For more than 30 years, the US, which emerged as a superior superpower at the end of the cold war, unquestionably dominated the world. But this unipolar world order of the US is now shaken. On one side, the neo-liberal policy, which is the tool for US hegemony, has emerged as a total fiasco worldwide. On the other hand, Russia and China are challenging the unipolar world hegemony. The fight between these two camps determines the international politico-economic trends.

The fight for hegemony between these two camps is the hidden reason behind the politico-economic crisis that occurred in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan; especially the fight between the US and China.

China has now emerged as the world’s largest manufacturing hub. It has been exporting its goods to other countries at a cheaper rate. In order to expand its economic hegemony, China has started “New Silk Road” project. This New Silk Road joins various countries in Asia and Europe and will encompass land routes and maritime routes. This has become a challenge to the US hegemony. In order to counter China’s New Silk Road, Biden government had proposed a new initiative called “Build Back Better World”.

Also Read : The uprising of the working people that shook Sri Lanka! – Part 2

By saying that there exists a security threat because of China, the US is pressurizing China militarily. China revealed about its plan to annex Taiwan according to the One China Policy. The US is deploying its forces in Taiwan under the name of military aid. Since QUAD was diluted as a result of India’s trade relations with Russia, the US intends to include Japan in NATO and expand its military presence in Asia.

Apart from pressurizing China externally, the US has been orchestrating coups in Sri Lanka and Pakistan to overthrow the pro-China and pro-Russia regimes by creating an economic crisis and installing a puppet rule. It has now emerged victorious too. Mahinda Rajapaksa regime in Sri Lanka and Imran Khan regime in Pakistan have been replaced with the puppet rules of Ranil and Shahbaz Sharif.

The US imperialism has destroyed Afghanistan in the name of “Fight against terrorism” and continuing the civil war for almost 20 years. On last October, after the withdrawal of US-NATO forces from Afghanistan, the interim Taliban government became close to China and Russia by initiating ties on politico-economic spheres. China is ready to include Afghanistan in its New Silk Road project. China has also signed new trade agreements with the Taliban regime.

The US did not want Afghanistan, a place with a great geo-political significance, to side with China. So, it is imposing economic sanctions at an international level and pressurizing the Taliban regime. The US froze the assets of Da Afghanistan Bank (Central Bank of Afghanistan). Afghanistan, which was already in drought, has become another Somalia as a result of US sanctions.

Understanding about the political trends of South Asia will enable the working people of this region to identify the reasons for the economic crises and to fight against the hegemonic forces.

Sri Lanka

As a result of people’s uprising which prolonged for more than a month, Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign. The protests have crossed 50 days. The people gathered en mass in the Galle Face are continuing the protests and demanding for the resignation of Gotabaya and to arrest Mahinda and his goons for attacking the protesting people.

Ranil is being projected as a messiah who will solve the economic crisis. But he will only mortgage the country in the IMF through his ‘roadmap for economic recovery’. Even with such a loan, the economy is in such a crisis that it can’t be resolved immediately.

The debt and the foreign exchange crises are not accidental. It didn’t begin with the advent of corona as the ruling class press campaign.

The ongoing crisis has started in the 1970s, when Sri Lanka was mortgaged in the IMF and the World Bank. It was a result of relentless implementation of recolonization policies. Corona has only aggravated the situation.

At the same time, the crisis was intensified by the US-led imperialists to deter the pro-China stance of the Rajapaksa gang.

We have explained about this trend of economic crisis of Sri Lanka in our previous issue (October 2020) of New Democracy in an article entitled “Sri Lanka reeling under debt: Western imperialists desperate to dominate by intensifying the crisis”.

An excerpt from that article: “The pro-China actions of the Gotabaya government and non-cooperation with the strategic plans of the US have annoyed the US-led imperialists. With an intention to intimidate the Gotabaya government, the European Union (EU) has announced that it will end the tax concessions provided to Sri Lanka under the name of GSP (Generalized System of Preference)”.

