BY Buddhika SamaraweeraThe World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), while condemning the arrest and subsequent forcible direction to quarantine the protestors including trade unionists during the recent protests in Sri Lanka, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested protestors. “We denounce the illegal arrests of trade unionists and activists who struggle for the rights and interests of workers, peasants, and students. The international class-oriented trade union movements support the demands of the trade union movements in Sri Lanka,” it added. The Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF), the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) and the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) had organised the demonstration against the proposed KNDU Bill. The first World Trade Union Congress (held in Paris from 3 to 8 October 1945), which voted to establish the WFTU, was attended by delegates representing 67 million workers from 56 national organisations from 55 countries and 20 international organisations.
