Colloquium on Land Issues of Kalpitiya Area

Kalpitiya land grabbing research report 07.05.13 from paraajan

The colloquium on land issues of kalpitiya area was held on 07th May 2013 at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo. National Fisheries Solidarity and Praja Abhilasha Network have organized the Colloquium . Kalpitiya Islands Dwellers,Catholic Priests,Nons, Buddist monks, Civil society organizations, International Non Government Organizations and Media personals have taken part at the colloquium. At this special event, Kalpitiya Island dweller explained their grievances and was able to show a documentary to prove the land grabbing in the Kalpitiya Islands. NAFSO conducted a field survey on “Land Grabbing of sustenance lands belong to Kalpitiya Island Inhabitants in Kalpitiya islands” last 3 months and compiled a report with the survey findings. This was an in depth study and follow up action of International Fact Finding Mission, NAFSO/Praja Abhilashi and Food Sovereignty Network of South Asia conducted. In the year 2012/3 Pesticide Action Network in Asia and Pacific conduct a survey on socio, economic, political and environmental impacts on land grabbing in 10 Asian countries. NAFSO involve to study one such sites, Kalpitiya tourism zone and it’s impact on people’s livelihoods, food sovereignty, and land and water rights in Sri Lankan context. The survey findings on socio, economic, cultural political and environmental impact on island communities are clearly show the difficulties faced by those people at present as well as the forthcoming adverse effects of the fisher communities, unless immediate remedial measures are not being implemented. However, all these are not visible in main stream media and not in the public domain for dialogue. Only visible is the plans with high investments and the dream of earning dollars from foreigners who would come to our country in the future. The policy makers, politicians and the supports to the dream of “Wonders of Asia” would become reality only through booming tourism industry. The small producer farmers, other food producers, such as small scale fisher people who depend on sea, lagoon and coast will not be important in this dream. Those people are no more viable economic contributors to become that dream a reality. All those people should sacrifice their livelihoods, land, water, coast, lagoon, their homes and all those these small producers having for the luxurious life of the foreigners and the economic gains of the politicians and the investors. Unless, the concern people come forward and say this is a criminal act, those small food producers as well as those who depend on their food production will be no more as they may starve, malnourished and eventually die. If we are really see this terrific realities and we keep blind eye to these injustices and continue repeating what government say day by day, “We are now closer to the Wonders of Asia”, we should say, Get Ready to answer to Future Generations of the Country. Because, we saw the destruction and we did not have the courage to open our mouth as we are fear of that. If we have the courage to open our mouth and say, this is not the development and this is destruction to the people, please come and talk. Take a stand against these injustices. Take bold action against the violation of human rights of people. We are talking about the economic, social and cultural rights of the island communities, also right to food, right to livelihood, right to life of them. Objectives of the Colloquium: 01) Awareness of the Kalpitiya tourism Zone and the adverse effects of the same on island communities, 02) Highlight the realities of fisher people in the islands and how their life is threatened and livelihoods are in danger, 03) Sharing the worries of the Women and the children who are threatened their future from tourism. 04) The adverse impacts on bio diversity, pollution of water bodies and destroy them. 05) Building up the National strategy to face the destructive actions of tourism and to address people’s issues.