Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 00:59:14 -0400 (EDT) From: Philip Locker <jesusc-AT-interport.net> Subject: Sri Lanka: Police raids NSSP headquarters >From: USFI Bureau <100641.2324-AT-CompuServe.COM> >Subject: Sri Lanka: Police raids NSSP headquarters >TO ALL COMRADES AND FRIENDS --- ACTION NEEDED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > >POLICE RAIDS NSSP HEADQUARTERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > >Armed police officers raided the Columbo headquarters of the NSSP, the Nava Sama >Samaja (or New Socialist) Party, section of the Fourth International in Sri >Lanka in Colombo on the first of June 1996, while the Party Central Committee >was in session. > >About thirty policemen armed with automatic rifles, grenades and >sub-machine guns broke into the building, saying that they suspected illegal >activities. > >The actual reason for this is that the NSSP is the key organisation supporting >the electricity workers strike commenced on 29 May, which resulted in a total >blackout for 4 days. The strike was called by the movement to safeguard the >electricity board. The whole 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 the government has tried to intimidate the NSSP within a >short span of one month, the first being the police attack on the May Day >demonstration. > >The President, Chandrika KUMARATUNGA, addressing a press briefing vowed on >Friday May 31 that she will resort to any means "short of killing" to get the >workers back to work. She declared the strike illegal and ordered mass arrest of >the strikers. > >Within hours of her threat, unidentified gunmen shot at the main >telecommunicationsunion leader J.B.P. DISSANAYAKA. He escaped unhurt, but it was >clear that the attack was clearly aimed at intimidating other public sector >trade unions which have expressed solidarity with the striking electricity >workers. > >DISSANAYAKA is also a leader of the public sector trade union movement opposing >priovatisation. > >Several leading members of the NSSP have also received death threats. >There had been attempts by pro-government sinhala (Sri Lanka's ethincal >majority) forces, including some members of Parliament to rouse chauvinism among >the masses by staging anti-strike demonstrations depicting strikers as a >hindrance to the war effort against Tamil separatist forces. It is interesting >to note that Major General Anuruddha RATWATTE, a maternal uncle of the >President, is both the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Minister for Power and >Energy. > >These acts of intimidation are likely to deter the workers, or many of them at >least, from carrying on their strike action. > >The NSSP is calling a campaign against state terrorism, war and privatisation. >A picket will be held in the heart of the capital, Colombo, on 05 May. > >The NSSP appeals to all SOCIALISTS and TRADE UNIONISTS to write or fax the >President of Sri Lanka: > >1) To protest and condemn the raid against the NSSP headquarters > >2) To protest and condemn all forms of intimidation against the Electricity >workers and the 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 >Please send copy to the NSSP fax (941) 334 822. > >PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS INFORMATION > > > --- from list marxism2-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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