By M Soori which WAVE sweeping Sri Lanka. Hundreds movement of workers have been detained, Only scores of trade union offices closed down, and a series of be anti-democratic laws invoked.
This is the response of the United National Party government, headed Jayawardene, to a strike called Britain. by twelve major unions last month. It comes as no surprise twine ar learn that takes as his model the regimes in South Korea, Singapore and The confrontation began in March with the holding of a 4,000 strong ference organised by the Joint Trade Union Action Committee (formed in tacks on the unions). ference drew up demands government.
Thugs A focus of the campaign around these demands was a national day June. But the government had not been idle. yet risk a frontal assault on the unions. Instead its thugs laid into a small group of pickets with knives, clubs and bombs. worker, Jayawardene's of repression is Railway government pected resistance. by those victimised.
Jayawardene asked for a pay rise rupees Wing index.
delegate conthe government.
to resist atThe cona ust of 24 put of their.
fightback.
was widespread, or action on strike.
It could not as took part in coalition that preceded UNP government) comrade Somapala, died in this attack:
was to victimise a number of employees had taken part in the protest Among them were a group of workers from the Ratmalana Workshop. But the met unexOn 8 July all the railworkers at Ratmalana went on strike for the immediate reinstatement of They also of 300 point increase in the cost of livThis was a milestone in the struggle. Public sector workers have been a particular target of Special laws have been passed limiting their right to strike, and the threat of mass sackings and confiscation property been headed repeatedly used against them. This was the first significant COLLEC Support for the railworkers This led to calls for an immediate general These were mainly advanced by unions led by the LSSP (an ex-Trotskyist party which the bourgeois the government; and the NSSP (a left-wing breakaway about the of J.R JAYAWARDENE from the LSSP which identifies with the Militant group in Britain). They were backed up by unions led by the Communist by Party and the SLFP (the party minister Mrs Bandaranaike). former prime strike.
However the Ceylon MerUnion, the Bank Workers Union, and the Estate Staff Union opposed an im- oI the mediate strike on the grounds that it would lead to a disaster unless it was properly prepared. Lanka These divisions within the Union working class movement only strengthened the hand of the and and the strike movement ended in defeat. As a result, international solidarity is urgently needed to roll back the repression.
The Tories, for all their talk tree in Poland, are right behind the regime in Sri Lanka. That's not surprising, because aim of Jayawardene's repression is to provide cheap, docile workforce for imperialist capital. In recognition of this the Tories agreed last year to write off Sri Lanka's foreign debts.
Solidarity International labour movement solidarity can help to weaken the worldwide network imperialist repression which the Sri Lankan workers. are caught. Workers organisa tions are asked to support the following demands:
*Reinstatement of ~the" thousands of workers sackedthe government TOI the crime of exercising their right to *Release of all workers and union leaders who have been - including Gunasena Mahanama (general secretary Government Clerical Service Union), Alavi Maulana (genetal secretary of the Sri Independent Trades Federation), and comrades Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
Wickremabahu (leading members of the NSSP).
*Repeal of all repressive, legislation.
Challenge