NPP News

Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, Secretary of the National People’s Power, said that the endangering of the country by the previous governments and the existing government, in the interest of their cronies and to maintain power, should be decisively defeated. He said this while addressing the Bandaragama Asana Sabhawa of the NPP. He further stated,

“There are several points that need to be emphasized at this Bandaragama Asana Sabhawa of the NPP. The leaders of both these political parties have been trying for a long time to introduce large projects and borrow more dollars. Projects such as highways, conference halls, international cricket grounds, Mattala Airport, Hambantota Port, and Lotus Tower were introduced with the intention of obtaining foreign loans.

In fact, loans were later taken to pay the premiums and interest on foreign loans taken earlier. We should focus on that first. Taking commissions from the loans taken and enriching oneself through fraud and corruption is the next point. As soon as the Gotabhaya Rajapaksa-led Pohottu government came to power, we saw how huge tax cuts were given to their cronies.

It was these cronies who distributed money to the people at every election and funded their election campaigns. That is why these tax cuts were given to friends. The other crime is amending the constitution as they please. We must decisively stop putting the country in danger with such actions to stay in power.

The country is broken to a point where the children are malnourished, and the people lack medicine and food. Older workers are losing their jobs. This situation must be stopped. It can be stopped and the country can be rebuilt only under an NPP government. Therefore, I request everyone to join hands with the NPP.”

General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva invites everyone to unite in the struggle to build a pleasant Sri Lanka where all the people will have a better future.
He made this invitation while addressing the Convention of the Bandaragama Constituency of the National People’s Power (NPP).
Speaking further, the General Secretary of the JVP said, “Constituency conventions of the NPP are being held all over the country, and we are holding the first constituency convention of Kalutara district in Bandaragama today. It is becoming clear to us that a large number of people are gathering around us. The Rajapaksas, who destroyed the country by saying, ‘let’s stand up with Mahinda’ have been able to hold small meetings. The things that happened to this country after Mahinda was raised are quite enough. Now we need to raise the people to build the country that the Rajapaksas destroyed and put the NPP, which has won the people’s trust to lead the people and control the country. The next government will be formed by none other than the NPP.
Mahinda Rajapaksa left the Prime Ministership and ran away on May 9th. Basil Rajapaksa had to leave the Ministry of Finance on the ninth of June. On the 9th of July, Gotabaya Rajapaksa ran away from the presidency due to a massive public uprising. Because of this, the old mandate is not valid for the government now. Ranil Wickramasinghe does not have the power to become president with the mandate received by Gotabaya. However, the people were not allowed to establish a ruler of their choice and a government of their choice.
Ranil Wickramasinghe is a person who the people did not even give a seat. After forty-five years of his politics, he was expelled without even being a member of parliament. Therefore, Ranil Wickramasinghe, who was elected from the national list, became the president and is ruling the country due to the conspiracy of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Meanwhile, he is making various conspiracies to postpone the elections as his uncle did. We remind him that this is not his uncle’s time. People are leaving old parties and colours and are joining one front. They are rallying with the NPP.
During this period, there is no end to the burden of tax upon tax. A person earning Rs. 100,000 per month has been taxed starting at 6%, and all those earning above that have been taxed up to 36%. Taxing more than one-third of a person’s income is not a small thing. Because of this, the top officials of the banking system are preparing to retire. Those with the highest knowledge and creative abilities who are doing other jobs are also leaving the country. These rulers brought down the economy, production fell, the country also fell. While imposing taxes on the people, the rulers also have allowed inflation to rise, and people are unable to bear it. The people cannot exist like this.
These people who brought down the country have no plan to recover the country. However, they carry on regardless and they have nothing to worry. Mr. Sajith Premadasa, who goes from place to place these days, tells various stories. But, he has no policy. He and those around him did not vote against a single bill that was brought by the government in recent days and were harmful to the people. They are standing between two worlds. They did not oppose bills Ranil presented, such as the mini-budget and the amendment bill to destroy the Petroleum Corporation. Only seven councillors opposed the bill to break up the petroleum corporation and sell it piece by piece. Out of those seven, three are members of the NPP. Sajith did not oppose nor did he support the bill. He has no principles. No backbone. Meanwhile, the village women of Tissamaharama had said that Mahinda should see Nirvana. We also say that he should see Nirvana.
They have made borrowing a culture and have stolen more than we can imagine. Four or five people have stolen the money of the entire country. There is a little traits about how Priyamali robbed the money that was revealed a few days ago. Priyamani gave the works to those black money men who plundered the country’s money. People who have lost money to Priyamali do not go to the police to complain. If they complain, they should disclose how the money was earned. On the other hand, those guys have plenty of money. Meanwhile, the priest of the Abhayarama Temple is involved in this through a female member of the Colombo City Council. It is said that the priest’s ‘V 8’ vehicle was taken by the Pohottu MP and not returned. ‘V8’ is one of the most valuable vehicles available in this country. In response to the monk’s accusation, the councilor says that the monk took Rs. 50 million from her. Even if she had lost 50 million, that MP would not complain. How she save Rs. 50 million from the municipal councilor’s salary? If a municipal councilor has Rs. 50 million, how much will Rajapaksas have? This is a gang that has destroyed the country and looted billions of public wealth. Now they are addicted to robbery and looting. They carry on despite nearing their graves.They are trying to hang on to power to steal more and avoid lawsuits for stolen money.
Comrade Rohana Wijeweera, our party’s founder, said, “Thieves fight during the day and steal together at night.” Until now, they have done this and worked to save their cases. Now both these parties have got together and steal both day and night.
Because of this, we are building the economy under the control of the NPP and implementing our policies in such a way that the benefits are distributed fairly among the entire people of the country. If we want to build a government like the one that exists, we don’t need to work like this. However, we invite everyone to join in a programme that will win the country and the people. If Mahinda Rajapaksa can betray the people who voted for Pohottuwa and make Ranil Wickramasinghe the president, then abandon such parties. Let’s all gather around the NPP, which is open to everyone. Let us all come together and rewrite the history of Sri Lanka. The people of the country are ready to join that journey and give courage. This is your time and our time. We invite everyone to join the struggle to win an election and build a beautiful Sri Lanka with a better future for all of us.”

