United Socialist Party (Sri Lanka)

Political party in Sri Lanka

United Socialist Party
එක්සත් සමාජවාදි පකෂය
ஐக்கிய சோசலிச கட்சி

General Secretary| Siritunga Jayasuriya[1]
Founded| 1989
Split from| Nava Sama Samaja Party
Headquarters| 53/6, E. D. Dabare Mawatha, Narahenpita, Colombo 05
Newspaper| Rathutharuwa / Sentharakai
(Red Star)
Ideology| Socialism
Trotskyism
Political position| Far-left
International affiliation| Committee for a Workers' International (2019)
Colours| Red
Election symbol
Trishaw

Website
www.lankasocialist.com

* Politics of Sri Lanka
* Political parties
* Elections

The United Socialist Party (Sinhala: එක්සත් සමාජවාදි පකෂය, Eksath Samajavadi Pakshaya, Tamil: ஐக்கிய சோசலிச கட்சி, Aikkiy soōcialica Kaṭci) is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka. The party is led by perennial presidential candidate Siritunga Jayasuriya. It is affiliated with the Committee for a Workers' International.

## History

[edit]

The USP traces its origins back to the main leftist opposition faction within the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, the Vama Samasamaja. This group was introduced to what was to become the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) in the 1970s.[2] The Vama Samasamaja became the Nava Sama Samaja Party when it split from the LSSP in December 1977 following a number of expulsions from the LSSP starting in 1972.[citation needed]

The NSSP was a section of the CWI from its foundation until it left in 1989. Disagreements on areas of theory and policy (such as the analysis of Stalinism) with the CWI eventually led to a second split.[3] One disagreement was over the leaders' support of the controversial Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, signed in 1987, which led to the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, in a document issued on 12 February 1988.[4] After 1989, the NSSP became a member of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International, while those still supporting the CWI split from the NSSP to form the United Socialist Party.[citation needed]

### Opposition to the Sri Lankan Civil War

[edit]

The USP criticised the Indian government for providing military support to the Sri Lankan government, whose armed forces were conducting a campaign against Tamil separatist rebels in the north of the country.[5] The party opposed the Rajapaksa government's militarist solution to the country's civil war, holding the position that military victory in the Tamil-dominated areas would not solve the national question, with ill feelings and further violence likely to erupt as a result. USP General Secretary, Siritunga Jayasuriya, is also quoted with saying that the government's military operation was a "war not against LTTE cadre, but against the Tamil people."[6]

## Electoral history

[edit]

### Presidential

[edit]

Year  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | Result

|
|
|
|

2005 | Siritunga Jayasuriya | 35,425  | 0.36%  | Lost
2010 | 8,352  | 0.08%  | Lost
2015 | 8,840  | 0.07%  | Lost
2019 | 3,944  | 0.03%  | Lost
2024 | 8,954  | 0.07%  | Lost

In the 2005 presidential elections, USP candidate Siritunga Jayasuriya came third place, winning 35,425 votes (0.36%).[7][8]

### Other

[edit]

In the 2006 council elections, the USP won 710 votes (2.37%) in Eheliyagoda Pradeseheeya Sabha (Ratnapura District), winning a seat in the council.[9][10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "EPRLF calls for re-merger of north and east". Daily Mirror. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
2. ^ Trotskyism and Reformism Today, marxist.net. 17 August 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
3. ^ Taaffe, P. (2004) A Socialist World Is Possible, London: CWI Publications pg.75.
4. ^ Moorthy, M. "A lost opportunity for Left in Sri Lanka", Militant International Review, Number 39 Spring 1989.
5. ^ India should stop all military aid to Sri Lanka, JESA, 19 February 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
6. ^ "India should pressure Sri Lanka for a political solution". The Hindu. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
7. ^ "United Socialist Party (cwi) comes third in presidential election". socialistworld.net. 18 November 2005. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
8. ^ "Presidential Election 2005: Dawn of a new era". Sunday Observer. 24 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
9. ^ "United Socialist Party (CWI) wins council seat". socialistworld.net. 31 March 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
10. ^ "Elections and the menace of war". socialistworld.net. 29 May 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2007.

