Two Sisters meet each other after 30 years

Due to the war situation in the Marimuthu Lecheemy ,66 was living as a refugee in an elders home, at Wankalai taken care by Catholic Nuns. When a NAFSO team visited this home recently they met her, and she informed them that she has a sister who is residing in Nuwaraeliya , a city in the central part of Sri Lanka.

The team once they returned immediately contacted one of our Partner organizations in Nuwra eliya. Lecheemi’s Sister was Marimuththu Aiyamma and she was 55.Our partner FOLICEB was able to locate her after making a series of inquiries from the area.

Finally NAFSO decided to bring Lecheemy to Nuwara eliya in order meet her sister and on 06th of , February 2010 the two sisters met each other after a period of 30 years. It was an emotional event. The ending took a much happier tone as Aiyamma and her family decided to welcome Lecheemy into their home ending her status as a refugee.

Even though the ending of Lecheemy’s story had an happy ending there are thousands of Children, Women and men living as displaced refugees in the North and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

Six Lankan fishermen arrested in TN

According to the PRESS TRUST OF INDIA toady another six Sri Lankan fishermen has been arrested by the Indian Coastal Security group and they were taken in to custody. We would like to draw an attention of The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Sri Lanka to take immediate action to release them from the custody.

They will be in the in the jail as prisoners for a long time unless SL authorities act fast.

the related news as follows:

Rameswaram, Dec 7 (PTI) Six Lankan Fishermen were formally arrested today after they were taken into custody by the Coastal Security Group (CSG) last night for fishing in Indian waters off Karaikal coast.

Cases were registered against them on the orders of District Collector, T N Hariharan and they were produced before Judicial Magistrate S Kumaresan, who remanded them to judicial custody.

India withdraws case against Lankan fishermen

Shirley WIJESINGHE
The Indian Government yesterday decided to withdraw the Court case against fishermen detained under the custody of its Coast Guard Force in the Andaman Islands.
This follows a top level discussion held with Indian Government, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Neomal Perera told the Daily News.
The discussion was held by a special Sri Lankan delegation under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The Ministry will take all arrangements to bring them back to Sri Lanka after being released by the Indian Coast Guard, the Deputy Minister said.
There were 184 detainees in the custody of the Indian Coast Guard Force including the 51 detainees in Andaman Islands.

News Source: Dailynews

As National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) we are really happy to see the progress of this fishermen's issue in Andaman Island those who were taken in to custody in 08th February 2009 as they crossed the indian sea boarder.

After 8 months we couldn't see any practical involvement of the Sri Lankan Government to get them release and the family members were in a difficult position to mange even their day today lives after becoming them prisiners in India. At that time we had to involve to support fisher people becoming campaingners of the protest they held near the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resourcess last month and we beleive that, we could awake responsible authorities to involve in this matter practiclally.

Legal team to India to secure fishermen's release

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister has decided to send a delegation including legal officers of the Ministry to India next week to discus the issue of Sri Lanka fishermen who are currently in Indian custody, a Ministry Senior Official told the Daily News yesterday.
Nearly 184 Sri Lankan fishermen, 51 in Andaman Islands, 64 in Visakhapatnam and 69 in Chennai are detained in India for illegally entering Indian waters.
Fishermen in the custody are from Negombo, Chilaw , Colombo and Wennappuwa areas.
The issue related to fishermen detained in Chennai is now over without a court case and they will be released shortly. Detainees in Visakhapatnam had been fined by the Court and discussion is being conducted to reduce the fine rate.
The issue of 51 detainees in the Andaman Island is yet to be resolved, Official explained the present situation.
He added that Sri Lanka Government has already commenced the discussions with the Indian High Commission to release the detainees under the custody of Indian Coastal Guard force. The above decision was taken after having series discussions held with the Indian Government through the Indian High Commission.
News Source: Daily News

13th National Youth Committee Meeting took place in Ampara district....

13th National Committee Meeting took place in Puthuwill, Ampara District from 22 to 23rd last October with the participation of 50 youths representing 12 district partner organizations. This time they had discussed very serious issues happing around us and the main global issues including climate change, disaster mitigation, poverty, drought that people are facing in some region in the country and specially there had been a dialogue how to involve in these issues as youth of Sri Lanka.

“ We paid our attention on these issues to discuss in depth, because our target is to build a National Youth Movement for a Better Social and Environmental Change .“ added coordinator of this programme.


As district wise programme which were conducted are
Environmental conservation programs, coastal conservation activities, Environmental study field visits, cultural programs and training WS conducted on Global warming and climate change.

Discussed future activities in the NCM
Building and maintaining bowers (shady leafy places near lagoons), coastal conservation activities, conducting disaster mitigation trainings for selected youth groups, and monitoring of conducted activities in the filed.

National level activities
Deep trainings in the end of the year, distributing the printed book on disaster management, printing a book with the collected information out of filed visit and the arrangements of the celebration of World Fisheries Day on 21st November 2009 at Hambantota district were the main discussed issues in the period of Youth National Committee meeting event.

