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Official News Magazine of the Peace and Solidarity Organiztion Sri Lanka (PASOS)
(PASOS - is a Member of the World Peace Council)

2014 Volume 02

Dictatorship and fundamentalism

work hand in hand

seminar was organized under the theme

of Challenges imposed by imperialist
interventions and extremism to commemorate
65th anniversary of World Peace Council on 19th
of October 2014 in Colombo. The event was a joint
effort of WPCs Sri Lankan branch organizations;
Sri Lanka Peace and Solidarity Council and Peace
and Solidarity Organisation Sri Lanka (PASOS).
Mr. Iraklis Tsavdaridis, the executive secretary of

WPC took part in the event. Representatives of two

organizations and both local and foreign participants
were present on the occasion.
This event had a historical importance also. This
was the first WPC event held in Sri Lanka with the
participation of WPC leadership after Cold War
period. Also, it is of notable importence that there
is an unprecedented U.S. interference in South Asia
through its newly adopted Pivot to Asia stratagy.

Prof. Bibile, the father of

Medicinal Drug Policy

his is an account on Prof. Senaka

Bibile, a Sri Lankan professor
in pharmacology, and the medicinal
drug policy he pioneered in 1960s
and 70s. Prof. Bibiles saga shows
how intellectuals could positively
influence social progress in a
socialist oriented political-economic

system in a country.
Modern medicines
We cannot think living in a
world without medicinal drugs
today. Indeed, in the thousands
year long history of mankind, it
was in 19th century cont 16 page
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Current threats to peace &

stability in Asia and the world

Speech by Iraklis Tsavdaridis, Executive Secretary of WPC at 65th anniversary of World Peace
Council on 19th of October 2014 in Colombo.
War measures taken by the imperialists did not allow
for a unified congress to take place in Paris.
A year later in Warsaw, and in Sheffield, the
WPC was constituted under the presidency of French
Nobelist, physicist and chemist Frederic Joliot-Curie
who would remain in the post for 9 years. Celebrities
with broad recognition worldwide took part.
On March 18, 1950 the Stockholm Peace Appeal
against nuclear arms was issued and circulated all
over the world,
amassing
more
than 350 million
signatures.
The founding of
the WPC provided
great momentum
for the creation of
numerous member
organizations
in
almost all of the
countries of the
world. The militant
sections of the anti-imperialist peace movement were
mobilized within its ranks. Tens of thousands of
prominent intellectuals, artists, and cultural workers
were organized within the Peace Committees of the
WPC.
Despite reaction, the attempts at subversion and
slandering on the part of the imperialist forces, due
to the actions of the WPC supported by the Soviet
Union, the other socialist countries and the antiimperialist forces, the peace-loving anti-imperialist
struggles of the people began to grow immensely
and to embrace the entire planet. The slogans of the
WPC for nuclear disarmament, against intervention
and imperialist wars, against foreign bases, for the
liberation of the peoples, embraced and mobilized
millions of people. It stood strongly at the side of the

Dear comrades, fellow fighters for peace and social

justice,
It is with extraordinary pleasure to be today here
amongst friends and comrades and commemorate
and celebrate this 65th anniversary of the World
Peace Council under the hospitality and initiative of
our two member Organisations, the Sri Lanka Peace
and Solidarity Council and the Peace and Solidarity
Organisation of Sri Lanka (PASOS).
This year marks
65 years since
the founding of
the World Peace
Council (WPC)
which was and
is the pioneering
global
antiimperialist peace
organization.
It
was established
after World War
II in response to
imperialist aggression, under Cold War conditions.
The horrific crimes of American imperialism
in Hiroshima and Nagasaki carried out to terrorize
humanity and allow the USA to impose its own terms
in the post-war scene, along with the declaration of
the Cold War by the imperialist forces, objectively
destroyed any illusions concerning an end to war or
the character of imperialism.
On August 6th, 1948 in the devastated Polish city
of Wroclaw, the first world congress of intellectuals
for peace was held. They adopted an appeal calling
for the mobilization of peace-loving forces against
nuclear weapons and imperialist aggression.
On April 20, 1949 simultaneous congresses were
held both in Prague and Paris, where the decision to
found the World Peace Council was taken. The Cold
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the overthrow of socialism in the Soviet Union and

the other socialist countries brought about a massive
temporary setback in terms of imperialist domination.
This had severe consequences for the worldwide
movement and the WPC. Despite the great difficulties
and ideological problems, the WPC was reconstituted
and went on to hold its 1996 Congress in Mexico
where it decided to move its headquarters to Paris.
During this period, ideological differences were
sharply expressed with the basic issue being whether
the WPC would maintain its line of anti-imperialist
struggle or turn into a pacifist organization. At the
Congress in Athens 2000, its anti-imperialist character
was re-confirmed and its headquarters was moved to
Athens.
Subsequent congresses took place in Athens 2004,
Caracas, Venezuela 2008 and Kathmandu, Nepal in
2012.
All these years, despite the difficulties it faced under
the new conditions the WPC organized mobilizations
and assemblies all over the world against the wars
against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. It stood
in solidarity with embattled peoples building
initiatives and demonstrations. At the same time,
working through ideological conflicts, disagreements
and contradictions it adopted its policies to todays
conditions and despite the many pressures, maintained
its anti-imperialist character.

national liberation movements on all the continents.

