Katunayake workers raise against Sri Lankan Leader Mahinda and his anti democratic regime's bogus pension scheme ! 200 workers, 4 high ranking police officers , 16 others hospitalized – pension legislation withdrawn temporarily by regime !

It is reported that owing to the police launching attacks on the workers at the Katunayake trade zone who staged peaceful protests against the proposed controversial pension scheme , about 200 workers have been hospitalized. The police had fired at and tear gassed the protestors.. Also it is reported that police had initially gone in to the places where workers are staying and beaten them up for participating in earler protest which had mlift up the morale of the protestors even more.

About 200 workers had been hospitalized while about 100 have been arrested by the police. It was clearly seen (through telecasted videos clips on TV Channels)that even after taking some of the protestors in to custody, they were heavily beaten by Regimes Police.



The peaceful protest which was to be staged this morning at 8.00 by workers was obstructed by barricades placed across on the roads and their Industries disallowing them to freely move out. When the workers resisted this action they were shot at with rubber bullets and tear gassed by the police. This tussle occurred at about 11.30 a m.

Meanwhile , the bees in a bee nest which was near by disturbed by the tear gassing had begun attacking the policemen who were in the tear gas area . The policemen had run helter skelter owing to the stinging bees which could not be controlled. The protestors who confronted these stunned sprinting cops running for dear lives taking advantage of the policemen’s plight have given chase to them and attacked. The police had then retaliated by attacking the protestors using rubber bullets.

Following instructions of the defense Secretary Gotabaya . DIG north Prasanna Nanayakkara, senior DIG , western range, Gamini Navaratne ,SSP Palitha Siriwardena, Puttalam DIG Ravi Wijewardena , Gamini Wijegunaratne have appeared on the scene of the peaceful protestors. Top rung police officers , Ravi Wijewardena, Gamini Navaratne, Prasanna Nanayakkara and Palitha Siriwardena have been hospitalized and are taking treatment for injuries sustained.

When the workers were provoked , the DIG Gamini Navaratne on his phone had desperately asked for assistance of the auxiliary police force , screaming on the phone ‘ we are being trapped and attacked from around like flies swarming’ , according to our reporters.

The IGP at a media discussion this evening however related a fiction story : about 500 workers raided Katunayake police and tried to use firearms , he said. The police had then used its full powers to protect themselves , and in the process had fired into the air first , and subsequently begun shooting, he added.

The workers Associations at a media briefing today, said the police behaved most cruelly and fired at them . They added that their issue of pension is with the Govt. and not with the police. Yet , the police shot at the unarmed peaceful protestors when they were staging their protests .The police had also intruded into the Industries and caused damage. They have also arrested the workers who were within the Industries . The representatives of the workers associations sternly warned that if the arrested workers are not released tomorrow , the regime will have to face monumental problems as the workers would be compelled to mount furious and widespread demonstrations.

Also many HR Groups believe that, more action can be taken against the regime and police for attacking captured protestors brutally which violates human rights.