July 2015 ~ WODEP

Monday, July 27, 2015

Women From War affected North and East Meets foreign Diplomats

Women representatives from 5 districts of North and East of Sri Lanka met several foreign diplomats and explained the present situation of the their lives as women who have lost their bread winners during 3 decades of war in Sri Lanka.

North and East women together with women from 7 other districts have formed a women federation and working with common galls to establish fair and peaceful country. For decades they have spend their lives as politically, socially, economically as well as culturally depressed human beings in this society.

There were good number of representatives attended from 7 diplomatic missions to listen the issues, difficulties and efforts to sustain their lives, security, well being of their communities.
Women leaders from 5 districts in N/E raised their voice strongly claiming their land back, livelihood assistance and security of the women and girl children.

Ms. Kanthan Saraswathie, leader of Marumalrchchi women federation in Batticoloa district gave a firing speech at her presentation and said; "We expected some thing better than this when we voted to present President. We can see some progress. But there should be speed up the process as handing over the land as decided by the Cabinet on 11 February 2015."

This is what we agree and need more attention by the government.

Ms. Raajini, a WHF leader of Poonthalir Women Federation in Jaffna who has been displaced in 1990 and since then living in more than 5 places and still living in displaced said in her presentation; "I lost my father's land in KKS in my age of 20. After 25 years I am still displaced as military had occupied our land. Unfortunetely, Our land has not been used for military purposes as revealed and are using for tourism purposes instead. So this is unacceptable at all as while we are suffering in displacement our land used for commercial purposes."

Women Federation conducted a press briefing to highlight issues of Women in North

A press briefing was conducted by the women federation to reveal the political, social and economical issues they are facing in North and east especially after ending of war.
Representatives from Mannar, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Baticaloa and Ampara were participated to the event and revealed the present issues they facing as women who lost their breadwinners of the family.
Among several issues they facing commonly, land grabbing is the main issue almost all are speak about. Since they have lost their husbands, Sons who provided the economical strength and security to the family.
Militarisation of the areas they are living have created very disturbing situation specially for women.
Issues in educating of children who have no father any more and further more drug addiction of youth is increasing in alarming rate in the areas they are came from.
Several media representatives participated to the press briefing which was conducted in Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) in Colombo -10.

women leaders from 12 districts were gathered today (21/07/2015) to evaluate work carried out during past 6 moths period and prepare future work plans as national entity for women in the country.
Mr. Herman Kumara, National convenor of National Fisheries Solidarity Movement addressing the meeting, explained the present political situation of the country and to explain the women role in make necessary changes in the political arena of the country. pros and cons of the 100 day program of the newly elected government was also discussed during Mr. Kumara's speech.

District representatives presented past six months progress and failures of the women federation work in each districts.
A national level work plan was prepared for next five month of the year under five main theme areas to work.
1. Prepare a broad action plan to win the land rights of the people.
2. Actively work, especially during the election time period to win the demands of women which are already submitted in written form to the authorities.
3. Conduct district level walking campaign to show opposition and to awake people against women and chill abuse, rapes, drug distribution.
4. Village level awareness campaign against racism.
5. Work to increase of women representation in political arena in locally, regionally and nationally.
Meeting was concluded with hope of meet again in first week of the December in 2015.

Today NAFSO women,s wing started an experience exchange program among women from North, East and West with the intention of build strong relationship among women in different cultures, geographical areas and mainly strengthening the women who lost their breadwinners in North and East during war.
35 Women from 5 districts in North and East provinces met Women in Negombo fisheries villages who are members of Sri Vimukthi fisher women organisation. Negombo fisher women are very strong in civil activism and also they runs their organisation giving the strong leadership to the fisheries sector.

For the day, women form North and East got together in Sri Vimukthi F.W. organisation premises after having basic preparatory discussion in NAFSO in morning hours and conducted a dialogue to get build amicable relationship as women. During the discussions North and East women expressed their specific issues they faces as women who lost their husbands or breadwinner in the Family and issues they facing after the resettlements as war displaced people later host organisation brought the visitors for a field visit.
The visitors will meet women from several other districts from south to have more deeper discussions as women federation members which was established for win and get practically established women's rights in the country.