Text of a Tribute paid by Comrade S. K. Senthivel, the new General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Communist Party (Left) at the Commemoration meeting held on 17-12-1989

A Revolutionary Salute

(Text of a Tribute paid by Comrade S. K. Senthivel, the new General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Communist Party (Left) at the Commemoration meeting held on 17-12-1989 at Jaffna Town to mark the passing away of Comrade K. A. Subramaniam, the former General Secretary of the Party.

Comrades Friends

I am delivering this Commemoration Address on behalf of the Party's Central Committee.

The Party's General Secretary, Comrade K. A. Subramaniam, who was loved and respected by all, departed from our midst on 27-11-1989

Comrade Subramaniam (1931-1989) devoted his whole life to working for the country and the oppressed people of this land. He was a noble Communist fighter who conducted his struggles on the lines of Marxism - Leninism. He has set a valuable example to all the communists, the leftists and the progressives of this land by living in accordance with the maxim 'Simple life, hard struggle".

Comrade Subramaniam was born to an orthodox family of farmers in the village of Kollankallady in the Northern Region. After completing his primary and secondary education, he joined the K. K. S. Cement Factory as an Engineering Apprentice. He was 17 then. 

During the early stages of his working life he came into contact with a Communist worker in the factory and was attracted by the Marxist Philosophy, Consequently he began to participate in Trade Union activities which were based on the tenets of Communism. Enraged by this, the Factory Administration, which included white bosses, dismissed him. Not worried one bit by the loss of his job, he began to study Marxism more deeply and resolved to serve the people on the basis of Communism.

ln 1951 he joined the Communist Youth Movement and thereafter became a member of the Ceylon Communist Party. As a young Communist, aged 22, the first struggle Comrade Maniam participated in was the island - wide Hartal of 1953. The Hartal which was jointly led by the Communist Party and other left parties, was a great success in the North too and paved the way for the emergence of a class consciousness and a sense of unity embracing the whole island. Comrade Maniam who was inspired by the revolutionary fervour roused by the Hartal, and who was in close touch with the then leaders who guided the Communist Movement in the North leaders like M. Karthigesan, Dr. S. V. Seeniwasagam. Pon. Kandiah, A. Vaithilingam and M. C. Subramaniam became a full - time party worker. At the beginning, he was appointed to be in - charge of party work in the K. K. S. Electorate and was based in Chunnakam. During this period, the Trade Union in the K. K. S. Factory was built up amidst great difficulties and severe challenges. Trade Union struggles began gradually to make headway, Comrade Maniam worked hard to build up the Party outside the Factory and to establish youth organisations affiliated to the Party Maniam's weighty labours bore fruit: during this period several intellectuals teachers, students and government servants were drawn towards Communism.

In 1956, as a result of S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake's coming to power, some progressive measures were taken: one such measure was the takeover of schools. The Catholic hierarchy and Tamil reactionaries joined hands to launch counter measures. At this juncture, the Communist Party had to launch a strong campaign in support of the take over The people supported this campaign, Comrade Subramaniam mobilised youths in support of this campaign and was in the forefront of the campaign.

In the latter half of the 1950s, he was chosen a member of the Party's Northern Regional Committee and became the Regional Secretary of the Northern Region Communist Youth Movements

He used all his skills and talents to build up the Youth Movement as a strong force both politically and organisationally. 1n 1963, the depressed caste living in Neervely, were brutally assaulted and caste fanatics set fire to their houses. The Youth Movement staged a protest march in Jaffna Town and collected funds for the affected people. Dr. S. V. Seenivasagam led the protest march and chaired the public Meeting held to condemn this brutality. Comrade Maniam was in the forefront of this protest campaign. This was a fore - runner of the later struggles against caste oppression.

In 1963 - 1964, the Ceylon Communist Party split as a result of the ideological struggle waged both nationally and internationally. At that time Comrade Maniam lined up with the revolutionary forces which were guided by Marxist-Leninist - Mao Zedong Thought. Through this ideological struggle he resolved to take forward the revolutionary struggle based on a revolutionary party.

