1 May 2023 12:02 am Views - 218
May Day rallies like in the past, this time too would be heavily politicized. Just the other day there was speculation that the government has initiated moves to ensure district offices countrywide have New Year celebrations on May 1.
According to unions, this move would in some way curtail the numbers wanting to attend the May Day rallies.
Governments in the past, especially the one that was ousted by the people have often feared the May Day. This is the day that workers come under the limelight and are spoken of; rather than being told to work.
Usually demonstrations highlight social inequalities, government’s shortcomings and worker frustrations.
But this time around, the workers are sure to demand the right to air opinion and even criticize the government in a peaceful manner. Much of these freedom have been curtailed now with the government cracking down on peaceful protesters and driving fear psychosis into the minds of critics with the newly-proposed anti-terrorism act.
Overall, in the world rallies on May Day have gone on peacefully but not all. In France, violent protestors were teargassed when black-clad anarchists protested against President Emmanuel Macron. In 1977 at Taksim Square, 34 people were killed during protests. Last year in Colombo, protesters stormed the city of Colombo on May Day and demanded that president Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign. The JVP last year had its rally under the theme ‘let’s chase away this oppressive government. Let’s build a people’s government’.
May Day rallies have in recent years inserted tremendous pressure on governments.
Governments in the past, especially the one that was ousted by the people have often feared the May Day. This is the day that workers come under the limelight and are spoken of; rather than being told to work. Usually demonstrations highlight social inequalities, government’s shortcomings and worker frustrations
People have used May Day to accomplish other desires and goals. People in Ukraine have asked for peace and an end to Russia’s war in their country. There have been other goals too. In Kolkata, sex workers in a ‘red-light’ district attended rallies and demanded that sex work be decriminalised and eliminate the stigma associated with the profession.
The foundation for the May Day was laid in 1889 when the Socialist International first recognised the day at its first congress. The following year, celebrations took place across the world. In 1916 Berlin’s May Day rally was interrupted by the First World War. But a protestor wrote “whoever who is against the war appear on May 1 at 8 in the evening. Bread! Freedom! Peace! Workers demands have continued to remain simple.
On the other hand, there are nations which don’t encourage rallies on May Day. Hong Kong is one such country. The country’s new security laws don’t allow such practices since the bill was passed in 2020.
The Alliance National People’s Power has in the past conducted some of the much talked about rallies on May Day because of the discipline they maintain during and after such rallies. We’ve seen how their comrades clean up the premises before vacating the rally premises.
But that clean up process doesn’t mean much until these protesters clean up this political system that stinks. There was little hope left just a few months ago when members of an ousted regime - some went into hiding and some went abroad - came back to politics and even formed a government with the help of the incumbent president.
May Day rallies must go beyond highlighting worker grievances and set the platform to remove regimes that are heartless and think little of the voter.