Wis. specialty crops industry gets grants

MADISON, Wis. - Farm officials say Wisconsin's specialty crops industry, which includes fruits, vegetables, nuts and flowers, will get most of a $750,000 grant awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The money is to be used to make specialty crops more competitive, and is part of $49 million awarded nationally. For example, the Wisconsin Grape Growers will get $35,000 to develop educational materials of use to consumers and winemakers about popular grape varieties. The Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association gets $16,500 to study whether marshes are useful for wind and solar energy production.

The state Agriculture Department also gets money for cooperative projects, such as $35,000 for SavorWisconsin.com., an online site that allows specialty crop farmers to promote their businesses directly to consumers.

The International Agrycultural news quoted from Chicago Tribune..

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

October 13, 2009
International Day for Natural Disaster ReductionTHE observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction on October 14, 2009, takes place in a year that is seeing its share of natural calamities. It focuses on making “Hospitals Safe from Disasters,’’ a carry-over theme from the previous year.
Natural disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis, get media attention, inspire action, and remain in our memories. But the suffering caused by chronic and small scale disasters such as flooding, landslides, and water contamination often escape the limelight.
A report by the World Bank estimates that three and a quarter billion people or more than half of the world’s population are exposed to at least one natural disaster a year and that in the last 50 years, the severity of impacts from natural disasters has increased, due in part to the loss of healthy ecosystems in the regions affected. Although natural disasters are often presented as rare and unexpected, the reality is that they now occur more frequently, affect more people, and cause higher economic damage than ever before.
These natural disasters exert an enormous burden on development. Each year natural disasters take a toll on nations, a toll that is measured in deaths, injuries, property damage, and economic losses. Cities are increasingly home to such types of disasters and serve as places for tackling the underlying issues that leave people vulnerable to these threats. Already we see the hints of the way climate change will affect cities, including the rise in sea level.
A new survey finds that the risks from natural disasters can be drastically reduced if local communities are involved in implementing policies enacted on the national level. Urban disaster risk reduction goes hand in hand with poverty reduction, and it can easily be linked to international efforts to achieve a better standard of living for the growing number of urban dwellers struggling to make both ends meet.
While humanitarian action to lessen the impact of disasters will always be vitally important, the global community is facing a critical challenge: How to better anticipate, manage, and reduce disaster risks by integrating the potential threat into its planning and policies. From a human perspective, all disasters are health issues and damage to health systems affect nations as a whole and all sectors of society. It has, therefore, become imperative to have disaster safe hospitals as part of a disaster safe community.
Disasters are not unchangeable facts of life but are a result of human vulnerability to natural hazards. Disaster reduction is, therefore everybody’s concern. It is only in investing in tangible risk reduction that we can reduce weakness to these misfortunes.
Quoted: mb.com.ph

Tamils should not shed tears anymore...

A visiting Tamil Nadu parliamentary delegation today called for the release of the displaced people in camps in Vavuniya, the restoration of democracy and a political solution to the conflict.

In an address made at the Jaffna library this morning head of the visiting delegation T.R.Balu said a political solution is necessary to resolve the conflict which had lasted for more than 25 years.He added that the Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils had a strong bond, a relationship which is also reflected in the ties between India and Sri Lanka.

Also speaking here Kanimozhi, daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, said that the Tamil people should not shed tears anymore, the displaced people should be reunited with their families and democracy restored in the country.During the visit to Jaffna the Tamil Nadu delegation had talks with Social service Minister Douglas Devananda and the Northern Province Governor Major General Chandrasiri.

They also garlanded the statue of the late Chelvanayagam.

People lined up the streets in Jaffna to welcome the visiting Tamil MPs from Tamil Nadu who were scheduled to visit the IDP camps in Vavuniya this evening

Quoted : spot.lk

Statement by the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) on Food Shortages and Food Price Increases in the World

