to strengthen ties with Colombo
By Rohantha De Silva, 11 May 2019
The “assistance” in the terror investigations is to bind Sri Lanka ever-more closely as Washington steps up its aggressive confrontation with China.
Anti-Muslim witch-hunt after terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka
By our correspondents, 8 May 2019
Alongside a vicious campaign of anti-Muslim propaganda, hundreds of people have been arrested in house-to-house police operations.
SEP (Sri Lanka) holds successful May Day meeting in Colombo, despite government efforts to bar celebrations
By our reporters, 3 May 2019
Some 200 workers, students, youth, professionals and housewives from areas throughout the island attended the meeting.
Sri Lankan SEP denounces political parties’ support for President Sirisena’s police state measures
By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 2 May 2019
The SEP warns that the main target of the repressive measures is not Islamic extremists, but working people and their struggles against the government’s austerity agenda.
Tea plantation workers need a global strategy
By Saman Gunadasa, 1 May 2019
Tea plantation workers in India, Kenya and Sri Lanka can end their brutal exploitation only by breaking from the unions and fighting for a unified socialist and internationalist strategy.
Sri Lankan president steps up military crackdown
By K. Ratnayake, 27 April 2019
The all-party conference convened yesterday in the wake of Sunday’s terrorist bombings rubberstamped the draconian police-state measures being rapidly brought into force.
Socialist Equality Party in Sri Lanka to hold May Day meeting in Colombo
The new wave of international class struggle and the fight for socialism
26 April 2019
The SEP meeting is being called amid growing indications that Colombo may use the recent terrorist bombings as a pretext to ban all May Day events.
Sri Lankan president calls “all-party conference” to rubberstamp emergency powers
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 25 April 2019
Following Sunday’s terrorist bombings, the conference has been called to shore up capitalist rule amid an acute political crisis.
Severe police-state measures come into force in Sri Lanka
By Pani Wijesiriwardena and K. Ratnayake, 24 April 2019
Under the pretext of fighting terrorism, the Colombo government is strengthening its security forces amid a resurgence of working-class struggles.
After terrorist bombings, Sri Lankan government imposes draconian national emergency
By K. Ratnayake and Peter Symonds, 23 April 2019
The World Socialist Web Site condemns the horrendous bombings, which indiscriminately killed innocent men, women and children, and have already provided the pretext for sweeping anti-democratic measures.
At least 290 killed in terrorist bomb attacks in Sri Lanka
By K. Ratnayake, 22 April 2019
Despite an intelligence alert 10 days before, both the government and police failed to warn the public and took little or no action to prevent the terrible bombings.
Sri Lankan bomb survivors and local residents denounce terror attacks
By our correspondents, 22 April 2019
“The aim of this attack could be to instigate communalism and turmoil. It must be totally condemned.”
SEP and IYSSE in Sri Lanka rally to defend Assange and Manning
By our reporters, 17 April 2019
Sri Lankan media outlets, including Veerakesari, Sri Lanka’s main Tamil-language daily newspaper, covered the SEP and IYSSE demonstration in Colombo.
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