Protesting Hambantota Port employees given 7 conditions

The Hambantota Magistrate’s Court today issued an order, consisting of 7 conditions, against protesting employees of the Hambantota Port who are also engaged in trade union action. 

According to those conditions, they are not allowed to obstruct any of the entrances to the port while they are also prohibited from impeding or boarding any international vessels or Sri Lanka Navy vessels. 

The protesting workers are also barred from damaging any property at the harbour.

The order was issued by the Hambantota Magistrate Manjula Karunaratne, after considering a request made by the police. 

A group of dock workers at the port in Hambantota have been on strike since December 6 demanding that they be absorbed into the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, ahead of any sale of the port to the Chinese.

Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said he had given strikers a Thursday deadline to report back to work or lose their jobs.