Sri Lanka: Police raid
NSSP headquarters
Armed police officers raided the Columbo headquarters of the Nava Sama Samaja (New Socialist) Party on 1st June. The Central Committee was in session when thirty policemen armed with automatic rifles, grenades and sub-machine guns broke into the building, saying that they suspected illegal activities. The real reason for this aggression is that the NSSP, Sri Lankan section of the Fourth International, is the key organisation supporting the electricity workers strike, which began on 29 May, causing a total blackout for 4 days. The 14,000 strong workforce went on strike demanding that the government give up its plan to privatise the Ceylon Electricity Board. This is the second time in one month that the government has tried to intimidate the NSSP., the first being a police attack on the May Day demonstration (see page 34). On Friday May 31, President Chandrika Kumaratunga, said that she will resort to any means "short of killing" to get the strikers back to work. She declared the strike illegal and ordered mass arrest of the strikers. Within hours of her threat, unidentified gunmen attacked J.B.P. Dissanayaka, a leader of the telecommunications union leader. The attack was clearly aimed at intimidating other public sector trade unions which have expressed solidarity with the striking electricity workers. Dissanayaka, who escaped unhurt, is also a leader of the public sector trade union movement opposing privatisation. Members of the NSSP have also received death threats. Pro-government forces, including some members of Parliament, have tried to rouse chauvinism among the masses by staging anti-strike demonstrations depicting strikers as a hindrance to the war effort against Tamil separatist forces. Major General Anuruddha Ratwatte, a maternal uncle of the President, is both the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Minister for Power and Energy. Unfortunately these acts of Unfortunately, these acts of
Worker attacked by police at NSSP 1st May
March (see page 34 for eye witness report).
intimidation are likely to discourage many workers from carrying on their strike action.
The NSSP is calling for renewed efforts in the campaign against state terrorism, war and privatisation. A picket will be held in the heart of the capital, Colombo, on 05 June. * ale Nsse appeals to socialists and trade unionists
• To protest and condemn the raid against the NSSP headquarters
• To protest and condemn all forms of intimidation against the
Electricity workers and public sector workers in general.
Please write or fax: The President of
Sri Lanka, H.E. Chandrika
Kumaratunga, Presidential Secretariat,
Colombo 01, Sri Lanka. FAX (941) 333
703. Send copy to the NSSP fax (941)
334 822.