BY Dinitha Rathnayake
A multi-sectoral islandwide hartal-cum-strike protest campaign with the expected participation of over 1,000 trade unions (TUs) is to be conducted on Thursday (14) if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa does not step down as promised tomorrow (13).
The National Trade Union Co-ordinating Centre (TUCC) warned that if President Rajapaksa and the Government do not step down tomorrow, an islandwide hartal will be conducted. TUCC Co-Convener Wasantha Samarasinghe, speaking to the media, said that if the President has not resigned by the dawning of 14 July, the entire country will come to a standstill due to the hartal. He added that hospitals, ports, banks, and transportation will be gravely affected.
Speaking to The Morning, representing the TUCC, Academy of Health Professionals President Ravi Kumudesh said that more than 400 TUs are expected to participate in the hartal, noting: “Unions representing the health, postal, railway, ports, electricity, and water supply sectors would be participating in the hartal and strike action on 14 July if President Rajapaksa does not step down.” According to Kumudesh, Colombo would be the centre of the islandwide trade union action.
Meanwhile, in a letter to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, leaders of all political parties, and MPs, Kumudesh said: “It is reported to us through unofficial sources that military action is being planned to forcibly evacuate the protestors from the protest site (Galle Face Green) and related locations.
“If that happens, it would be the beginning of the worst tragedy in Sri Lanka. The expected leadership could not be seen from you to solve the current crisis in the country within the Constitutional framework, which is crucial in order to avoid such a bad situation. Therefore, we request your prompt intervention on preventing the country from being pushed into a terrible tragedy.”
The letter also requested the Speaker to convene Parliament immediately; assume the office of the President for a short period of time, as soon as possible, until an interim President is elected by Parliament; take all Constitutional steps to hand over the power to an interim all-party Government convened with a Prime Minister (PM) having the majority support in Parliament; and formulate a time-bound roadmap for the interim Government to resolve critical economic issues and to restore normalcy until the General Election.
Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin, speaking to The Morning, said that all unions in the education sector would participate in the hartal and strike action on Thursday if the President does not step down. “We convey our support under the organisation called ‘Trade Unions and Bahujana Sanvidana Ekamuthuwa (Collective of Peoples’ Organisations) against Government suppression’.”
Further, Lanka Postal Services Association Chairman Jagath Mahinda also said that all senior and junior officers would participate in the hartal under the TUCC and the Ekabadda Janatha Viyaparaya (United People’s Movement).
“More than 1,000 trade unions are expected to participate in the union action,“ he claimed, speaking to The Morning.
General Railway Station Masters’ Union General Secretary Kasun Chamara Jayasekera, speaking to The Morning, said that they would also extend their support to the union action.
“We actually supported throughout this process where even on 9 July, we operated trains despite the Police curfew,” he said.
All-Ceylon Transport Workers’ Union General Secretary Sepala Liyanage, speaking to The Morning, also said that they would support the strike.
Government Medical Professionals’ Association President Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe said that they would take a decision on trade union action after analysing the situation today (12).
“We are currently analysing the situation and will come to a conclusion. If an all-party Government is formed, there would be no need for a trade union action,” he said.