International appeal of support for the people of Sri Lanka!
The following appeal was launched by activists, workers, students, intellectuals, artists, internationalists who are forced to live in France and in different countries of the world because of the economic, social and political conditions in Sri Lanka. It has since received support from labour activists, rural workers and intellectual activists in Sri Lanka and from workers and activists around the world.
We salute the first victory won by the people at home.
We salute the general strikes (hartal) on 28 April and on 9 May called by all the trade union organisations.
We salute the mobilisation on 9 July of the people in Colombo who, on a united basis between Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and all faiths and ethnicities, drove away the President and forced the Prime Minister to resign.
The people rose up because they couldn’t stand it any longer, because they want to be able to eat, to have electricity in their homes, to be able to obtain medicines and petrol.
We heard the slogans in the demonstrations: « Seventy-four years is enough! « Enough of the divisions! « Power to the people! »
Yes, the people are right. The President has left. All the institutions of which he was the heart must go with him. The interim President has no mandate to call on the army to repress the people. We firmly condemn comments saying that “the protestors are fascists”. We warn him that any attempt to repress the people in a bloodbath will provoke massive mobilisations in all capitals of the world until the Sri Lankan people have achieved total victory.
All political prisoners must be amnestied. The members of the law enforcement agencies and the military who refused to fire on the people must be reinstated with full compensation.
Seventy-four years ago, the question of the Constituent assembly was raised. It is being raised again today. The people were able to drive the corrupt out of power. They have the capacity to run the country.
The woman who, mourning the death of her husband, had to wait more than 24 hours in a queue in front of a petrol station is right when she said: « It is not me or my husband who contracted that debt, but it is my husband who paid for it with his life. It is all the successive regimes that have contracted those debts and are solely responsible for my husband’s death.”
The debt contracted by the corrupt is not the people’s debt.
We issue a solemn warning: it is for the Sri Lankan people to freely define their future.
It is not for the leaders of the United States of America or any other foreign power to decide the future of the Sri Lankan people, it is not for Biden to tell the Sri Lankan government what it must do to “restore economic stability”.
The IMF must not dictate the economic programme, including privatisations, in Sri Lanka.
We warn against any attempt to divide the victorious people, by creating conflicts and carrying out provocations.
We will stand by the Sri Lankan people as they freely find their own way. No to repression! No to foreign interference !
Yes to the right of the Sri Lankan people to freely define their destiny !
July 17th, 2022
Initiators of the appeal
MUDUNKOTUWAGE Saman, SAMARASINGHE Chula (retired teacher), MEDINA Horacio (Chile), RAJAPAKSHA Supun (science student), MANIKBOWE Nihal (military raetiree).
And with them the first endorsers in France
AMARASINGHE Wije (71 génération-france), ARACHCHIGE Laksman, BANDU Mano, BOPAGE Athul, BOPAGE Eresha, COSTA Chaminda, DEHIWALAJanak, FERNANDO Ranjith, GUNARATHNE Mahesh, JAYALAL Iroshan, KATHALUWA Anura, KATHRIARACHCHI Dilip, LOKUPATHIRAGE Wasantha, MAHABAMUNA Nimal, MAHABAMUNA Palitha, MAHAWADUGE Wasanatha, MALAGAMMNA Saman, NANDASIRI Thenuvara, NIRMAL Amanda, PANAPURA Saman, P KUMARA Malipe, PAPILIYA Lakshan, PERERA Lucky, RANASINGHA Hirantha Josep, RUPIKA Gamini, SELLAHENDI Lal, SUMANADASA Jayantha, THILAKARATHNE Verni, THIRIMANNA Indika, WETHTHAMUNI Sunil, WITHARANA Ajith,Dushmantha.