The US-led imperialists have moved a step forward by successfully installing their puppet Ranil as the Prime Minister. Sri Lanka was made into a dice in the fight for hegemony of the US and China in South Asia.

During the regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka got unpayable loans from China in the name of ‘developing the infrastructure’. These loans acted as an instrument of hegemony for China. A few examples are mentioned below.

As Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loan it pursued for developing the Hambantota port, the port was sold to the Chinese Public Sector Company “China Merchants Port Holdings” by the Mahinda government. Moreover, 15,000 acres of land surrounding the port was leased for 99 years.

By utilizing 269 hectares of reclaimed land from the sea, a special economic zone called “Colombo Port City” is planned to be constructed by the Sri Lankan government.

This project is worth $ 1.4 billion and China Harbour Engineering Company had already begun its work. As a reward for this development project, 116 hectares of reclaimed land will be given to that Chinese company for a lease of 99 years. China is planning to include Colombo in its Silk Road project to strengthen its economic hegemony.

Not the Mahinda-Gotabaya government mortgaged Sri Lanka to China, but also it tried to deter the entry of the capital of ruling classes of other countries.

“The government of Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe, loyalists of US-led imperialism and Indian supremacy, planned to jointly develop the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port based on 2019 tripartite agreement with India and Japan. But within three months after assuming power, the Gotabaya government cancelled the project” – from the aforementioned article.

The US-led imperialists played their hand to worsen the foreign exchange crisis of Sri Lanka to stop the extreme inclination of Sri Lanka towards China. After the introduction of recolonization policies, the entire economy of Sri Lanka was tilted towards the US-led imperialists. This made the Rajapaksas conform to the US.

As the bourgeois press wrote, the Sri Lankan economy did not primarily depend on tourism alone. Readymade garments, porcelain products and rubber made a significant contribution to the GDP of Sri Lanka. They were produced solely for exporting.

The US and the EU are the top importers of these Sri Lankan products. That’s why cancellation of tax concessions (GSP) has aggravated the foreign exchange crisis.

““Former Prime Minister and current parliamentarian Ranil Wickremesinghe suggests the ruling party to approach the IMF to address the economic crisis. If we turn to the IMF, we can solve the economic crisis, but many social problems will arise. The terms of the IMF are now politically orientated. Therefore, the government does not need to go to the IMF”, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Cabraal replied.” – From the aforesaid article. (In our previous article we have wrongly mentioned “Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka” as “Finance Minister”)

But the Rajapaksa gang can’t stay in this stance till the end. Since April, the protests have intensified. The Rajapaksa gang reached to the IMF and had surrendered to the US as there was no other way and they had to save their designation.

We have explained this shortly in an article entitled “Sri Lankan people longing for a Revolutionary Party” in our website vinavu.com. An excerpt is provided below.

“Mahinda Rajapaksa initially rejected the opposition’s idea of borrowing from the IMF to recover from the economic crisis, but later set up a committee of his own to negotiate with the IMF.

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, a Chinese loyalist and close friend of Rajapaksa, who was the governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, was ousted and replaced by Nandalal Weerasinghe, a former IMF executive.  Dismissed Ajith Nivard Cabraal was strongly opposed to borrowing from the IMF; He was the one who encouraged borrowing from China.

Mahinda Rajapaksa reshuffled his cabinet on April 18 in the name of ‘tackling the economic crisis’ to dispel the stigma among the people such as “family rule” and “corrupt rule”. A new cabinet of 17 members was formed and Basil, Chamal and Namal Rajapaksa were left out.

In the parliament, Mahinda surrendered, and said that the delay in borrowing from the IMF was wrong and that the crisis was due to some of his wrong decisions.

But people are not ready to believe any of these dramas. The struggles for the resignation of the Prime Minister and the President continued.

Despite his surrender, the United States did not help Rajapaksa because he had lost the moral support of the people and was not ready to fully trust the Rajapaksa mob. In talks with the IMF, it was agreed to pay between $ 300 million to $ 600 million, but the funds were not released until Rajapaksa’s resignation. In this way, the United States intensified the crisis.” – From the aforesaid article.