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, MP and the leader of NPP said that people’s power is more powerful than all other power camps and that the NPP has initiated that task of correctly organizing the people’s power.

He said so while addressing the Maharagama Asana Sabha Samuluwa of the NPP. Anura Kumara Dissanayake further added that “the previous president escaped from the country and returned. Mahinda had to escape and hide. Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed to protect Gotabaya and Mahinda. Today, Ranil is safeguarding the Rajapaksas by acting against the people of this country.

The Central Bank Governor made a decision on the 12^th of April saying that “we are not going to pay the debts that we have taken” This is a very dangerous statement. Our stance is that the Governor has no power to make such a decision. We have taken debts from countries like England, China, India, the United States, and Bangladesh as well as from the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank. The decision made by Mr. Nandalal is connected to seeking help from the IMF. We have a reasonable doubt as to whether the Governor made this decision solely for this exact purpose. 

The IMF recommends restructuring the debts. We need to come to terms with China and India to cut off the debt. China says that they must enter into a free trade agreement between China and Sri Lanka if we decide to cut the debt. As a result, our market will be flooded with Chinese goods. Our production will collapse. 

The second condition presented by the financial fund is that the income should be increased and expenses should be reduced. For this, the government implements a tax policy. Therefore, the price of all goods and services increases.

We brought a proposal that a Presidential election is held and a new president be appointed before the expiry of a period of six months from the date on which the succeeding president is appointed by the Parliament following the vacancy in the office of president. we also brought a proposal that ministerial positions will be abolished if the party is changed. It was also suggested that there should be a maximum of 25 minister positions and 25 deputy minister positions. We also said that there is no need for the posts of state ministers.

There are several foundations needed to build a country. Our country needs a new constitution. We suggested that a new parliament is necessary for the development of this constitution or the rule of law or the implementation of good and people-friendly reforms. We are introducing a new constitution that will abolish the executive presidency.

To build the country, we need governance that stops fraud, corruption, and waste. Also, we need a government that punishes those who committed fraud and corruption. The NPP will be the only party that is capable of punishing the thieves. We challenge other political parties.

Thirdly, this public sector should be made efficient. The Auditor General announced that 2200 government institutions will be audited. This is not sustainable for a government. There is no special benefit to the country from these institutions. To build a country, an efficient public service must be built.