Endorsers in Sri Lanka
JAYALATH Dasantha, Former deputy secretary of Ansell Lanka branch of Free Trade Zones And General Service Employees Union, CHAMINDA Sampath, W.D. SIRIWARDANA , H.A. CHANDRIKA Shamalee, P.P. LAKSHMAN, S.JANAKA Nisantha, J.M. NIHAL Upali ; JAYATHISSA Kamal (Former Vice President of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), JAYAWICKRAMA K. (Former core member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), KALUARACHCHI Athula Kamal (Former President of the Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), KALUARACHCHI Vipula (Former Secretary of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), KANAPATHI S. (Former core member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), M. NASAR (Former core member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU ), PRIYANTHA Ajith (Former core member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), ROHITHA DE SILVA Janaka (Former core member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), ROSHAN Chandana (Former Organizer of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU), SANTHA KUMAR Mudalige (Former Executive Member of Ansell lanka branch of the FTZGSEU),
Bangladesh
CHOWDHURY Badrudduja , General secretary Democratic Workers Party, NURUL ALAM Atik (director, cinematographer). JOSHIM Ahmed (Journalist), FAIJUL Hakim , MOSHREFA Mishu (trade union leader, Kamruzaman (journalist) , Md. AKLAS Hossain ( Youth leader); ABDUS Salam (social worker) ; Md. SOBUZ Hossain (Driver association leader); SUMI Khan (left women activist); MOLLAH Abdus Sobhan; Sk ABDUR Rashid, Sk ISMAIL Hossain, Sk ROBIU Islam, SALMA AKTER Shilpi President youth federation Chittagong; KHANI Jahra, Student; JAYMAL Abedin President Farmers Union; KABIR Amhed President Bangladesh National Workers Union;
France
ABOT Guy, Art historian ; AGOSTINIS Sylviane, Trade Unionist CGT Ministry of Labour ; AIT ELHADJ Samia, Trade Unionist teacher 94 ; AUDIN Thierry, Trade Unionist teacher 94 ; AUFFRET Patrick, Trade Unionist City of Paris ; BACQUE Agnès, Trade Unionist ; BALLAY Paul, Trade Unionist National Education ; BAROUTI Éliane, retired teacher ; BARROIS Jean-Pierre, anti-war activist ; BARTHEZ Floriane, Trade Unionist CGT Judicial Services ; BENIZEAU Luc, Trade Unionist 94 ; BERNON Michel, Community activist ; BERRUT Jacqueline, Trade Unionist ; BONHOMME Loïc, Trade Unionist FERC-
Sup CGT ; BONNEFON Sarah, Trade Unionist FERC-Sup CGT ; BONVIN Mugilan, Trade Unionist Roissy Airport ; BOUADJADJA Yazid, Trade Unionist Roissy Airport ; BOULAY Cécile,France Unbowed activist , Trade Unionist ; BOYER Olivier, Trade union officer ; BRAHIM Rabah, Trade Unionist City of Paris ; BRANDELY Cécile, Lawyer; BRIOUDE Martine, CGT activist ; CALLANQUIN Nathalie, Trade Unionist ; CAPPELLETTI Michel, Trade Unionist ; CARRIE Jean-Emmanuel, Trade Unionist teacher ; CHAMBONNET Maria, Trade Unionist 75 ; CHAMBONNET Pascal, Trade Unionist teacher; CHARLES- MARSAC Philippe, Trade Unionist postal worker ; CHICHE Bruno, Trade Unionist 94 ; CHICHE Marie- France, Trade Unionist ; CORBEX Pascal, Trade Unionist ; CRIQUET Fabrice, Trade Unionist Roissy Airport ; DAMIEN Martine, retired teacher ; DENIS Jean-Claude, retired teacher ; DORAT Patrice, Trade Unionist ADP ; DORIANE Olivier, POID National Committee member ; DRABINOWSKI Muriel, Librarian Teacher ; DUBESSY Jean, research scientist , Trade Unionist SNCS (FSU) pers cap ; DUPUY Martine, POID national secretary ; FAURY Stéphanie, Trade Unionist CGT Sud 77 Hospital center ; FERRÉ Dominique, editor – La Tribune des travailleurs ; FLORENCE Nicole, POID member ; GARNIER Joël, Trade Unionist ; GLUCKSTEIN Benjamin, Trade Unionist City Paris ; GLUCKSTEIN Daniel, POID national secretary , co-ordinator of the IWC; GODARD Cyrille, Trade Unionist postal worker ; GROISIER Jean-Michel, Trade Unionist ; GUIGUET Jean-Claude, retired teacher ; HADDAOUI Monia, Trade Unionist , Teacher CGT ; HETZEL Charles, Trade Unionist ; HO A TCHUNG Yolande, nurse ; KEBBACHE Nordine, Trade Unionist CGT Roissy Airport ; KEISER Christel, POID national secretary ; KESSELMAN Donna, academic ; LABAT Olivier, Trade Unionist CGT FAPT ; LAFOND Éric, Trade Unionist teacher; LE CORRE Muriel, Trade Unionist teacher ; LE GUENNEC Catherine, POID activist ; LEITAO André, POID member ; MALLE René, Trade Unionist Social worker ; MARCUCCILLI Jacqueline, Town Councillor ; MEIGNANT Caroline, Trade Unionist teacher 94 ; MENET Charles, Trade Unionist ; MOUTOUSSAMY-RIQUET Elsa, Trade Unionist CGT Judicial Services ; OBELIANNE Suzanne, retired accountant ; OMHOVERE Gwenaëlle, Trade Unionist ; PEREZ Raphaëlle, painter ; RENAULT Louis, Trade Unionist, retiree ; SANTIAGO Coralie, Trade Unionist ; SCHEIN Didier, activist ; SICRE Jean-Luc, POID member ; TACCHELLA Gauthier, Trade Unionist railworker ; THENOZ Guillaume, Trade Unionist CGT Ministry of Labour ; URBAIN Mireille, Human rights activist ; VAUTIER Marc, retired postal worker ; VENON Michel, Trade Unionist CGT ; VICENS Valérie, Trade Unionist CGT Ministry of Labour ; VIDAL Dominique, CGT member Post Office ; VILELA Julio, Trade Unionist CGT Orly Airport ; WILSON Jonathan, Trade Unionist teacher; YON André, POID.
