Communist Party Salutes Late Tissa Vitarana, Champion of Socialism The Communist Party of Sri Lanka has expressed its deepest condolences to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and the family of comrade Tissa Vitarana, the long-serving leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, following his passing.

In a statement, the Communist Party highlighted Comrade Vitarana’s decades-long contribution to Sri Lanka’s political life, noting his service both as a Member of Parliament and as a Government Minister. The late leader was recognised for promoting science and technology to support national production and development, as well as for seeking peaceful solutions to the country’s ethnic challenges.

Full text of the statement: The Communist Party of Sri Lanka expresses its deepest condolences to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and his family on the passing of comrade Tissa Vitarana, the leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.

It should be recalled here that Comrade Tissa Vitarana played a huge role in the political life of this country for several decades. We know that he fulfilled those responsibilities in a very humane and progressive manner, both as a Member of Parliament and as a Minister in the Government. He worked to introduce science and technology to contribute to the country’s production and development. He worked with dedication to find a solution to the ethnic problem in ways that could be agreed upon by all parties.

He was the leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party for several decades. As the first left-wing political party in Sri Lanka, he took unwavering positions while leading the Sama Samaja Party. His relentless criticism of the threats posed by the imperialists to the peaceful, independent and sovereign development of countries at the global level, and to South Asia through the Indo-Pacific strategy, caught the attention of the world community. A staunch ally of the socialist countries, Comrade Tissa Vitarana fought on many fronts to strengthen Sri Lanka’s friendship with those countries.

Pointing out that Sri Lanka was currently facing a crisis created by the neoliberal economic strategy, Comrade Tissa pointed out that it was necessary to work together with the global South to achieve economic sovereignty.

Comrade Tissa Vitarana and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka shared similar views on international and national political and economic developments, and our positions on that were similar. It should be recalled here that Comrade Tissa Vitarana led the Socialist Alliance, which was formed by the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party, the Democratic Left Front, the Sama Samaja Party and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka.

At this time when the leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Professor Tissa Vitarana, is no more, we express our commitment to firmly hold the flag of socialism that has fallen from his hands, together with the Sama Samaja Party, and to continue unwaveringly the struggle for a socialist social system.

On behalf of the entire membership of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka and all our friends, we salute you by flying the flag of our party at half-mast. May you Rest in Peace, dear Comrade Tissa.