London, Apr 19 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's call to protest against a UN report on war crimes on May 1, has divided trade unions affiliated to the ruling coalition as they are of the view that the May Day protest should be reserved for workers' issues.
The leaked summary of the report alleges that war crimes were committed at the end of the civil war when the government troops crushed the rebels.
Rajapaksa said the claims were not new but called for a "show of strength" against the report, according to the BBC.
Responding to a leak of the reports in a Sri Lankan newspaper, Rajapaksa told party officials May Day gatherings should be used to protest.
But trade unions affiliated to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and Communist Party (CP) - both members of the ruling coalition - are angry about the Rajapaksa's call.
"The challenge for the workers at the moment is not the UN but the IMF," TMR Rasooldeen of Ceylon Workers Union affiliated to LSSP said.
He said the workers should focus on "IMF -sponsored" new pension scheme instead of "political issues" on May Day.
The union affiliated to Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said it will support the President's call.
The UN-appointed inquiry gathered evidence for 10 months and submitted its findings to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon several days ago. (ANI)
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