Now, everything happened according to the US’s plan and Ranil Wickremesinghe had become the Prime Minister. The stock market gained just after a few seconds after Ranil assumed office. Japan which accepted to provide $ 5 billion, released $ 2 billion immediately. The World Bank has approved to grant $ 600 million for importing basic amenities. The ruling class media is praising Ranil as ‘change bringer, political sage’ by mentioning the aforementioned things.

The US-led imperialists are now making their next move. First – stabilizing Ranil’s government. Second – diminishing the peoples protest.

Ranil has been the sole MP of his party; that too a nominated MP. Considering this situation, in order to stabilize Ranil’s government, there is a need for gaining of the support of MPs of other parties. This will be done through horse-trading. A tug-of-war is going on regarding this.

Also Read : The uprising of the working people that shook Sri Lanka! – Part 1

As of May 20, 13 persons from other parties took oath as Ministers in the Ranil government. Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power) have been made as Ministers. Their party has said that disciplinary action would be taken against them. Party leader Sajith Premadasa said that they had violated the party decision to “not to a part of the cabinet”. For similar reason, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has also announced that action will be taken against Mahinda Amaraweera and Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The stand of all the opposition parties is that they will provide ‘support from outside’ to the actions of Ranil, who has been sworn in as Prime Minister, to revive the economy. That is, all these traitors are complicit in the attempt to mortgage the country to the IMF.

However, the people did not want Ranil’s rule to continue with Gotabaya remaining as the President; Ranil is believed to be indirectly protecting the Rajapaksas.

That is why the opposition parties are fearing to directly participate in the government and are demanding for a general election. It may take a few more days for the tug-of-war and horse-trading to end.

Appu

Last May 18 was the commemoration of Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day. It was in 2009, when the Sinhalese military committed the genocide of Tamils along with the LTTE. That May was unforgettable. After 13 years, this May is a notable one to the people of Sri Lanka. The previous May was painful and a permanent scar. But this May is a ray of hope.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who led the Sinhala chauvinism and killed lakhs of Tamils, was now forced to resign and go underground.

The uprising of the working people beyond ethnic divide is an ecstatic moment for the revolutionary-democratic forces who strive to build a new democratic Sri Lanka.

“In Sri Lanka, ethnic contradiction is the principal contradiction. There are no democratic forces among the Sinhalese. They all are enemies of the Tamils. The Sinhalese won’t team up with the Tamils on any occasion. The Tamils too won’t team up with the Sinhalese” – These were the statements of the Tamil ethnic fanatics. The class harmony of the three ethnic groups shattered the dreams of the Tamil fanaticists.

In this situation, Tamil fanaticists from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu are now discussing about the demand for a separate Tamil Eelam. (They carefully stop at the level of “discussion”. Let’s explain this in the last).

But till now, they haven’t got rid of their filthy ethnic fanatic view which rejects class unity. So, it is now imperative for us to speak about the path to get justice to the genocide and the path to attain autonomy.

Also Read : Communal attacks during Hindu festivals: The next leap of saffron terrorism!

From the 1980s Puthiya Jananayagam (New Democracy) magazine and our fellow organizations have been insisting about this. But, we were hated and marginalized by the Tamil ethnicists. We and our fellow organizations were portrayed as Anti-Eelam outfits. The ongoing class struggle in Sri Lanka proves that our stance is right.

In the November 2013 issue of Puthiya Jananayagam magazine, an article entitled “Eelam: The Political Illiteracy of Tamil Ethnicists” was published. In that, our stance was explained shortly. An excerpt of it is given below, considering its relevancy.

“PALA (People’s Art and Literary Association) is only opposing that establishing a separate State is the only solution for Eelam issue regardless of the situation. But PALA is not against a separate State of Tamil Eelam. This remained our stance from the beginning. It is possible for the Tamil Ethnicists to argue that “Then why didn’t PALA struggle for a Republic of Tamil Eelam?”

