Stop labor rights violations in the apparel sector of Sri Lanka and comply with ILO standards to protect US GSP

-Trade Union Confederation
(July 02, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) The US government has accepted a petition to review the US GSP status enjoyed by Sri Lanka. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) filed the petition. Sri Lanka is now at the brink of losing both EU and US GSP regimes. The Republic of Maldives lost its US GSP due to such complaints at the beginning of this millennium.

The TUC wishes to state that the US GSP complaint accepted this week by the US government is a direct result of poor labour conditions and non-compliance with international labour standards of the ILO especially by the apparel sector employers and the government of Sri Lanka. It draws attention to poor enforcement of labour laws in Export Processing Zones and the apparel sector, restrictions to form union federations consisting of public-private sectors, etc..

The AFL-CIO submitted the complaint to the US government as all efforts of local unions to address issues with Sri Lankan labour authorities failed despite repeated attempts. The complaint could have been avoided if local labour authorities discharged their duties effectively and impartially.

The AFL-CIO complaint is inundated with solid and verifiable evidence relating to a plethora of violations of labour standards i.e. restrictions on freedom of association and collective bargaining, anti-union discrimination, sever exploitation, non enforcement of labour laws impartially etc.. in the Sri Lankan apparel sector.

It is no more possible to sweep these issues under the carpet or cover them with expensive fake PR campaigns such as “garments without guilt”. The pathetic labour situation in the apparel sector is now an open secret. All cases against Sri Lanka, of the last two decades before the ILO quasijudicial body based in Geneva, are exclusively on the Sri Lankan apparel sector or involving apparel sector organisations. These international body findings have exposed the violations of rights and exploitations in the apparel industry. It is shocking to note that some of Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporting companies stand accused of serious workers’ rights violations in the complaint.

The complaint exposes the duplicity of these apparel conglomerates. A key factor raised in the AFL-CIO complaint is Sri Lanka’s non-compliance with the recommendations of the ILO quasi-judicial body’s decision on the restriction of the right to strike.

This issue was sparked before the Geneva based ILO body due to irresponsible actions of an apparel sector organisation in 2006. The ILO held the joint apparel body’s court intervention was a violation of international labour standards. These developments cast serious doubts on the fake “garments without guilt” campaign.

TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (TUC)

The TUC notes, the US government prior to accepting the AFL-CIO complaint held extensive highlevel
consultations with government representatives, trade unions and apparel sector employer organisations over the last 18 months. Therefore, the decision to conduct the review is not ad hoc.

It’s based on credible and verifiable evidence presented.

The TUC considers that the time has now come for all stakeholders in the labour sector to accept facts as they are and engage them with a view to positively improve realistic ground situations. The TUC strongly urges all apparel sector employers to recognise trade unions, stop anti-union discriminations and respect ILO principles on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining.

The TUC strongly believes that as a nation we can overcome the challenge of the AFL-CIO petition only if employers, trade unions and the government are committed to work together and present a joint position before the US authorities. There ought to be a constructive dialogue on the issues raised in the petition among the relevant stakeholders and consensus needs to be reached with a view to making positive and progressive changes in the workers’ rights situation. The TUC is willing to support Sri Lanka’s position in such an event before the US government.

The TUC hopes the government will accept the support offered by it to overcome the current situation arising from the US GSP review. Therefore, the TUC urges the government to begin immediately a genuine and constructive process of engagement of relevant issues in order to put things in order and save the US GSP.



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Sri Lanka getting more violent and self-disastrous against UN

(July 01, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka is resorting to more violent and self-disastrous methods to deal with the war crime charges raised by international community against the rulers.

Instead of handling the issue directly with the UN in framework of international politics, the government of Sri Lanka is seeking statements from other countries that can be manipulated to pressure the UN General Secretary to withdraw the panel. But, only Russia raised voice against the panel. Even China keep mum, as same as it did in the UN proceedings to frame charges against Sudan President.

In July 2008, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno Ocampo, accused Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. The court issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on 4 March 2009 on counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, but ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him for genocide. The warrant will be delivered to the Sudanese government, which is unlikely to execute it. Al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state ever indicted by the ICC. The court's decision is opposed by the African Union, League of Arab States, Non-Aligned Movement, and the governments of Russia and China.

