The May Day is 121 years old. IMay Day dawned, when the working fraternity shed their sweat and blood in a valiant struggle demanding a workers’ right- 8 hour work a day – in Chicago in America.

May Day signifies an appeal to the international working class to rally together for their political and economic emancipation with greater determination and dedication.

But, today, the May is not observed in that sprit by political parties. May Day has today become a forum for political parties to conduct propaganda about their political agendas based on political opportunism. In Sri Lanka, the May Day meetings and May Day rallies do not focus on the grievances or problems of the workers. Only, slogans that reflect political opportunism are shouted.

Last year, the May Day was not held by many political parties in Sri Lanka for security reasons. This year most of the political parties in Sri Lanka hold the May Day on the previous day since the Vesak falls on May 1st. It is really meaningless to hold the May Day on the previous day, since May Day has been celebrated on May1st all over the world for the last 120 years.

The appeal made by the government to hold the May Day on any day other than May 1st in view of the Vesak falling on the same day has been accepted by many political parties and trade unions.

But senior Trade Unionist Bala Tampoe, Nava Sama Smaja Party and certain left parties have rejected the appeal. This is not the first time that the Vesak Day has fallen on a May Day. In 1969, the Vesak Day fellon a May Day. The then UNP government led by Dudley Senanaanyake, on that occasion, banned the May Day celebrations on May 1st, in view of the Vesak festival. Yet, the Communist Prty(Chinese Wing) and its trade Unions held the May Day defying the ban.

The May Day has a great significance as an international Workers’ Solidarity Day. Vesak Day cannot in any way be contradictory to Lord Buddha’s philosophy. It is difficult to understand thinking of the government on this issue.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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