JVP goes to Jaffna for procession and rally on May 1; Peratugami, CMU defiant
Several political parties and trade unions will go ahead with celebrations of May Day on Tuesday May 1 despite the Government's decision to postpone the celebrations and rallies for May 7.The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna ( JVP) will hold its rally at the Jaffna Municipal Council Grounds, a party spokesman said. He said that they would hold a procession and the rally but since it was being held in Jaffna, the party believed it would not disrupt any religious activities.
The JVP breakaway group Peratugami Pakshaya spokesman Pubudu Jagoda said the party would hold a procession and a meeting in Colombo on May 1. "We have not been allowed the use of any public grounds but we are determined to hold the march and a meeting on May 1st,” he vowed.
The Ceylon Mercantile Union ( CMU) also said it will hold its May Day Celebrations on May 1 at its headquarters in Colombo.
A spokesman said the CMU May Day meeting would centre on calling upon the Government to bring down the cost of living, stop privatisation and safeguard the EPF and ETF funds of the workers.
Colombo region Deputy Inspector General of Police L. S. Pathinayaka said that while there was a ban on processions and meetings on May 1, the Police would not disrupt the May Day celebrations it they did not disturb the Vesak celebrations.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a May Day message has expressed the hope that the working community would be able to achieve their full rights and help in the development of the country.
Opposition Leader R . Sampanthan in his May Day message appealed to all political parties to set aside political differences and join hands to resolve the root causes of the national question for the sake of the future of this country and the future generations.
“We need to work out a Constitution, the supreme law of the country, that treats all citizens equally with dignity and self- respect in order to enjoy lasting peace and economic prosperity. We have missed many opportunities in the past for fulfilling this great need of our motherland and we cannot afford to lose this opportunity,” he said.
While some political parties are defying the Government's decision to hold May Day on May 7 and going ahead with their May 1 rallies, a major international labour movement has also criticised the Government.
The Industrial ALL Global Union which represents 50 million workers in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors in 140 countries, including Sri Lanka, has written to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe calling on the Government to respect the democratic rights of the workers to celebrate May Day on May 1. “We are deeply dismayed to learn that your administration, without consulting the National Labour Advisory Council decid- ed unilaterally to postpone the commemoration of International Workers day on May 1 to May 7 under the pretext it would disturb the celebration for “Vesak week,” the Global Union said. It urged the President and the Premier to reverse the decision and grant permission for May Day rallies to be held in public parks on May 1.