PALA didn’t vouch for a separate State of Tamil Eelam for two reasons. In the view of Tamil Ethnicists, a separate Tamil Eelam is their only demand and the only solution; that’s why, they always put forward that demand. It is a petty bourgeois, irrational, myopic perspective of nationalism based on ethnic fanaticism.

But PALA’s perspective is scientific and is from the view of the proletariat. We stand for the right to self-determination of the Tamils, which recognizes the right to secede. We are initiating the struggle for that.

We are not setting aside the right to secede and only recognizing the right to autonomy. That’s why we are not struggling by putting forward the demand for the formation of Republic of Tamil Eelam.

Tamil ethnicists are demanding that we should protest only for the establishment of a separate Eelam. We can’t vouch and should not vouch for that, as we are communists. The fascist regime of Sri Lanka is not only against the oppressed nationalities but also the oppressing nationality. We can’t fight separately by forming separate Communist Parties for separate nationalities. A revolution is not possible with such party programme. Winning a revolutionary war separately and establishing socialism separately and uniting with other nationalities before or after that is not a Marxist-Leninist view.

Forming a single revolutionary party against the fascist regime; providing not only equal rights for all nationalities but also recognizing the right to self-determination along with the right to secede. That party should campaign among the Sinhalese about the right to autonomy of the Tamils and the necessity to harmonize with the Tamils. By doing this, the various nationalities are united under the leadership of the proletariat and thus finishing the New Democratic Revolution. This is the Marxist-Leninist view.

In order to refute this Marxist-Leninist view, Tamil ethnicists are propagating lies. “There is no distinction between the people of the majoritarian nationality and the fascist State; there is no antagonistic contradiction among them. All the people of the oppressing nationality are against the minority nationalities. There is no chance for unity among the two nationalities. There are no organizations among the Sinhalese people which accept the autonomy of the Tamils” – these contentions of the Tamil ethnicists are not accepted by PALA, as they are communists. The aforementioned statements of Tamil ethnicists are not true.

The people of Sri Lanka stood united in the fight to vacate India’s occupying force. When the political-economic crises worsened due to continuous civil war, and when the Tamils demanded the same, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga faced the Presidential elections by articulating the same. The Tamils and Sinhalese stood united while electing her in support of peace, armistice and peace talks. But it got spoiled in the midway by the Sinhalese ethnic fanatics. They stood united while facing the devastation caused by tsunami in 2004.

There were Sinhalese like the wife of Nadesan (Nadesan was the Political Leader of the LTTE), who got killed in Mullivaikkal, and other outfits consisting of members from both the Sinhalese and the Tamils. They accept the autonomy of the Tamils. There are Sinhalese who fought for the human rights of the Tamils against the fascist government and got killed. During the Eelam liberation struggle, not only the Tamils but also several thousands of Sinhalese youth were also killed. The witch-hunt on a white van against them still continues. The UN Human Rights Council had accused the then fascist government for the disappearance of 75,000 Sinhalese youth.

That’s why the unity of Tamils and Sinhalese for political reasons is not an impossible one.”

Yes. On that day we said “not an impossible one”. Today, we are seeing it happening right in front of our eyes.

The protests are still going on with demands such as “Gotabaya should resign; Mahinda who attacked protests should be punished”. In this protest against the Rajapaksa mob, the demand to punish them for the crime of genocide of the Tamils and the demand for autonomy of the Tamils should also be added among other demands. This is the apt time for the Tamils to fight by putting forth their demands. They will definitely attract the strong support of the Sinhalese working people.

Also Read : Our revolutionary greetings to the working people of Sri Lanka!

But the reality is different. The struggle is going on relentlessly in Southern Sri Lanka, where Sinhalese form the majority. Protests are very minimal or absent in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka which is densely populated with Tamils.

