The following is from a message sent to the Sri Lankan president on May 9 on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Party.
"The Democratic Socialist Party of Australia strongly condemns the vicious police attack on the May Day march of the Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) in Colombo ...
"This cowardly attack on a workers march on the international day of workers solidarity by your government, a government that calls itself a "People's Alliance" government, must arouse deep feelings of shame and anger among trade unionists and socialists around the world.
"Unless your government quickly moves to apologise for this outrageous attack, it stands condemned as having nothing in common with the people, but everything in common with the bosses.
"We support the call for an independent inquiry into the attack, and urge that generous compensation be immediately granted to the thirty marchers who were injured, including some with broken limbs."