We must put an end to all the frustrations endured by the youth of our country. Small and medium enterprises are the economic engine of our country. We are also focusing on maritime security as the fourth step. We should create a country that is well-recognized by the entire world. An environment that builds trust in our country before the world, will make the image of our country shines bright.

Only the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) has an honest team capable of rebuilding the country, Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.

Addressing the Divisional Council in Kesbewa on Saturday (15) Dissanayake said the people have real power because they were able to depose the ‘Rajapaksa’ clan.

However, the people are disorganised, which is why the second uprising must be organised by the JJB, Dissanayake said.

“Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee Sri Lanka. Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was compelled to flee Temple Trees and seek refuge at the Trinco naval base. Basil Rajapaksa was unable to get a flight to leave the country. The Rajapaksa camp, which was once rock solid, crumbled in front of our very eyes. From this, it is clear that the people have power. However, the people are disorganised. The JJB is currently organising people through Divisional Councils,” Dissanayake said.

He said a key responsibility is to protect the people in the face of the country’s bankruptcy.

“Production in the country has collapsed and inflation has increased greatly. People are losing their jobs. Monthly wage earners cannot pay off their loans. People are rising up against this oppression,” he said.

Dissanayake said the Government is trying to push such an uprising into violence. Therefore, the JJB Division Council should give leadership to well-organised groups, he said.

BY Aloka Kasturiarachchi (Ceylon Today)

The Kesbewa aasana samuluwa of the NPP was held on the 15^th of October 2022. Here are some highlights of the points that were brought to light by some of the executive members and the leader of the NPP.

Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, the National Executive Member of the NPP said that the country has been dragged into this situation and Ranil Wickramasingha sees the bulging stomachs of malnourished children as if they were having bombs tied to their stomachs. “They do not want the country’s people to become citizens. That is why Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Rajapaksa are hiding behind the decrees passed by the foreigners who came to Sri Lanka earlier,” he stressed.

The NPP, under their rule, will stop the oppression, and make an end to theft, fraud, and corruption. People with new thoughts will join hands to build the country. Although some people say that what is left now is a very small part, there is a group of people gathered around the NPP, who can take on any challenge and build the country. Various professionals, businessmen, artists, engineers, lawyers, doctors, and volunteers are gathering around us with a real desire of building the country.

While addressing the aasana samuluwa, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, member of the National Executive Committee of the NPP stated that despite the torrential rains, the large number of people who have come to the samuluwa conveys a message that people who could face any challenge are gathering around the NPP. It is a matter of happiness that a large number of women attended this samuluwa too.

Further stressing the plight both women and children face in this crisis, Balthazaar emphasized that many figures are being released about malnutrition. It is not possible to provide proper nutrition to children as well as food to adults. For a while, we used various things to make up our minds. Nevertheless, now it is clear to us that this tragedy happened because of the politicians who ruled the country for seventy-four years. Ranil Wickremesinghe tells a different story, and parents who are coming to the streets with their children because they are unable to tolerate this situation are being called terrorists.

She further pointed out that politics is not something that can be separated from us. Our lives are political. Realizing that, parents protest with their families. Politics is not only for politicians. There should be an environment where I can bring my children to political activities. We all know that majority, 56% of voters are women. Governments that come to power take various decisions regarding children’s health, education, and transportation, but we do not get any results. 

Even if 15% of the budget is allocated to national security, as children, and women, what do we get from national security? We understand the problems involved in all these things. We should all come together to build a more free and happy life. Instead of this system that produces selfish people, we invite all of us of the NPP to come together and commit ourselves to build this country and improving the future of the children.

NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake also added that the public vote for a government to find solutions to their problems; thus, the expectation of the public is soon marred as the government has expectations different from that of the public. As a result, the public is always betrayed. We as the NPP are here to change this betrayal that has broken the expectations of the public.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to leave the country. Mahinda Rajapaksa had to sneak out of the Temple Trees and stay in a naval base. Basil Rajapaksa could not find a flight to escape from the country. In that case, the power is with the people. However, these people are not properly organized. The NPP will form kottasa sabha by organizing these people. Three main tasks have been assigned to the kottasa sabhas. Another uprising should be organized under the leadership of the NPP. Similarly, we have the responsibility of organizing people at the village level. Protecting the people in the face of the state of bankruptcy is also one of the crucial tasks. Therefore, our kottasa sabha should give leadership to well-organized groups of people.

