{"id":161674,"date":"2016-05-03T03:18:43","date_gmt":"2016-05-02T21:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=161674"},"modified":"2016-05-03T04:29:55","modified_gmt":"2016-05-02T22:59:55","slug":"wikileaks-socialist-sirima-govt-paid-ten-rupees-lunch-packet-and-free-transport-for-may-day-participants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-socialist-sirima-govt-paid-ten-rupees-lunch-packet-and-free-transport-for-may-day-participants\/","title":{"rendered":"WikiLeaks: Socialist Sirima Govt. Paid Ten Rupees, Lunch Packet And Free Transport For May Day Participants"},"content":{"rendered":"

Socialist United Front government led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike<\/span><\/a> paid ten rupee payment and a lunch packet per head and free transport to people in order to attract tens of thousands to the Galle Face Green May Day rally according to a “confidential” diplomatic cable sent to US Secretary of State by the US Embassy Colombo.<\/p>\n

\"Sirimavo<\/a>

Sirimavo Bandaranaike<\/p><\/div>\n

Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked US diplomatic cable from the WikiLeaks<\/span><\/a> database dated May 04, 1973.<\/p>\n

In the context of current debate on payments, free transportation for Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa factions of Sri Lanka Freedom Party ‘May Day’ rallies, we publish below the cable in full;<\/p>\n

SRI LANKA CELEBRATES MAY DAY<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date:1973 May 4, 12:45 (Friday)<\/p>\n

Original Classification:CONFIDENTIAL<\/p>\n

Current Classification:UNCLASSIFIED<\/p>\n

From: Sri Lanka Colombo
\nTo: Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs | Commander in Chief US Pacific Command | India New Delhi | Secretary of State | United Kingdom London<\/p>\n

1. SUMMARY: UFG COALITION PARTIES MOUNTED ALL- OUT EFFORT TO\u00a0CELEBRATE MAY DAY. FREE TRANSPORT AND MONEY PAYMENTS HELPED TO\u00a0ATTRACT TENS OF THOUSANDS TO GALLE FACE GREEN. PM TOLD CROWDS\u00a0THAT SIZE OF TURNOUT DISPROVED CLAIMS THAT RECENT SENANAYAKE\u00a0FUNERAL SHOWED POPULAR REJCTION OF UFG. SHE REITERATED\u00a0COMMITMENT TO 1970 ELECTION PLATFORM OBJECTIONS AND PROMISED\u00a0SPEEDIER IMPLEMENTATION, CITING LAKE HOUSE TAKEOVER AS MOST\u00a0RECENT PROOF OF UFG INTENTIONS. OTHER SPEAKERS ATTACKED UNP\u00a0AND CLAIMED THAT PARTY REACTIONARY AND THAT IT ACTIVE IN\u00a0ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT UNITED FRONT THROUGH INCIDENTS. RALLY\u00a0UNDERSCORED UFG NERVOUSNESS AND UNCERTAINTY, ATTITUDE WHICH\u00a0MAY LEAD TO TOUGHER LINE WITH UNP. END SUMMARY.<\/p>\n

2. UFG COALITION PARTIES STAGED FIRST MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS SINCE\u00a01970, AND MOUNTED ALL- OUT EFFORT TO REDEEM POPULAR IMAGE ERODED\u00a0BY NATIONAL MOURNING FOR DUDLEY SENANAYAKE<\/span><\/a>. WITH INCENTIVES\u00a0REPORTEDLY INCLUDING FREE BUS TRANSPORT, TEN- RUPEE PAYMENT\u00a0PER HEAD AND LUNCH PACKETS, PRO- GOVT TRADE UNIONS AND\u00a0UFG M. P. S SUCCEEDED IN TURNING OUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF\u00a0SUPPORTERS FOR MASS MEETING MAY 1 ON GALLE FACE GREEN.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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