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Fishermen protest against sea plane project in the Negombo lagoon

November 19, 2010 @ 3:34 am

Fishermen operating in the Negombo lagoon held a protest on Wednesday against the digging of the lagoon to launch a sea plane project.

Over 1,000 fishermen and villagers had participated in the protest.
Hundreds of fishing boats had also entered the lagoon to prevent the digging up of the lagoon. The protest had created a tense situation in the area and the protesters had called on the government to shelve the sea plane project.
Convener of the Movement for the Protection of Negombo Lagoon, Herman Kumara told the media that they will not leave the lagoon until the excavation machinery including the backhoe machines are removed from the area.
According to the Movement, the Negombo Lagoon is one of the richest resources in Asia, as it is a Ramsar wetland in Sri Lanka. However, it is not officially included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
– Pix by Kumarasiri Prasad

News Source: www.ft.lk

Fishermen’s fight become strong – No sea plane any more

Deputy Minister of Port & Aviation of Sri Lanka failed to answer to the questions raised by Negombo Lagoon Fishermen on burning sea plane issue.

Fishermen keep deputy minister over the fence.

Alliance for Protection of Negombo Lagoon, organized protest staged against the decision taken by the Rajapaksha Government for landing sea plane on Negombo lagoon today.

Thousands of fishermen agitated accusing government as well as provincial politicians who lead this sea plane project neglecting fisher’s rights in Negombo.

They were...

News Source: www.liquida.com

Sri Lanka: victory in sea plane protests

Fishworkers around Negombo Lagoon in Sri Lanka have received good news about the controversial tourism project which they’ve been protesting against since October

The Sri Lankan government has announced that it will re-think the project, which looked likely to cause a huge reduction in fish stock in the lagoon.

Since October, our partner NAFSO (National Fisheries Solidarity Movement) has been heavily involved in protests against the government’s plan to dredge Negombo lagoon and to build landing platforms for sea-planes.

Alongside the damage it could have caused to the environment, the project threatened to leave many locals without a means of making a living: thousands of families depend on fishing as their main source of income.

Tourism can be a very good thing for Sri Lanka. But the authorities need to consult local people before giving the go-ahead to projects like this one.

Several Catholic priests joined the protests, and Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, appealed to the government to listen to the fishworkers’ concerns.

“Tourism can be a very good thing for Sri Lanka,” says Olwen Maynard, our Programme Support Officer for Sri Lanka, “but the authorities need to consult local people before giving the go-ahead to projects like this one. We’re delighted that the grassroots campaign supported by NAFSO has persuaded the government to think again.”

News Source: www.cafod.org.uk

Sri Lankan Provincial Council Minister says sea plane project in Negombo Lagoon to be shifted

02/01/2011

Sun, Jan 2, 2011, 07:33 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. Jan 02, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has decided to shift the proposed sea plane project from the Negombo Lagoon to the Dandugam Oya, says a Western Provincial Council Minister.

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Stop Sea Plane Project in Negombo Lagoon

Hotline Asia Urgent Appeals -- UA101220(8)

Stop Sea Plane Project in Negombo Lagoon
~SRI LANKA~

20 December 2010

Action Requested || Sample Letter || Background Please respond before 20 January 2010

Summary Negombo Lagoon (on west coast of Sri Lanka, approximately 37 km from the capital, Colombo) is being dredged and excavated for the Sea Plane Project which endangers the livelihood of about 15,000 local people and the maritime ecology. Although the Minister of Port and Aviation claimed that the Sea Plane Project would bring no destruction to Negombo Lagoon, dredging process of the Lagoon started at the end of November, without proper procedure such as Environmental Impact Assessment and consultation with the affected people. On 17 November 2010, fishermen association and human rights activists organized a protest against the damage of Negombo Lagoon, with participation of around 1,000 protestors, including fishermen, religious leaders and human rights workers. Although the construction of the sea plane landing port has been halted, it is temporary only. On 18 November 2010, Defence Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the president's younger brother, expressed that he could have ordered Navy to disperse the crowd. He added that the government would continue the construction “at any cost”. The project, as part of the Mahinda Chinthanaya development programme, is expected to provide sea planes to promote tourism in areas which are difficult to reach (AsiaNews). Hence, the Sea Plane Project is likely to introduce construction of other tourist facilities which will imperil the Lagoon further by waste, noise and water pollution, affecting the valuable ecological system as well as livelihood of the fisherfolks and fishing-related economy in Negombo Lagoon area.

Action Requested Please write polite letters expressing your concern about the imminent destruction of environment of Negombo Lagoon and the livelihood of local people in Negombo. Urge the authorities to terminate the Sea Plane Project in Negombo Lagoon and withdraw all machines from the Lagoon area.

Send letters to: President Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidential Secretariat, Colombo 1, SRI LANKA Fax: +94-11-2446657 Hon. Dayasritha Thisera Deputy Minister of Port & Aviation No.19, Chaithya Road, Colombo 1, SRI LANKA Fax: +94-11-2435142 3. Dr. Nalaka Godahewa Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, No.80, Galle Road, Colombo 3, SRI LANKA Fax: +94-11-2382209 Send copies to: Central Environment Authority 104, Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Battaramulla, SRI LANKA Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 3rd Floor, New Secretariat, Maligawatta, Colombo 10, SRI LANKA Fax: +94-11-2449170 Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa Ministry for the Environment 82 Rajamalwatta, Road Battaramulla, SRI LANKA Fax: +94-11-2877288 Diplomatic representatives of Sri Lanka in your countries.

