People's Petition against "Regaining Sri Lanka"
-- Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform, Sri Lanka
http://www.geocities.com/monlarslk/publications/documentsandstatements/statements/peoplespetition19082003.htm
In June 2003, The Government of
Sri Lanka and the World Bank agreed on a massive loan of Rs. 450 Billion. This
program, named “Regaining Sri Lanka” .is said to be for the reduction of
poverty in Sri Lanka.
An examination of this program
reveals that rather than reducing poverty, it would create disharmony among the
people, make them destitute and lead to the expropriation of all natural
resources by the powerful of this world.
Legislation for implementing these proposals is being prepared as a
matter of urgency.
- A bill enabling the release to the market of
smallholdings held by 1.2 Million families has already being prepared. It
would weaken the production of paddy and other local crops, facilitate the
transfer of land to large multinationals for the cultivation of export
crops and force the rural people into the cities as impoverished rejects.
- The elimination of secure jobs in the state sector
and the introduction of contract labour are being planned. The decline of
the real value of salaries and wages, the abolition of retirement benefits
and the contraction of the state sector has already started. Workers are
being thrown out of employment by the closure of factories.
- Women are being subjected to unscrupulous
exploitation by legislating for night-work and forced over time work.
- It is proposed to throw out small fisherman, and
transfer ownership of maritime resources to large multi nationals.
- All water resources of the country are to be handed
over to foreign companies. People will be forced to pay for the water in
their own wells and for irrigation water for agriculture.
- It is planned to sell off all natural resources
including wild life, and to hand over the rain forests to the United
States.
- All essential services including education, health
services, state banks, insurance, postal services, electricity supply and
the railways are being handed over at bargain prices to local and foreign
companies.
- The multinational companies, which are being handed
over all these on a platter, are to be further subsided by the provision
of expressways, ports, airports etc. The people who are being displaced by
these projects from their traditional lands will have to bear the
additional burden of repaying the loans taken for the provision of these
facilities for their own exploitation.
Hence, we demand of the
Government of Sri Lanka that this disastrous programme be immediately
abandoned.
People's Petition Campaign against the (WB-IMF's) "Regaining Sri
Lanka"
Strategy:
Dear friends,
The Government of Sri Lanka is
getting ready to execute their programme of
liberalization, privatization,
and deregulation according to the dictates of the Financial Institutions and
the donor countries.
It also intends to rush through
legislation to safeguard the interests of the local and foreign corporations
without any serious consultation with people who are the main stakeholders. As
the livelihood of the various sections of the people - the workers, farmers,
fishermen, and their whole communities are threatened.
The Alliance for the Protection
of National Resources and Human Rights has initiated an island wide campaign
against the "Regaining Sri Lanka" programme of the Government, with
signing of petitions, mass meetings and other cultural activities.
This campaign will be launched
with a meeting at Dharmagaveshi Hall, Borella, Sri Lanka on the 27th August
2003 at 3.00 p.m.
We cordially invite you to
endorse the following petition and to provide your honored cooperation against
this human rights violations.
Thanking you,
with best wishes,
Shamila Rathnasooriya
For further information please
contact,
Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda,
Janawabodhaya Kendraya,
No 64, Chilaw Rd, Negambo,
Sri Lanka.
Tel/Fax: (+94) 031 33466
E-mail: janawaboda@zeylan.net
Sarath Fernando,
Movement for National Land and
Agricultural Reform (MONLAR),
926/2A, Kotte Rd, Ethulkotte,
Sri Lanka.
Tel/Fax: (+94) 074 407663
E-mail: monlar@sltnet.lk
Lenus Jayatilake,
United Federation of Labor (UFL),
No 17, Barrak Lane, Colombo - 02,
Sri Lanka.
Tel/Fax: (+94) 01 2324053
E-mail: ciwu@sltnet.lk
Suranjan Kodithuwakku,
Sri Lanka Green Movement (GREEN),
No 09, 1st Lane, Wantha rd,
Gangodawila, Nugegoda,
Sri Lanka.
Tel/Fax: (+94) 074 305274
E-mail: green@pan.lk, green@freebird.panlanka.net