After 1964, while being one of the leading members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, he led the struggle against wrong ideas and practices both within and outside the Party. He joined with other sincere Commuists in the Party to oppose those who spouted revolutionary textbook slogans while, in practice, they possessed a bourgeoi's parliamentary outlook, In these struggles, he adopted a balanced, ideological stand. At the same time he stressed that as the Party was the Party of the oppressed classes it should launch mass struggles centered on their most pressing problems. He took the lead in getting resolutions to this effect passed in the Party. These resulted in the mass upsurge on 21st October 1966 at Chunnakam. Comrade Maniam led the upsurge and was one of those principally responsible for guiding and taking forward the struggles.

Following this upsurge, Comrade Maniam rendered invaluable service to the Party and the people by providing a correct and balanced leadership to mass struggles which combined both struggles within and outside the confines of the law. The broad united front he helped build up to fight untouchability and the principles, practices and strategy he helped to formulate for this mass organisation will go down in history and will never be forgotten by the people. The historic victories of the people at Chankanai - Nitchamam, Maviddapuram, Madduvil - Manthuvil, Karaveddy - Kanpolai were mainly due to Comrade Maniam's guidance which combined practical realism and a balanced ideological outlook.

Comrade Maniam was quite clear in his mind that the Communist Party should fight not only caste oppression but should also spearhead struggles in other spheres, and he acted accordingly. In the period 1964 to 1971 Comrade Maniam was in the fore front of Trade Union struggles, farmers struggles the youth movement and the anti-imperialist struggle: all these activities were centred round the Party and the youth movement The climax of these activities was reached in 1969 when the UNP Government banned the May Day Meeting. Maniam organised a mass procession to protest the ban. He was brutally assaulted by the Police and received bleeding injuries. Through this struggle he shone forth as an exemplary Communist manifesting the revolutionary fervor courage dedication and self - sacrifice characteristic of Communist militants.

In the history of the left movement in Sri Lanka on several occasions Communist leaders have slipped up due to political and economic circumstances, deviated from their ideals and became inactive. As result, the enemies of the left and Communist Movement used these lapses as a trump card against the left movement. 

But Comrade Maniam, till he breathed his last, lived as a Communist both in word and deed this is the legacy he has bequeathed to today's younger generation and the future generation.

In the 1970s, Comrade Maniam played a decisive role in the struggle against Wrong ideologies and practices within the party. At a time when in defining the stages of the revolution in Sri Lanka and in the formation of an united front in the new democratic revolutionary stage, dogmatism and sectarianism held sway within the Party, Comrade Subramaniam waged a disciplined, ideological struggle, within the party, against these trends. But at no stage did he from clandestine groups within the Party or violate the rules of the organisation. Even when the waged ideological struggles based on principles, he abided by the decision of the majority.

After 1964, when several hundreds of members and carders who had joined the Party because it was a revolutionary party became dissatisfied with the Party leadership and began to quit the Party and became isolated individuals Maniam joined the other comrades who decided to stay in the party and were confident that they could build up the Party anew, on the correct lines.

Comrade Subramaniam and the other comrades who continued to stay in the Party which had N. Sanmugathasan as its General Secretary, were forced to change their position in 1978, at a special Party Conference which was summoned in the middle of 1978, though a full report incorporating correct ideological, political and organisational standpoints was presented under the leadership of Comrade Maniam and debated, the report was not accepted and arbitrary decisions – were taken. In this background, Party members who had assembled from various parts of the island decided to form a separate party. Comrade Maniam accepted the proposal whole-heartedly and came forward to implement it resolutely.

On 3rd July, l978 a Conference of Party members was held at Jaffna. At that Conference it was resolved that the new party should be named Sri Lanka Communist Party (left), and till a Party Congress was held, and interim Organizing Committee was chosen by the Conference, Comrade Maniam was elected Secretary of the Committee. Comrade Maniam deployed all his skills to build up the Party as a strong organisation and to make it take root among the working people.

From the time the new party was formed in 1978 till the early part of 1984, through criticism and self-criticism, the faults of the past were weeded out and the path was laid for the ideological, political and organisational consolidation of the party. From the bottom upwards, the principle of democratic centralism was adhered to. Dogmatism, sectarianism, extremism and all the principles and practices which were rooted in a non-dialectical outlook were criticised and rejected. Guidelines for the assessment of united fronts were laid down. As for the national question, sterile positions were rejected and a clear standpoint formulated. The national and international situations were reviewed and correct principles corresponding to contemporary reality were adopted. It was on this basis that the first National Congress of the Sri Lanka Communist Party (left) was held on 2nd and 3rd September, 1984. The Central Committee elected at this Congress chose Comrade Maniam as the General Secretary. Till his death he functioned in that capacity in a worthy manner that instilled confidence in the Party and the people.

