Condemn government’s policy that hands down death to unemployed graduates – SYU
Socialist Youth Union (SYU) has issued a media statement expressing its sorrow at the death of the youth with a degree who was killed in an accident by falling from a tall building where he had been employed as an unskilled labourer.
The statement in full:
Comrade W. Ruwan Shanthe, a 27 year old graduate, died when an electric lift of a storied building being built at Rahula Junction in Matara where he was employed as an unskilled labourer collapsed. He was a resident of Diyagaha in Matara and graduated from Ruhunu University in 2010. The Socialist Youth Union extends its sympathies to the members of his family and loved ones.
The important fact that this death reveals is the tragedy of nonexistent of job opportunities for the graduate youths on this country. The present regime that uses unemployed graduates for its political necessities during election times by making various false promises discard them like toothpicks after the elections are over. There are 42000 unemployed graduates in the country at the moment. Rajapaksa government promised they would be given 14500 posts of ‘Janasabha Secretaries when they carried out a continuous protest for 30 days opposite Fort Railway Station in 2009. However, not a single appointment has been given yet.
As President Rajapaksa himself has admitted in his budget proposals, one out of 6 youths who have passed the A/L examination is unemployed. Accordingly, 1.5 million out of the 7 million youths are unemployed. However, the real figure is more than 2.5 youths in the country are unemployed. There is nothing proposed or mentioned regarding solutions for unemployment in Rajapaksa government’s 7th budget. Government’s own statistics reveal that 300,000 have lost their jobs due to closing down of factories. What has the government done regarding this issue? While Rs.16000 million was allocated for employers of these factories not a single cent was allocated for 300,000 employees who lost their jobs.
When government’s own statistics indicate that the number of unemployed youths is 1.5 million, the Socialist Youth Union held a massive protest walk and an agitation in Colombo on the 30th November demanding jobs for youths and protesting against the fraudulent budget. The government responded with baton charges, tear gas and water cannon. 15 youths had to be admitted to hospital as a result of the attack by police. Employment is a sacred right of all youths. Creating job opportunities is the duty of the rulers. If the rulers knew their duties and acted accordingly Ruwan Shanthe would be with us now.
When the situation in the country is such associates of the government and its princes close roads in Colombo and play ‘night riders.’ Despite the government forming organizations such as ‘Tharunyata Hetak’ (better tomorrow for youth), only the princes of the government would have a better tomorrow not the youths of this country. Rajapaksa government, that talks of a ‘miracle in Asia’ but has no other plan other than thieving, should be held directly responsible for this death.
Bimal Ratnayake,
National Organizer,
Socialist Youth Union.
11.12.2011
Recent Entries
- Occupy Wall Street Movement Continues………….
- Extraordinary Convention of JVP Concluded Successfully
- 53rd Anniversary of the Victorious Cuban Revolution
- Condemn government’s policy that hands down death to unemployed graduates – SYU
- “your struggle is our struggle also!” – Comrade Tilvin Silva
- Struggle on behalf of downtrodden masses – Bimal invites youth
- Democratic Youths of the World condemn attack on SYU agitation
- Tear gas & water cannon for SYU ‘march’
- We’ll struggle with the youth to remind issues of young generation forgotten in budget – SYU
- Comrade Bimal Rathnayaka addresses the assembly of World Federation of Democratic Youth
