• Conduct protests and awareness campaigns on detrimental aspects of new policies, laws 

The Co-Convener of the Collective of Trade Unions (TUs), Ravi Kumudesh yesterday (26) claimed that decisions regarding Sri Lanka are made solely by President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe in accordance with what he is asked to do by international forces, adding that therefore, the Parliamentarians waiting to vote in favour of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Agreement and related measures would do so sans knowledge of the actual consequences.

He expressed these views following a protest organised by the Collective to make the public aware of the Government’s alleged repressive programme. The protest was held in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station, yesterday (26).

He also claimed that it is regrettable that most of the MPs do not know anything about the Bills presented to the Parliament, but support passing them without having a proper estimation about the consequences of those Bills.

“No one who is waiting to raise their hands for the IMF EFF Agreement knows what has been promised by the President. Now, decisions about the country are made solely by President Wickremesinghe according to what he is being requested to do by external forces. No one in the Parliament knows what is happening between him and these forces. The general public should be aware of this. We will inform the public about these issues over the next three weeks,” claimed Kumudesh.

He also alleged that the Government’s current ambition, including the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act, is to suppress the people by making them out to be enemies.

The protest was organised by the Collective against the Government’s new tax policy, oppression, the proposed new Anti-Terrorism Bill, the privatisation of profit making State owned enterprises, etc. The protest moved within highly populated areas in Colombo such as the Maradana Railway Station, the Isurupaya, Battaramulla, Dematagoda and Narahenpita.