Two injured during teachers’ protest: Union alleges protesters were attacked with garbage

The Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union today said two of their members were injured during the protest held in front of the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, when the police attempted to disperse them by using water cannons and tear gas.

Union Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe told the Daily Mirror that they gathered at the Ministry not to create any tense situations but to talk with the Education Ministry Secretary.

We held a peaceful protest and later some persons from the ministry hit us with garbage parcels.

“We did not come there to fight with the ministry officials, later the police had used water cannons and tear gas to disperse us. They also baton-charged us. During the incident, Weligama and Matugama zonal education organisers were injured and rushed to the National Hospital

Hospital sources said that one teacher was admitted with minor injuries to his head after being hit by a canister and the other was admitted for hearing problems after he was hit by water cannons.

“We demanded the Ministry Secretary to come forward and make a statement over our demands. We also requested him to let us inside the Ministry and hold a discussion peacefully,” Mr Jayasinghe said.

“We received garbage parcels as answers to our demands. We suspect the garbage parcels were thrown by some henchmen sent by the Minister,” he said.

Education Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanne said he was not aware of the incident as he was in parliament attending to some ministerial work.

He said he had come to know about the incident as soon as he came to his office and by that time all had happened.

“I have heard about throwing garbage bags to the protesters. I told them to brief me over the incident immediately,” Mr Jayamanne said.

Police said the road in front of the Education Ministry had been blocked both ways to the during the protest. Motorists were advised to use alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion.

The protest, launched by the Ceylon Teachers Services Union (CTSU) and the Principal Services Union in front of the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Battaramulla this morning, demanded the Government to resolve salary anomalies and to pay the arrears. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)