Communist Party of Sri Lanka
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party of Sri Lanka is a communist political party
in Sri Lanka
. At the last legislative elections
, on 2 April 2004, the party was part of the United People's Freedom Alliance
that won 45.6% of the popular vote and 105 out of 225 seats.
The CPSL was founded as the Communist Party of Ceylon in 1943, and was a continuation of the United Socialist Party. The USP had been formed out of the pro-Soviet Union
wing of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
. The USP was proscribed by the colonial authorities.
The USP and then the CPC were initially led by Dr. S.A. Wickremesinghe.
In 1952 Wickremesinghe's wife, the English-born Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
, a former leader of the Suriya-Mal Movement
, was elected to the Sri Lankan parliament.
In 1963 the Communist Party, Lanka Sama Samaja Party
and the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
formed the United Left Front. The ULF broke down in 1964 when the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
offered ministerial posts to LSSP and the CP.
In the mid 1960s the U.S. State Department estimated the party membership to be approximately 1900.
In 1968, the CP joined the LSSP and the SLFP joined together in the United Front
. In the 1970 government, Pieter Keuneman
became Minister of Housing and Construction and B.Y. Tudawe, Deputy Minister of Education. However, one faction of the party, led by S. A. Wickremasinghe and Indika Gunawardena, maintained a line of critical support for the government.
After the general election
of 1977, for the first time in half a century, the CPSL found itself without parliamentary representation, receiving about 2 % of the vote. However, after a subsequent election petition, Sarath Muttetuwegama was elected to the Kalawana seat in a by-election
.
Later CPSL joined the People's Alliance
, the front led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
. When SLFP shelved the PA and formed the United People's Freedom Alliance
together with Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
ahead of the 2004 elections, CPSL and LSSP initially stayed out. They did however, sign a memorandum with the UPFA at a later stage and contested the elections on the UPFA platform. CPSL does not, however, consider itself a member of UPFA.
The CPSL had one member of parliament in 2004, party general secretary D.E.W. Gunasekara. Gunasekara expected to become the speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament, but lost by a handful of votes. Gunasekara was then sworn in as the Minister for Constitutional Affairs.
the World Federation of Democratic Youth
.
organ was the Forward weekly.
on May 1, 2008.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. At the last legislative elections
Elections in Sri Lanka
Elections in Sri Lanka gives information on election and election results in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a six year term by the people...
, on 2 April 2004, the party was part of the United People's Freedom Alliance
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
that won 45.6% of the popular vote and 105 out of 225 seats.
History
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
wing of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
. The USP was proscribed by the colonial authorities.
The USP and then the CPC were initially led by Dr. S.A. Wickremesinghe.
In 1952 Wickremesinghe's wife, the English-born Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
Doreen Wickremasinghe was a British leftist who became a prominent Communist politician in Sri Lanka and a Member of Parliament . She was one of the handful of European Radicals in Sri Lanka....
, a former leader of the Suriya-Mal Movement
Suriya-Mal Movement
The Suriya-Mal Movement was formed in British ruled Ceylon to sell Suriya flowers on Poppy Day for the benefit of Sri Lankan ex-servicemen. The movement became anti-imperialist in character...
, was elected to the Sri Lankan parliament.
In 1963 the Communist Party, Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
and the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna is a left-wing political party in Sri Lanka. Today the party is led by Dinesh Gunawardena, son of Philip Gunawardena....
formed the United Left Front. The ULF broke down in 1964 when the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
offered ministerial posts to LSSP and the CP.
In the mid 1960s the U.S. State Department estimated the party membership to be approximately 1900.
In 1968, the CP joined the LSSP and the SLFP joined together in the United Front
United Front (Sri Lanka)
The United Front was a political alliance in Sri Lanka, formed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party , the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka in 1968...
. In the 1970 government, Pieter Keuneman
Pieter Keuneman
Pieter Gerald Bartholomeusz Keuneman was a Sri Lankan politician and a Marxist. He was the Cabinet Minister of Housing and Local Government and prominent Member of Parliament and a leading figure in the Lanka Sama Samaja Party .-Early life and education:Pieter Keuneman came from a Dutch Burgher...
became Minister of Housing and Construction and B.Y. Tudawe, Deputy Minister of Education. However, one faction of the party, led by S. A. Wickremasinghe and Indika Gunawardena, maintained a line of critical support for the government.
After the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
of 1977, for the first time in half a century, the CPSL found itself without parliamentary representation, receiving about 2 % of the vote. However, after a subsequent election petition, Sarath Muttetuwegama was elected to the Kalawana seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
.
Later CPSL joined the People's Alliance
People's Alliance
People's Alliance may refer to:*The People's Alliance , Belgian political party which split in 2001 into the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie and Spirit...
, the front led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
. When SLFP shelved the PA and formed the United People's Freedom Alliance
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
together with Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa is a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Sri Lanka. The party was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and 1987-89...
ahead of the 2004 elections, CPSL and LSSP initially stayed out. They did however, sign a memorandum with the UPFA at a later stage and contested the elections on the UPFA platform. CPSL does not, however, consider itself a member of UPFA.
The CPSL had one member of parliament in 2004, party general secretary D.E.W. Gunasekara. Gunasekara expected to become the speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament, but lost by a handful of votes. Gunasekara was then sworn in as the Minister for Constitutional Affairs.
Party organization
The youth wing of CPSL is the Communist Youth Federation. CYF is a member organization ofthe World Federation of Democratic Youth
World Federation of Democratic Youth
The World Federation of Democratic Youth is a progressive youth organization, recognized by the United Nations as an international youth non-governmental organization. WFDY describes itself as an "anti-imperialist, left-wing" organisation...
.
Publications
For many years the CPSL published the Aththa (Truth) Sinhala newspaper, which became part of the popular cultural discourse. Its EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
organ was the Forward weekly.
May Day parades
The slogans based on the war in the country Communist Party, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, and the Democratic Left Front held their combined Socialist People's Front's May Day Rally at Kirullepone, ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on May 1, 2008.