1. 
   There is a shortage of food in the world. There is a price increase in food all over the world. There are about one billion people in the world who go to bed hungry every day. What are the reasons for this sudden crisis? The policies and un-elected power of multilateral agencies like the FAO, WTO, WB, and IMF. These agencies must admit that their policies were wrong. They then must accept their responsibility for this crisis along with the all the governments that have supported these devastating policies.
2. 
   The faulty policies of the multilateral, ruling agencies have come to fruition in the midst of natural disasters one after another due to climate change, collapsing fish stocks and farms, additional pressure by agro fuel production, conversion of agricultural land to Special Economic Zones, and the rising prices of petroleum products. All of these elements are creating food shortages and rising food prices.
3. 
   We reject industrialized agriculture like the “green revolution” and the “blue revolution” in fisheries. We also reject intensive aquaculture, which has accelerated the food crisis in the world. All of these have alienated and obliterated small scale farming, which has used artisanal and traditional fishing practices. As a result, people who have been depending on these practices for livelihood are marginalized all over the world. There have been food riots in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Many economists forecast that this trend will continue. At the same time food production is increasingly in the hands of large industrial companies.
4. 
   We reject all kinds of globalization that declare food sources the sovereign property of profiteers. The free movement of capital to make profit at the expense of sustainable food sources for all created this emergency situation in the world.
5. 
   Therefore, we demand that all of the international organizations consider food for all first before anything else. These organizations can only legitimize themselves by putting food for all first and reversing their historical emphasis on profit for the few at the expense of the many.
6. 
   All of the national governments have to keep the basic needs of all people in the public sector. These rights should be legislated as fundamental rights. Courts should recognize them in their considerations of justice.
7. 
   The UN should be reformed so that the Security Council (SC) is created by the proportionate representation of people in the World. SC should be a watch dog for realizing the basic needs of all people met in the World.
8. 
   Land Reform and Aquatic Reform should be initiated and collaborated on by all the national governments in the world for achieving food sovereignty in the world.
9. 
   The SC of the UN should see that militarization and mass destructive weaponization get a subsidiary role towards the realization of Basic Needs of all people in the world.
10. 
    All of the international courts and the UN bodies should become active in realizing the Basic Needs of all people in the World. It is an international duty and responsibility.
11. 
    All trade agreements should be subsidiary to achieving Basic Needs of the people all over the world.
12. 
    By an international agreement, all of the countries in the world should agree to the creation of a National Disaster Prevention and Management Autonomous Authority in each Country through a national legislation.. This Authority should be and remain autonomous and multi-nationally collaborative. The contributors and actions of this Authority should be interlinked by an International Law and Agreement.
13. 
    We agree to plant trees and mangroves all over the world wherever there is barren land. Students should get grace marks for planting trees and researching their growth.
14. 
    All encouragement should be given to public transportation, reduction of the use petroleum and reducing the production of carbon dioxide. All nations of the world (with particular emphasis from industrialized nations) should create all out efforts for increasing the efficiency and use of wind and solar energy in the world.
15. 
    We have to go back and say, ‘The small farmer has a productive capacity.” We have to look at history and recognize that in China, India and Vietnam, the growth stories of the last ten years have been based on the agricultural expansion of the small scale farmer.
16. 
    We have to unearth the hording of food by the super markets and MNC (Multi-National Corporation) networks in the World.
17. 
    We have to stop making winter, summer and summer, winter. We have to learn the art of simple living.
18. 
    The life of planet and the dependent health of the whole humanity should not be sacrificed by the proprietary desires of a few in the world.
19. 
    We have to learn the art of loving and respecting Mother Earth. Privatization of natural resources should be stopped.

Name

Fr. Thomas Kocherry

Organization and address

World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), Special Invitee,
48, Vayakarai, Manavalakurichy, KK Dt, Tamilnadu-629252
India. Email : thomasksa@gmail.com, Mobil +91 9360645772

Statement to be made on 5th June, 2008 Registration number 119/47410.
Rome.
Contact number- +39 06 49 490-217
Fax-+39 06 49 490 684
Email: thomasksa@gmail.com

Monitoring Report Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization,

MONITORING CONDUCTED BY :

Mr. Pradeep Wanigasooriya
Alternative Economic Development Coordinator
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement

Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization, which centering the PARAKRAMA SAMUDRAYA is a combination of small scale inland fishers. According to that there inland fishing industry is being operated in THOPA, KALAHAGALA, BANDIWEWA, AND MA-OYA Rivers around the Parakrama Samudraya and fishers have gathered with this IFO in Polonnaruwa,

Prevailing situation in the District.

- An inactivity of the organization
- Fishing in the out season
- Use of illegal fishing nets
- Use of illegal size of fishing nets ( smaller than 3.5 inches)
- Use of illegal beach seine nets in the river and fishing in illegally churning the water of the river and such illegal fishing methods, which are adverse of the organization’s constitution are being operated relating with Parakrama Samudraya reservoir.
The activities of the organization have been collapsed and organization’s meetings are not conducted regularly. In addition to that Neither Polonnaruwa District Fisheries officer no any responsible authority have involve for resolve this matters by now.

An Inland Fisheries Organization, which is operated in centering WEERA PEDESA & KIRIMATIDAMANA in the out side of Parakrama Samudraya is properly gathering together for protecting the river and their fishery as well as managing the river.

For an example: When some political leader tried use an out boat engine in this river the inland fishers gathering could stop it without allowing him to use it in the reservoir.

- They have planned to bread fish fingerless for their river through the society
- fish
- Fish fingerless go out when overspill the river in the raining season therefore now they have taking steps to keep them in the river without drifting them out.
- They have plan to clean the river
- Using legal nets (bigger than 3.5 inches)
- According to the common agreement of the society, they have taken some activities to keep their fishery in a sustainable manner.

As a general fact, fisher women of the Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization (IFO) are attempting to develop their social and economic back ground in each family. According to that they are building some linkages with various kinds of economic activities.
All women activists of the organization have savings in the organization and they are developing savings deposits for using them for giving loans in various projects.

Projects:
1. Organic home gardens
2. Animal husbandry]
3. bulrush products
4. Bricks products and they are involving such projects for developing their family economic back grounds

“Because of National fisheries Solidarity Movement, we were able to know how to use our fishery in

sustainable manner and this is only one organization, which helps to both inland and costal fisheries industries in the country to develop it and we are willing to be as members of this organization forever “further added Mr. M. M. Nagananda (Inland fishermen – Bandiwewa Village, Polonnaruwa.)