Hundreds of International and Global assemblies
took place with the initiative of the WPC. It stood at
the side of the Soviet Union and the other socialist
countries, supporting the mass peace initiatives for
a reduction in armaments, for nuclear disarmament,
solidarity with the peoples who were struggling
against imperialism.
No peoples or workers liberation struggle
took place that the WPC was not a part of. It
stood in solidarity with the great social struggles
of the working class and popular masses for the
improvement in their living conditions and for social
liberation. Without underestimating other noble cases
of peoples struggle, and while being in Asia, we
want to highlight the glorious anti-colonial and antiimperialist struggle of the Vietnamese people and
the respective struggle of the Korean people in both
cases victorious and brave. The WPC also stood on
the side of the young revolution and victory of the
revolutionary forces which led to the foundation of
the Peoeples Republic of China
We can, without a doubt, state that the course of
the WPC constitutes a highly significant factor in
the modern history of humankind after World War
II, having made an enormous contribution to the
peoples struggles.
The counter-revolutionary overthrows of the
1990s with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and

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The Middle East is one of the burning hot-spots, a

region with the richest oil and gas reserves in the
world today. The WPC paid a visit to Palestine last
August, during the ongoing aggression where we
expressed our
solidarity with the suffering
Palestinian people in the
Gaza strip, the West Bank
and Jerusalem, against
the ongoing Occupation
and slow genocide
committed by Israel.
Our
Member
Organisations
and
the WPC is on the
side of the poor and
the oppressed in the
whole world, but in
particular with the
peoples of Syria, of
Iraq, of Lebanon, with all
the peoples in the Middle East who face the cruel
face of the Holy warriors who are spreading terror
and death in the name of their religion to millions of
civilian citizens, like it is the case with the Kurdish
population in the north of Syria. It is not a secret that
these Djihadists would not be able to carry out their
lethal actions without the training, military equipment
and financial support of the powerful imperialist
countries along with regional powers like Turkey,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates.
They want to make the world believe that the
escalating conflict in the region, in Syria and Iraq is
about a clash of religions, that the atrocities of the
Djihadists are not hiding also the geostrategical goals
of the imperialists, for spheres of influence and control
of energy resources. They are hiding that behind
the efforts for violent regime changes or colored
revolutions as they happened in various countries
the last years is not the interest for the democracy and
human rights, the rights of the peoples.
Who can really believe that the Syrian people
for example need to import democracy and good
governance from Saudi Arabia which invaded some
years ago Bahrain? Or is it Qatar and Turkey who
will set up the norms of democratic standards for the
Syrian or the Iraqi people?

Dear friends, fellow militants, comrades,

With the overthrows at the beginning of the 1990s
and the dramatic change in the balance of forces to
the benefit of imperialism, imperialist aggressiveness
intensified even more; inter-imperialist rivalries over
the division of markets and spheres of influence
and the control of the
wealth-producing
natural resources
sharpened
as
well.
These
developments,
the savage and
barbaric reality that
has been created
for the working
people and the great
mass of people on a
global and national
level, blatantly reveals
that imperialism is
becoming increasingly
dangerous.
At this point, we want to emphasize that given the
ideological brain-washing carried out by the forces
of the imperialist system, the falsification of history
and todays attempt at distortions by EU leaders and
other imperialist forces, the people, especially the
youth, cannot forget that the history of imperialism is
marked by hundreds of interventions, by World War
I and II, by local and regional wars, by the slaughter
of entire peoples, by the support and emergence of
fascist regimes and dictatorships.
The world today is characterized more and more by
the growing aggressiveness of imperialism expressed
in all spheres of life of peoples. In combination with
the deep economic crisis of capitalism, the attacks
on workers, peasants and youth and their rights is
increasing. New masses are getting impoverished,
unemployed, marginalized not only in the developing
countries but also in the core countries of the
developed capitalist world. At the same time the
profits of big capital and multinational corporations
are growing, new markets are being conquered.
At the same time we observe a growing
militarization of international relations, adding new
dangers to peace and stability, to life of humankind.
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Especially today when we have the 65 years of the

creation of NATO, the biggest war machinery in the
history of humankind supposedly as a respond to the
Warsaw Pact, which was created later than NATO and
was dissolved in 1991, it provokes every peace loving
person on earth to see the arrogance and attitude of
NATO as seen in the recent summit in Wales, where
its leadership openly admits that NATO will be ready
to act in any place of the world, where the interests
of its leading members and of their monopolies are
at stake.
NATO has established a bilateral cooperation
network with dozens of countries in all continents, it
has a special coordination with the European Union
and its EU army for rapid intervention forces at any
point of the globe. The USA, NATO and EU are
acting in cooperation and by distribution of roles
in Africa, Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe and
Latin America. They claim that there mission is
whether against terrorism or of humanitarian nature.
All of them tolerate for
reasons of geostrategical
calculation
decades
long injustices of cases
of occupation like for
example the Moroccan
occupation of Western
Sahara, without granting
the Sahara people the right
for self determination
by a free and democratic
referendum
while
creating protectorates in
various parts by changing
violently borders. The
imperialists have never given up their subversive
actions to destabilize and overthrow regimes in Cuba
or Latin America. The military encirclement of the
Korean peninsula with 28.000 US troops in the South,
the 7th US fleet and the common military exercises of
USA, South Korea and Japan are creating new threats
to the peace in the whole region.

The hypocrisy and the cynicism are also visible

in the Ukraine, where the EU and USA orchestrated
first a coup and than competed who will impose his
favored ruler including the neo-fascist and Nazis of
Kiev. Also here we have a fierce competition of the
USA, EU with Russia in the area for control of spheres
but also rich oil and gas reserves and the respective
pipelines. The pro-western government of Kiev has
not hesitated to bomb cities and civilians in the eastern
part of the country, along with the harassment of the
communists and their witch hunting, along with the
destruction of historical monuments and falsification
of the history. Behind all this somebody can easily
observe the efforts to further expand the NATO,
with Ukraine and Georgia, to install Missile Defence
shields, which will allow the USA and its allies to
use or to threat with the use of first strike, without the
danger for any retaliation.

Dear comrades and friends
Today humanity is
facing serious threats
to peace and security,
mainly triggered by the
policies of the imperialist
powers led by the USA
in all corners of the
world. Imperialism is
becoming increasingly
aggressive, threatening
peace and sovereignty,
and moving to reassign
markets and redraw
borders
to
plunder
natural resources. The
US, NATO, the EU and other imperialist forces are
seeking new instruments and pretexts for aggression.
Among these are the so called responsibility to
protect, plans for democratization of the Middle
East and other regions, heightened use of subversive
action, and recruitment of mercenaries to carry out
crimes against humanity. This strategy includes
blatant violation of international law and of the
founding principles of the UN Charter, distortion of
the UN to make it an instrument for aggression, and
massive manipulation of the media.

