• TUs and public orgs. call for unity against Govt. oppression

BY Dinitha Rathnayake   Activists of the “aragalaya” (struggle) protest condemned Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga’s recent decision to instruct the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to take necessary legal measures to recover compensation from the activists for the damage caused to the area. According to the UDA, the damage caused to the Galle Face area – including the Galle Face Green due to the makeshift former “GotaGoGama” village which was established in the location demanding the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and was subsequently renamed “RanilGoGama” after incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe prior to its removal following a court order – is around Rs. 4.9 million. The protestors said that attempting to take legal action against the people who raised their voices against the economic and social issues of the country and who brought about a transformation is unacceptable, as such change had happened due to the people and not the politicians. Further, Catholic priest Fr. Amila Jeewantha Peiris, who has filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order to prevent his arrest, is to bring a motion today (24) against naming him as a suspect for occupying the President Secretariat. Meanwhile, trade unions (TUs) and the Bahujana Sanvidana Ekamuthuwa (the Collective of Peoples’ Organisations) called on the public to unite against Government suppression. Speaking to The Morning, sources said that a special discussion in this regard would be held today with the participation of international organisations, political parties, artistes, professionals, civil activists, and the general public.