May Day rallies:

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its constituent partners have made arrangements to conduct its May Day rally at Cambel Park, Borella on a grand scale under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The theme of this year's May Day rally "Rata Nagana Mai Rella" has centred the Government's national development goals. SLFP expects that nearly one million people will attend this year's May Day rally which is scheduled to be commenced at Cambel Park, Borella on May 1 at 4.00 pm, a spokesman of the SLFP May Day rally Organising Committee told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said SLFP May Day procession will commence opposite Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre at 1.00 pm. It will parade via C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha, Lipton Circus, Deans Road, Maradana Road, Punchi Borella, Baseline Road and finally reach to the destination of Cambel Park. According to reports gained by the SLFP, party organisers and supporters at each electorate have shown their keen interest to participate in this year's May Day rally. A large number of the people from the Northern and Eastern provinces will also join the May Day rally. Lot of foreign dignitaries are also scheduled to attend May Day celebrations.

Instead of just confine to the word of "workers", May Day celebrations would give due recognition to the country's working class who have made an immense contribution to realise the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) under the country's national development drive.

United National Party (UNP)

Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The United National Party (UNP) will hold three May Day rallies on May 1.

The first rally will be held at the party headquarters, Siri Kotha with the participation of party worker supporters of the Colombo and Kalutara districts along with four trade unionists headed by the JSS.

The second rally will be held in Kurunegala with the participation of all joint Opposition parties presided over by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Youth Wing of the United National Party Yowun Peramuna will hold its May Day rally on a grand scale in Badulla followed by a musical show later in the day.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)

JVP May Day parade will commence at 12, noon from S. de S. Jayasinghe grounds and rally will be held under the leadership of Somawansa Amarasinghe at BRC Grounds at 3.30 pm. A number of trade unions affiliated with the party and various Associations representing JVP will take part at the rally.

Hela Urumaya (JHU)

Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said that their party will not hold a May Day rally nor would take part in the UPFA rally.

Plantation workers' May Day rallies

The CWC is holding its May Day Rally at Nuwara Eliya, while the Up-country People's Front of former Minister late P. Chandrasekaran is holding its May Day rally at the Tea Research Institute grounds at Talawakelle and the P. Digamparams National Union of Workers' at Hatton.

All plantation trade Unions including the splinter groups are making elaborate arrangements to celebrate the workers May Day, purely on the question of the collective agreement signed and the wage increment to the estate workers in general, and attempts are being made by these trade unions to demonstrate its supremacy at the may Day functions and celebrations.

EPDP

Minister Douglus Devananda has decided not to hold a May Day rally but will only display a poster depicting the rights of workers.

Democratic Party

Newly registered Democratic party of Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka will hold it's maiden May Day rally at Buddhadasa Stadium at Pelwatte, Battarmulla.