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“Accelerate the freedom struggle and liberate the Tamil people”

All thoroughfares that link the hamlets of the Jaffna peninsula with the city were full of people enthusiastically marching in groups to participate in the Mass May Day Rally held in Jaffna Sunday 1 May 2005.

The International Workers Day saw workers from all sectors, farmers and fishermen congregating at the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple precincts, the starting point of the Mass May Day Rally of the Jaffna peninsula. The workers march started at 1500 hrs and inched its way through crowded streets to the Jaffna University’s Medical Faculty grounds. A life size cut out of the Tamil National Leader Mr.Veluppillai Pirapaharan was in the forefront of the May Day floats.

Workers led by their respective trade unions, farmers associations, fishermen societies, students unions, teachers unions and religious dignitaries representing all denominations were seen marching in the scotching sun carrying slogans calling the Tamil National Leader to accelerate the freedom struggle. The colourful floats depicted military excesses, High Security Zones and the impact on farming and fishing population, and the tsunami disaster in the North coast.

The float depicting the hardships faced by the fishing community in the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy won the first prize that went to Kayts-Thambaddy Fishermen’s Society. Kaithady Community Centre took away the second prize for their depiction of the ‘worker’ statue and the third prize was won by Chavatkadu Fishermen’s Society for their depiction of the harassment of fishermen by the SL Navy.

At the end of the meeting, a resolution was passed calling the LTTE leader to take positive steps to accelerate the freedom struggle of the Tamil people.

May Day Rally in Kilinochchi commenced with a procession of workers carrying slogans mostly calling upon the Tamil National Leader to opt for full freedom to the Tamil people in an independent Tamil state. Significant among the slogans was the one condemning the killing of Journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram. The procession that started from Karadippokku Junction at 15.00, reached the Kilinochchi Rodrigo grounds an hour later. Workers, farmers, fishermen and people from all walks of life participated in the rally enthusiastically. A colourful array of floats depicting the current political status, tsunami disaster and military atrocities including the killing of Journalist D.Sivaram and the public cry that only in a free Tamil state can the Tamil workers get meaningful freedom, were special features in the rally.

02 May 2005

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