Someday you’ll understand the blisters on my feet from walking miles with you in my arms, while you cried for me to put you down. You’ll understand why we were only having one meal a day and why the school van never came. You’ll understand why we couldn’t stay home, while others took to the streets.
Someday you’ll understand why I wrapped my arms around you to protect you from the howling winds instead of taking you home. You’ll understand why I could only give you water while we sat on the cold pavement with nothing to eat.
Someday you’ll understand why my heart was beating faster, holding you close as the police uncles surrounded us. Why I was shielding you from the people I had taught you were there to protect us. Someday you’ll understand my son that those shields and masks were to save themselves not us.
Someday you’ll understand why I lost my voice fighting for our country with you straddled to my hip. Someday you’ll understand the pain behind the loud cries of GO HOME GOTA keeping you awake as I tried to rock you to sleep.
Someday you’ll understand my son that I wasn’t fighting for me. I wasn’t fighting because I was hungry or cold or tired. I was fighting for my country, for my people and for you.
The following Action Plan articulates the supreme purpose archived by the historic Sri Lankan people’s uprising, launched on the demand that president Gotabaya Rajapakse and his entire brutal government resign with immediate effect; drafted with deep respect for the various views of the multitudes who have joined the people’s protest; held together through consensus but allowing for the right to disagree; created through the strength of solidarity, in the midst of multiple debates, arguments and conversations; drafted in the month of July in 2022, released to the public from the Galle Face Protest Site, for the purpose of bringing relief and peace of mind to all of the people of Sri Lanka.
GGG Demands
1. Gotabaya Rajapaksha must /should resign from the post of Executive President with immediate effect.
2. Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the Government including the Rajapakse regime must/should resign with immediate effect. (This includes all Cabinet, Non Cabinet, Deputy and Project Ministers, Secretaries, Directors and Consultants to Ministries, Presidents of State Institutions and Corporations, Ambassadors.)
3. Subsequent to the resignation of the Gota –Ranil Government, an interim Governance which subscribes to the economic, social and political aims and aspirations of the ‘peoples struggle/Janatha Aragalaya’ should be established. A Peoples Council which has legal standing , through which representatives of the ‘Janatha Aragalaya’ will be able to effectively engage and mediate with the Interim Governance should be established.
3.1 Frame an urgent short term course of action to provide relief to the people oppressed by the current economic crisis. Areas to be addressed:
a programme for the provision and distribution of essentials such as food, fuel, gas, and the provision of facilities such as education, health, public transport and energy.
Cancellation of Micro finance and Farmers debts.
Cancellation of Leasing and Small Enterprise debts or framing a methodology for long term repayment.
3.2 Release peaceful protestors who are currently under arrest, including all political prisoners. Ensure a process of justice for those who are victims of political intimidation and revenge.
3.3 A programme to provide justice to all families of victims of extra judicial killings and disappearances.
3.4 An investigation based on an audit, to recover all monies and assets stolen by the political regime and deal with all those guilty according to the law. Areas to be addressed:
The wealth acquired deviously by politicians.
Tax evasions of Corporates that make enormous profits.
Unethical profits earned by individuals and companies that received political patronage.
A complete revision of the current system of taxation (85.15) :
Revise the Tax policy In order to minimise the percentage of indirect taxation and increase the percentage of direct taxation, so that large Corporates and Businesses will be charged higher taxes under a serialised tax system.
4. Subsequent to the expulsion of GR from power, the following steps need to be taken until a new Constitution that affirms the power of the people is in place.
Reduction of the Executive powers of the President.
Just law for all
Strengthening democratic institution and wherever possible, a further democratisation of the existing constitution.
5. A new constitution that endorses people’s sovereignty to be established through a referendum as quickly as possible. Areas to be addressed:
The right to life to be recognised as a fundamental right.
The Executive Presidency to be abolished.
An appropriate process for a fair Election.
A process that provides the right to recall elected representatives who are not accountable to the people.
A process that enables the people to participate in making and amending the law.
Address the limitations in the current constitution on human rights and the rights of women and children and strengthen these rights.
Endorse the right of the people to education and health.
Take appropriate legal action against those responsible for violating the environment under the guise of development. To make following scientific approach mandatory when decisions regarding the environment are taken.
To eradicate racism and racial oppression. To strengthen the relevant legal foundations that affirm the equality of religion, language, sexuality, and other cultural identity as well as democracy and political freedom.
The right of the people to call for a referendum subject to the consent of a given percentage of registered voters.
6. The fundamental objective of the interim Governance is to implement the above proposals. It should function for a maximum period of a year during which time the new constitution should be should be passed.
Accordingly, clauses 3&4 above should be considered urgent requirements and should be implemented within a maximum period of 6 months.
Clause 5 should be implemented within a maximum period of 12 months
Until such time as all the above, the peoples Aragalaya will continue in new ways.
