After the end of the civil-war, people had high expectations
for the transition towards a just and democratic society in Sri Lanka. However,
for the Paanama people, the period since the formal ending of the war has instead
led to the robbing of their natural resources driven by the state and
state-affiliated organisations.Since 17th July 2010, an alliance of
the State, the Air Force, the Navy and private investors have been pushing
through and upholding a process of violent dispossession and displacement of 5
communities in Ragamwela, Shashatrawela, Uplassa.
Horewkanda and Egodayaya.
In Ragamwela and Shashtrawela around 380 acres of land were
grabbed by the Air Force, while 860 acres covering the villages of Uplassa.
Horewkanda and Egodayayahave been grabbed by the Navy. As a result, some 350
families that have lived off and with the land and ocean through paddy farming,
fishing and chenu cultivation have been displaced. These areas have been turned
into militarized zones with electric fences surrounding them – robbing the
former occupants of their human rights to practice their customary livelihoods
and lives.
The initial grabbing of the land in 2010 was made with
reference to ‘security’ and building an area for war heroes. However, 6 years
down the line, little if any actual building activity has taken place in either
the navy or air-force controlled areas. Instead the Navy is currently running a
tourist hotel in the pristine Paanama Lagoon. In light of the huge potential
commercial value of the entire area for the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, the
community members we spoke to were beginning to think that the Navy and Air
Force are in fact just working as a ‘front’ to make way for tourist development
of the entire area.
Aside from the direct violence inflicted upon the community
and the continuing denial of their human rights, the case is especially absurd
as the law and top-level government is in fact on the side of the people. Two
court orders as well as a cabinet decision under the new government in February
2015 have stated that the lands grabbed must be vacated and returned to the
Paanama people. However, none of these orders and decisions have been followed
or enacted. As a result, after many years of broken promises, the Paanama
people – with women playing a strong role – took the situation into their own
hands on 27th March 2016, when they re-occupied the Ragamwela
community. To this day, despite threats from the police as well as District
Secretaries they continue to defend their lands in the struggle for formal
recognition of their rights. This struggle is based on the principle of
fighting for ‘the right to land, not the right to sell’ and a vision of
building a people centered alternative development model based on diversified
livelihood opportunities consisting of small-scale farming and fishing as well
as engagement with tourism on community terms and under full community
control.
In this struggle, we from the WFFP want to clearly state
that you are not alone – we as representatives of fisher peoples from all
around the world stand firmly by your side in solidarity and we urge the
government at all levels to listen and uphold the demands of the Paanama people.
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