Sample Letter We are writing with grave concern about the local people living in the area of Negombo Lagoon area. We learnt that Sri Lanka government is constructing a sea plane landing port in Negombo Lagoon, in attempt to boost tourism. We are deeply worried that the landing port is only a starting point of deterioration of people's livelihood as well as the ecology of the Lagoon, as the Sea Plane Project is likely to be followed by much more entertainment and luxury facilities for tourists. Negombo Lagoon has been declared as a special management area under Articles 28 & 29 of Fisheries Management Act 1996 No.2. The Lagoon provides not only livelihood to 15,000 people, but also abundant maritime resources to the world. We are worried that further human rights violation will be caused by the forceful implementation of the Sea Plane Project, especially when Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse, said to protestors against the Project on 18 November that, the Sea Plane Project would continue at any cost, and asked the protestors to disperse from the site immediately or face consequences. He added that orders have been given to the Navy. Moreover, we are aware that leaders of the protestors, Mr. Aruna Roshantha and Mr. Marcus Anthony Fernando, have once been arrested by police merely for distributing leaflets which explained impacts of the Project. We appreciate more chance to visit your beautiful country, but, as visitors, we hope to see the beautiful landscape and to experience authentic lifestyle of local people rather than people suffering from tourism development. The current Sea Plane Project will only eliminate attractiveness of the country. Thus, we urge your government to immediately terminate the Sea Plane Project and withdraw all the machines from the Lagoon area.

Background Negombo Lagoon Negombo Lagoon, one of the most resourceful marshy lands in Asia, has been providing livelihood to about 15,000 fishing population who are small-scale fishermen and fishing-craftsman. Reciprocally, the inhabitants of the area have protected this precious environment with their thorough knowledge of the natural environment. Deputy Minister had promised fishermen that he would never agree to dig the Lagoon to implement the Sea Plane Project as it would destroy even fish breeding in the lagoon. However, without notification to the fishermen, the project has started with dredging the most productive area of the Lagoon. Impacts of the Sea Plane Project The Sea Plane Project, which is likely to be followed by construction of other facilities such as tourist resorts, beach gardens, beer pubs and massage centers, will jeopardize fishing activities and contaminate the maritime ecology. Deputy Minister Sarath Gunarathne said at a public meeting that, there will be a ban on fishing at the time when sea planes land and take off. The authority planed to have 20 sea planes landing and taking- off a day. Moreover, for tourism purpose, surrounding of Negombo Lagoon may be declared as a high security zone which will further restrict fishermen¡¦s activities. Sea Plane Project as a Tourism Development Plan The Sea Plane Project is part of the Mahinda Chinthanaya development program, which follows the plan of "Regaining Sri Lanka" imposed by regime of the United National Party in 2002. The same plan continued after 2005, under Mahinda Rajapakse regime. After the 2010 victory, Mahinda Rajapakse regime has accelerated the plan into a tourism master plan which proposed 14 tourism zones in the country, mainly around the coastal areas. The Sri Lanka¡¦s Ports and Aviation Ministry are planning to build a few more landing ports of sea planes in 12 inland lakes and waterway, such as Parakrama Samudra, Thisawewa, Victoria Lake and Beira Lake. Development for Whom ? Although the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Nalaka Godahewa, said that sustainable tourism is a key principle of the development of Sri Lanka, the name of development has been abused for the vested-interested group, instead of advancing the well-being for all. In the development or redevelopment project, poor people have been displaced from their inhabited land, such as the slum dwellers in Slave Island and 2007-Tsunami- affected- people in Blumandhal. The so-called development project never improves the displaced people's living standard but benefits the investors only. Godahewa also stated that the tourism would create 500,000 direct and indirect employments. However, development does not only refer to employment and income. Currently, the dwellers in Negombo Lagoon have been depending on various natural resources, which give a yield of Rs 150 million (approx USD 1.36 million) worth of fish annually, to live a simple but self-sufficient life. "If we lose the lagoon, we¡¦re ready to die...... [The Lagoon is] already so overcrowded and hard to work," a fisherman said. Garment factories cluster around the lagoon is already polluting the water and the authorities have not addressed the problem so far. The Sea Plane Project will further contaminate the river. The fisherman added that if the project led to eviction of fishermen from the lagoon, they would be left with no livelihood. According to Lankapuvath, a local newspaper, the chairman of the Tourism Development Authority, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, said they will not relocate anybody for tourism purposes. Moreover, altering Negombo Lagoon will irreversibly change the social and cultural environment. Once the Sea Plane Project as well as the tourism development project accomplished, local people would have to adapt new working skills, and give up the land they have been living on for centuries. Also, they will not be able to bare the cost of living in the tourist area.

Sources: Local Source, AsiaNews, Lanka Web, Lankapuvath, Live Lanka Net, Ada Derana and National Fisheries Solidarity Movement. News Source: www.acpp.org

Seaplane protest: two fisheries union leaders arrested

By Susitha R. Fernando

Two fisheries union leaders who were involved in the campaign against the dredging of the Negombo lagoon for the proposed project to operate seaplanes have been arrested by the police. They were subsequently bailed out after being produced before the Negombo Magistrate.

Aruna Nishantha, chairman of the All Ceylon Fisher Folk Trade Union, and Marcus Fernando a member of the Fisheries Union had been summoned to the Negombo Police Station for their statements to be recorded. They had later been arrested for allegedly creating public unrest and conspiring against the state.

However, they had been produced before the Negombo Magistrate and released on personal bail and ordered to appear before court on December 14.

One of the arrested persons -- the chairman of All Ceylon Fisher Folk Trade Union, Aruna Nishantha, said that two officers from the police intelligence unit had come to his house last morning and questioned him about a protest scheduled to be held later in the day. Mr. Aruna Nishantha had said that it was not a protest but only a public awareness campaign to distribute leaflets in villages around Negombo and that it had been cancelled.

News Source: www.dailymirror.lk