Late Comrade Neil Wijethilaka Memorial Library opened!

Secretary of the Socialist People’s Forum and the United Public Employees’ Union late comrade Neil Wijethilaka Memorial Library was opened on March 10 at the United Public Employees’ Union office premises, 136, Temple Road, Kalutara North. That was on the completion of three months since the death of Comrade Neil and with the participation of a group of his political and trade union colleagues and family relatives.

This library has a large number of Marxist books consulted by Comrade Neil Wijethilaka and many books written on the political activism of the left in Sri Lanka, as well as many books used by Late Comrade Linus Jayathilaka and donated by other comrades.

Comrade Nihal Ajith, organizing secretary of the United Public Employees Union, announced to ‘Jana’ that steps will be taken to open this library for readers who are interested in studying Marxism and Sri Lanka’s leftist politics.

‘Neil Wijethilaka was an outstanding left-wing political figure of the past era. His knowledge of Marxist political practice is unique. His political life and trade union life are characters that everyone must follow in today’s left-wing politics.

He is a comrade who has strongly rejected coalitions with capitalist parties. When his first political movement started turning towards coalition politics, he and his colleagues initiated a new political movement by protecting the revolutionary qualities of that political movement. Accordingly, the Socialist People’s Forum was built with his efforts and guidance.

He believed the left-wing movement had reached an era where the political divisions in left-wing politics should be ended. For that, his political practice was directed. Comrade Neil believed that the time had come to end the socialist concept of one country, Trotskyism, Maoism, and these divisions in the left-wing movement. Comrade Chamil Jayaneththi, President of the Socialist People’s Forum, said in a short memorial speech about him.

Secretary of the Socialist People’s Forum Dharmasiri Lankapeli, Kamal Munaweera representing the Frontline Socialist Party, Kaluhatara Treasurer of the United Public Employees Union R. W. Dhanasiri, Organizing Secretary Nihal Ajith also spoke in remembrance of Comrade Neil.