Government is implementing IMF dictates. Salaries are cut while taxes have increased. Under the pretext of giving a pension to the private sector, the government is planning to rob from EPF and ETF accumulations. While people are thrown out from urban houses land is given to the rich. People are driven away from their traditional land made destitute.
by Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne
(April 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)We are happy to see that this May Day has become a day to challenge the Oppression of Mahinda state. Many strong trade unions have come together to challenge the chauvinist pro global capitalist government. Government is implementing IMF dictates. Salaries are cut while taxes have increased. Under the pretext of giving a pension to the private sector, the government is planning to rob from EPF and ETF accumulations. While people are thrown out from urban houses land is given to the rich. People are driven away from their traditional land made destitute. Even after two years Tamil people are displaced and miserable. Political prisoners are many a time not allowed even to see their kith and kin. Without what happened to the disappeared not even religious rites could be completed. Tradition and culture has become a prohibited subject. Autonomy for Tamil homeland is still a dream.
All these are done making use of emergency powers and the dictatorial presidential powers. In the mean time the government is using the Ban Ki Moon Report exposer of war crimes to arouse chauvinist feelings. Mahinda is preparing to make the May Day a blood thirsty chauvinist campaign day. Attempt is to blanket the real issues faced by the workers.
In that context the decision of powerful array of trade unions, to come out to challenge the government on workers and democratic issues is remarkable. We have decided to participate in this May Day and support it to make it massive success. We appeal to all our members and supporters and all progressive working people to rally round to defeat the attempt of the IMF led government to make the May Day, a chauvinist black day. All should come with respective trade union banners to Fort railway premises at 1 pm on May Day to march to Hyde Park to attend the rally at 4 pm.
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