SCHOOL CHILDREN JOIN FAST(98 Jul 08)
The hunger strike organised by armed Tamil racist parties, which work with the government, turned out to be a farce. The unemployed graduates in the Eastern province took part in the fast at Thirukanamalaya, demanding employment.
On the final day, the school children who joined the fast, during school hours, started throwing stones at the police. Nobody knows who gave them permission to take part in a hunger strike.
The fast ended after Mr. Gamini Fonseka, the governor of the Eastern and Northern provinces gave them an assurance that they will be found jobs very soon. A similar fast has been organised in Vavuniyava, the "stronghold" of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam.
While we do not oppose giving jobs to anybody we would like to ask the question what would have happened if the Sinhala unemployed graduates went on a hunger strike demanding jobs. Only recently a Sinhala worker in Pelawatte died, while he was on a hunger strike with some of his colleagues as part of a trade union action.
It is ironical that while the unemployed graduates in the eastern province are fasting demanding jobs, Mr. Thondaman is planning to get down teachers from Tamil Nadu to be employed in the schools in the estate areas.