Even al-Bashir's government negotiated an end to the Second Sudanese Civil War, one of the longest-running and deadliest wars of the 20th century, by granting limited autonomy to Southern Sudan.Sri Lanka is a significant case in which the policy of the rulers is mere suppression and no power devolution at all, an attitude that is blatantly against the norms accepted by international politics.

Now, Sri Lanka government coalition party National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Minister of Housing and Construction Wimal Weerawansa vows to launch a fast unto death unless the panel appointed by the UN General Secretary to advise him on Sri Lanka is not dissolved.

Weerawansa has also warned the UN that a protest would be held before the UN office of Colombo.

He urged the Sri Lankan people to surround the UN office in Colombo and keep its staff inside until UN chief Ban Ki Moon decides to dissolve the three-member advisory panel he appointed on Sri Lanka.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo yesterday, Weerawansa said that discussions are underway with national organizations in this regard.

Weerawansa also said that the appointment of the advisory panel should not be perceived as a simple act as it could be followed by the appointment of an investigation committee to look into allegations of violations of human rights and war crimes.

This would eventually lead to the leaders and war heroes of Sri Lanka produced before an international court of justice, he added.



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Killing beggars and disabled; Sri Lanka's new found solution for poverty

(June 30, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's ruling family boasts they would make this country 'the wonder of Asia.' It is already true in some aspects.

Sri Lanka is a poor country where the new found solution for poverty is 'killing beggars.'

An organized group that is ubiquitous and elusive to police in Colombo and suburbs is in a killing spree of beggars whilst no one raises voice regarding the misery of this human waste. The method the killers use for execution is is extremely notorious. They smash heads of the beggars as they are asleep on pavement. The tactic seems achieved its objective of terrifying beggars. Most of them now fear to sleep in isolated places as they did earlier.

In the latest incident, this gang killed a self-employed 38 year-old differently-abled man on a tricycle at Mount Lavinia on June 28. The man identified as Mahesh Perera of Sri Jana Mawatha, Aththidiya was under the front canopy of Union Assurance office whose slogan is 'Trust in your tomorrow, today' in the dark due to rain as he was on his way home bringing a parcel of rice for him bought from the money he earned by selling lottery tickets. The killer smashed his head with a heavy stone covering to the sound of rain.

Another man on a wheel chair was killed around a month ago close to famous Gangaramaya Buddhist temple.

This killing spree goes on scot-free and almost no one in this country that boasts for a two and half millennium long Buddhist heritage bother about these helpless men. 


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What play does Sri Lanka have in between Russia and Ukraine?

(June 29, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to leave for an official tour in Ukraine today. The official visit is scheduled from June 29 to July 2, 2010,

This is the first time a Sri Lankan President and a state head of the South Asian region pays an official visit to Ukraine, local media reported.

The Sri Lanka President is to hold bilateral talks with the Ukraine President, Prime Minister and senior state officials.

Director of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's information policy department Oleh Voloshyn said to Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper Kyiv Post that it would help promote a bilateral political dialogue at the summit level, further developing cooperation between the two countries in the fuel and energy, military and technical, education, and culture and humanitarian spheres.

Voloshyn also added that the two countries expect to expand their international treaty framework and strengthen the two countries' cooperation via international organizations.

A range of bilateral agreements, in particular, on cooperation in the tourism and military and technical spheres, are to be signed during the visit, said Kyiv Post.

Ukraine assisted Sri Lanka immensely in the latter’s war against terrorism. However, Ukraine has disputes with Russia, another ally of Sri Lanka. Russia recently raised voice against the panel appointed by the UN General Secretary to advise him on human rights issues related to Sri Lanka.

Russia opposes Ukraine's move to join NATO. Sri Lanka is also in a tug-of-war with EU over the GSP Plus tariff concessions granted by the latter to poor countries. Sri Lanka is unwilling to bow to EU pressure on ratifying UN conventions regarding human rights.



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An Indian who was to be disappeared in Sri Lanka found killed

(June 28, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) An Inspector of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was arrested by police as he, in connivance with a Colombo businessman dumped a body of a slain Indian national in Munadalama in Puttlam district in Northwestern Province of Sri Lanka.

