Proliferating protests put President's policies to the test
Cabinet spokesman says demands can't be met until proper budget is presented
The wave of protests which the previous Government struggled to deal with is continuing under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, too, with opposition critics claiming that it reflects the rising public discontent with his policies.
According to figures provided by police, there have been 38 public protests in Colombo alone from January 1 to February 11 this year. By Friday, that number had increased to nearly 50.
Government politicians say they will not be able to resolve many of the issues the protesters raise until a proper Budget is presented after the general elections.
The Government, meanwhile, in a bid to minimise public inconvenience, has designated a site opposite the Presidential Secretariat for protests. This so-called “Agitation Site” now attracts a large number of protesters, though protests also continue to be held elsewhere.
Despite the large number of protests, there have been no major clashes between protesters and police, unlike in previous years. The Government claims police have been instructed to exercise maximum restraint when dealing with protesters.
On Friday, there were about half a dozen protests at the Agitation Site and elsewhere in Colombo. The Archaeological Employees’ Union, employees from the Debt Recovery Section of Sri Lanka Telecom and depositors of the Finance Company (TFC) were among those who protested opposite the Presidential Secretariat, while teacher unions held a protest opposite the Fort Railway Station. Relatives of the missing people, meanwhile, marched to Temple Trees from Viharamahadevi Park.
Drawing much media and public attention were protests launched by those have lost their government jobs after the new government came to office. They were recruited on contract basis during the previous Government but their contracts were not extended by the new government.
Among them were All-Island Dengue Prevention Assistants’ Union members. When they were at the Agitation Site, they had a surprise visitor – President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The protesters dispersed after the President told them that they would be given permanent employment under the Government’s programme to provide jobs to 100,000 people.
On Friday, the Sunday Times spoke to another such group of protesters who claim their services at the Archaeology Department had been unfairly terminated. The protesters have been camping out at the agitation site since Monday after they united under a new union – the Archaeological Employees’ Union.
Their spokesman Dhammika Sampath explained that their services had been terminated from January 31. They were recruited to the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) on a contract basis in November 2017 for a one year. These contracts were later extended by the previous Government on the understanding that the employees would be absorbed into the Archaeology Department as permanent employees when vacancies occurred. This, however, did not happen as the new Government decided to terminate their services at the end of January.
“This is completely unjust as the Archaeology Department has already gazetted 1,865 vacancies. These include 1000 vacancies for watchers and 865 for archaeology assistants. We have been serving the department indirectly for more than two years as contract workers of the CCF. We have looked after valuable heritage sites that are part of our history,” the spokesman said.
Sampath and nine others launched a fast-unto-death at the agitation site after they did not receive a positive response from the Government. Two of those who took part required hospital treatment. One was later discharged, but the other was still in hospital on Friday. The fast and the protest, though, were officially called off on Friday afternoon after representatives of the protesters met President
Rajapaksa’s Private Secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara.
Mr Sampath said Mr. Bandara had assured the protesters that a section of them would be absorbed into the Archaeology Department by next Thursday. “If this does not happen, we are prepared to take far more stringent action,” he warned.
The United National Party (UNP) claims protests have increased due to the current Government’s moves to sack employees legally recruited into the Government service.
“We have seen protests by employees who were kicked out from the Central Cultural Fund, the Sri Lanka Transport Board, Samurdhi Authority, Railways and many others in recent weeks. The Government has also decided to halt wage hikes that we approved and has also gone and stopped the pension increase we approved for 580,000 pensioners. All this shows the Government’s incompetence and mismanagement of the economy. No wonder people are protesting,” said UNP Parliamentarian J.C. Alawathuwala.
Co-Cabinet spokesman and Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena, though, attributed the increase in protests to the freedom they enjoyed now. “The people no longer feared being attacked if they protested.”
“We saw how the previous Government responded to protests: with tear gas and baton charges. Have you seen any such incident under our government?” he asked.
Mr Gunawardena acknowledged the large number of protests by those who have lost their jobs. But he claimed most of them had been recruited without following the proper process. “Because of the previous Government’s actions, we are now encountering legal issues with regard to salaries, transfers and promotions.”
The minister argued it was unfair for protesters to expect a Government that will be in power for only a few months to resolve all these problems. “We only have a Vote on Account to cover the period until the general elections which are just weeks away. We will need to present a proper Budget to resolve these issues and that can only happen after the election,” he said.
Despite the large number of protests, there have been no major clashes between protesters and police, unlike in previous years. The Government claims police have been instructed to exercise maximum restraint when dealing with protesters.