Former member of parliament and veteran left-winger, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, on behalf of the Union of Anti-Imperialist Democratic Organisations of Sri Lanka, has requested top level decision-makers from the government and the World Bank to enter into a public debate on the role of the government in implementing the policies of the World Bank and their impact on the lives and livelihood of the majority of direct producers and the poor and marginalized sectors of society.

In an open letter, addressed to the Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, and Mariana Todorova, Resident Representative of the World Bank, Nanayakkara has stressed that "such a debate has become critical because these policies have brought the economy to the brink of disaster and robbed the people of their sovereignty," and has pointed out that "the current issue on water rights and management is at the centre of the issue".

Nanayakkara further states that "the people demand that there be an open debate on this general issue since both the government and the World Bank must be publicly held accountable for these policies and their impact on the country and the people." He holds that this issue is at the core of safeguarding and upholding the sovereign right of the people to be made aware and take part in the decisions that affect their lives and their future.

The Union of Anti-Imperialist Democratic Organisations also pledge to build a nationwide people’s campaign to achieve this fundamental democratic right of popular sovereignty and urges both the Prime Minister and the Resident Representative to respond positively to this request.