Helping the enemy

We are not going to venture guesses on the success or failure of tomorrow’s general strike called by UNP/JVP combine, suffice it to state that any strike action at this juncture when the country has entered a decisive phase in the war against terrorism can only but grant a huge reprieve to the enemy providing him with much needed breathing space to manoeuvre out of its difficulties.

We say this because a general strike at this stage is exactly what Velupillai Prabhakaran is hoping for given it’s impact on the economy.

Having failed to penetrate and destroy economic targets in the city as in the past this general strike must have come as manna from heaven to the LTTE leader who would no doubt be considering the JVP and UNP as the saviours of the outfit.

It certainly is tantamount to providing oxygen to a debilitated enemy which would have the effect of negating the tremendous achievements of the Security Forces on the battle front.

Both the UNP and JVP stands exposed by this treacherous act which calls into question their avowed claims to patriotism.

It is hoped that the Trade Union members they have misled would see through their political project for what it is rather than an effort to win demands of the masses given the preposterous and highly impractical demand of a Rs. 5000 wage hike at a time the country is facing economic constraints.

One can of course understand the JVP in this regard. Being a party driven by radicalism strikes and sabotage have come to be its lifeblood which binds together its membership.

What one cannot fathom is the UNP’s stance. For a party that claims to be the best economic managers presenting an internationalist outlook one naturally fails to understand its logic.

Is it then planing to ruin the economy knowing very well the impact an islandwide general strike? Is it keen to see the collapse of the state institutions as result of strike action? This stand by the UNP could very well give credence to claims by Government spokesmen on the UNP leader’s statements on his visits overseas.

This then is a scheme by these strange bedfellows designed to inflict maximum damage on the country’s economy which would certainly impact on the going battlefront victories, thwarting the final push of the Security Forces.

Another factor that one cannot fathom is the strike leaders’ claim that they would halt the strike if the Sabaragamuwa and NCP Provincial Councils elections are postponed.

There does not seem to be any link between the grievances of public servants and the election, which in any case is not going to affect the Central Government. Even if the election is postponed now, the Government will have to hold them next year or so, spending even more money.

Even if one accepts the argument that an election would cost a vast amount of money, one wonders why the JVP did not apply the same logic when they asked the then President to dissolve Parliament and hold a General Election that cost more than Rs.800 million in 2004. The whole issue clearly indicates that the strike is politically motivated and that public servants’ grievances are just a sideshow.

The Government on its part should leave no room for the collapse of ordinary life as a result of any strike and take all measures to ensure vital services such as health and transport operate without a hitch.

The people cannot be held to ransom at the expense of aiding political parties to get over their internal splits. Granted that a true democracy allows for Trade Union activism and freedom to agitate over legitimate grievances. But strike action of the type that has been declared today should be a last resort when all other options have been exhausted.

President Rajapaksa has opened the doors for dialogue and discussion and invited the strikers for a meeting to sort out their grievances. That they chose to defy this call only betrays the true move behind the general strike.

We salute those Trade Unions who have defied the strike call and opted to report for duties. They should be afforded all protection by the Government. Moreover their stand at a time of crisis should be taken note of and their reasonable demands acceded to in the future.