Govt.’s strong-arm tactics bound to fail, say petroleum unions

by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

Attempts by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera to scare the striking Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers into submission have demonstrated their determination to suppress the people’s rights and freedoms, President of the Public Progressive Workers’ Association, Bandula Saman Kumara says.

The government had deployed around 5,000 military and police personnel at CPC properties in Kolonnawa, Muthrajawela and Sapugaskanda, he said.

“On Thursday, the CPC sent union leaders on compulsory leave for trying to protect national assets. The government can’t escape responsibility for selling strategic industries. History will judge the current dispensation harshly,” Kumara said.

The military and law enforcement forcefully took over 10 bowsers and distributed fuel on Thursday, he said. Saman Kumara said the government was using force to have the public believe that the strike of CPC workers had failed.

“Thousands of troops are used to scare workers, but they can’t go on doing so indefinitely,” he said.

Saman Kumara said they had resorted to industrial action to prevent the strategic energy sector being sold to foreign companies.

“Once the energy sector is privatised, the government will not be able to control the price of fuel to encourage certain industries. The government insists that the state should not be involved in business. However, both Lanka IOC and Sinopec, the Chinese petroleum giant to enter the retail market are state-owned enterprises. So, it’s obvious that the problem does not lie with the state doing business; it is a case of corrupt governments not being able to run anything in an efficient manner,” he said.

Meanwhile, CPC General Employees Union President Ashoka Ranwala said they would lodge a complaint with the Wellampitiya Police and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) about the use of force against strikers.

“The police, the STF and the military have been deployed to scare workers on strike. However, we will continue with our struggle to prevent the privatisation of the CPC,” he said.

CPC unions on Tuesday withdrew from issuing fuel in protest against the government’s decision to privatise a large portion of the retail fuel sector. The government called in the military to ensure the supply of fuel. Despite disruptions, fuel supply had returned to normal by yesterday evening, the government maintained.