Colombo (News 1st): Several groups including employees of state institutions, university students, and teachers staged protests in Colombo today (Feb 6). Most of the protests took place opposite the Presidential Secretariat. Assistant officers attached to the Health Ministry's National Dengue Control Unit, terminated employees of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Project Assistants at ministries, and depositors of the Gampaha Sanasa Bank took part in these protests. Among the demands were to expedite the issue of pensions and the reinstatement of officers.

CPC Employees protest

A group claiming to have lost their jobs at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation since the new government came into power staged a protest demanding to reinstate them in service. Their protest outside the Presidential Secretariat took place for the eighth day.

All Island Project Assistants Collective stage a protest

Members of the All-Island Project Assistants Collective staged a protest around issues faced while reporting to work despite being issued appointment letters. An employee noted that there are 7500 of them and since the 16th of September they do not have a job. He noted that they left their previous jobs to move to their new workplaces and now they have lost both. They noted that they do not want a special agitation site to engage in protests, what they request is for employment based on qualifications.

Collective of Retired Tri-Forces Personnel stage protest

Meanwhile, individuals attached to the Collective of Retired Tri-Forces Personnel staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat. They demanded that steps be taken to grant pensions for retired soldiers. Speaking to the media Retired Army Officer noted;

"When we retired in January 2016, they said, here is your salary worth Rs. 35,000. We were told that our salaries would be increased by Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 by January 2020. Now there is a supplementary estimate. Weren't soldiers and retired state officials being considered? All state officers worked on behalf of the country. This has become a country where all of you are on our shoulders. Do not bring circulars which do not pay pensions until the demise of retired soldiers. We request that our due payments be given to us along with our salary in March."

Depositors of the Gampaha Sanasa Bank protest

Meanwhile, depositors of the Gampaha Sanasa Bank staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat. They demanded that their pensions be granted immediately.

Ceylon Teacher Services Union stage protest

Members of the Ceylon Teacher Services Union staged a protest at the Fort Railway Station before proceeding towards the Presidential Secretariat. Their protest revolved against the failure to provide pensions for retired teachers. General Secretary of the Union Mahinda Jayasinghe noted;

"Pay retired teachers their pensions in keeping with the circular issued in agreement with the Finance Ministry. Otherwise, we will carry out massive protests throughout the country. We came to the Presidential Secretariat, to deliver the message that we are ready to resort to other means if we fail to win our demands."

The protestors who were given a chance to discuss their concerns at the Presidential Secretariat claimed that the talks had ended in a stalemate. Our correspondent noted that officers attached to the Police Anti Riot Squad arrived at the location. The protestors were removed from the road before being sent to the Agitation Site.

Reactions to allocation of "Agitation Site"

Various opinions were expressed today regarding the allocation of an "Agitation Site" near the Presidential Secretariat. UPFA MP D.V. Chanaka noted that by reserving a space for it, they don't expect people to protest there. He said due to the reason that the innocent public is inconvenienced by these protests, the President decided to reserve a place for that purpose. He added that one looks back four months ago, people were not allowed to even come close to that area. UNP MP Harshana Rajakaruna also expressed his views;

"Forgetting the demands of the protestors, not providing them with justice and cornering them to an isolated area is not forgetting the demands of the protestors, not providing them with justice and cornering them to an isolated area as a solution for their grievances. The general public might be hindered by the protests, that should be solved, but the answer is to provide solutions to the protesters and not dictate where they should and should not protest."