## External links

[edit]

* United Socialist Party
* Committee for a Workers' International

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Sri Lanka

Major parties|

* NPP
* Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
* SJB
* All Ceylon Makkal Congress
* Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
* Tamil Progressive Alliance
* Democratic People's Front
* National Union of Workers
* Up-Country People's Front

Third parties|

* Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
* NDF
* Ceylon Workers' Congress
* People's United Freedom Alliance
* Sri Lanka Freedom Party
* United National Party
* Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
* Sarvajana Balaya
* Mawbima Janatha Pakshaya
* DTNA
* Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
* TNPF
* All Ceylon Tamil Congress
* Sri Lanka Labour Party

Others outside parliament|

* Bahujana Nidahas Peramuna
* Ceylon Communist Party (Maoist)
* Ceylon Democratic Unity Alliance
* Communist Party
* Crusaders for Democracy
* Democratic Left Front
* Democratic Party
* Democratic United National Front
* Democratic Unity Alliance
* Desha Vimukthi Janatha Pakshaya
* Devana Parapura
* Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front
* Eelam People's Democratic Party
* Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
* Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students
* Freedom People's Congress
* Freedom People's Front
* Jathika Hela Urumaya
* Jathika Nidahas Peramuna
* Lanka Sama Samaja Party
* Liberal Democratic Party
* Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
* Motherland People's Party
* National Congress
* Nava Sama Samaja Party
* New Lanka Freedom Party
* New Sinhala Heritage
* Our Power of People's Party
* People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
* Democratic People's Liberation Front
* People's Struggle Alliance
* Frontline Socialist Party
* New Democratic Marxist–Leninist Party
* People's Tamil Congress
* Pivithuru Hela Urumaya
* Revolutionary Workers Party
* Social Democratic Party
* Socialist Equality Party
* Socialist Party
* Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya
* Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
* Tamil People's National Alliance
* Tamil United Liberation Front
* United Republican Front
* United Socialist Party

Former political parties|

* All Ceylon Islamic United Front
* All Ceylon Malay Political Union
* Aziz Democratic Workers Congress
* Bolshevik Samasamaja Party
* Buddhist Republican Party
* Ceylon Labour Party
* Ceylon National Congress
* Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna
* Lanka Mahajana Sabha
* Lanka Prajathanthravadi Pakshaya
* Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Alternative Group)
* Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)
* People's Front of Liberation Tigers
* Sinhala Maha Sabha
* Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party
* Sri Lanka Sama Samaja Party
* United Lanka Congress
* Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party

Former political alliances|

* SLFP-led alliances
* Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (1956–1957)
* United Front (1968–1977)
* People's Alliance (1994–2004)
* United People's Freedom Alliance (2004–2019)
* Joint Opposition (2015–2018)
* Freedom People's Alliance (2023–2024)

* UNP-led alliances
* United National Front (2001–2020)

* Other
* National Unity Alliance
* Tamil National Liberation Alliance
* Democratic National Alliance
* Democratic Tamil National Front
* Left Liberation Front
* Socialist Alliance
* Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance (2019–2022)
* Supreme Lanka Coalition
* Tamil National Alliance

* Portal:Politics
* List of political parties
* Politics of Sri Lanka

* v
* t
* e

Committee for a Workers' International (2019)

General|

* Trotskyism
* Committee for a Workers' International (1974)
* Leon Trotsky
* Peter Taaffe
* Hannah Sell

Sections|

* Socialist Party (England and Wales)
* Democratic Socialist Movement (Nigeria)
* United Socialist Party (Sri Lanka)

Related Internationals|

* International Revolutionary Left
* International Socialist Alternative
* Revolutionary Communist International
* List of Trotskyist internationals

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template