The suspected CID officer, reported Chandana Silva and Colombo 06, Big Banana restaurant owner Mariyanayagam Lesley Rajakumar have allegedly killed an Indian national aged 24 and named Thennarasu Selvakumar who worked under latter as a cook in a house in Wellawaththa. Later, the duo have brought the dead body to Mundalama in a double cab vehicle and dumped it into the sea.

Residents that saw these suspicious men throwing a suspicious parcel into sea, informed Puttlam police and the police without knowledge that a CID officer is involved in the crime blocked roads and arrested the suspects.

Meanwhile, the wife of one of the suspected murderers, Ms. Rajakumar lodged a complaint in police that their cook was missing.

A young man that was originally ill-fated to be one disappeared in Sri Lanka was 'lucky' to be found dead and to be ruled murdered at the post-mortem.

Why did these killers choose Palliwasapaduwa beach of Mukkuthuduwawa in Mundalama for dumping the dead body? How many times has this police officer done this kind of acts, previously? Are their more officials that do such things?

The answers my friend, is blowing in the wind.

Or else, let us talk about the Sinhala-Tamil unity at least in crime. Can the dead man be an early victim of CEPA?


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Sri Lanka government takes control of the construction of shrines with purposes of domination

A Buddhist temple in Kilinochchi

(June 25, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka government has decided to ban construction of religious places of worship around the country without permission. The reason cited by the government is that these shrines cause religious conflicts.

According to new regulations, if anyone needs to build a religious places of worship in certain place, the person has to submit an application recommended by the Divisional Secretary of the relevant area to the Secretary of the Ministry of Buddhist and Religious Affairs. The Secretary has powers to appoint a committee to study the application.

Building religious places of worship was not always an innocent task everywhere on this earth throughout the world history. Everywhere, religious devotion was mingled with the ethno-religious hegemonic needs and political dominance.

The same attribute was prevalent when the colonial rulers assisted building of Christian churches and in the post colonial Sri Lanka that government assisted setting up of Buddhist temples.

The process of setting up of religious places of worship was highly invasive in the post-war period. For instance, the way the victorious Army hurriedly set up Buddhist temples and erected unaesthetic statues of Lord Buddha at every nook and corner was an insult to the preacher of one of the world's most non-violent religions.

Similar dominating acts are wide spread in areas minority religious devotees dwell predominantly too.

Vicious non-religious aims of rousing anger of the ‘opponent’ religions are behind all these acts.

Some politicians expect a free and easy ride to power on the back of the blind devotees mobilized either for or against these acts of religious dominancy.

Certain scrupulous elements make use of these things for other personal gains. For example, a famous gossip regarding a major Buddha statue in Panadura town is that a businessman put up this statue to prevent his business places that were behind it being demolished in road construction.

Some more unscrupulous individuals use this madness to squat in prime lands in major cities and towns. That is why the government had to take the control of putting up religious places of worship.


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No elections close by in Sri Lanka; regime imposes heavy taxes on food commodities to prevent bankruptcy

(June 23, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Sri Lanka government today increased the price of wheat flour in local market by imposing a new tax of Rs. 10 per kilo.

Wheat flour is considered an essential commodity and the price is controlled.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka’s major flour retailer Prima increased price of a kilo of flour by Rs. 10.50. The price of a kilo of flour sold by Prima will be raised from Rs. 63 to Rs. 73.50. The price increase is valid since midnight today.

The other flour retailer Serendib will also increase price soon, sources say.

The price of the bakery products is also to go up since today.

The government also imposed a new tax of Rs. 5 per kilo of sugar as well.

Meanwhile, the major opposition United National Party (UNP) criticized government’s moves to increase prices of essential commodities citing the escalation of prices in world market as reason, but not giving the advantage of the price de-escalations in world market to the consumers.

The UNP spokesman MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the price of sugar went down in world market. But the government imposed a tax of Rs. 5 per kilo of sugar preventing the decrease of sugar price in local market.
Sri Lanka government recently increased the price of milk powder. Before that the LP gas price was also increased. Now the government repeatedly highlights that the fuel prices will not be raised. This is a tactic to avoid the rightful bringing down of prices to match the world market prices. The government is silently imposing taxes to keep the dropping prices up.

Mahinda Rajapaksa regime is afraid of nothing. No elections close by.


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