Over a thousand unemployed graduates staged a protest demonstration in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station today (Nov. 01st) demanding employment as promised by the government in 2006 and to reserve the necessary funds from the budget for 2008.
The protesting graduates were confronted by the police near Hilton Hotel while marching towards the Finance ministry to hand over a petition.
The Police Anti-Riot Squad was on full alert, armed with batons, teargas and pressurized water, while the police barricaded the road to block the progress of the march.
The attack was launched with the graduates’ initial attempt to bypass the barrier.
Amidst the teargas and pressurized water attack and the baton-charge, the protestors ran for cover towards the railway station.
One of them, Nishantha Senaratne, was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital with serious injuries to his head. Police also briefly arrested Gamini Munasinghe, a provincial convener of Combined Unemployed Graduates Un-ion (CUGU). :-?
Shops in the nearby World Market did not escape the pressurized water attack. When enraged shop owners took matters up with the police, they too, were manhandled.
"We gave our maximum to elect this government. Now, the 'Medamulanaya' is attacking us," CUGU Chief Convener Sujith Kuruwita said.
The protest had to be staged after President Rajapaksa gave complete disregard to his promise to grant us employment, he claimed.
When contacted, SSP (Colombo-Central) Ajith Fonseka told 'Lanka Dissent' that since there was a meeting of the National Security Council, protestors were advised against entering the High Security Zone.
However, they did not pay heed to the request, and tried to force their way in. Therefore, the police had to use its powers under Emergency Regulations and disperse them. They did not even inform the police about their plans to stage a demonstration, the SSP claimed.
When the allegation was referred to the CUGU Chief Convener, he said both the President and the Deputy Finance Minister had been informed in writing that unemployed graduates were going to stage a protest and handover a petition to the Finance Ministry. The Police too, were informed and the media briefed in Colombo on October 30th, Kuruwita said.
The Combined Unemployed Graduates Un-ion and the JVP were in the forefront in the campaign to elect Mahinda Rajapaksa to office. Kuruwita, who was earlier a member of the Socialist Students Uni-on of the JVP, is now claiming the very same leaders who rode to power on their strength, are today do not see eye to eye with them.
The Police say that they can use force and disperse protests under Emergency Regulations.
The JVP supported the extension of the State of Emergency, thus giving cause to the police to attack protests organized by the party, analysts say.
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Wake up Sri Lanka, Go & find jobs, shit load jobs in private sector, change the attitute, These JVP brainwashed graduate's want gov to provide free education and also jobs, wake up
The protesting graduates were confronted by the police near Hilton Hotel while marching towards the Finance ministry to hand over a petition.
The Police Anti-Riot Squad was on full alert, armed with batons, teargas and pressurized water, while the police barricaded the road to block the progress of the march.
The attack was launched with the graduates’ initial attempt to bypass the barrier.
Amidst the teargas and pressurized water attack and the baton-charge, the protestors ran for cover towards the railway station.
One of them, Nishantha Senaratne, was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital with serious injuries to his head. Police also briefly arrested Gamini Munasinghe, a provincial convener of Combined Unemployed Graduates Un-ion (CUGU). :-?
Shops in the nearby World Market did not escape the pressurized water attack. When enraged shop owners took matters up with the police, they too, were manhandled.
"We gave our maximum to elect this government. Now, the 'Medamulanaya' is attacking us," CUGU Chief Convener Sujith Kuruwita said.
The protest had to be staged after President Rajapaksa gave complete disregard to his promise to grant us employment, he claimed.
When contacted, SSP (Colombo-Central) Ajith Fonseka told 'Lanka Dissent' that since there was a meeting of the National Security Council, protestors were advised against entering the High Security Zone.
However, they did not pay heed to the request, and tried to force their way in. Therefore, the police had to use its powers under Emergency Regulations and disperse them. They did not even inform the police about their plans to stage a demonstration, the SSP claimed.
When the allegation was referred to the CUGU Chief Convener, he said both the President and the Deputy Finance Minister had been informed in writing that unemployed graduates were going to stage a protest and handover a petition to the Finance Ministry. The Police too, were informed and the media briefed in Colombo on October 30th, Kuruwita said.
The Combined Unemployed Graduates Un-ion and the JVP were in the forefront in the campaign to elect Mahinda Rajapaksa to office. Kuruwita, who was earlier a member of the Socialist Students Uni-on of the JVP, is now claiming the very same leaders who rode to power on their strength, are today do not see eye to eye with them.
The Police say that they can use force and disperse protests under Emergency Regulations.
The JVP supported the extension of the State of Emergency, thus giving cause to the police to attack protests organized by the party, analysts say.
.................................................
Wake up Sri Lanka, Go & find jobs, shit load jobs in private sector, change the attitute, These JVP brainwashed graduate's want gov to provide free education and also jobs, wake up