Dear friends
The global peace movement and the foremost the
WPC is obliged to face and object the plans and the
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forces behind them. This is not always an easy task,

since the imperialists are having powerful weapons,
literally and metaphorically.
There is the need to understand that the wars and
aggressions are being caused by a system which
is by its nature linked with war and exploitation.
It is not a matter to change only persons or correct
mistakes. Behind the Noble Peace Prices to US
President Barack Obama or to the European Union,
are apparently intentions to wash their crimes clean
and to dilute the international public opinion on their
real role. What is missing in this series of these Noble
Prices is now to award next time NATO itself!
That what unmask completely the farce even in
better way!
Therefore it is imperative to understand that
preventing another catastrophic imperialist war
depends upon the mass mobilization of the peace
movement against the root causes of war and injustice
throughout the world, which is the imperialist agenda
for the 21st Century world.
We note in this regards positively mass uprisings
by the oppressed peoples of the world against this
imperialist agenda. This is exactly why the global
war on terror has been declared. The strategy is to
label any resistance to the imperialist agenda as a
terrorist movement and crush it by military force
while paralyzing the peace movement with the fear
of being identified as supporter of terrorists and
tyrants. But as we have seen the real terrorists and
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can not be the slightest illusion or false hope that

any people under oppression or occupation will be
helped by an imperialist intervention, as plausible the
pretexts might appear. No national or social issues
can be addressed and solved by the i m p e r i a l i s t
agenda, neither should any people expect that the
social and political forces which are dominating in
the world imperialist system, have any interest to
meet the peoples demands and just causes.

Dear friends
What we need is a peace and justice movement
that acts in a coordinated way, not just in response to
the imperialist crimes, not just as a reactive force that
only protests after the fact, but a peace movement
that is proactive, that take preventive measures rather
than seeking remedies.
Let us substitute imperialisms policy of
pre-emptive military strikes with the peace
movements policy of pre-emptive peace strikes.
Let us respond not just to wars and invasions
after they happen, but to even the s m a l l e s t
preparations that are being made for wars and
interventions before they happen.
Humanity has no future under the imperialist
system and its domination; the peoples of the world,
its peace loving forces constitute the great majority,
which can form the common front to confront, to halt
and to overthrow the enemy of peace!
Imperialism appears to be all mighty but it is not
invincible!

You may say Im a

dreamer, but Im not the
only one. I hope someday
youll join us. And the world
will live as one.

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The US led war against the Islamic

State is a big lie
An excerpt from the article written by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky to Global Research on Twenty-six
Things About the Islamic State (ISIL) that Obama Does Not Want You to Know About
THE ISLAMIC STATE (ISIL)

sponsored terrorist training programs implemented in

Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The Islamic State (ISIL) was originally an Al Qaeda

affiliated entity created by US intelligence with the
support of Britains MI6, Israels Mossad, Pakistans
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Saudi Arabias
General Intelligence Presidency (GIP), Risat AlIstikhbrt Al-mah

Recruited by Americas ally, a large number of ISIL

mercenaries are convicted criminals released from Saudi
prisons on condition they join the ISIL. Saudi death row
inmates were recruited to join the terror brigades.
Israel has supported the ISIL and
Al Nusrah brigades out of the Golan
Heights.

The ISIL brigades were involved

in the US-NATO supported
insurgency in Syria directed
against the government of Bashar
al Assad.

Jihadist fighters have met Israeli IDF

officers as well as Prime Minister
Netanyahu. The IDF top brass tacitly
acknowledges that global jihad
elements inside Syria [ISIL and Al
Nusrah] are supported by Israel.

NATO and the Turkish High Senator John Mccain with Jihadist.
Command were responsible for the Mccain entered Syria illegally to show
recruitment of ISIL and Al Nusrah support for these terrorists.
mercenaries from the outset of the
Syrian insurgency in March 2011. According to Israeli SYRIA AND IRAQ
intelligence sources, this initiative consisted in:
The ISIL are the foot soldiers of the Western military
a campaign to enlist thousands of Muslim volunteers alliance. Their unspoken mandate is to wreck havoc and
in Middle East countries and the Muslim world to fight destruction in Syria and Iraq, acting on behalf of their
alongside the Syrian rebels. The Turkish army would US sponsors.
house these volunteers, train them and secure their
passage into Syria. (DEBKAfile, NATO to give rebels
US Senator John McCain has met up with jihadist
anti-tank weapons, August 14, 2011.)
terrorist leaders in Syria. (see picture right)
There are Western Special Forces and Western
intelligence operatives within the ranks of the ISIL.
British Special Forces and MI6 have been involved in
training jihadist rebels in Syria.

The Islamic State (IS) militia, which is currently

the alleged target of a US-NATO bombing campaign
under a counter-terrorism mandate, continues to be
supported covertly by the US. Washington and its allies
continue to provide military aid to the Islamic State.

Western military specialists on contract to the

Pentagon have trained the terrorists in the use of
chemical weapons.

US and allied bombings are not targeting the ISIL,

they are bombing the economic infrastructure of Iraq
and Syria including factories and oil refineries.

The United States and some European allies are using

defense contractors to train Syrian rebels on how to
secure chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria, a senior
U.S. official and several senior diplomats told CNN
Sunday. ( CNN Report, December 9, 2012)

The IS caliphate project is part of a longstanding US

foreign policy agenda to carve up Iraq and Syria into
separate territories: A Sunni Islamist Caliphate, an Arab
Shia Republic, a Republic of Kurdistan.

