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Peace process should aim to protect workers' rights - President

The final aim of the current peace process should also be the protection of the rights of all of Sri Lanka's working people, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga stated in her May Day message.

"Workers rights are indivisibly connected with the democratic rights of all ethnic and religious groups, their human rights and their freedoms. It is my fervent wish that on this Labour Day the working people of this country will have the strength and courage to face the modern day challenges in their workplaces," President Kumaratunga said.

The message:

"The First of May is International Workers' Day and it commemorates the historic struggle of the working people throughout the world.

On this May Day I extend my good wishes to the workers in Sri Lanka. Over the years Sri Lanka's working class has collectively and effectively won several privileges and defended its rights. In today's atmosphere of Globalisation and the consequential need to restructure industry, workers the world over seem apprehensive and concerned about the continuity of the rights they have won through years of struggle. "Here in Sri Lanka privatization that is not planned and the ad-hoc disposal of national assets are bound to affect workers' rights and seriously threaten their security of tenure. A large number of workers have lost their jobs due to political victimisation and various other types of unjust and unfair treatment. In addition, in the recent past unemployment has spiralled. The cost of living has risen. Salaries have not been increased to match the escalating cost of living. All these are serious problems faced by the working people of Sri Lanka.

"In Sri Lanka workers of all ethnic communities face a common challenge of safeguarding their rights. The rights of workers would be safe only when the rights of the communities they belong to are protected."

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