14.3.2008
Mr.
Anurasiri Hettige, President of Rupavahini Employees Trade
Union was attacked by thugs at Kotikawatta area in Colombo
today at about 7.45 a.m.
The attack had been carried out by two thugs when Mr.
Hettige was at a bus halt on his way to work. Mr. Hettige
has been admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Colombo National
Hospital with serious head injuries.
Yesterday Mr. Hettige participated in a discussion with
Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse at the Defense Ministry
on security threat for Rupavahini employees. At this discussion
held with the participation of representatives of all
trade unions in Rupavahini Corporation, Defense Secretary,
Chairman of SLRC Ariyaratne Athugala, Director General
of SLRC Sisira Kotalawala and media spokesman for Police
Department, the Defense Secretary gave an assurance that
security for Rupavahini employees would be beefed up.
Within 24 hours of this assurance a leader of the trade
unions of SLRC was subjected to a ruthless attack by thugs.
Mr. Hettige is the third SLRC employee attacked by thugs
since Mervin Silva, Labour Minister of this government
was detained temporarily by employees of SLRC when he
with several of his thugs broke into the corporation to
intimidate the news editor for not telecasting a speech
he had made. Minister Silva and his thugs were given a
dose of their own medicine by employees of SLRC and commandos
had to be called in to rescue the minister and his thugs.
Meanwhile, Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed
to Rupavahini to provide security as employees have boycotted
work in protest over the continuing assault on employees
of SLRC.
Courtesy
LankaTruth