People’s struggle and unions raise heat on embattled rulers
Sri Lankans are preparing for a massive people’s struggle of much greater intensity against the embattled government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Vast street protests are planned next week, leading to a hartal on May 6 if the government does not heed demands made in a symbolic, highly successful islandwide general strike, unions say.
Some Buddhist monks are also openly supporting the widespread people’s struggle.
“We have given the government seven days (starting from April 28) to take action. If President Rajapaksa does not meet expectations of the people’s struggle within these seven days, the country will see continuous trade union action,’’ Ravi Kumudesh, convenor of the Trade Union Coordinating Centre said.
This week, Colombo city, roads leading to Colombo, and all important towns experienced heavy traffic congestion.
Many people who went to seek public services, while being sympathetic to the mass protests, found themselves unable to get attention in government and semi-government institutions.
Among those demanding the President and the government resign, that the high cost of living be tamed, and that solutions be found for the economic and political crises, are unions and organisations representing ports, railways, health, education, banks, postal services, energy and utilities, labour and the plantation. Administrative services unions in government and semi government institutions also joined.
This week’s protests included women’s rights groups angered by the unbearable cost of living. Farmers and fishermen, too, took to streets expressing their anger over the lack of fertiliser and fuel.
Thousands of workers of free trade zones in Koggala, Katunayake, Biyagama, and Anuradhapura joined the people’s struggle. Protests led to traffic congestion in Averiwatte near the Bandaranaike International Airport forcing passengers to carry their luggage and walk to the departure terminal. Shops in many main towns, especially in the central province, were closed while economic centres record
ed a drop in business.
Chinthaka Bandara of the Postal Union said over 26,000 postal employees took part in the 24 hour strike.
Public transport barely functioned. Train commuters struggled to find alternatives.
“Many train commuters managed in the morning, but had a tough time finding transport back home after work on Thursday,” said G. Priyantha, who travels daily by train from Gampaha to Colombo.
Teachers and principals reported sick on Monday and joined the protest on Thursday. As a result school activity was brought to a halt.
“I didn’t send my children to school the whole week. With the fuel issue and traffic from protests it will be useless sending children to school when there are no teachers,” said Amali Udeshika, a mother of two from Homagama.
The Ceylon Teacher Services Union’s Mahinda Jayasinghe and Ceylon Teacher’s
Union’s Joseph Stalin said this week’s trade union action was very successful and if the president and the prime minister refuse to resign, unions will continue to strike.
The Federation of University Teachers’ Association is supporting the joint general strike.
Staff and students of state universities stepped out in solidarity.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s five-day protest march from Kandy will reach Colombo today. Supporters walked from Kandy to Mawanella, then to Galigamuwa, Danowita, Yakkala, Peliyagoda. Today, they will reach Campbell Park in Colombo. The protest march caused road traffic disruptions on the Colombo-Kandy Road.
The Private Bus Owners Association’s president Gemunu Wijeratne said about 30% buses operated during this week’s strike. Bus owners will join the May 6 hartal.