“Unite for System Change, Assert Food Sovereignty”

· #WorldFisheriesDay World Fisheries Day Message – 21 November “Unite for System Change, Assert Food Sovereignty” Message from the Praja Abhilasha Network Coordinator Today, on World Fisheries Day, we honour the courage, knowledge, and resilience of our fishing communities—those who safeguard our seas, lagoons, and freshwater tanks to nourish the nation. Fishers are not just producers of food; they are guardians of ecosystems, defenders of coastal and inland resources, and frontline leaders in the struggle for food sovereignty. Yet, despite their invaluable contribution, fisher communities continue to face deep and persistent challenges: Fisher Issues: Sea, Lagoons & Freshwater Tanks Across Sri Lanka, our seas are threatened by destructive development, pollution, climate change, and commercial exploitation. Traditional lagoon fishers are losing access due to encroachments, aquaculture pressures, and unregulated activities. Fishers who depend on village tanks and inland waterways confront reduced water access, environmental degradation, and lack of recognition for their rights and livelihoods. Land Issues Faced by Fisher People Land is central to the dignity and sustainability of fisher families. But today many coastal communities fear displacement as beachfronts are grabbed for tourism, security zones, or commercial ventures. Inland fisher families struggle to secure land for housing, storage, and community spaces. Without land rights, fisher people cannot rebuild after disasters, invest in their livelihoods, or protect their cultural identity. Land rights are not charity—they are a foundation for justice, security, and the right to live with dignity. Promoting Fisher People’s Power and Food Sovereignty At Praja Abhilasha, we firmly believe that true food sovereignty can only be achieved when fisher communities have control over their ocean, lagoon, and tank resources; when they participate in decisions that affect their lives; and when their land rights are protected. We stand with all fishing communities who are organising, mobilising, and campaigning to defend their rights. Your collective power is essential for system change—toward a future where resources are shared fairly, ecosystems are protected, and all people have access to healthy, sustainable food. A Message to the Public Let us recognise and respect the labour and struggles of our fishers. Every meal we enjoy carries the story of communities who work with nature, often under difficult conditions. Support their demands, amplify their voices, and stand with them in their struggle for justice, rights, and sustainable livelihoods. A Message to Our Fisher Communities To all sea, lagoon, and inland fishers: Your strength, unity, and leadership inspire us every day. On this World Fisheries Day, Praja Abhilasha reaffirms our commitment to walk with you— to secure your land rights, protect your fishing grounds, assert your food sovereignty, and build a future where your children can live with dignity and pride. Let us continue to stand together. Let us continue to unite for system change. Let us continue to assert food sovereignty for our communities and for our country. නොවැම්බර් 21 ලෝක ධීවර දිනය මුහුදු, කලපුව සහ වැව් පද්ධති ආරක්ෂා කරමින් රටට ආහාර සපයන ධීවර ජනතාවගේ ශක්තිය, දැනුම සහ කැපවීමට අපි ගෞරව දක්වමු. කෙසේනමුත්, දූෂණය, සංවර්ධන ආක්‍රමණ, දේශගුණික අභියෝග හා පාලනය නොමැති කටයුතු හේතුවෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ ජීවිතයට බරපතල බලපෑම් සිදුවී ඇත. ධීවර ජනතාවගේ ඉඩම් අයිතිවාසිකම් අහිමිවීම, වෙරළ ඉඩම් සංචාරකයන්ට හා ව්‍යාපාරිකයන්ට ග්‍රහණය වීම, සහ නිවාස–ජීවිකා අවශ්‍යතා සඳහා ඉඩම් ලබාගැනීමට ඇති අපහසුව ඔවුන්ගේ ජීවිතයට තවදුරටත් බාධා කරයි. ප්‍රජා අභිලාෂ ලෙස, අපි විශ්වාස කරන්නේ අයිතිවාසිකම් රැකගෙන සම්පත් මත පාලනය ධීවර සමාජයන්ට ලබාදීමෙනි සත්‍ය ආහාර ස්වෛරීත්වය ගොඩනැගීම. උපාය මාර්ගික වෙනසකට, ධීවර ජනතාවගේ අයිතිවාසිකම්, ඉඩම් අයිතිවාසිකම්, සහ ජීවිකා සඳහා වන සටනට අපි එක්වෙමු. நவம்பர் 21 உலக மீனவர் தினத்தை முன்னிட்டு, கடல், கலப்பு நீர்நிலைகள் மற்றும் ஏரிகளைக் காக்கும் மீனவர்களின் தைரியம் மற்றும் அர்ப்பணிப்பை நாம் கௌரவிக்கிறோம். ஆனால், மாசு, அத்துமீறிய அபிவிருத்தி, காலநிலை மாற்றம் மற்றும் கட்டுப்பாடற்ற செயல்கள் காரணமாக மீனவர்களின் வாழ்வாதாரம் பெரும் சவால்களை எதிர்கொள்கிறது. கடற்கரை மற்றும் உள்நாட்டு மீனவர்கள் நில உரிமை இழப்பை, சுற்றுலா மற்றும் வர்த்தக ஆக்கிரமிப்புகளை, வீடு மற்றும் வாழ்வாதாரத்திற்கான நிலம் பெற முடியாத நிலையை சந்திக்கின்றனர். பிரஜா அபிலாஷ நெட்வொர்க் நம்புவது— உணவு அரசாதிக்குரிமை என்பது மீனவர்கள் தங்கள் வளங்களை கட்டுப்படுத்தும் உரிமையையும், நில உரிமையையும் பாதுகாக்கும்போது மட்டுமே சாத்தியம். அமைப்பு மாற்றத்திற்காகவும், மீனவர்களின் உரிமைகள் மற்றும் வாழ்வுரிமைக்காகவும் நாம் ஒன்றிணைந்து போராடுகிறோம்.