We continued our education and validation program of the research findings in the east coast communities in Kuchchaweli and Passikudah this week. Next week we will be in Jaffna and Kalpitiya areas where we conducted the research and for the same purpose.
Experience at Passikudah in Batticoloa was not so encouraging due to many reason. Even before we reached there our coordinator knew the fisheries officials had blocked the participation of fisheries coop members of Murugan fisheries cooperative.
"The chairperson of Murugan fisheries cooop in Passikudah said they wont attend the program because of the influe ce of fisheries officials" Selvakumar, district coordinator of NAFSO told us.
So even before we reach there we knew participation will be less. But we determined to continue the program even with small number of participants. Finally it was 20 though we expected 30 and had very lively discussion and validation program. Number of new issues emerged at the WS and the people were enthusiastic to continue the dialogue.
Some of the new issues emerged are;
* the issues of the boat operators due to hotel engage the same business
* issues of removal of 50 caste net fishermen due to dredging took place in the coast
* removal of Kalkudah smaĺl boat operators from their anchorage point and displaced around 150 fishermen
* the land issue of southern returnees who have the legal ownership for their land due to do not permit them to have permanent settlements
* the threat to loss of availavle small plot of land stretch for the anchor the small boats in Passikudah
So the discussion was so rich aa most of the participants were articulated openly. However, the dialogue was disturbed and participants wers scared to raise their voice when the two CID fellows were listening to our dialogue.
I had to intervened to send them away once I noticed the situation.
"We are here to reserve the hotel for our program and waiting to owner to come" that was the interpretation of their presence behind the WS. Then I asked the owner to intervene and he settled the issue. Later both of them went without waiting further.
However, after 15 minutes there were another 2 came to the place and came in side the room. Just before the persons came in the hotel owner came to our meeting place and said "there are two CID fellows are coming and previous two told him that there will be CID fellows coming to the place." He was shivering and scared to the extent of crying.
"Let CID or any officer to come in and listen what we we are talking and report correctly. We are doing everything open and not a secret. The SL constitution has given provisions to freedom of assembly and unionize as professionals. So we exercise our right." And people were couraged to continue the dialogue when I encouraged them.
But the fellow who came in went to meet the owner, the other fellow took the photographs of the participants. Then our coordinator noticed it and was also took the photographs of both.
Those wanted to create a problem and they did it threatening to our coordinator. I mediated and told them to leave the place if they had finished their purpose to come.
"My family is coming here next week and I came here to reserve a room for them. The owner was shivering with unknown reason to us. Once I came out from the meeting your fellow took photographs without reason." The fellow told me in Sinhala and spoke with the owner and others fluently in Tamil.
May be the readers who are not familiar the context think we were unnecessarily disturbed. NO: this is the remaining parts of ghosts of Gota's and Mahinda's regime. Though the heads of the government change the system continue. People and civil society do not have space to sit and discuss their issues freely. We need to continue the similar situations in Maitri/ Ranil government as we experienced during Mahinda/ Gota/ Basil/ Namal family regime.
We have few questions to ask from the people who say there was a silent revolution happened on 8th January with regime changed.
1. Do you think these type of harrasments should continue under so called Good Governance Government or not?
2. If it is not, how we can change the system and create a space where civil society can work with freedom without fear?
3. Do the other civil organizations faced similar situations? If yes, how do we work together to eliminate fear of people to unionize and act democratic space we created?
We need to find solution in dialogue among us.
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