May Day thoughts

Today is May Day, the day of international solidarity of the working people. It was the massacre of workers by the police at a demonstration in Haymarket, Chicago in 1886 that led to the origin of May Day. The workers were on strike demanding an eight-hour working day.

The Second International at its First Congress in 1889 decided to commemorate the massacre worldwide. Subsequently at its Second Congress the Second International decided to make the commemoration an annual worldwide event.

May Day symbolizes the struggle of the working people for their rights. It is a day of working people's solidarity. It was Marx and Engels, the leaders of the workers' movement that issued the clarion call "Workers of the world unite!" which reverberated throughout the globe ever since.

In Sri Lanka May Day is celebrated from the time of A E Goonasinghe, the first labour leader. It was in 1957 that it was declared a public holiday by the MEP Government headed by Premier S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.

Over the years the composition and purpose of the May Day has undergone an evolution. Originally an act of class struggle where the exploited workers demonstrated against regime of capital, it has now evolved into a festival where even employers hold May Day meetings and send greetings. The UNP governments which had earlier refused to grant a holiday on May 1 later began celebrating May Day after converting it into a musical parade with the participation of Indian stars and live bands.

What distinguishes Sri Lankan May Day became the disunity of the working people rather than their unity. Even slogans at May Day demonstrations have become more partisan not on class lines but on petty political party lines.

This year May Day is celebrated at a crucial juncture in the country's history. With the end of the war a new peaceful chapter has begun. The working class has a specific role to play in this development. Actually their role as producers of wealth is the crucial one in achieving the goals of development.

The Government must ensure that they get a fair deal and is not at the mercy of ruthless exploiters earning super profits. The working masses too should work with dedication to develop the country for it is the path to their own wellbeing.

As the Sri Lankan working people have demonstrated over the years they will have to guard the country's national interest and foil all attempts by external and imperialistic forces to undermine the sovereignty and independence of the country under various pretexts including attempts in the name of workers too.

They should also realize that patriotism means doing your duty above everything else. So a full eight hour contribution by means of work would be much more patriotic than slogan shouting for a whole month.

Not at face value

Youth Affairs and Foreign Employment Promotion Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has ordered that no photographs of him should be displayed in his Ministry or in institutions under his Ministry.

At a time when politicians go to the extent of displaying their image in the form of cutouts, posters, banners and photographs at every nook and corner, when they even go to the extent of going at each other's jugular over them, it is refreshing to hear that at least there is one minister who is not prepared to sell his image at face value. Obviously he is worth much more.

The affable minister has even on earlier occasions shunned cheap publicity. One could still remember how he conducted his electoral campaigns without poster wars when he contested the Matara district in his maiden bid to enter Parliament.

His example is worth emulating at least by younger politicians for the elderly may not be able to give up the habits cultivated over the years.

As Minister Alahapperuma has shown by example politicians will be valued not by their looks but by their action and service to the people. If a politician's worth is to be decided by his or her look then beauty queens and models would qualify for high office than politicians.