News
TUs threaten continuous strike unless President, govt. resign immediately
Yesterday’s strike launched by over 1,000 trade unions demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Cabinet of Ministers brought the country to a standstill.
Unionists also gathered in several locations in Colombo and marched to Gota Go Gama (GGG). They said President Rajapaksa and the Cabinet must resign within one week. If they did not comply, the warring unions would launch an indefinite strike from 06 May, they warned.
Ravi Kumudesh of the Collective of Trade Unions and Mass Organisations said that unions had sunk their differences and come together to demand the resignation of the President and the Cabinet.
“The government doesn’t command the confidence of public servants, private sector workers and others. It is obvious when you look at the crowds. The country has come to a standstill. Its time they went home,” he said.
Wasantha Samarasinghe, Executive Committee member of Jathika Jana Balawegaya said that the Rajapaksas must go home immediately before the people chased them away.
“They have bankrupted the country and now they are making the recovery difficult. President and the Cabinet must resign and let the people decide,” he said.
Meanwhile, only a handful of trains operated and fewer than 50% of private buses were seen on the road. “There weren’t many commuters,” Lanka Private Bus Operators Association (LPBOA) head Gemunu Wijerathne said.
Gamini Senevirathne, Deputy General manager of the Railway Department said that they were planning to operate the trains but on Wednesday night most railway unions had informed him that their members would not report for duty. “So, we couldn’t operate the trains,” he said.
Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary, Joseph Stalin said that most schools in the country had been closed as teachers and principals did not report for duty.
“All teachers and principals didn’t report for duty. We have shown that the government sector as well as the private sector is opposed to the government. If the government insists on staying, we will have to carry out a continuous strike,” he said.
State institutions across the country were closed. Over 5,000 workers of the Katunayaka Export Processing Zone too held a demonstration opposite the Evariwatte Road. Thousands of workers from the Watupitiwala Export Processing Zone marched to the Nittambuwa Junction in solidarity with the unions.
Estate sector workers too joined the strike.
In line with the forthcoming 75th Army Anniversary (10 October) a solemn ceremony was held on 7th October 2024 at the Battaramulla War Heroes’ Monument (Ranaviru Smarakaya) to pay tribute to the heroic sacrifices of the nation’s fallen War Heroes.
The Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, presided over the ceremony as the Chief Guest, lending a significant sense of respect and prominence to the occasion. The event commenced with singing the National Anthem, followed by a two-minute silence observed in honour of the nation’s fallen patriots.
Thereafter, the Chief Guest, accompanied by several Senior Officers and Colonels of all regiments of the Sri Lanka Army laid floral wreaths and saluted paying a solemn tribute to the fallen War Heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sovereignty of the nation.
Former MPs not entitled to police protection
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There are laws and regualations stipulating the level of security to be provided to Presidents, former Presidents, Ministers, and MPs, but in the past they were given more security, Cabinet spokesman, Minister Vijitha Herath has said.
“According to the law, a person is not entitled to police protection after ceasing to be an MP. But previous governments allowed former MPs to retain their security in violation of laws and regulations,” Minister Herath said yesterday.
“In the future, intelligence services will conduct a threat assessment, and special security will be provided only to those facing security threats, Minister Herath said, stressing that elected representatives should be treated equally.
“The Ministry of Defence has also requested VIPs to return the weapons and ammunition issued to them. This does not mean the Ministry will retain these weapons indefinitely; they will be returned after a thorough assessment of threats and proper documentation,” he added .
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sri Lanka had authorised a Chinese military training vessel to arrive, Cabinet Spokesman, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said yesterday.
Herath said the Chinese vessel was no threat to anyone’s national security and Indian, German and US warships had docked in Sri Lankan ports.
Asked by a journalist whether there would be a change in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, Herath said that the NPP treated every country equally.
“We will not treat anyone more favourably than others. This is the basis of the non-aligned policy,” he said, noting that they had no problem with any country supporting Sri Lanka in a way that does not harm the country’s national interests.
Herath said that a senior US military official would visit Sri Lanka on Thursday (10) and the US was to present a naval vessel to the Sri Lanka Navy.
“National interest is our priority and based on that we will engage with everyone,” he said.
Herath added that they had prepared a list of relatives, and associates of politicians who had been appointed to various Sri Lankan missions. The list would be published soon, he said.
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