The ISILs practice of beheadings is part of the US

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Challenges imposed by imperialist

interventions and extremism
PASOS communique distributed at WPC 65th
anniversary commemoration
Dear Comrades and Friends,
Sri Lanka gained nominal
independence in 1948 from the
direct grip of colonialism; being
under three successive invasions,
namely Portuguese in 1505, Dutch
in 1602 and British in 1815. From
1948 onwards, the next 66 years
up until today, all regimes in Sri
Lanka drew the country to slavery
abyss as a neo colonial state. Neocolonial minded rulers are in the
process of satisfying imperialist
desires by weakening the social,
economic and political aspects of
the country. Sri Lanka is facing
a huge economic calamity due
to weak economic policies of its
capitalist rulers. Deterioration of
social norms clearly exhibits this
economic crisis.
Understanding the degree of
debt crisis is more than enough
to realize the economic crisis of
Sri Lanka. As the figures affirm,
sovereign debt which stood at (Sri
Lankan Rupees) Rs 6,793 billion
at the end of 2013 rose up to Rs
7,600 billion by June 2014. The
economic crisis has got further
worsened with widened budget
deficit and the need of a larger
sum of the state revenues for debt
servicing. In 2013, when the total
government revenues were just
Rs 1,257 billion, the expenditure
amounted to Rs 1,796 billion. Rs
1,162 billion were spent on debt
servicing in the same year. These

figures show where the country is

heading. The rulers are continuing
to follow neo liberal economic
policies by slashing public funding
for essential services including
health and education.
Under these circumstances
the Sri Lankan society is slipping
in to the poverty; the income
disparity is on the rise. Daily

Source - Daily Mirror

income of 42% of Sri Lankans

is under 2 dollars (Rs. 260).
International monetary institutions
which represent the interests of
imperialism have paved the way to
this economic crisis. World Bank,
International Monetary Fund and
Asian Development Bank played
the leading role in this regard.
There are many doubts about
the amount of debt that those
institutions pumped and what the
country gained. By now Sri Lanka
has exceeded the limit of debt that
8

it can request from these financial

bodies. Hence, the incumbent
regime is resorting to alternative
foreign and local sources of debt
for much higher interests.
Apart from that, democracy and
good governance too are at a threat.
The independency of the judiciary
has been broken down and the law
in the country is being manipulated
for the whims and fancies of a few.
The law has become the wish of

the ruler and this is evident in the

intervention carried out on legal
institutions. The present regime
has been disgraced internationally
too due to the illegal and unethical
process which it followed to unseat
former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani
Bandaranayke. Throughout the
past, judicial decrees were not
implemented and they were
deliberately ignored. The present
regime has taken steps to bring
the judiciary under its control
by appointing its associates

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and henchmen to its positions.

Throughout the past, court orders
were ignored and campaigns for
workers rights and trade union
activities were being quelled
continuously using the judiciary.
As such, the sovereignty of the
judiciary is being broken down
creating the way for imperialists to
interfere.
In addition peoples democratic
rights are being continuously
undermined through undemocratic
Constitutional amendments. The
18th amendment is one such
amendment. This amendment,
adopted so that Rajapaksa family
could be in power continuously, is
utterly unethical. Rajapaksa regime
that did not get a 2/3rd majority in
Parliament at the general election
held in 2010 bought MPs from
the UNP, the main opposition
party, offering various privileges
and ransoms, to make the 2/3rd
majority. Using the corruptly
passed 18th amendment, present
regime weakened the independent
commissions such as independent
judiciary commission, independent
police commission, independent
election commission etc. Using
this same unethical legislation they
eliminated the two term barrier for
the executive presidency allowing
unlimited terms for contesting.
The Regime, consolidating
its power in this vile manner, is
carrying out the neo- colonialist
scheme of subjugating the country
for the interests of imperialists.
At the moment Sri Lanka is
confronted with a massive social
and economic tragedy due to the
escalating incidents of frauds,
corruption, crimes and murders.

Janka Adikari
Genaral Secretary
- PASOS

Meanwhile, the regime pretends

to be anti-American but follows an
entirely opposite stance in action.
The best example is entering into a
US Sri Lanka defence agreement
(Acquire and Cross Services
Agreement) under this regime. It is
this regime that pretends to be antiAmerican that has jeopardized the
South Asian region by agreeing
to provide facilities to US forces.
Also, the rulers, who are preparing
to fulfil the need of creating
foreign military bases in Indian
Ocean, have being directly and
indirectly representing interests of
imperialists.
The regime also has taken
measures to humiliate the country
internationally. An environment
have been created where foreign
interventions to the country,
that could have been avoided
by
diplomatic
negotiations,
have been turned to countrys
disadvantage and advantageous
for the imperialist organizations.
The failure of the present regime
to carry out measures to create
national consensus and evading
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its duties after the war has created

an easy ground for foreign
interventions including Geneva
resolutions.
As far as Sri Lankan experience
is considered, an era has emerged
in which imperialist interventions
have become a regular process
and it is very necessary to have
a democratic regime with a
progressive foreign policy and
act according to the rule of law,
to minimize the imperialist
interventions. Not only democratic
government can mobilize its masses
against the imperialist interference
but also it can win the support
of the other countries and the
international bodies to minimize
some imperialist actions. Republic
of Cuba is a clear cut example for
this. The committed diplomatic
efforts and a shield of international
solidarity have protected Cuba
from U.S. Imperialism for last five
decades.
It is evident, when all these
issues are considered, that the crisis
Sri Lanka is confronted with is not
simple and is made complicated
by the direct interferences of the
imperialists.
We should find
solutions for these crises and
seek international solidarity to
overcome them. The solidarity
with anti-imperialist countries has
become essential for peace and
unity of Sri Lanka. The need is that
organizations such as World Peace
Council should build a strong
movement of these countries,
give them courage, strength and
vision to defeat imperialism and
capitalism at the same time.

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Our sovereignty can be saved

only by left forces!

The speech made by comrade Bimal Rathnayake, the National bureaucracy is another way that the
Organizer of Peace and Solidarity Organisation of Sri Lanka imperialists intervene in economic
(PASOS), at the seminar held in Colombo recently, in parallel sector.
with the 65th anniversary of the World Peace Council (WPC). At the same time the imperialists

mperialist interventions are taking place

in variety of sectors all over the world. One
of these is the economic sector. We all know
that it is done via the World Bank and the IMF.
Political interventions are taking place via deferent
international and regional organizations. Imperialist
organizations intervene the activities of the countries
using the cultural sector. Humanitarian problems
and the natural hazards are also being used by
imperialists. They use media and arts too. Ultimately
they intervene directly to the countries by military
means. This has become a daily process in many
countries like ours. Whether they are socialists,
democratic or do not have an exact political vision,
everyone, who are interested in politics should know
about this.
If the economic interventions are considered, the
imperialists weaken the economies of the countries
via deferent economic agreements. Sri Lanka also
has signed such agreements through IMF and
World Bank. Brain washing of politicians and the

change the regimes of some

countries via deferent colored
revolutions namely pink, orange and grey revolution,
for example. They establish puppet governments
through political conspiracies by repelling the
capitalist governments who do not kneel down
directly in front of them or who do not listen them
much.
When the religious sector is considered,
imperialists use the racial and religious differences
prevailing among people in different countries to
intervene in their activities. We see this not only in
our history, but also today. In some countries, they
use even the casts of people to separate the countries.
For this, the best example is Sudan. Imperialists used
such differences which prevailed for generations
among the farming community, for certain
separations in South Sudan.
Imperialists create puppet regimes wherever they
need. They show that they really protect the rights of
the people. But the reality is that they have a specific
intention beyond that, to implement separatism in
10

