CCUC calls for nationwide tactical voting to prevent ‘anti-democratic’ SLPP gaining two-thirds majority

by Velraj
Jul 25, 2020

The Ceylon Communist Unity Centre (CCUC) urged people to use the upcoming parliamentary elections to vote against and “prevent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the forces aligned with it” coming into power to gain a two-thirds majority.

The CCUC stressed the importance of exercising the "right of ballot" to prevent SLPP from achieving the two-thirds majority it needs in the upcoming parliamentary elections to amend the constitution.

They highlighted how the SLPP can repossess the “democratic space which has been relatively existing between 2015 and 2019 and to win-over the advanced democracy and to defeat the ethnic and religious fundamentalism and to establish real quality and unity among the people belonging to all the Religions and Nationalities,” during a meeting on Wednesday.

The CCUC emphasised the difficulties of minorities in a SLPP government;

“The Tamils, Muslims and Upcountry Tamils the oppressed nationalities are dissatisfied and under fear as the result of the Sinhala Buddhist hegemony stand of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa – he rejects that the political solution to be found for the Nationality question,” they said.

SLPP – consisting of Sri Lanka President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa is seeking a two-thirds majority in parliament to repeal the 13th and 19th constitution. With this majority, they are trying to “remove the independent commissions” which would mean “the remaining Democratic situation would also appear.”

The meeting highlighted the fears over a more powerful Gotabaya Rajapaksa, which would result in more militant authoritarianism. “Military domination is being established in all affairs in the guise of anti-pandemic operation,” they said. “These types of activities giving priority to military will not pave the way for a viable solutions.”

The CCUC insisted that the forthcoming parliamentary elections is not a question between “capitalism and socialism but between Democracy and Anti-Democracy” while also encouraging tactical voting to ensure the “defeat of Anti-Democratic forces.”

Read the full statement here: (English) | (Tamil) 

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