LANKA 11 sentenced to death Eleven political prisoners have been sentenced to be hanged. Hundreds of others are languishing in prison. Most of them are youth, accused and condemned for infractions relating to the so-called insurrection of April 1971. Thousands have been imprisoned for two, three, and even four years without ever being charged, on the pretext that they must be "rehabilitated" before being released. The great majority of these youth had simply attended political courses organized by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a revolutionary youth group. Many others, among them some young militants of the Tamil people, are still being detained without charge. Even the political prisoners who have been released are denied genuine liberty. As convicted criminals, they are subject to various restrictions and to constant police surveillance. And several political groups and organizations remain banned under the state of emergency -All this has been done in the name of "public security." Moreover, the witchhunt against government employees and workers in the state enterprises is going on unabated. The same is true for the trade unions that reject collaboration with the government, which suffer discrimination, especially in the institutions the government controls. It is under these conditions that the government of the Sri Lanka Freedom party, supported by the CP, is preparing to hold general elections. The government's main opposition in parliament, the United National party, acts in the same manner. There is a basic agreement between these two political formations of the capitalist class, the SLFP and the UNP, on the question of the repression of political activity and of the masses whenever capitalist domination is threatened. The Public Security Law, which allows the use of "emergency powers, " and other repressive legislation such as the Criminal Justice Commissions Bill, provide the legal base for these enterprises. We must demand: Save the lives of the political prisoners condemned to death! Free all politica prisoners! Lift all restrictions on the liberties of the political prisoners who have been released! Lift the ban on political organizations and groups! Stop the witchhunt and stop discrimination in all its forms!
MEXICO: 200,000 WORKERS