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the countries. Also, imperialists intervene to the

countries via international court of justice. We know
very well about story of so called electric chair that
the Sri Lankan ruler is talking about. As well as, the
United Nations Organization. Although its prime
duty is to implement peace in the world, today it acts
as a part of the imperialism.
Imperialists mutate the education systems. They
invade the art and cultural sectors. Here Ill mention
one example for that. One of the regular instructor at
the Hollywood Cinema Institute is the director of the
CIA. He instructs the film producers and directors
twice a year on what should be included in their

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creations. Recently the films created based on those

criteria even won medals.
Imperialists, not only use media for changing the
consciousness of people, but also they make fake
intellectuals for leading the art, cultural, social and
economic sectors. These intellectuals are educated in
imperialist countries according to their requirements
by giving scholarships and they are being brain
washed. Then such intellectuals are sent back to
their motherlands making them the heads of various
institutions.
We clearly experienced how the imperialists
intervene the countries using natural hazards,
during the post tsunami period.
They tried to make it a good
opportunity for intervening the
internal affairs of our country.
Similarly, when around two
hundred thousand people died in
an earthquake in Haiti recently,
instead of helping these people,
USA sent their military forces
there. Now those military forces
have permanently occupied
there.
When all these indirect
measures fails or in addition
to them, they directly
intervene using different
military strategies like defense
agreements. Sri Lankan
government also has signed
such a secret agreement with
the USA. According to that, Sri
Lankan government is bound
to provide airports, forests and
land of our country whenever
the Americans need them.
Imperialists intervene the
countries by building military
bases. Except in few countries,
the military heads of most of
the countries have been given
a special training in the USA.
The military heads are directed
to follow different courses
in the USA by giving them
scholarships. After following
SOURCE- NEWS LETTER, CUBAN EMBASSY - SRI LANKA
these courses, the military heads
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lead their forces in an imperialist perspective.

The other method of intervening is arranging
the spy networks. When all these described
strategies fail, imperialists directly invade through
organizations like NATO.
This is how the imperialists intervene to destroy
the sovereignty of our countries, to destroy the social
interconnectivity among the people and to create
new problems in our countries. Our country also
has been severely suppressed by such interventions.
We have suffered much from separatism. We have
become a country with a poor economy due to the
international economic conditions. We are heavily
burdened with foreign debts. Economic agreements
have made 42 per cent of our people earning less
than 2 dollars per day. Therefore we have to discuss
on how to protect our sovereignty from these
imperialist interventions. For this the first and the
most important thing is to have rulers who have a
clear understanding about these interventions. They
must know how the imperialists intervene.
One retired officer of the IMF once said that
they first try the method of giving benefits to the
politicians of a country and make those politicians
do whatever the IMF wants. But later they
understood that the politicians are changed with
the changes of the governments and that method
is ineffective. Thereafter the IMF decided on
brainwashing the officialdom of different countries.
Today we know very well about the foreign
service of our country. Nowadays people talk much
about it. It has been highly polluted by politics. We
dont say that it is 100 per cent so. Still there are few
diplomats who really love the country. At the same
time there are many who perform according to the
imperialist agenda.
Although you do not notice, the imperialists
intervene even in restructuring the school syllabus of

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our country. Now, how it can be stopped? How do

we save our country being ruled from Washington?
For that, one strategy is the diplomatic interventions.
Another is the international solidarity that is built by
the organizations like World Peace Council. Only
these can protect the sovereignty of our country to a
certain extent.
Which type of countries have the ability of
protecting their own countries from this menace?
Three broader categories can be traced. One of
them is the bigger countries with bigger economies
and a higher population. China, India, Brazil and
Russia are such countries, although not to the
extent of 100 per cent protection. Second category
is the Socialist countries. Countries like Cuba,
Vietnam, China and North Korea have succeeded
in that way. Third category is the Leftist, but not
socialist countries. Bolivia, Venezuela, Nicaragua
and Brazil are such countries. Except the countries
of these three categories, all the others have lost
their sovereignty. This is the situation in countries
like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippine, Congo, Libya,
Iraq and Afghanistan. When the USA destroys
these countries, the capitalist rulers of them have
failed to stop that, by diplomatic strategies or with
international solidarity. But Cuba, Venezuela and
Vietnam have succeeded in it. Why do Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Philippine cant do that? It
is very clear. Any country with capitalist economy,
except above three categories have failed in it. How
it can be done? They cant become bigger countries
by increasing their land mass. The real reason is
that they do not have democratic governance. The
rulers of these countries have failed in leading
their countries against imperialism. They have not
accepted real international solidarity in principle.
So it clearly show that only socialist, leftist and
progressive forces can protect the sovereignty of
such countries.

Love the life you live.

