The People’s Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna) which is considered the largest left movement in Sri Lanka, stated that the main political parties in Sri Lanka including the UNP and SLFP have no right to celebrate May Day since it belongs to the working class that is still suffering as a result of reckless decisions made by former governments and the current government.
Tissa Vitarana who is the General Secretary of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, said they joined hands with the Joint Opposition to celebrate May Day against the UNP-led government which he said is disregarding the real needs of workers while strengthening capitalism.
The General Secretary of Ceylon Mercantile Union (CMU) Sylvester Jayakody who was appointed to the post after the oldest trade unionist Bala Thampoe, said the rallies organised by the SLFP, UNP and the Joint Opposition on May Day, are not ‘May Day’ rallies. He said there will be no representation of the real working class but only by members of those political parties brought in buses to their rallies.Reply To:
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On May 1st in Sri Lanka, rallies scheduled to be held would comprise festivities, colourful pageants and processions. Regrettably however, the true meaning of this International Labour Day and its connection to the interests of workers appears to have been forgotten by many and instead attention focused elsewhere.
May Day is a day with deep historical roots. It grew out of the struggles of workers for the implementation of an eight-hour workday and better working conditions. It is to celebrate the achievements of the labour movement and also to win demands.
The first May Day demonstration was in Chicago in 1886, when 80,000 workers went on strike. It is said that the rally itself was peaceful with a large crowd. But, the police dispersed the participants of the rally. Violence erupted when a bomb was thrown by someone who has never been identified at the rally attended by innocent workers along with their families.
Eight workers were killed, while many were injured as a result of police action. Eight rebels were also arrested by the police and convicted of murder as a punishment, not for their actions, but for their social and political beliefs.
Demonstrations began all around the world to mark the Chicago incident and May 1st was accepted for an annual demonstration world wide.
On May 1st in Sri Lanka, rallies scheduled to be held would comprise festivities, colourful pageants and processions. Regrettably however, the true meaning of this International Labour Day and its connection to the interests of workers appears to have been forgotten by many and instead attention focused elsewhere.
Sri Lanka celebrated its first May Day in 1933 under the leadership and patronage of A.E. Goonesinha who as the founder of the Ceylon Labour Party. He was referred to as the “Father of the Labour Movement”.
The modern May Day has become politicised event that poses the question; ‘How are current Sri Lankan political party leaders hoping to protect the rights of workers?’
Consequently, the question whether the working class directly connected with May Day has been given due recognition in the programmes arranged for May Day celebrations in Sri Lanka.
Most of the May Day rallies organised by political parties are to be attended by party followers and voters making bona fide worker participants a minority.When workers cleaning some roads in Colombo were asked about May Day, it was clear they hardly knew what May Day was about. The reason may be because May Day is not celebrated in Sri Lanka meaningfully as a ‘workers’ day’ with worker participation in drawing attention to their needs. Instead, political parties make use of May Day to exhibit their political powers by gathering larger crowds to take part in their so-called May Day rallies that are in fact political rallies.
The hot topic these days are these political rallies scheduled to take place on May Day by the main political parties.
The divided SLFP with one group rubbing shoulders with the UNP and another group comprising hopefuls who were not given a position as a minister, or a deputy minister or state minister in government forming the other group. They have vowed not to leave the side of their former master, President Mahinda Rajapaksa. These two groups are holding two May Day celebration rallies; one in Galle and the other in Kirullapone.
This scenario has made people wonder whether both SLFP groups and the ruling UNP are holding the May Day rallies to commemorate the rebels who were killed in the Chicago demonstration, talk about workers’ rights and needs or just add muscle to their political agendas.
The ruling UNP stated that its May Day rally is dedicated to the workers of the country because ‘they are the ones who can pull the country out of its present debt trap’ inferring that that the country is dependent on the working class to solve the debt crisis.
If so, the question is ‘ Are the people responsible for this massive debt?’ Also what is the role of ‘capitalists’ in providing answers to the issue? And what are the commitments the President, Prime Minister, ministers, deputy ministers, state ministers and parliamentarians-government- have made to find answers to the country’s debts? Perhaps May Day speeches delivered by government representatives would be focused on that burning issue.
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May Day should be used to make a social revolution: JVP
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Our May Day will be an anti-UNP May Day: Lanka Sama Samaja Party
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UNP, SLFP, JO rallies are mere political rallies: Ceylon Mercantile Union
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e.weerapperuma Sunday, 01 May 2016 12:10 AM
As we claim, if the May Day is the Workers Day, then politics and politicians of all rank and file should be out. There was no politics or politicians involved when the workers in their large numbers went on parade demanding eight hour work day, in Chicago, 130 years ago. It was a just demand of the labour to treat them as human beings not as animals. They are not slaves but men with human dignity. We do not read that E.A. Gunasinghe's in 1927,May Day was politically motivated. But subsequently politicians entered to ` play their politics and grab power. The whole idea of workers getting together lost its meaning and it has turned out to be a game for the power crazy politicians. The sad fact is the labourers have not realized ‘why politicians take lead in May Day rallies’. Not for the love of workers. It is a showcase of power. The yahapalanaya leaders lost a great opportunity. They should have come on to one stage for the sake of the workers putting aside their politics. (ewee)
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