The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka are garnering increasing support among laborers, students, and young people for their imminent public forums against the U.S. and Israel’s hostile actions toward Iran. They have planned two public assemblies under the title ‘Stand Against the U.S.-Israel Conflict with Iran’: a virtual gathering via Zoom on the evening of July 6, and a physical event at Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna on July 8. SEP and the IYSSE have been active in campaigns at educational institutions, workplaces, including Free Trade Zones and residential locales, distributing voluminous notices of the meeting both in Sinhala and Tamil, together with articles from the World Socialist Web Site.
The world watched with horror, including Sri Lankans, as the U.S. launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 23, an event widely shared on television and social platforms. The unauthorized strike was an unabashed encroachment of Iranian autonomy, nudging the Middle East to verge on an all-out war. U.S. President Donald Trump, embarking on an increasingly autocratic path, further asserted Washington’s commitment to overthrow the Tehran regime and install a pro-American vassal state.
Amid the U.S.’s continuous backing and arming of Israel’s ruthless conflict in Gaza, including attempts to assert dominance throughout the region, the world watches an impending international disaster. A global anti-war initiative that pivots on socialist principles and driven by the working class is more pressing than ever. This urgency resonated greatly with those reached by the IYSSE campaigners at Colombo University.
Throughout their campaigning, IYSSE members encountered common apprehension around the escalating conflict. Almost every person expressed strong animosity toward the U.S.’s and Israel’s aggressive operations in the Middle East. Yet these discussions also uncovered significant misinformation and misconceptions, often fuelled by capitalist media and pseudo-left parties. In many instances, these lead to meaningful and educational political dialogues.
In the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, a woman worker from Noratel, a factory manufacturing transformers, power supplies, and inductors for exports, voiced her fears around the perils of worldwide conflict. She harshly criticized the Israeli incursions in the Gaza Strip, uttering, ‘Israel seeks to wipe out the Palestinian population and assume control of Gaza. America aids them in this attempt,’ she explained. She also censured mainstream media, arguing that it fails to offer sufficient insights to understand the conflict.
The Noratel employee further hinted at Washington’s strategic priorities, remarking, ‘The U.S., being the world’s most powerful nation, seeks to sustain control over the Palestinian territory through Israel.’ She went on to say, ‘America manufacturers copious amounts of war equipment. It seems to me they aim to obliterate nations to ramp up their sales.’ In response, campaigners clarified that while defence manufacturers do amass immense profit, U.S. imperialism’s primary objective is to uphold its global supremacy.
A worker from Michelin who was victimized for participating in a struggle for job security, named Seneviratne, voiced his thoughts regarding the U.S.-Israeli aggression: ‘If this global conflict erupts, the impact on us will be significant. It’s vital we act to prevent war.’ Seneviratne affirmed the SEP’s analysis of the conflict with Iran and vowed to attend the Sunday assembly.
Janaka, an employee at the railway workshop in Ratmalana, expressed his disapproval of the U.S. and Israel’s bombing of Iran: ‘These attacks are the U.S.’s means of asserting its worldwide hegemony and intimidating its main competitors, China, and Russia. Unfortunately, these powers seem to disregard human lives when it comes to their economic and other objectives. The situation is chilling; I fear it may escalate to a third world war.’
Although this new government came to power as pro-people, it is really no different from others, causing Janaka to question: ‘Should we simply vote for another government with new faces? Can any government function independently of the IMF?’ He was told that the strategy to combat the IMF should center on leveraging the revolutionary power of the working class, both locally and globally, to topple capitalist rule and prevent an imperialist war and genocide.
After the discussions, Janaka confirmed his participation in Sunday’s online meeting. Moreover, another railway staff member, Kapila Kumara, joined the discussion: ‘War is a severe problem for the world and developing nations such as ours. These powers are merciless in their assaults on the Middle East. It appears that U.S. attacks arise out of desperation to control oil. These powers disregard the implications on other nations and their economies, resulting in us becoming victims.’
Suranga, a worker at the Ratmalana railway factory, strongly agreed with the SEP’s call for a socialist-based international anti-war initiative. He was firmly against the U.S. and Israeli aggression, saying: ‘From what I’ve read, Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons. But these world powers use the alleged Iranian nuclear threat to hide their genuine intentions for war. The real culprits are these powers themselves, who are wielding nuclear weapons. We’ve seen their misuse in Japanese cities.’
Suranga also critiqued the Sri Lankan government’s lack of opposition concerning the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran; he dismissed it as a ‘sham.’ He concluded that the defense of Iran and its marginalized citizens against imperialist aggression was necessary, regardless of the existing regime’s religious reactionary nature.