Local Coordinator Joins Praja Abhilasha

Praja Abhilasha is happy to welcome Francis Raajan, from Nuwara Eliya, the central area of Sri Lanka, to the network. As the local Coordinator Rajan now works side by side with the companionship facilitator to implement the network’s strategies, but he also has the essential task of opening the bridge of communication to the network’s organizations through the key tool of translation.

Raajan is a very energetic, young man, who has experience in working for human rights and is well aware of the other issues which encompass Sri Lanka and its past. Fluent in both languages of the country, Tamil and Sinhala, Raajan is a blessing for the network, as this characteristic is very difficult to find in most people of the country. Starting his work on January 1, 2007, Raajan has made himself comfortable within the network and has already developed a positive rapport with its partner organizations. With Raajan on board, Praja Abhilasha is now able to move ahead with many of its goals, with one who breaks down the language barrier and brings a glowing and encouraging smile to work each day.

First Connections with the East

With the hiring of the Local Coordinator, visits to Praja Abhilasha’s partner organizations were finally able to commence. For a week and a half in January, Francis Raajan and Chenoa Stock traveled to the east coast to visit three organizations. The first visit was to Pottuvil, a small coastal town which has been (and still is) greatly affected by, not only the tsunami, but also the ethnic conflict which pervades Sri Lanka. The population is predominantly Muslim and Tamil, but the Sinhalese army continues to regulate the area.

DIFSO (District Fisheries Solidarity), the NGO associated with Praja Abhilasha, has been working in Pottuvil since 1983, but became a registered organization in 2003. DIFSO has been involved with many struggles, in regards to fisheries rights, post tsunami relief, and gender awareness. After the tsunami, DIFSO felt the government did not give enough aid to the east, so they protested for the fisherman’s rights to receive adequate fishing equipment, such as boats and nets. They organized the people to fight for the compensation the government promised them and for the land that they deserved. Their post-tsunami relief also included a boat service for the Pottuvil citizens, as a major bridge had been destroyed and many children could not go to school and adults could not get to work. Though these actions have been taken, many people on the east coast, especially in Pottuvil, still struggle in the post-tsunami life. The crucial issue in this struggle is land. Throughout meetings, DIFSO’s members spoke of inadequate housing accommodations and a lack of infrastructure in the area. Some have not been given land, so even if they were compensated by the government, they would only have enough money to buy a house or buy the land, but not both. Some others have land and are able to begin building, but are not provided with a deed to prove their ownership. Many women are unemployed or are forced to go out and work in the labor force, but continue to hope to find permanent work within their areas. The living situations of these people have not improved over the past two years either. They lack basic facilities at times, such as water and electricity. Some houses are only half built, as the compensation given was not sufficient for the required building materials. And in the midst of all of this, these people have recently been affected by flooding, due to the monsoon rains. The area is one that is overwhelming in its struggles, but DIFSO continues to be present in that struggle, providing its members with a plan of action and hope.

The same issue of land was also prominent among the second Praja Abhilasha partner organization, Muslim Women and Research Action Front (MWRAF), located along the eastern coast in Kalmunai. The focus of this group is women empowerment and peace building. They hold awareness workshops on women’s rights, human rights (part of the Praja Abhilasha program), and gender issues. The people here also spoke of the need for deeds and their right to land, which the government only verbally promised, but has still not granted to them. MWRAF continues to provide trainings and livelihood programs to organize their members and work together to fight this exploitation.

The third Praja Abhilasha member, Parakrama Samudra Protection Organization, is located in Polonnaruwa, one of the ancient cities of Sri Lanka. This group has been working on organizing tank fishermen: those who catch fish from reservoirs, as opposed to going to the sea. Though the government provides the fish, the proper fish are not always placed in the correct reservoirs, which decrease the quality and quantity of the fish. The tanks are not always properly maintained and cleaned by the government or agricultural sectors, which also affects the nutrition of the fish and their ability to grow. The presence of small fish, the pollution, and the lack of well maintained tanks has caused many problems for the tank fishing villages. One village’s tank is now too overgrown with lotus flowers to even fish in, due to the lack of maintenance. Parakrama Samudra is working on strengthening these villages by bringing them together in solidarity to express their concerns and overcome the exploitation. They are also suggesting alternative methods of income, such as handicraft work or animal breeding, as the present situation does not allow for fishing to be a main source of income for many of these people. Unfortunately, these circumstances cause many fishermen/women to use tangoo nets, which are illegal nets that pollute and destroy the crop of fish. Though one can catch many fish with these, it has a negative affect for the rest of the community over time. If the entire community uses the legal, nylon nets, then a good crop will grow and everyone will be able to catch bigger fish. Parakrama Samudra is also encouraging its members to use the nylon nets and making them more aware of the benefits they will bring to all.

Looking Forward

These initial visits were a positive beginning to connecting with groups and opening up the lines of communication with them. It allowed us to learn about the issues in these areas, but also for them to learn about our network, the people involved, and that we are all linked together in a common struggle. It definitely was an encouraging first step in moving toward a more cohesive network.

We are looking forward to our Globalization Workshop, based on Joseph Stiglitz’s book, Globalization and Its Discontents, to be held in March, for our network partner organizations. It should be an informative time to learn about the theme, but also how it relates to each of our partners, their situations, and the world at large.

Praja Abhilasha continues to establish and develop itself as a network and is grateful for each small step that is accomplished along the way in achieving that goal.

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