Legendary Trotskyist Wije Dias no more

Socialist Equality Party’s (SEP) Chairperson Wije Dias died of a severe heart attack on Wednesday at the age of 81 . Mr. Dias was a member of the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site WSWS.org, the global publication of the ICFI. 

SEP is the Sri Lankan section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), the world party of the working class and of the international socialist revolution

SEP is the successor to the Revolutionary Communist League (RCL), which was founded in 1968 by a group of youth including Dias and Keerthi Balasuriya, who was its founding General Secretary. Mr Dias was elected to be the General Secretary of the Party after the untimely and tragic death of Balasuriya in December 1987. He was elected to the newly formed post of party Chairperson in the Third National Congress of the SEP that was held last May. 

Referring to Mr Dias, ICFI’s Chairperson David North stated, "Wije’s life encompasses virtually the entire history of the International Committee of the Fourth International". 

Issuing a statement, SEP's General Secretary, Deepal Jayasekera, stated, “His loss is particularly felt amid this unprecedented economic, political and social crisis in Sri Lanka. However, his powerful political legacy lives on in the cadre of the SEP and political work of the ICFI which continue his lifelong struggle for a socialist future for humanity". 

Dias' remains lie at ‘Jayaratne Respect Home’, Kanatta Road in Borella for last respects from 9 a.m. till Saturday, 30 July. Cortege leaves ‘Jayaratne Respect Home’ at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday 30 July for Borella Cemetery. ‘Funeral gathering’ will be at 3 p.m. and cremation is scheduled at 5 p.m