Though the NPP is preparing for the elections, the government tries to postpone the election as they are certain that they will not get votes. Ranil Wickremesinghe who could not even win a single seat in the election, who could not win the required number of seats to enter the parliament, and who has no mandate, will not be able to secure this presidency in the face of a defeat following an election. Also, Ranil and Rajapaksa cannot contest together for an election as a such coalition will not be accepted at the village level. Against such a backdrop, the government is trying its level best to postpone the elections.

It is the responsibility of the NPP’s kottasa sabha to prepare for elections, thus, it is also the responsibility of all the kottasa sabha to join hands with the collective effort of developing the country instead of developing the mere thought of defeating others. We need a collective sense of how the other’s pain becomes our pain. Without that, a country cannot be built just by installing a government. Society needs transformation.

We need to build a collective culture that enjoys a song, reads a book, watches a movie, and thinks about a healthy life. There are three basic roles of a kottasa sabha consisting of such people. One is to lead the people’s uprising. The second is to make the electoral divisions win in the upcoming elections and the third is to lead a discussion to bring about the transformation of the people within the division. If we do these things successfully, we can win.

Elaborating on the NPP’s development plan, Dissanayake briefed that they have established an Economic Council for the task of building the economy. Prof. Anil Jayantha, Prof. Janak Kumarasinghe, Dr. Shantha Jayaratne, Prof. Dayananda, and Sunil Handunnetti are working in this council. The field of small and medium-scale industrialists has been established under the leadership of Chaturanga Abeysinghe. Dissanayake said that “some people ask about our Security Council. On this thirtieth, we will establish a security council consisting of former generals. Similarly, we have primarily focused on foreign relations. There is a very ugly image of us in the world today. We are implementing a foreign policy that shines in front of the world very strongly the international image that we have lost.”

“There are criteria like human rights, law, children’s rights, women’s rights, and safety of the elderly accepted by the world. Our society should be developed based on these areas. We should build a state with social security. Such a state can attract tourism. Foreign investments are brought to such a country. For that, there is an honest and uncorrupted group in the National People’s Power”, Dissanayake further added.

The economic council of the National People’s Power brought to light at a press conference held on 13.10.2022 the government’s recent decisions on increasing the taxes. Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, the President of the economic council of the NPP stressed that the groups that have gained power have imposed these taxes only to maintain their power. According to the agreements of the International Monetary Fund, the general public is being put under severe pressure. He went on to point out that the government has imposed taxes not on those who created this crisis but on innocent people. He further said that the recent hike in direct taxes has hit the workforce hard. Before this increase, those who had monthly incomes up to three hundred thousand rupees were exempted from income tax. But according to the new amendments, all those who have a monthly income of more than one hundred thousand rupees will have to pay this tax. According to that, those who have income up to three hundred thousand rupees will have to pay taxes amounting to two hundred thousand rupees. He also added that the taxes are being imposed in this way against the backdrop of food inflation a year ago reaching 95% according to official statistics. With general inflation at over 70% and no wage increases, this levy is highly unfair.

Speaking to the press conference, the economic council member of the NPP Prof. Janak Kumarasinghe stated that until now, the direct tax rates were in the categories of 6%, 12%, and 18%. This time it has been increased to 6%, 12%, 18%, 24%, 30%, and 36%. Earlier, a person who earned a monthly income of three hundred thousand rupees was liable to pay taxes of 36,000 rupees annually, but now, according to these percentages, it has been increased to 420,000 rupees. This shows an attempt to somehow collect all the revenues to the government. This will also increase the burden on those who earn monthly salaries. Simply put, the government has worked to get 36% direct tax revenue from monthly wage earners even in inflation.

Sunil Hadunneththi, an economic council member and executive member of the NPP, emphasized that if people are taxed from the moment their monthly income exceeds one hundred thousand rupees, even the small tea estate owner among the rural people will be taxed. Even though it was in the numbers that the taxable base limit is one hundred thousand rupees, today the real value of this lakh has greatly collapsed, but the tax has to be paid. A new tax burden has been imposed on a majority of people who are wondering how to provide meals to their children. In such a scenario, the government cannot prevent the rise of a movement: “we don’t pay taxes”.

Economic Council Member, Senior Lecturer Shanta Jayaratne, who joined the press conference, explained the facts in English.