A significant 22% of Free Trade Zone workers did not cast their votes in the recent Presidential Election, according to the Free Trade Zone Workers’ Solidarity. This alarming figure has raised concerns that even more workers may abstain from voting in the upcoming Parliamentary Election if current barriers remain unaddressed.
Sugath Rajapaksha, the coordinator of the Shramaabhimani Centre, stated that approximately 80,000 workers employed in Free Trade Zones such as Katunayake, Biyagama, Wathupitiwala, and Mirigama were unable to vote locally. Instead, they had to travel to their home villages, a challenging task given their work schedules and the curfew imposed after the election. Rajapaksha pointed out that if these workers were granted the opportunity to vote in the areas where they are employed, they would not lose their voting rights.
In the aftermath of the Presidential Election, many workers were delayed in returning to their workplaces due to transportation difficulties and curfew restrictions, resulting in the loss of allowances ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000. Rajapaksha explained that this financial setback made many workers prioritize their income over voting, which contributed to the high non-participation rate. He warned that this issue could lead to an even greater number of workers opting not to travel to their villages to vote in the upcoming Parliamentary Election, exacerbating the problem of voter apathy.
Attorney-at-Law Tharushi Dishara, who attended a recent media briefing, emphasized that since 2015, efforts have been made to inform the Election Commission and observer organizations about the challenges faced by Free Trade Zone workers, yet no effective solutions have been implemented. She stressed the urgent need for election laws to be updated, particularly to address the recurring issue of temporary identification cards for workers who misplace their IDs before elections.
With concerns growing ahead of the Parliamentary Election, the Free Trade Zone Workers’ Solidarity and other advocacy groups, including the Dabindu Collective and the Red Organization, are calling for immediate reforms to ensure workers can fully exercise their voting rights without financial or logistical burdens.