Comrade Maniam played the central role in formulating the Party's standpoint on the national question. The sterile standpoints adopted by the old party with regard to the Tamils as a nation and the right of self-determination were rejected and a principled, balanced approach incorporating a long-term view was adopted. Comrade Maniam emphasised that the national question could not be solved on a hurried petit bourgeois basis and that the demand for separation was impracticable. At the same time he did not fail to stress, that a resolute struggle against majority chauvinism was inseparable from the national liberation struggle. 

Through the Party s Central Committee he repeatedly stressed that military activities would not provide an interim solution to the ethnic problem and urged the need for an equitable political solution based on tripartite talks (the Tamil militants, the Sri Lankan State and India).

After 1983, when Sri Lanka's ethnic problem became complicated in various ways, and when India from being a non-partisan, friendly neighbour tried to establish its regional hegemony using the ethnic problem as a tool, Comrade Maniam very strongly opposed India. He emphasized the need for all patriotic, democratic forces to unite resolutely oppose India's hegemonism and safeguard our country's independence and sovereignty. Comrade Maniam who instilled into the minds of the party members the conviction that they should be ready to make any sacrifice for the sake of the nation, the people's welfare and the liberation of the working masses, firmly believed that it was meaningless to mouth empty slogans or prize hollow honours.

Today, the people of this country, including the Tamils, are experiencing untold mesery. Through the party, Maniam stressed the need for an alternative government which could provide a minimum solution, it's on this basis that he supported the candidature of Mrs. Srima Bandaranaike the candidate of the popular, democratic forces at the last Presidential Election and played a major role in her Jaffna campaign. Through this, the wav Communist paved for the unity of and mutual understanding between the progressive, democratic, patriotic forces.

Comrade Subramaniam had a very high regard for proletarian internationalism. He worked eagerly to foster, the ties and links between Communist fraternal parties, Comrade Maniam who always stressed the necessity for our Party to have honest links with the Chinese Communist Party and Socialist China clear sightedly strove to establish ties with other fraternal parties and socialist countries. In 1963, 1967, 1975 and 1979 he visited the People's Republic of China, and in 1967 he visited the Albania as a member of party, youth movement and trade union delegations which undertook goodwill missions to these countries.

Comrade Subramaniam helped to bring out Party newspapers like the “Sempathahai' , ' Red Banner' and 'Puthiya Boomi’ and advise which helped to win these papers the esteem of the people, and contributed to their growth. Eis guidance and ad vice greatly benefited the functioning of the Thesiya Kalai Illakiya Peravai and its organ “Thayakam” which readered worthy service to the cause of art and literature.

Comrade Maniam was a resolute Communist militant and a worthy leader. At the same time, outside the party, he had several friends among the progressive, democratic patriotic forces, whom he respected he gave considered advice on how best to use the talents and skills of learned men, educationists, artists, writers and intellectuals for the liberation of the people and social change.

Comrades Friends

Comrade Subramaniam dedicated his life to work for the welfare of the country and the liberation of the oppressed people.

The Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Communist Party left) declares, with a sense of inner satisfaction, that Comrade Maniam was a worthy Communist Leader who self-effacingly poured all his talents into service for the people. The Party dips its red flag to pay a revolutionary tribute to a selfless Comrade who has passed away

The central Committee and the Party firmly resolve to carry forward, despite all obstacles, the revolutionary legacy left behind by Comrade Maniam through his life and guidance and to safeguard the rich experiences garnered on the basis of Marxist-Leninist - Mao - Tse Tung Thought.

The Central Committee conveys its sympathies and Condolences to Comrade Maniam's wife Valliammai and the children Sathiyarajan, Sathiamalar and Satheakeerthy who shared the trials, tribulations and triumphs of Comrade Subramaniam and made it possible for him to lead, both in word and deed, the life of a Communist militant and leader and thus serve both the Party and the people.

CENTRAL COMITTEE 

Sri Lanka Communist Party (Left)

15/1, Power House Road,

Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

17 December 1989.