Lanka deploys army to distribute fuel amid oil workers strike

Sri Lanka today deployed army and police to restore fuel distribution after declaring petroleum supply an essential service as trade unions vowed to continue strike against what they describe as "selling out of state assets" to India and China.
The Sirisena government sent the army troops and police to provide security to vital fuel installations and restore fuel distribution crippled due the strike by workers at the state-run petroleum company.
Constables and hundreds of troops were sent to man two main distribution points of the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) near Colombo, and have begun restoring supplies, police said.
"We have taken the first step of providing security to Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela oil installations," Military spokesman Brigadier Roshan Seneviratne said, adding that troops are now working in distribution facilities to start fuel distribution with help from those who are not taking part in the strike.

The oil workers' strike has triggered fuel crisis in the country with long queues of cars and trucks building up outside petrol stations.
The trade unions, who are striking since Monday night, today announced that they will not return to work until the government abandons plans to handover fuel storage tanks in the eastern port district of Trincomalee to India and the lease agreement to handover the Hambantota port to China.

They also called for the upgrading of oil refineries.
Petroleum trade unions dub both the agreements with India and China as "sell-off of state assets".
President Maithripala Sirisena last night issued a gazette notice declaring fuel storage and distribution an essential service from today. The government asked the striking workers to return to work.

The government said that fuel distribution bowsers have been instructed to report to the respective fuel storage facilities in order to distribute fuel to the fuel stations.
"Those who do not report for duty today will be considered having vacated their posts," said a government statement.
The government points out that the people are facing an inconvenience due to the disruption of supply and distribution of fuel including petroleum products and gas in the country.
Under the proposed deal with Sri Lanka, India will jointly operate a strategic oil facility in the eastern port district of Trincomalee.
At least 73 of the 99 storage tanks of the World War II- era in Trincomalee is to be managed under a new equity arrangement between India and Lanka.

Government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said the fuel distribution should be normalised by this evening.
Sri Lanka's Cabinet yesterday approved a long-delayed agreement to sell to China a 70 per cent stake in a USD 1.2 billion Chinese-built port in the southern town of Hambantota.
State-owned China Merchants Port Holdings will have a majority stake in the strategically-located port.