'Estate workers should rally round President'

P. Rajaratnam Nuwara Eliya Corr.

"Had socialism with genuine socialists existed in the conflict districts of the North and East, the present communal and racial tendencies should not have raised their ugly heads, and even at this late stage socialism should be promoted in these areas," said O. A. Ramiah, Secretary General of the J.P.T.U.C. and Red Flag Union, when he addressed the joint May Day celebrations held at Nuwara Eliya under the chairmanship of A. P. Kanapathipillay, Attorney-at-Law and President of the United Plantation Workers Union.

A large number of delegates participated in the May Day at the Nuwara Eliya Co-operative Hotel Hall. Ramiah, continuing, deplored the successive governments in the country for the present state of affairs among the different communities and particularly the appalling conditions of the plantation workers mainly due to the disunity among the so-called trade union leadership. He added that it was time awareness was created among the different communities were of a progressive economic stability of the nation and its masses.

He regretted that the entire country rallied during a major landslide or a tsunami in the country, but no one was bothered about the sufferings of the larger section of the people in the North and East on account of the LTTE adversities, and how the people there suffered both mentally and physically.

S. Mohan of the United Workers' Congress, took to task CWC's Arumugan Thondaman and Chandrasekaran of the Upcountry Workers Front, who both who held flags for the LTTE's Prabhakaran. He called upon the estate workers to rally round the progressive forces and fight for their rights.

T. G. Tillakasiri, President's Advisor, and member of the NSSP, who dealt at length of the political situation in the country, said that the working class should be proud to have a President of the stature of Mahinda Rajapaksa who understands the plight of the working class and the population. Hence, it was imperative for the estate to support his government and the leadership to win their rights and unite all communities irrespective of class barriers.

A.P. Kanapathipillay, spoke on the globalisation, and its economic effects, and added that so far it has not brought in any adverse effects on the plantation workers in the hill country, but there was uncertainty in the coming months.

Therefore, the workers should be geared for such eventualities.