From: https://www.change.org/p/withdraw-the-court-case-against-22-plantation-workers-in-sri-lanka
Plantation Workers Action Committee (PWAC) in Sri Lanka has launched a petition campaign the withdrawal of the court case against 22 workers and two youth from Alton estate, Up-Cot in Maskeliya in country’s central plantation district. The said court case was a frame up against them for their role in a strike action of estate workers demanding a daily wage of Rs. 1000 and opposing management’s repressive moves. We urge you to place your signature with other required details in the petition and support the PWAC campaign.
The Petition:
Mr. Sanjay Rajaratnam
Attorney General,
No.159, Hulftsdorp
Colombo-12
Dear Sir
A request to withdraw framed up case against 22 workers and two youths of Alton Estate under case No. B 34932/21 at Hatton Magistrate Court.
We, the undersigned workers, employed in the Alton Estate belonged to Horana Plantation, located in Up-Cot Maskeliya, employees in other estates and workers internationally, are writing this letter to place following matters before your consideration and to demand the withdrawal of the cases to be filed against 22 workers and two youths, residents of the said estate, under case No. 34932/21.
1.These persons were arrested between February 18, 2021 and March 09, 2021 on a false complaint made by Sathyamoorthy Subash Narayanan, the manager of the Alton Estate, produced before a Hatton magistrate and later bailed out on March 10 on harsh conditions.
These victims have been falsely accused of physically assaulting the said manager and looting money and properties. Such thing did not happen. This manager continuously made harassments against workers who were on strike since February 2, 2021. Opposing the harassments workers continued the strike and protested in front of his residence expressing their opposition. The manager used this incident and made the complaint to the police to take revenge from workers legitimately carrying out work stoppage for higher wages.
Victims of this compliant have denied the false accusation against them.
2. Since the bailout, these workers have been summoned to the courts every three months. First, they were told by the prosecuting police that the investigation was still going on and then the investigation report has been submitted to your office. Each time, the victimised workers were told that your office has not yet filed charges against the accused.
The case is now dragging for more than two years. When the case was called on March 15, 2023 it has been postponed until June 21. Workers are facing immense hardship because of this false accusation.
3. Horana Plantation Company has summarily sacked 38 workers from Alton estate, without any investigation. A case against this arbitrary sacking is being investigated in the Labour Courts in Hatton.
We once again request you to consider these facts and take necessary steps to withdraw false allegations made by the manager of Alton Estate and the Hatton police.
We also support the public campaign launched by the Plantation Action Committee, which issued a statement on 1st of May, 2021 in this regard.
