7 October, 2021
Chiang Mai, Thailand
We unite as feminist organisations, workers and unions from Asia and the Pacific in urging government and corporations in Sri Lanka to stop the violation of labour rights and repression against activists and union leaders especially women.
Why we stand in solidarity with women workers rights activists and union leaders in Sri Lanka?
Because we continue to witness the persecution of union leaders in Sri Lanka and many other countries in the region. We have learnt about the brutal arrest of workers and activists and the use of excessive force in Sri Lanka, for violating prevailing health regulations under the provisions of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. Stand Up Movement Lanka reported that the police officers used an illegal and unethical procedure to arrest the activists, beating them and harassing the union activists by tearing their garments in public. Those arrested were brought to court, released on bail, after which they were taken to quarantine camps by force. They were taken to a special military base camp to be quarantined and were not even provided with the basic necessities they needed. Even though their PCR tests were negative, they were kept in the centres.
Because we continue to witness the suppression of workers in their exercise of freedom of association and expression through democratic protests and resistance. In 2011, workers of the Katunayake Zone striked against the government and companies to demand social protection which was denied to workers. Instead, the protesting workers were beaten up by the Sri Lankan police. Around 300 workers were injured, and one was killed in the incident. Abuse of police power have resulted in suppression of workers in raising their voices against the violations of their rights of freedom of assembly and expression.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reported that in 2021, 87% of countries in the region violated the rights to strike and 91% of the countries experienced violation of the rights to collective bargaining. According to the report, Sri Lankan workers continually encounter systematic violations of labour rights, including the violations of the right to strike, starting from prosecution of union leaders for participating in strikes to the dismissals for taking part in strike action. The government’s resort to authoritarian rule and use of repressive laws in Sri Lanka clearly sanction systematic violence against labour rights activists and unions.
Therefore, we call the attention of the the Sri Lanka government to take immediate actions on the following concerns:
- Immediately release arrested and detained workers rights activists and union leaders and drop all criminal charges filed against labour rights defenders;
- Stop the violence against the workers rights activists and union leaders, investigate the excessive use of force by the Sri Lankan state forces (Army and police) and hold them accountable for the worker’s rights violations;
- Respect the worker’s right to freedom of association, of expression and peaceful assembly. Provide guarantee for the worker’s rights to organise and collective bargaining without threats of dismissal or any other reprisals as set by Article 14 of the Sri Lankan Constitution on freedom of speech, assembly, and association, as well as by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 87 concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and ILO Convention No. 98 concerning Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining;
- Ensure that guarantee for workers’ rights are fulfilled during the pandemic and stop using COVID-19 as a pretext for exploitative measures to further violate the rights of women workers.
We stand in solidarity to dismantle this system of oppressions together.
