May Day events:

from Jaffna to Galle

All eyes on SLFP’s rival events, UNP rally is in Colombo :

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The ‘Day of the Worker’, as it is celebrated the world over, will be observed in Sri Lanka today with even more political intensity than ever as two factions of the same major party, the SLFP, attempt to rival each other in creating the bigger show of mobilising power.

May Day was originally celebrated to mark the sacrifices made by a group of trade unionists in the USA to win their rights in 1886. In Sri Lanka, May Day events have become giant shows of strength by various big and small political parties, with some parties entertaining onlookers with pomp and pageantry including colourful floats, marches, and flamboyant stage décor.

Mainstream political parties such as the UNP, SLFP, the UPFA rebel faction, the JVP and its own break-away faction, the Frontline Socialist Party, are all lined-up for their respective shows today.

What is of most interest this year is how the two SLFP factions will show their strength in mobilising their followers.

SLFP march

The SLFP itself, under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena, holds its traditional march by its workers’ unions and a mass rally in Galle, a group of rebel SLFPers and, UPFA dissidents including some small UPFA coalition parties, will hold a rally in Kirulapone.

The fate of the SLFPers who join the Kirulapone rally of the UPFA rebels, is in the balance, with the threat of disciplinary action by the party leadership hanging over their heads like the Sword of Damocles.

Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilake told the Sunday Observer that the UNP May Day rally will be held at Campbell Park, Borella at 2 p.m. under the auspices of Party Leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The UNP’s May Day procession, comprising its affiliated unions and other organisations, will start from Maradana at 11 a.m. The party hopes it would be their biggest and the most successful May Day rally in recent times. This is the first May Day rally that the UNP will be holding after being elected as part of the National Unity government on August 17, last year.

The significance of both the UNP’s as well as the SLFP’s May Day events this year is that they are not making use of any state property without paying for it.

According to a circular issued to the Sri Lanka Transport Board, buses will be released for use by parties only after payments are made to the SLTB.

Betel leaf symbol

UPFA Matara District MP Dullas Alahapperuma told the Sunday Observer that the May Day rally of the ‘Joint Opposition’, as the UPFA call themselves, is themed Jana Satanata Pana Powamu. It will be held at the Lalith Athulathmudali Grounds, Kirulapone, at 3 p.m. today under the patronage of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite the decision taken by the SLTB to cancel the rebel faction’s reservation of Board’s Shalika Grounds, Narahenpita, the Joint Opposition’s May Day procession will commence in front of Shalika Grounds at 1 p.m. as planned.

Mr. Alahapperuma claimed that all the constituent parties which contested the last General Election under the UPFA’s betel leaf symbol would attend the JO’s May Day rally at Kirulapone. He said several key public issues would be taken up at the JO’s May Day rally such as the postponement of Local Government elections, the Government’s political witchhunt against their rivals, curtailment of farmer benefits, limits on the rights of the working class, the demand for a Rs.10,000 basic pay hike for public sector employees, and a guaranteed price for tea, rubber and dairy producers.

UPFA General Secretary and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Observer the official SLFP’s May Day rally themed Mavubima Wenuwen Weda Bima - Ratak Hadana Athak, Lovak Dinana Hetak will be held at Samanala Grounds, Galle, at 2 pm today under the auspices of party leader and President Maithripala Sirisena. The SLFP’s May Day procession starts from two venues - Mahamodara and, in front of the Galle Navy headquarters at 1 pm.

Anticipating a massive turn-out, Minister Amaraweera said: “Our intention was to have a single May Day rally together with both SLFP factions and lay the groundwork for our next electoral victory. However, our attempt was in vain as the SLFP faction in the Joint Opposition wanted to hold a separate May Day rally and it seems they want to form a separate political party creating a rift in the SLFP. I don’t think party members want that to happen.”

Significant gesture

Asked whether any disciplinary action would be taken by the party hierarchy against the SLFP MPs and other provincial politicians who breach the party rules, the UPFA General Secretary said that the SLFP Central Committee may take some action against them. All party leaders and party supporters have been informed to attend the Galle rally, he said.

Meanwhile, leaders from over 10 political parties, including the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), Democratic People’s Front (DPF), Muslim National Congress (MNC) , Democratic United National Front (DUNF), Nava Sihala Urumaya (NSU) , Labour Party, Liberal Party and Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya who held a discussion with the President have also expressed their support for the success of the SLFP’s official May Day rally in Galle and for the future progress of the SLFP led UPFA rainbow coalition.

As a significant gesture, some political parties which are not in the original UPFA coalition have also confirmed their participation in the SLFP May Day rally in Galle.

CWC rally

Meanwhile, Ceylon Workers’ Congress sources said they would hold their May Day rally as usual in Nuwara Eliya under the patronage of their party General Secretary Arumugan Thondaman and also send their representative to attend the SLFP’s official May Day rally in Galle.

The Democratic Party (DP), a constituent of the National Unity Government has also decided to hold a separate May Day rally at G.H. Buddhadasa Grounds, Pelawatte at 3.00 p.m. under the patronage of its Leader Minister Sarath Fonseka. The May Day procession of the DP will commence in front of the HSBC, Rajagiriya at 1.00pm.

JVP rally

JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Observer that the theme of their May Day rally would be ‘New Economy and New Society’. The JVP May Day procession commences from S. de S. Jayasinghe Grounds, Dehiwala at 12 noon today and proceed to the BRC grounds, the venue of their May Day rally. The rally will start at 4 pm under the patronage of JVP Trade Union Wing Leader K.D. Lalkantha and JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Several foreign representatives will also attend the rally including the General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions, George Mavrikos. “Our May Day rally in Colombo would be the only rally which is committed to safeguard the workers rights,” Herath said.

Some Tamil political parties have also organised separate May Day rallies in the North. Former ITAK (Federal Party) Jaffna District MP Suresh Premachandran told the Sunday Observer that the ITAK would hold a separate May Day rally at Maradanamadam, Jaffna. Some TNA constituent parties such as EPRLF and TELO would join a May Day rally organised by the Northern Province Co-operative Union at Kilinochchi in collaboration with some other parties, he said.