It takes raw courage to be a Sri Lankan socialist willing to stand up at home and abroad for the right of Tamils to self determination. As our comrade Bahu (Vickramabahu Karunaratne) says in this incredibly powerful speech, more than a thousand Sinhala supporters of Tamil rights have been murdered by the same government which was so warmly welcomed by Liam Fox last week in London.

Bahu was in England last week and we’ll shortly be posting a video of a meeting he did for Socialist Resistance in London. On his return home he was attacked by a group of people who had the active support of the police. The comment from Lakshman Hullugalle, the Director General of Media Centre for National Security sounds like an unsubtle death threat in a country where the state murders with impunity. This report is from the BBC’s Sinhala service.

Supporters of the General Secretary of the Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP), Vickramabahu Karunaratne and some journalists were attacked at the Colombo airport by a mob while the police were looking on.

MTV Katunayaka correspondant Prema Lal and Lankaenews journalist Shantha Wijesuriya who went to cover Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna’s arrival from the UK have been assaulted.

Activists attacked

NSSP party members, Journalists, trade union leaders, lawyers and human rights activists were among the victims of the attack.

Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna who returned to Sri Lanka after a visit to the UK accuse deputy minister for ports and aviation Sarath Kumara Gunaratne for organising the attack.

During his visit, the NSSP General Secretary addressed several public meetings. He was one of the main speakers at the Tamil remembrance day 2010 held on 27th of November.

Bahu to be investigated

The government of Sri Lanka has accused Dr. Karunaratne and opposition parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena of organising the protests in London in collusion with Tamil Tiger supporters.

Lakshman Hullugalle, the Director General of Media Centre for National Security who said that it is too early to name suspects alleged that the attack was instigated by people who were discontented by Dr. Karunaratne’s anti government activities in the United Kingdom.

"Dr. Jayalath Jayawardhana and Vickramabahu, both will be investigated and will be taken in to custody if necessary for their anti government activities abroad", said Lakshman Hullugalle.