The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka will hold a public meeting in Jaffna on March 20 to expose the pro-imperialist stance of the various Tamil nationalist parties and to explain the socialist perspective needed to fight the growing danger of war.

The imperialist powers, particularly the United States, have responded to the deepening global economic crisis, by preparing for war against their rivals and unleashing austerity measures against the working class at home. Washington’s confrontational “pivot to Asia” against China has raised tensions and inflamed flashpoints throughout the region, threatening to trigger a global conflict with terrible consequences.

The Tamil bourgeois parties, such as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), are openly supportive of US imperialism and backed its regime-change operation in Colombo that the pro-US government of Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe to power. The TNA, like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, is seeking the support of the major powers to enhance the position of the Tamil elites.

Tamil.Net recently rushed to the defence of Tamil nationalism with a slanderous editorial claiming that the WSWS was working with imperialism to facilitate the genocide of Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. In fact, the WSWS and SEP in Sri Lanka have a long record of unflagging opposition to imperialism and the Colombo government, and defence of the democratic rights of Tamils. The editorial was a desperate attempt to cover up the increasingly open collaboration between the Tamil nationalist parties, Colombo and imperialism

The SEP has consistently opposed both Sinhala chauvinism and Tamil nationalism, which always serves to divide the working class on ethnic lines. Our political struggle to unite workers in Sri Lanka and South Asia is an integral component of the campaign being waged by the International Committee of the Fourth International to build an international anti-war movement based on the fight for socialism.

We call upon workers, youth and rural toilers to attend our Jaffna meeting and to take part in the discussion on a socialist perspective to halt the drive to imperialist war.

Venue: Weerasingham Hall, Jaffna
Date & Time: Sunday, March 20, 3.00 p.m.