By Saman Indrajith

Joint Opposition MPs yesterday staged a protest in Parliament against the government using the Navy personnel to assault Hambantota port workers who are on strike.

The MPs protest came after NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, raising a point of order, informed the House that workers of the Hambantota port were being attacked by naval personnel. “Navy men have set upon the strikers at Hambantota port. Armed with clubs and poles, they are thrashing the strikers. This should be stopped immediately,” Weerawansa said.

State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena: The Speaker has no powers to stop such actions. There is no point raising the matter here.

Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe: This is a plot. MP Weerawansa arrived here about 20 minutes back. Since then, he was canvassing others to create a disturbance in the Chamber. Now he is staging the drama.

All Joint Opposition MPs stood up and shouted slogans urging the government to stop the brutal assault on workers. Some shouted that it was a right of workers to resort to trade union action. They asked whether there is no right for workers to strike under the Yahapalana regime.

MP Chamal Rajapaksa: Whether the government is privatizing the Hambantota port or not is a different issue. But attacking the strikers is something else. If the strikers are under attack, it should be stopped immediately.

Minister Senasinghe rose to speak but what he said was drowned as Joint Opposition MPs continued to shout demanding the government to stop attacking the port workers.

Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala tried to restore order in the House. He said: We have State Minister of Defence in the House. Let him to speak.

State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene: If the navy is involved in such action, I will immediately call them and stop it. I will find out what it happening.

MP Weerawansa: There is no need to find out anything. The attack is in progress. They navy first attacked the journalists who went there to cover the strike action. Already eight have been sent to hospital. The navy had fired into the air to chase away the Hambantota port workers.

Deputy Speaker Sumathipala: The state minister of defence gave an assurance that he would look into the matter. He would do so. Please let us proceed with matters at hand. We have lot of work to be completed today.

Thereafter, the Joint Opposition MPs occupied their seats.

Later in the afternoon, with permission from the Chair, Defence State Minister Wijewardene said: “I checked with the Navy Commander and the Southern Naval Commander on the situation at the Hambantota port. There was no such thing as setting naval ratings to attack strikers. The strikers had taken two ships in the harbour by force. The navy was sent there to rescue the vessels from the strikers. There was no shooting or clubbing them. The situation has been brought under control.”

Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa: “How did you send the navy for the mission? There are no emergency laws in force. In such a situation you cannot send the forces for such missions.How could you do so?

Minister Wijewardene: There is no need for emergency laws when two ships are taken by force. That amounts to piracy and it is the duty of the navy to rescue them. One of the vessels taken by force belongs to Japan. The issue could have developed into an international issue. In such situations the strikers are no longer civilians but pirates. The navy is entitled shoot at them. If you think of continuing the agitation to disrupt the functioning of the harbour, we would hand over its control to the navy. We will get the navy to run it.”

Courtesy:Sunday Island