Live the life you love.
- Bob Marley 12

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Power corrupts; Absolute

Power corrupts Absolutely

In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the
cloak of patriotism, or religion or both to deceive and overawe the people. Canton OH, Anti-War
Speech, January 16 1918.

he Constitution of a
democratic
country,
protects human dignity, achieves
equality and the protection of
human rights and freedoms;
prevents
discrimination
on
grounds of race and sex; enshrines
the Constitution as the supreme
law of the land that means
that everything must be
done according to law
and the Constitution is the
highest law; guarantees a
vote for every adult citizen
and
regular
elections
and multiparty system of
democratic
government
and right to information,
enshrines the independence
of the Judiciary and
the separation of state
power. These guarantees
are common to many
democracies all over the
world including Sri Lanka.
The separation of powers needs
checks and balances whereby the
executive can check the legislature
by vetoing the bills it passes. The
Legislature can check the powers
of the executive by overriding the
veto and/or by impeaching the head
of the executive and above all the
judiciary can check the legislature
and the executive declaring laws
unconstitutional.
Each of the branches has the
power to exert to some degree of

restraint on the other two branches

of the State so that if something
goes wrong in the government
there is a way how it can be
corrected.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa
of Sri Lanka rolled up the
separation of powers contained in

the Sri Lankan Constitution firstly

by bringing the parliament under
his total control by manufacturing
a two third majority in parliament.
To achieve this he compelled or
persuaded members of parliament
of the opposition to cross over
to the government camp by
resorting to bribery, lavishing
perks, using duress and other
means of inducement. The final
blow to the independence of
the judiciary was dealt when
13

that parliament impeached the

43rd Chief Justice of the country
Shirani Bandaranayaka in January
2013 unconstitutionally, illegally,
unlawfully, and unethically after
a panel of judges of the Supreme
Court headed by her pronounced
judgments that went against the
authoritarian ambitions
of Rajapaksa and by
appointing a friendly
hand as the chief Justice.
President Rajapaksa
decided to amend the
Constitution by the 18th
Amendment to entitle
himself to contest more
than two six year terms
as stipulated in the
Constitution of 1978.
This amendment has
taken away whatever
positive provisions in it,
making the President a
virtual dictator
The change was pushed through
as an urgent parliamentary bill
and was passed by the parliament
with the two third (2/3) majority
in one day. As the contents
of this amendment effects
the sovereignty of the people
guaranteed in Article 3 of the
Constitution which stipulates that
the sovereignty is in the people and
is inalienable, includes the powers
of government, fundamental rights
and the franchise and has to be put

TION

to a referendum in addition to the

approval by a two third majority
in the Parliament. The 18th
Amendment also repealed the 17th
amendment which was approved
by the parliament unanimously.
The 17th amendment provided
for the appointment of a
Constitutional Council which
must approve all appointments
to the highest judiciary and
independent commissions namely
the Human Rights Commission,
Police Commissions, Elections
Commission, and the Public
Service Commission and to all
senior post in the public service.
This amendment reached a high
watermark in the manifestation of
the peoples sovereignty in that it
was adopted unanimously by all
members of parliament
Mahinda Rajapaksha was
elected for the second term at the
election held in January 2010 and
was sworn in November 2010 to be
the President of the country for six
years according to the Constitution

of 1978. He accordingly could

be in office till 2016. Powers are
given to the rulers by the people
not to give them a job but to rule
according to the contract the
Constitution. The people voted
him to office for the second time in
2010 fully understanding that they
voted for him for the last term and
not beyond that. If he desired to
be elected for a third term he ought
to have asked and received a fresh
mandate from the people when he
contested for the second term or
conducted referendum under the
provisions of the Constitution. He
failed to do so but manipulated
it through the manufactured two
thirds majority in parliament
and a dependent and loyal higher
judiciary.
The proposed hasty presidential
election is not in the interest of the
country. His ambition was totally
personal and was designed not in
public interest but for the greed for
power of one individual Rajapaksa
himself and his family. Since the
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18th amendment is in violation

of the Constitution Rajapaksa
is ineligible both legally and
ethically to ask for a third term.
He has robbed the sovereignty
of the people enshrined in the
Constitution of Sri Lanka and has
violated the social contract under
which he was given the power to
rule in terms of that contract. The
people of Sri Lanka have a legal,
moral and ethical right to remove
the usurper.
It is the considered opinion of
many constitutional experts both
in Sri Lanka including the former
Chief Justice and those abroad that
despite the 18th amendment to the
Constitution Mahinda Rajapaksa
is disqualified from contesting a
third presidential election.
According to their opinion
which this writer endorses, Article
3(2) of the Constitution of 1978 no
person who has been twice elected
to the office of President by the
people shall be qualified thereafter
to be elected to such office by the
people and article 92 stipulates
that a person twice elected to
the office of the President is not
qualified to be elected to the office
of President.
What follows then is Mahinda
Rajapakse was disqualified to
contest
another
Presidential
election. Despite the fact that the
two articles mentioned above were
removed by an amendment after
two months in September, 9 2010
Rajapaksa has already disqualified
to context a third term. As the
Interpretation Ordinance of the
country stipulates a repeal of a law
could be implemented to be valid
to the present and future but not

TION

to the past unless there is a special

provision in the new legislation to
that effect. In this instance too there
must be a provision in the 18th
Amendment to the Constitution
granting the incumbent President a
right to contest a third time or more.
It is the view of those legal experts
that Rajapaksa is disqualified to
contest the Presidency a third
time or be elected to the office
of President from January 2010.
despite the enactment of the 18th
Amendment.
It is very clear that Mahinda
Rajapaksa has no power under
the Constitution or the 18th
Amendment to it to call for a
presidential election until the
second and final term of six years
is completed and is disqualified
from contesting in next election.
Moreover the Third Amendment
to the Constitution, amending
Article 31 mandates that a person
elected for the second term should
hold office for a term of six years
commencing on such date in the
year in which that election was held.
The amendment also provides that
the President may anytime after the
expiration of four years from the
commencement of his first term
of office by proclamation declare
his intention of appealing to the
people for a mandate to hold office,
by election for a further period.
According to the said stipulation
the incumbent President can call
for a fresh presidential election
after the expiration of four years
during the first term only. The
18th Amendment enacted in 2010
repeals the words, first term was
removed and the words current
term was inserted. However

Article D of the third Amendment

stipulates , the President in office
should hold office for a term of six
years commencing on such date
in the year in which the election
was held, before he calls for
a presidential election. As this
Article has not been repealed by
the 18th Amendment President
Rajapaksa has no power to call for
a presidential election after 4 years
of his second term. He can do so
only after six years in office.
It is interesting to note that
The New York Times reported
in June 2nd 2014 that President
Thein Sein the Military leader of
Myanmar has stated recently It
would be healthy to amend the
Constitution from time to time to
address the national, economic and
social needs of our society. When
autocratic leaders like Thein Sein
are making endeavours to enter
the democratic process in public
interest Mahinda Rajapaksa has
amended the countrys Constitution
unconstitutionally and illegally not
to address the national, economic
and social needs of the Sri Lankan
society but for personal greed and
aggrandizement of himself and his
family. This is like the Enabling
Act adopted by Adolf Hitler
having neutralized the German
parliament and the judiciary. If
the people of Sri Lanka fail to
understand this sinister move by
Rajapaksa and defeat him they will
have to repent for a long time.

