Today is 1st May, the International Workers’ Day, the day that manifests the strength and unity of all working masses throughout the world. 1st May has been declared the International Workers’ Day to commemorate the struggle of worker heroes in Chicago who sacrificed their lives 130 years ago demanding for an 8 hour working day against the cruelty and oppression of capitalism. ‘May Day’ is the day of the working class. It is a day that reflects the international solidarity, unity, militancy and strength of the downtrodden masses led by the working class.
Today, capitalist rulers throughout the world have distorted the significance of the International Workers’ Day to use it for their petty political objectives. Capitalist rulers, who shot dead workers in Chicago in the USA who agitated for an 8 hour working day, themselves, are plundering the ownership of the International Workers’ Day. Hence, there is also a struggle before the working masses to save the ownership of the International Workers’ Day from its enemy.
This is a period capitalism; the capitalist socio-economic system displays its failure and ferociousness throughout the world. Despite the struggle for an 8 hour working day by comrades in Chicago was won with sacrifice of lives, capitalist rulers are carrying on a conspiracy at present to deny the 8 hour working day for workers. Practice has already proved that rights of working masses cannot be protected and even the rights that have been already won are being abolished within capitalism. Hence the oppressed masses have no other alternative other than organizing themselves to defeat capitalism globally to establish a new society and an administration of the working masses.
At a time when International Workers’ Day is commemorated this year the global as well as Sri Lanka’s capitalist system is in an insolvable crisis. Even developed countries have still not been able to get themselves free from the economic depression that started in the USA in 2008. Currently, countries like Greece are submerged up to the neck in debt and are slashing rights of their people. This is the situation in many countries in Europe. The crisis of capitalism has drastically burdened the working masses. Burdening the working masses with taxes, redundancy, slashing of salaries and rights continue to plague working masses.
Capitalism and Imperialism that is confronted with the deepest economic crisis in its history and is fast approaching its demise has deprived billions of working masses not only their right for an eight hour working day but also their fundamental rights for food, housing, health, education and employment. On the other hand it has created a ceaseless series of wars to plunder oil and other resources. Imperialism that has given life to various religious and communal terrorist cliques is shedding blood, murdering people and destroying property mercilessly for the existence of its system. Capitalism is taking the world again towards barbarism.
In such an environment, it is the responsibility of the downtrodden people lead by the working masses to rise against barbarism and achieve social progress. The working masses in the world have no other alternative other than give vigour for the struggle to defeat imperialism and capitalism to achieve Socialism. It should be the objective of the working masses all over the world.
Currently, the situation in Sri Lanka too has become very critical. The massiveness of the crisis is evident from the lament the Prime Minister made in Parliament stating Sri Lanka is confronted with a massive economic crisis. Sri Lanka has been brought to the edge of destruction by the cliques that ruled it for the past 68 years. They have buried Sri Lanka under a debt mountain. The per capita debt in Sri Lanka has risen to nearly Rs.500,000. Production has been neglected. The ruling classes throughout the world as well as in Sri Lanka consider that the only solution for this crisis is heaping the masses with the burden. This is the essence of the statement made by the Prime Minister that everyone will have to get ready to take in ‘bitter medicine’. Already, the government has prepared plans to deny people their rights, do away with fertilizer subsidy, slash employment opportunities and to do away with pension rights. With the economic crisis the crisis in the ruling class too has intensified. The mess and internal clashes of Maithri – Ranil coalition and the division in the SLFP have brought the crisis of the ruling class to the surface. What does the socio-economic-political and cultural crisis that has surfaced in Sri Lanka clamour for? It is none other than the fact that the existing feeble capitalist system should be toppled as capitalism in Sri Lanka can never create anything new for the people in the country. This emphasizes again and again the need of a new social transformation in place of the bankrupt capitalism. Political parties such as the UNP, the SLFP or other small cliques can never create a new society to find genuine solutions for the present crisis or bring economic development and progress to the country. For this the working masses lead by the working class and downtrodden masses should take the lead. It needs a political leadership and at this moment it is the JVP that has an alternative programme and could give such a leadership to the masses.
As such, a massive people’ power, people’s movement should be built with the working masses under the leadership of the JVP for a broad social transformation. The people’s movement that is already being built should be strengthened and all must commit for the task with determination and resolve. The rights of the downtrodden people including that of the working masses could be won and protected and they could achieve their emancipation only by strengthening and bringing victory to such a people’s movement. The rights of the downtrodden people lead by the working class and all progressive people’s forces could be won and a better tomorrow could be created for the people only by such a people’s power; only by bringing victory to such a people’s power.
As such, on this May Day, we appeal to working masses, farmers, fisher folk, women, youths, students, professionals, intellectuals, environmentalists, media personnel, artistes, humanitarians, democrats and all progressives to rally with the JVP to struggle to defeat the present administration and the existing social system that has bequeathed death instead of life, diseases, famines and frustration, sorrow and pain and achieve a modern socialist society that affirms genuine economic development, equality, social justice, democracy and national unity.
Down with imperialism – liberation for the people!
Down with capitalism – Victory for Socialism!
Political Bureau
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
01.05.2016