RAMINI PERARA is a member of the Revolutionary Marxist Group JUDITH ARKWRIGHT about the situation facing women in the Free Trade Zone.
The Free Trade Zone (FTZ) is an area that functions separately from the rest of the Lankan economy. Everything produced in the region is exported. Tax free concessions have been granted for exports to allow raw materials and machinery De brought country. The main inare American, Western EuroJapanese Korean as well as some The FTZ was established in 1978 when the United National Party came to power: It labour force of 19.500 workers of which almost 85 per cent Socialist Challenge which supports the Fourth International in Sri Lanka. She spoke to are women. Most of the women come from rural al cas.
From their youth, they nave been conanonedo bend to authority, whether Is new lames. SCHOOLS or husbands. Buddhism also blays a sulullz wall i the lives of Sri Lankan They that they are born as women because they sinned in their previous life.
Wages extremely al C low in the rural areas, so cheme sore regarded as a as a source when they come to the FTZ. tney are pala sup. a day, which after two years increases to the princely sum of 56p a day. 16 July 1982 page 14 But there remarkable degree militancy displayed on the part of the workers, particularly when they realise that everything they produce Could Disputes, however, are contained locally by management and government and do not receive wiatsprcau pubicity.
In February of this ycal, Sri Lankan government to ratifv Convention the Labour Organisation, which pro hibits night work for Wome rrom February 1983 management will be able to employ the night shift. For women this is a further set back to the already appalling conditions in which they find themselves.
Forced to move into the urban areas, it is the women who have to look after the children and do the housework. They will be unabie to sicep in une daytime. They will also face increased sexual harassment and rape.
Any worker organised in a trade union in the FTZ would immediately lose their job. So the Women's Liberation Movement OI Sri Lanka tries to organise and work with women in the FTZ. They have initiated campaigns against night work, for equal pay tor equal work, for the protection of women when they leave the factories and so on.
Both the and the body responsible for the region, the Greater Colombo Economic Commission, oppose these campaigns organised by