Workers’ strike: Oppn given a resounding slap

Dharma Sri Abeyratne and Ishara Mudugamuwa

The outcome of the ‘workers’ strike’ jointly called by the UNP and the JVP has brought home the bitter truth to the Opposition that the people are no longer with them, Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

“The Opposition has proved again its inability to win hearts and minds through workers’ movements. Moreover, the working community has also sent a clear message that they are not ready to listen to the Opposition and dance to their tune,” Ministers Yapa and Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Deputy Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said at the weekly Cabinet media briefing at the Mass Media and Information Ministry yesterday.

Aluthgamage said the UNP and the JVP had been organising the strike for over several months. “They wanted to ruin the peaceful atmosphere in the country.

The strike was backed by many NGOs. Of them, 24 NGOs were with the LTTE when the humanitarian mission was being carried out,” he said.

“They were dreaming of paralysing water and electricity supply. They also tried their best to stop passenger transport, ” Minister Aluthgamage said.

Deputy Minister Abeygunawardena said the UNP and the JVP coalition took various steps to create a conflict situation in the country. “Initially they brought the university academic staff to the street.

They then tried to create a conflict between the government and the judiciary. Having failed in all these attempts, they finally tried to destroy industrial peace organising workers to strike,” he said.