FSP organized this token protest to be held in front of the US embassy. On 8^th June police has obtained an enjoining order against protesting in front of the embassy claiming that it is against the quarantine laws. However, while activists are about 600 meters to the embassy police has attacked them brutally and taken them into the custody. Some female activists and Buddhists monks were attacked and thrown in to police vehicles by barbaric male policemen. A senior lawyer and a female lawyer who questioned the police about the reason for arrest also were taken into the custody.

Later rest of the crowd moved to Town Hall which is about 1 km away from the embassy and launched a peaceful protest keeping social distance and wearing masks. Police came again and attacked the crowd and arrested another 31 male and females. Police attacked a 71 years old female also and dumped her in to a police vehicle.

This is the first attack to a peaceful gathering after the President established a military ‘Junta’ comprising of 13 army and police officers last week to maintain law and order. Recent past Sri Lankan business tycoons are also facing decline of their profit ratios. Therefore, during the last Govt. businessmen tried to curtail the facilities enjoyed by the working class and the masses. Remove the worker’s rights by labour law changes, privatizing Govt. property, free education and free healthcare, land grabbing and selling those to multinational companies are some of the attempts. Due to the strong protest from the working class previous regime could not fulfill that attempt. Gotabaya Rajapakshe came to power to complete the task which could not be fulfilled by the Previous Ranil Wickramasinghe’s Govt. In his election campaign Gotabaya Rajapakshe said ‘Sri Lanka does not need a new development plan, what we want is a machinery to implement the existing plan’ which put forward by Ranil. Just after the victory of Gotabaya Rajapakshe as the President, as a real capitalist leader Ranil and his cabinet resigned and allowed Gotabaya Rajapakshe to appoint his own cabinet while he has the majority power in the parliament. Gotabaya Rajapakshe appointed his brother, previous President Mahinda Rajapakshe as the Prime Minister and other Ministers.

After coming to power step by step Gotabaya Rajapakshe is grabbing the power vested on the Parliament. According to the constitution since the President cannot hold any Ministerial post, he appointed a war crime suspect to the post of Defense Secretary and some other ex-army personal to key posts of the Govt. institutions. On the power vested on the President he dissolved the parliament which has majority power to the opposition before 6 months from its term, and called for nominations despite the fact that Covid 19 pandemic spreading in Sri Lanka, in order to defunct the existing Parliament. To control the Covid 19 he appointed a task force under the leadership of Army Commander, when there is a broader machinery to control disasters under the Disaster Management Act. Country was locked down from March 19^th and factories closed for more than one month.

Using these opportunity employers and their agents were proposed to major worker retrenchment without any compensation and changes to labour laws which curtail existing worker’s rights. But due to the pressure from the Trade Unions and upcoming elections Govt. had put a hold to these proposals. Meanwhile workers in private sector and other unemployed masses were struggling to find their daily food and other essentials. Now the factories were opened from May, but majority workers were jobless. Therefore, there is huge unrest among the masses. In order to face this situation President has established a Military Junta. Going against existing public administration laws gazette notification of this task force, states that every Govt. Officer is responsible for this Junta.

We understand new labour laws, retrenchments, land grabbing, hazardous agreements including MCC agreement, banks privatization etc. are on the agenda. Covid 19 came to a control mainly due to the free healthcare service and free education achieved in the past through struggles, not only due to military or police involvement. During Sri Lankan history this free healthcare and education service was defended mainly by the student’s movement and the working class. Recent past the fight against the SAITM medical college was mainly led by the student’s movement under the guidance of Frontline Socialist party. Working class and other left organizations supported that struggle. Gotabaya Rajapakshe very well knew this. That is why Govt. decided to attack the solidarity protest.

Attack was very brutal and inhuman. Several activists wounded by the attack were hospitalized. Court has bailed out all the detainees since they have not broken any laws. Police has broken the quarantine laws by packing all detainees in two or three vehicles. Whole world saw what happened. Some Govt. MPs also criticized this attack. Trade Unions and other democratic organizations have gathered and decided to protest against this attack on 16^th June, 2020 since it is a threat to the democratic rights of the people.

On behalf of the Left Voice
Wijepala Weerakoon
13.06.2020