Britain ( All pers. cap. )
Sarah WOOLEY General Secretary BFAWU; Ian HODSON; National President BFAWU; Jane DOOLAN UNISON NEC; Amerit RAIT UNISON NEC; Rebecca BROOKMAN UNISON NEC; Cllr Joanne RUST Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Secretary Kings Lynn TUC; Stefan CHOLEWKA , Secretary Rochdale TUC , Margaret K. TAYLOR Treasurer Rochdale TUC; Cllr Jane GEBBIE Unite member Deputy Leader for Bridgend County Borough Council (personal capacity); Cllr Anna ROTHERY Leader Merseyside Independents; Cllr Mick GILGUNN Islington Council, Islington North CLP; Adrian KENNETH Branch SecretaryHull UNISON; Fiona MONKMAN Chair, Islington UNISON; Mike CALVERT Deputy Branch Secretary, Islington UNISON; Shirraz DURANI Tottenham CLP; Jo ALEXANDER Tottenham CLP; Carmel CADDEN Environment Officer Haringey & Barnet branch , Community Unite and Hornsey and Wood Green CLP; Noeleen GRATTAN Haringey Unison; Peter DURRANT Fenland Unite Community member; Antony RIMMER Liverpool 47 Surcharged Councillor, Merseyside Pensioners Association, trade unionist (CWU and Unite); Doreen McNALLY , Liverpool Unite Community branch and former spokesperson, Women of the Waterfront; Steve HEDLEY former Senior Assistant General Secretary, RMT
India
VASUDEVAN Nambiah,(India) co-ordinators of the IWC; PATIL M. A.; Professor Uday MEHTA; CHERUVATHOOR Denzil, Fourth International; DSOUZA Franklyn, Fourth International
Pakistan
AFZAL Rana, Gulzar Welfare Society, FAYYAZ Samina, Secretary Women Wing APTUF, GULZAR Nasir, APTUF, GULZAR Yasir, organiser APTUF Youth Wing, HAIDER Sunyia, President Pink Rickshaw Union, HAIDER Taj, President, Punjab Teachers Association, HAROON Younas, Orient Worker Employees Union, ILYAS M., Workers Union Nisar Art Press, JAMIL Rubina, APTUF, KHALID Mian, Railway Workers Union, KHAN Akbar, National Bank Employees Union, KHURSHEED Ahmed, General Secretary, All Pakistan Workers Confederation, NIZAMI Ashraf, Dr., president, Pakistan Medical Association; REHMAN Taimure, Prof. REHMATULLAH, Youth Secretary, SALIM M., Longshoreman Workers Union ; SK ROBIUL Islam
United States ( All per. cap. )
BENJAMIN Alan, Member, Editorial Board, The Organizer Newspaper, San Francisco, California, BENJAMIN Medea, Co-founder, Code Pink, Washington, DC, BLACK Katherine, President Emerita, Philadelphia Chapter,, Coalition of Labor Union Women, CLUW (AFL-CIO), BRUSKIN Gene, Union organizer / retired, Silver Springs, Maryland, BRYANT Don, Member, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 40, Member, Administrative Committee, Labor Fightback Network, Cleveland, Ohio, DEWITT Donna, President Emeritus, South Carolina AFL-CIO, Charleston, South Carolina; EATON Sandy, Retiree, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Quincy, Massachusetts, EISENSCHER Michael, Solidarity INFOService, Oakland, California, FISHER Allan, Past president, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 2121, San Francisco, California, LUMUMBA Nnamdi, Ujima People’s Progress Party, Baltimore, Maryland, ROJAS Desirée, President, Sacramento LCLAA (AFL-CIO), Sacramento, California, SCHOENMAN Ralph, Past General Secretary, Bertrand Russell War Crimes Tribunal, Vallejo, California, SHONE Mya, Member, National Organizing Committee, Socialist Organizer, Vallejo, California, SILVERA Chris, Secretary- Treasurer, Teamsters Local 808, Long Island City, New York, THOMAS Clarence, Past President, ILWU Local 10, Richmond, California, WHITE Connie, Member, Continuations Committee, Labor and Community for an Independent Party, Long Beach, California.
Contact address: solidaritysrilankajuly2022@gmail.com
I publicly endorse the International appeal of support for the people of Sri Lanka! – click here
Contact : solidaritysrilankajuly2022@gmail.com