Various reasons are being told for this. It is said that power cuts and shortage of fuels were not new to those areas and the Tamils had adapted to that. Moreover, the northern and eastern parts where the Tamils live are fully militarized. After the genocide Tamils are afraid to participate in protests against the State. These are all the reasons being told; but these reasons can’t be considered primary.

None of the small outfits (there may be exceptions like some revolutionary-democratic organizations) organized the people to protest. They didn’t intent to do that. This is the primary reason. In particular, we are saying about Tamil ethnicists.

Not only now, the Tamil ethnicists throughout the history of Sri Lanka had never stood for the common demands of both the nationalities. They only take up ethnic issues, that too with a myopic view, and for their subsistence.

The people were protesting by crossing the ethnic and religious borders. So when we listen to the Tamil ethnicists, it would be difficult to control the anger.

A Tamil ethnicist named Thirukumaran in an interview to a YouTube channel said “The Sinhalese are protesting for three meals a day. They can’t live without three meals a day and AC. They had never protested for the sake of Tamils and the Tamils should not believe them”. This is not only an act of sheer folly but also in synchronous with various Tamil nationalists.

“(In the north) we are not protesting for food. We are protesting for justice”, writes a digital media named “Tamil Guardian” which was run by a Tamil Nationalist.

Similarly, the editor of another digital media “Tamilnet” writes, “It is not appropriate for the Tamil nationals to align with the Sinhalese nationals in the wake of the prevailing economic crisis”  …   “Joining hands with the Sinhalese to save the economy of a nation which committed genocide is like refusing the genocide itself”.

Not only the aforementioned digital media, several other websites and blogs run by Tamil ethnicists such as “Koormai”, “Eelamview” sang in the same tone harmoniously.

Sivagnanam Shritharan of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) spits ethnic poison: “Tamils are the ones who faced economic crises since the 1990s. We, the Tamils are experiencing this for over 20 years. The Sinhalese are now only starting to experience”.

The food crisis being told these Tamil ethnicists is not only for Sinhalese but also for the Tamil proletariat too. Till now 73 Tamils have arrived to Tamil Nadu as refugees (as of June 1). What the Tamil ethnicists shout about food crisis and Tamils is nothing but a senseless joke.

There is a class enclosure hidden behind this ethnic outcry. It is the elite impudence. They are wearing the Tamilian mask and ingesting Tamil ethnic fanaticism among the Tamil proletariat.

While the Sri Lankan and migrant Tamil ethnicists speak this directly, Tamil ethnicists of Tamil Nadu speak covertly. They are not speaking in opposition to Rajapaksa or about the necessity for the Tamils to join hands with the majoritarian Sinhalese to fight the crisis. On the contrary, they are still speaking that the Tamils can’t unite with the Sinhalese.

Also Read : A Revolutionary Party with a mass base: The need of the hour for Sri Lankan Liberation

Those who say that Tamils should not worry about food could have utilized this situation to organize the Tamils to protest for Eelam issue. But they didn’t do so.

The thing to be noted here is that these mobs are the ones who preserve the Sinhalese ruling class and the State structure by separating the Sinhalese and the Tamils by strengthening the ethnic divide.

These people require ethnic fanaticism to survive for the purpose of retaining Parliamentary privileges and to receive funds from the Eelam Tamils who live abroad. That’s why they view class unity as a hurdle.

The ethnicity identity politics won’t survive for long before the cyclone called class struggle. Tamils are exclaiming that “we had understood the Sinhalese, only now”. The Sinhalese are commemorating the memory of Mullivaikkal massacre. A situation in which the Tamils and the Sinhalese could unite has arrived. Divisive politics won’t work anymore.

Tamils will not surrender to the ethnicity identity politics. It gives us hope that the student organizations and the trade unions of the northern region are attempting to unite in the struggle with the people of Southern Sri Lanka.

It is only the united class struggle of the Sinhalese and the Tamils that can liberate Sri Lanka from the clutches of Imperialism and exploitation; Tamils too will win their autonomy.

Sevvanthi