The strike action by the employees of the Hambantota Port entered day three on Friday.
The Satyagraha campaign launched on Thursday afternoon is also continuing
These employees sas that their employment is at risk as there is an attempt to hand over the Hambantota Port to a Chinese Company in a manner that would not benefit the country.
They request that they be assigned to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Employees of all departments at the Hambantota Port are engaged in this strike action.As a result of this situation, two vessels with vehicles and construction material remain anchored at the port, unable to obtain services from the port.
An attempt was made to deploy the Sri Lanka Navy to the port in order to provide required services and release the vessels, those attempts proved to be futile as the port employees refused to cooperate.
Port employees thereafter deployed smaller vessels that obstructed the path of two large vessels.”If we do not get a decision, everyone of us are ready to get in to this and show you what we can do”, they said.
Police arrived on Friday afternoon called on the employees to release the two ships.
Meanwhile, our correspondent noted that two other ships have been anchored in deep sea.
Four employees expressed their support to the Satyagraha at the entrance of the Harbour by climbing onto the 14th floor of the administrative complex.
Those engaged in the trade union action, took over the fire trucks and water bowser at the port and moved them to the entrance of the port.
The JVP expressed their support to this strike action as well.
Issuing a communique, the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade noted that an MoU was signed between the Sri Lankan Government and the China Merchant Port Holdings Company last night on the Magam-Ruhunupura port.
Following the media briefing Namal Rajapaksa visited the Hambantota Port, where he received the following welcome from the port employees. Please see video.
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