We reproduce herewith a statement sent to the Bulletin by the Coylon Socialist Students Association in the U.K.:
"We condemn unreservedly the recent attempt by clements in the armed forces and the police to wrest by forceful means political power in the country.
"While constituting an attempt by tho capitalist class to stabilise its authority through nakeu force in the face of mass discontent in tho country, it is clear that tho imneaiatc opportunity for this threatened action has been provided by the Srina Bandaranaike Government through its continued use of omergeney powers, and the virtual handing over of the civil adminstration to military organisations for a prolonged period.X
"The intransigence of the Government in the face of the present wave cof working class struggles for better conditions compels it to rely more and more on the armed forces and paves the way for further military adventures on the part of the capitalist class.
"We send the following domands to ihe Prime liinisters
(1) That it withdraw immediately tho armod forces from the port of
Golomboe
(2) That it remove forthwith the declared State of “mergency in the country
(3) That it enter into immediate negotiations with the trade unions of
the workers on strike.
"Our Association also pledyes its fullest solidarity with the working class of Coylon and s utes tho remarkable unity and sense of determination it continues to demonstrate in tho present struggles" X The Government declared a State of limergency in April 1961 -— to deal with the Givil disobedience started by the Tamil speaking Ceylonese who opposed the Sinhala only Language act I. Since then q military officer has been given tho post of co-ordinating officer and he is the Boss of the North and Hastern provinces of Ceylon. Radio Ceylon has been handed over to the navy since Jan 5th,1962 and the army is working full time in the port of Colombo from Dec. 1961, doing the loading and unloading of cargo as the Port Workers have been on strike regarding a demand for a monthly wage system - they are paid daily now. — and for the rostoration of of their full salariocs, which have been cut by 4% under the guise of a National Development Tax. The Bank “mployces too have been on strike for the last 7 weeks.