dialogue with Director General of Office for Nagtional Unity and Reconciliation on 25.02.2016

Pasikkuda fisher folks issues meeting held on 22.02.2016

Pasikkuda people discussed their issue at the Anchoring point in Pasikkuda and further said that the fisher folk do not have a place to have a meeting becasue of their anchoring point land is supposed to occupy by the tourism authorities. so the fishers emphasized that the need  their own place where they are exist now. they will not give up their land in any circumstances. also people decided to hand ove a petition to the District secretary and Divisional Secretary in order to gain the land title for their anchoring point and their residence.  

Meeeting on Paanama Land issue at Paanama Tample Hall

The Local coordinator of PA has convened the meeting on 21st Feb 2016 . There were 27 people present for the meeting and discussed about the present situatin of the Paanama. People have decided to meet the the public representation committee on new constitution at Ampara on 28th Feb.

PA submission on Plantation Community at the Public Representation Committee Hearing

The public representation committee hearing on New constitution  held at the District secretariat in Nuwara Eliya today on 20.02.2016. The Praja Abhilasha coordinator Francis Raajan has attended and submitted the recommendation on Plantation land rights to the Committee at the event. at the same time, Raajan has given the oral statement also to the committee. Raajan especially highlighted the following matters such as: Right to Adequate Housing and agricultural land for plantation people (1) Everyone should have the right to have access to adequate housing with 20 perches land; (2) Estate workers should be recognized as small farmers. (3) Everyone should have the right to have access to ½ acre agricultural land in order to promote their livelihood as small farmers and the state should be ensured that organic farming only to be promoted in the hill country. (4) Land rights should be legalized as fundamental right. (5) Estate workers land rights should be enacted in the legislation of Sri Lanka. (6) Estate people should obtain the opportunities during the decision making process on hill country development plan. (7) Plantation people’s customary rights should be legalized through implementing the Voluntary guideline of Governance of Tenure on forest and fisheries and land tenure. (8) The State must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right; (9) No one may be evicted from their home, or have the home demolished, without an order of court made after considering all the relevant circumstances; (10) No legislation may permit arbitrary evictions. The PA coordinator has emphasized the importance of the land rights of the plantation workers.

Thotalaga slums people in Colombo have been evicted forcefully even if the people have documents for their habitats

http://www.tamilwin.com/show-RUmuyCSbSWfszI.html