- The Guardian
- Issue #2059 03-07-2023
Wow what a welcome to Melbourne for Anura Kumara Dissanayake!
Over 2000 members of Melbourne’s Sri Lankan community came to Deakin University’s Burwood campus to hear a report by the Leader of JVP & NPP comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday 24th June. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, literally People’s Liberation Front is a Marxist-Leninist communist party campaigning for a people’s government in Sri Lanka. Dissanayake, its leader, is also the leader of the National People’s Power alliance, a coalition of political parties and other organisations fighting for change in Sri Lanka.
This significant gathering heard about the continuing crisis and intransigence of the old administration which refuses to act to allow elections or take responsibility for their crimes and corruption.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake made a captivating, compelling and at times humorous exposé of the many issues the Sri Lankan people are faced with. Many of the community members attending the meeting have family members in Sri Lanka badly affected by the situation there, and he made frequent references to their plight.
The speech highlighted the continuing and determined struggles of the people against the corrupt administration.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake also spoke of the advances made by alternative progressive political force the National People’s Power, which has a strong support organisation in Australia.
The NPP is a political force fighting for elections, real change, and investigation, exposure and prosecution of those in the government who have bankrupted a rich country and imposed so much despair and hardship on the vast majority of the people of Sri Lanka.
The community came out in force in support of the NPP and believe that its policies present a positive alternative that Sri Lankans here will support as they support their families and community in struggle in Sri Lanka.
Comrade Andrew Irving, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia spoke to the gathering, lending the CPA’s support in the struggle against those who would exploit all of us, and for independence from those who want to take money out of the country of Sri Lanka. Comrade Irving assured the crowd of Australian comrades solidarity in the struggle for independence from those who have exploited Sri Lanka through privatisation and corruption. Comrade Andrew also asked the audience to work in support of the Indigenous people of Australia by supporting the vote for Yes for a Voice to Parliament so that Aboriginal people can have a voice in their own country.
Congratulations and solidarity, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP!
