COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) has received an outpouring of support from workers, youths, and organizations worldwide following a violent attack on two of its members in Sri Lanka by pro-government thugs. Dehin Wasantha, a veteran university worker and advocate for workers’ rights and socialism, and Lakshman Fernando, a full-time SEP party worker, were the targets of this assault.
The letters, directed to the Sri Lankan attorney general and the vice chancellor of the University of Moratuwa, demanded severe legal action against those responsible for the attack. Wasantha and Fernando were physically assaulted at the University of Moratuwa on November 30. They were campaigning for SEP public meetings on the Centenary of Trotskyism when they were attacked by members of the Moratuwa university branch of the ruling Sri Lankan Podujana Peramuna party.
As a result of the attack, Wasantha suffered two fractured fingers and required an extended medical leave, while Fernando sustained bruises and a neck injury. The Moratuwa Magistrate Court is set to hear the case against the perpetrators on January 8.
In response to the attack, messages of condemnation have poured in from various individuals and groups in Sri Lanka, denouncing the violent assault on the two SEP members and calling for justice. The support from both local and international sources reflects a united front against the attack and a collective demand for legal recourse.
The violent incident at the University of Moratuwa is seen not only as an attack on the SEP, but also as an assault on the democratic rights of the entire working class. Consequently, calls to form independent action committees and seek legal action against the perpetrators have gained traction, aiming to address the larger issue of preserving democratic rights amidst such targeted attacks.