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JVP shows the way with signature campaign
View(s):Labourers, office workers, housewives and youth join in
Office workers came out alongside labourers this week to sign the JVP’s petition against high electricity tariffs, and the party says it will extend its campaign to village areas in the coming days. The party has gathered more than 50,000 signatures since launching the petition campaign on Wednesday in cities around the country following a torchlight demonstration in Maharagama on Monday.
In contrast to previous protests, people from different walks of life were seen coming out to support the JVP campaign.
Rare unity: People from all walks of life signing the petition.
People streamed out from government offices to sign the petition alongside private sector workers. Mothers who came to take their children home from after school classes signed the petition to show their agitation, as did leaders of religious groups.
“I voted for the President’s party because it won the war against the LTTE but now I feel let down because of its policies – like this one,” said W. M. Rathnapala, 59, a father of two from Narahenpita who is backing the campaign against the government price hikes.
At least 500 people joined the Maharagama torchlight demonstration on Monday.
M.P. Prema, 47, a mother of three from Homagama, said she had joined the protest because nothing had happened to prevent the electricity tariff increase. “We didn’t join any previous political protests that took place whenever there was a problem. This time we wanted to throw our support behind a party that will actually make a difference and put a stop to price increases that have reached an unbearable point,” she said.
She had voted for President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2010 presidential election. “If these price increases continue, we’ll have to think about appointing a new party and president for this country,” she said. Twenty-year-old Danuka Kumara, who was among a number of other young people contributing signatures to the petition, said the price increases had affected people badly.
“There are many groups who are trying to put an end to the sky-rocketing electricity prices but none of them have succeeded. We hope and believe that the JVP can make a change,” he said. JVP Propaganda Secretary and MP, Vijitha Herath, said the petition programme would be held around the country.
“We are to hold a demonstration where thousands are expected to participate in mid-May,” he said. “What the public wanted was a party to spearhead the campaign, and we believe that the JVP is able to gather people and help them to make their voices heard.”
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said the party hoped to broaden its campaign to include other parties. “We are demanding that the government stop the electricity tariff increase, and we’ll fight along with the public until the state does so,” Mr. Silva said.
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