Sri Lanka’s Socialist Equality Party (SEP) convened its Fourth National Congress in Colombo from September 11 to 13, 2025, addressing what party leaders framed as an intensifying crisis of global capitalism and the domestic austerity policies of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and National People’s Power (NPP) government.
Global Imperialist Conflict and Domestic Austerity
Jayasekara pointed to intersecting geopolitical conflicts, including the NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, the United States and Israeli military actions in Gaza, and ongoing confrontations in the Indo-Pacific, describing them as front lines of an interconnected imperialist crisis. Domestically, the SEP leadership argued that the JVP-led administration has fully embraced the economic austerity measures imposed by the government, and strengthened state security apparatuses, despite historical opposition rhetoric.
According to the SEP, the ruling party’s evolution stems from its petty-bourgeois and Sinhala-chauvinist origins rather than any genuine break with Marxism. Party reports noted that the JVP’s current trajectory confirms historical warnings issued decades ago by party founders regarding the subordination of the working class to capitalist interests during periods of intense social upheaval.
Lessons from the 2022 Mass Uprising
The congress heavily emphasized the political lessons of Sri Lanka’s July 2022 mass uprising, which forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from power. Party speakers analyzed how the absence of an independent revolutionary leadership allowed trade union bureaucracies and middle-class pseudo-left groups to channel popular anger back into the parliamentary capitalist framework.
International Solidarity and Leadership Elections
David North, national chairman of the SEP in the United States and chairman of the World Socialist Web Site, addressed the congress virtually. North highlighted the rise of far-right and neo-fascist political movements in Europe and North America—such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the National Rally in France—as evidence of the decay of the capitalist system. He also reiterated the ongoing international campaign demanding the release of Bogdan Syrotiuk, an activist imprisoned in Ukraine.
Written greetings from International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) sections in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Turkey were also submitted to the delegates.
Key Takeaways
- Congress Dates: The SEP Fourth National Congress took place in Colombo from September 11 to 13, 2025.
- Core Evaluation: The party assessed that the current JVP/NPP administration implements economic austerity and strengthens police-state methods.
- International Focus: Speeches and resolutions linked domestic economic policies directly to global imperialist war preparations and the rise of international right-wing movements.
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