K.D.C. Kumarage MA LLM

MPhil, Attorney at Law.
President,
Human
Rights
Committee, Bar Association Sri
Lanka
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In our hands is
placed a power
greater than
their hoarded
gold, Greater
than the might
of armies
magnified a
thousand-fold.
We can bring
to birth the new
world from the
ashes of the
old. For the
union makes us
strong.
-Ralph chaplinIndustrial Workers of
the World

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Prof. Bibile,

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cont from page 1

..

onwards that modern medicines came in to existence.

Deaths and suffering of millions of people due to
infectious epidemics such as cholera, plague, malaria,
tuberculosis, worm infestations and famines made it
inevitable that the root causes of diseases are found
and medicines are invented to control them to further
the human survival on earth. Antibiotics and vaccines,
invented in late 19th and early 20th century, were
among the first modern medicines. Wide scale use of
them saved millions of human lives rapidly enhancing
longevity, population and economic growth at an
unprecedented scale in the worlds history despite
wars, economic inequalities and natural disasters
which acted in opposition.
Medicines in the hand of market economy
Similar to many of the products invented in
19th and 20th century, the capability of inventing
and producing medicines at larger scale too fell
in to the hands of global capitalists forces which
pursued only profits. Insatiable demand and the
need of sophistication in inventions and production
of medicines are unmatchable to many of the other
products of mankind. So, it was easy for capitalist
monopolies of medicines be developed in wealthy
countries and for them to manipulate global trends
in medicinal use in their favour. Multinational
pharmaceutical companies began to use many means
to earn massive profits. To mention a few,
1.
Producing
substandard
or
counterfeit drugs
2. Promoting the use of
drugs for ailments which
might not need a particular
drug or any drug at all.
3. Producing
and
marketing of medicine which
has no added therapeutic value
over and above existing ones.
4. Costing newly invented drugs at exorbitant
prices especially during patent monopoly period
which last 10-20 years.
5. Hiding truths about adverse effects and poor
therapeutic value of certain medicines.
6. Bombarding free markets with whatever
products by the name of medicines, be they essential
or not, and making pricing and quality assurances

confusing for those who run health systems especially

in the third world.
7. Pioneering to invent new diseases by
labeling some acceptable deviation from natural
physical or mental statuses. For example, discomfort
experienced by women of menopausal period was
recognized as a disease entity needing hormone
replacement. Inventions of diseases are easy in
areas like psychiatry as there are no clearly defined
markers such as blood tests to differentiate acceptable
psychological deviations from real mental ailments.
It posed a huge challenge for national leaders to
handle pharmaceutical supplies in such a background.
In addition to the above, there were other challenges
such as educating doctors and patients on proper use
drugs and preventing
misuse
by

professionals
and
public.
Procurement, transport
and storage were among
other challenges.
Pharmaceutical drug policy in Sri
Lanka
Sri Lanka was no exemption in 1950s, 60s and
70s in regard to such challenges. The then leftist
government sought advice from Prof. Senaka Bibile,
professor of pharmacology, a Marxist and an antiimperialist, to assist. Massive trade deficit and
foreign exchange crisis during this period pushed
the government to find radical solutions by limiting
import expenditure without compromising health
16

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care needs of the public.

During late 60s and early 70s Prof. Bibile came
up with number of proposals to revolutionize
pharmaceutical management in the country. Among
the proposals are,
1. Preparing a limited list of essential drugs from
a large variety of drugs which were in use in state
health service.
2. Limiting import and local production of drugs to
the drugs mentioned in essential drugs list.
3. Exercising total state hegemony in importation of
finished products and raw materials for drugs
4. Introducing competitive world wide tender
procedure in procuring drugs and choosing cheaper
suppliers.
5. Use of generic names in supply and prescriptions.
6. Stopping pharmaceutical promotions by private
companies and continually educating and updating
professionals through official means.
7. Confiscating properties of pharmaceutical
companies operating in the country but
not obliging with governments policy of
pharmaceutical management.
8. Setting up a laboratory for quality
assurance.
9. Local production of essential
pharmaceuticals.

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Bibiles works and insisted his assistance in spreading

the experience among other developing nations. It
was in one of such missions in Caribbean islands that
his life ended under mysteries circumstances.
National medicinal drug policies
Not like many other products of human use,
pharmaceuticals needed a national policy to make
sure that the benefit of the drugs reaches public and
also they are not exploited. Mere supply and demand
market forces did not guarantee the protection from
exploitation by pharmaceutical companies and the
benefits to ordinary mass. Prof. Bibiles concepts and
experiences were taken as examples around the world
in formulating national drug policies. Presently, there
are around 130 countries benefitting from his works
through their national
pharmaceutical
policies.

Fate of Prof.
B i b i l e s
policy in his
motherland
Prof. Bibile
himself
could
witness
with
his own eyes the
dilapidation
of
Many of these proposals were
vigor of his reforms
materialized
amidst
huge resistance by
in pharmaceutical
both local and
sector due to lack
international
of political support
sources. Except
and the rightward
for few failed
turn
of
or fragmented
government
attempts in few
in mid 1970s.
countries, there
Change of
was no examples of reforming pharmaceutical sector
economic
in a defined national policy in any other country by policies towards capitalist liberal market trend
then.
gradually eroded many reforms including state
Some of the proposals seem to be too radical in monopoly in import of finished drugs and raw
the present day context. But, there is no doubt that materials.
those steps would have helped the then government
Remnants of Prof. Bibiles works still remain
to overcome a critical economic depression without protecting lives of millions of Sri Lankans even
compromising health status of public.
today. Bulk purchasing of drugs through State
In the years immediately prior to his demise in 1977, Pharmaceutical Corporation and the Medical Supply
international organisations including UNCTAD and Division of Ministry of Health for the state health
Non-Alliance Movement noted the success of Prof. service (though with gross shortages), cont 18 page
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Proposal proffered to the government of

USA on Che Day 2014
the human rights of the

We, who have gathered

at Che Garden, Yahalakele

people of Cuba. Therefore

Estate, Horana in Sri Lanka

we force the government of

to commemorate Che Day

United States of America

2014 force the government

to remove the economic

of United States of

sanctions imposed against

America together with

Cuba.
We force the

the people of the Cuban

Solidarity Movement all

government of USA to free

over the world to fulfill the

the three Cuban heroes,

following demands.

