We Will Attract A Larger Gathering Than We Witnessed At Hyde Park – Prasanna Ranatunga

By Camelia Nathaniel

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q. Although May Day is all about the working masses and their struggle for winning their rights, today we see a highly politicised May Day. Why?

A. Not only in this era, but since the past, May Day has been politicised. This is because most of these labour forces in our country have been formed with some political background and backing. There are no organisation solely dedicated to uplift the welfare of the working class, and workers cannot stand up themselves as a single unity to win their rights. So, to realize their goals, the opposition parties exploit the labourers.

On May Days, the governing party organises musical shows and other fun activities to attract the working class. This has been the situation for many years in our country.

 

Q. Workers claim that the government has failed in addressing the public and labour issues. What is your view on this claim?

A. This government has failed the working class miserably. Today, only the joint opposition represents the labour force in this country. The government has failed to deliver so far what they promised. Instead they slashed privileges of the State service employees.

Private sector workers receive certain incentives and privileges, so they are more productive in this competitive environment. But, State sector employees are deprived of these privileges and forced to work as slaves. This government has done away with the pensions of government servants.

In this manner, the rulers provide privileges only to the private sector and its progress is evident very much more than that of the State sector. The government also slashed the motorcycle allowance that they promised to government servants, and they did not receive even promised Rs. 10,000 but only 2500 of that amount.

 

Q. The gap between income and expenditure is widening as the cost of living is rising. Where has this government failed?

A. They promised to raise salaries of the public and private sectors, but they are yet to honour that promise. So, the ordinary man’s buying power has dramatically decreased.

On the other hand, rising taxes resulted in increasing prices of goods heavily. Against this backdrop, people buy less or opt to buy cheap goods. Ordinary workers cannot bear the rising cost of living. Today people, especially workers, can afford to have only one meal per day.

So, there is no point in running behind the ruling party because they only want this May Day to be a crowd pulling event. The working masses, therefore, should rally round the opposition in order to give voice to their issues and force the government to deliver on the promises they made to the people. The joint opposition is the only group that has power to fight for the workers’ rights. So, they should join hands with us to win their rights.

 

Q.  The government has threatened SLFP members saying that disciplinary action will be taken against those who attend joint opposition rallies. Do you think this will have an impact on the turnout for the joint opposition May Day rally?

A. No, certainly not. In fact, the turnout will be much higher. The government is scared of the joint opposition. They try hard to prevent publicity and to frighten the people in order to alienate them from our rally. That is why they take steps to prevent us from calling ourselves the joint opposition.

Today, everyone is talking about the Joint Opposition rally at Kirulapone. The government is scared that our turnout will be much higher than theirs.

That is why they try to prevent the crowds from attending our rally by imposing all sorts of rules and threats. But the threats will not work because the people will rally behind Mahinda Rajapaksa to fight against this government of liars and cheaters.

 

Q. Some speculate that there could be a rift in the joint opposition, is this true?

A. All that the government is not doing is to talk about the joint opposition because they fear us. So, let’s wait and see what happens at the May Day rally. Then the people can decide for themselves if this claim of the government has any ground.

 

Q. Many of the trade unions, especially in the government sector, have split up because of their political affiliations. The government, too, only grants privileges to their loyalties in unions. Is this a way of punishing those who oppose the government?

A. Today the government is imposing so many regulations to make the crowds attend their Galle rally. Employees of Rakna Lanka organisation were yet to be given their bonuses. The director has told the workers that they will give the bonus only to those who attend the government May Day rally.

Chairman of the Western Province Road Development Authority is going to every branch these days and telling them to get the names of all those who do not attend the government May Day rally. These workers complain to us about this development because they fear that they would lose their jobs if they did not surrender to the orders.

The May Day is the day of the working masses. But the government is pressurising and harrassing them on the eve of their day.

 

Q. The previous Rajapaksa regime was heavily criticised for using force against protesters, especially against university students. Do you see this trend under this government as well?

A. Today the violence against them is even higher. This government found fault with us that we had allocated all the busses for our rally. Now they have taken all the SLTB busses for their rally.

They repressed protectors because they are worried that the people would rise up against them. This government is full of hypocrites.

 

Q.  The SLFP has removed certain party organisers. Why?

A. Anyone who supports the President and the Prime Minister can survive. That is what I witness at present.

‘You scratch my back and I scratch yours’ is their game now. Their survival depends on that strategy. So, they remove anyone who holds a differing view and who tries to dilute the SLFP.

Survival of the UNP depends on the dilution of the SLFP.

They are talking about an increase in women’s representatives, but they are now removing even those few females in the party. This is a plot to dilute the SLFP, nothing else.