Wesley Muthiah has recoded the History of the LSSP and the Left Moment in Sri Lanka while Vasudeva and Wickramabahu continue to mutilate the memory of the old leftist Movement.

By Charles Perera

Sri Lanka Samasamaja Party- I mean the old, was a great political party that moulded the socialist movement in Sri Lanka. It stood for unity without distinction of citizens under communal labels. But unfortunately it organised the Urban Workers for Socialism to the exclusion of the peasantry, who were left for the politicians of nationalist and capitalist ilk.

The LSSP which had high hopes of becoming a popular national moment failed even to have a foot hold among the Northern intelligentsia. It was an imported Nationalist like Chelvanayagam who became the national leaders of the Northern Jaffna Tamil population. Mr. Ananda Sangaree may well remember that period.

However, the LSSP spear headed a new Socialist movement in Sri Lanka which influenced the people into accepting a watered down political doctrine of the left. It was this initial popular socialism initiated by the LSSP that had prepared the ground for SWRD Bandaranayake to form a popular Socialist Party, which unfortunately brought along with it the opposing forces of communalism.

The Old LSSP did not stand for division, nor did it distinguish between the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims. Being revolutionary, the LSSP had to adopt itself to a non-revolutionary means to participate actively in a Parliamentary system. The LSSP understood that it can not by itself form a government, nor could all the Marxists by themselves form a government . The latter became evident from the MEP ending up in disarray with even Philippe Gunawardhane taking a Ministry in a UNP government under Dudley Senanayke. These are eye openers to JVP, if they want to learn lessons from the past.

The Nava Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a deviation from what the old LSSP stood for. The new LSSP leadership mutilated the LSSP policies. Vasudeva Nanayakkara preaches outdated corrupt Marxist theories. Wickrama Bahu Karunaratne is a mere ambitious individual who does not know where to fit in his crude Marxists theories in the present day context. They are a far cry from the old Marxists of the LSSP and the Communist Parties. These two among them have championed the great decline, and may be ultimate disappearance of even the memory of the old LSSP from the Sri Lanka Political scene.

It is thanks to a dedicated comrade like Wesley Muthiah, who relentlessly works to leave behind a written record of the old LSSP in the books he writes, along with Sydney Wanasinghe, that the future generations will learn about those valorous architects of a formidable socialist movement in the past Sri Lanka. Their several books describe, how these young men influenced by Marxism started a Socialist movement in British Ceylon, who at risk to their own lives, indefatigably worked first as an under ground moment, then a urban workers moment, and finally a Political moment to change the political and administrative system of Sri Lanka from a colonial, a sub-colonial, and then an upper class capitalist system to a peoples democratic movement.

Anyone who wants to delve into the evolution of the Marxist movement in Sri Lanka with special reference to LSSP should read the following Books by Mr. Wesley Muthiah and Sydney Wanasinghe. The Britain World War 2 and the Samasamajists (1996),The Bracegirdle Affaire (1998), We Were Making History (2002), The Case for Socialism (2004), Socialist Women of Sri Lanka (2006).

These books are factual records of a movement started by a handful of dedicated men and women who were able to attract people of diverse categories from every social layer, the professionals, academics, administrators, office workers, industrial workers, and labourers. The narratives are supported by documents copied from the records of the British Colonial archives, news papers of the period, and photographs. The authors have most of the time presented themselves as observers allowing the heroes of the narrative history to speak for themselves. The books are of recent history recorded in a lively readable style holding the attention of the readers.