Jerado Hernandz, Ramon

Labanino and Anthonio

The economic

Garero who have been

sanctions that have been

imposed on Cuban Socialist State for nearly 55 years

arrested illegally, violating the basic rules and

are the longest economic sanctions imposed against

continual decisions of USA itself.

We force the government of USA to stop the

any country. These economic sanctions violate the

sovereignty of the Cuba very clearly. Majority of the

military and other terrorist actions taken with the

member countries of the General Council of United

help of CIA and the anti-Cuban mafia groups aided

Nations are proposing to remove these sanctions for

by the US government against the sovereign Cuban

22 years continually. These sanctions are violating

state.

Prof. Bibile,

cont from page 17

..

Quality Assurance Laboratory and related process to

safeguard quality (though the coverage is far lesser
than the real need), use of generic names in state
health sector and preparation of essential drugs lists
are among them.
These remnants can cover only a limited portion
of drugs needs of the public. People suffer from
drug shortages, quality failures and unbearable costs
at private sector. Indiscriminate use by public and
professionals is another challenge. The government
which took power in 2005 promised to rejuvenate
Prof. Bibiles policies in its election manifesto.
Despite repeated renewal of the same promise and
putting out various documents including drafted Acts,
no noticeable change on the ground noticed up until
today.
18

Though the country seems well-off superficially,

the economic core is unstable; yet unlike in 1970s, no
solutions such as drug policies are sought at least to
patch it up. Consequently, the pharmaceutical import
expenditure almost doubled within a period of just
three years recently with no perceptible relief to the
mass with regard to prices or shortages of drugs.
This is nothing unexpected. In an article written in
1977 to a reputed international journal, Prof. Bibile
himself has identified the need of a socialist minded
government as one of the essential criterion if such a
progressive national drug policy be implemented in a
third world country.
Dr. Chandrasena Arawe, Vice President, All
Cylon Medical Officers Association (ACMOA)

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Resolutions passed at WPC

anniversary seminar held in Colombo
Resolution - 1
At a time when hundred years have passed since the first world war,
the imperialist Zionist unholy alliance is pushing the human race
towards a third world war. The objective of this unholy alliance is to
suppress the world and plunder other countries. Conspiracies are being
hatched for this on the surface as well as clandestinely and already many
countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have been raided, created
dissent and anarchy in them, encouraged armed conflicts and genocide
and large scale destructions carried out. The terrorist organizations
such as ISIS created and maintained by the unholy alliance creates
necessary cover and opportunity for the unholy alliance to break into
other countries.
The unholy alliance is now saying that extremist murderous
organizations such as ISIS have spread to other zones in the world
such as Asia and especially to South Asian zone.
This intelligent assembly completely deplores the extremist,
terrorist, murderous organizations and calls upon masses of other
countries to rally to defeat such organizations. Also, this august
assembly condemns the conspiracies hatched by the unholy alliance
to break into countries of the world, specially the attempt to break
into countries in Asia on the pretext of defeating extremist terrorist,
murderous organizations built by the imperialist Zionist unholy
alliance itself and calls upon peace loving, democratic, humanitarian,
progressive and anti-imperialist people all over the world to get
organized, fight and defeat the unholy alliance to make this world a
peaceful and prosperous place.
19

Resolution - 2
At the end of the cold war US
imperialism became the sole super
power in the world. Imperialism
since
then
intensified
the
interferences and intrusions into
other countries. It is very clear now
the strategy of imperialism is to
create anarchy in Asia, Africa, Latin
America and Europe. Accordingly
imperialism is interfering into
countries in the South Asian region
and is making every attempt to
come to agreements with regimes
in power in countries in the region
and establish military bases in the
region.
This august gathering urges
the people living in the South
Asia region to organize and
struggle against imperialists
attempts to create anarchy, to close
immediately the military base in
Diego Garcia, and to make the
South Asia region including the
Indian Ocean a peace zone.

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2014 Volume
Sri Lanka02

Will justice be served for those

murdered in Matale?

mass grave was found in

Matale Hospital premises
in central highland in Sri Lanka
on November 2012 when there
was an attempt to construct a biogas unit. Professor of archeology
and a forensic medical specialist,
based on the findings at the site,
opined that the discovered 150
odd skeletonized bodies were not
a result of natural cause and the
incident happened most probably
around 1986-90 period.
It was in 1988-89 that the then
government, United National Party,
suppressed a peoples uprising
island wide. Hundreds of people,
especially youths, were murdered
extra-judicially in Matale. A
military commanding officer who
were stationed in Matale is now

a stalwart of present
government.
During
the
court
hearing on the case, in
spite of local experts
report,
the
police
sought assistance from
a US agency to date the
incidence. In a recent
hearing the police
informed the court
that according to US
agency the skeletons belong to an
era before 1950s. Yet, police failed
to produce the report of US agency
when requested by the lawyers
representing the relatives of those
who were murdered in 1988-89.
Mr. Somawansa Amarasinghe,
former JVP (Peoples Liberation
Front)
leader
and
present

international secretary, addressing

the media following the last court
hearing said that attempt is made
to avert previous assumption to a
different direction. He further said
that there is a strong suspicion
that whether the skeletal remains
sent to US are really that of the
particular mass grave.

Peace & Solidarity Organisation

Sri Lanka
Email - pasosrilanka@gmail.com
Facebook - pasos
To order a print copy - 071 8609359 / 077 3083275

A delegation from WPC visited troubled areas of Palestine to extend

solidarity of Worlds peace movement. The report of the mission can
be reached on through WPCs website http://www.wpc-in.org/

Reading sources www.wpc-in.org

www.globalresearch.org
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