Reverend
Fathers, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
A result of a people’s
long march.
Paththayamwatta housing scheme is another admirable
achievement of a long march by the poor in Negombo. We say so because during
this march we the poor people set aside all our differences based on caste,
party politics and creed, and organized ourselves as the Negombo United People’s
Organization, (NUPO) holding on to our own identity, autonomy and self respect,
in order to secure our shelter rights.
Our journey is unique because we have suffered many
instances of rejection and defeat but at every such occasion we have risen
again and became stronger to fight our battle. During this journey of 30 long
years, we the marginalized and the poor of Negombo have made many sacrifices,
shed our sweat and moved on step by step never turning back.
Our Origin
The fire that burned down about 35 temporary houses as a
result of lightning fire crackers during the X’mas in 1979, at a place called
Paradise Place in the parish of Grand St Negombo and the activities connected
with construction of houses for the victims and the search for suitable sites for those who did not receive houses due
to non availability of land, were the
circumstances which led to the establishment of NUPO.
At that time Fr. Ivan Perera was the parish priest. When
this calamity happened, he called for the services of Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda
who was then the priest in charge of Human Development Apostolate in Negombo.
The fisheries department intervened immediately to build new houses for some of
the victims. But others were left out due to lack of land.
Fr. Iddamlagoda then initiated a programme to motivate and
mobilize those people who did not receive houses to search for alternative
land. He advised them also to make room for anyone in Negombo who is without
land for shelter to join the movement to secure their shelter rights.
Gradually hundreds of people from various parts of Negombo
who did not possess land for building their houses, began to join this new
movement for securing shelter rights. This was what we meant by the “long
march” which led to the the establishment of the aforementioned “Negombo United People’s Organization” (NUPO)
in 1981. The aim of this organization
was to secure shelter rights and solve issues related to the poverty of the low
income people in the area.
They appointed the religious leaders of all denominations
as their patrons in order to unite the people of all creeds. The vision of the
organization was to seek justice to all people irrespective of their caste,
religious and political affiliations.
The purpose of the organization was to raise all their
brothers and sisters from the subhuman condition that they have fallen in due
to the loss of basic rights, to a higher level of humanity by developing their
knowledge, values and skills.
The NUPO is presently celebrating its 31st year
of existence and is active in 9 districts. In those districts, NUPO is
concerned with issues of shelter, health, organic farming and education as well
as the problems of traditional fishermen.
The agenda includes cultural activities organized by the youth.
Our Successes.
The members of NUPO who come from low income categories
have acquired knowledge, skills and values and have been able to acquire
several material benefits as well. Due to their effective lobbying with the
political authorities, they have been able to influence the then government to
commission several housing schemes for Munnakkara , such as, a 5 acre land for 100
houses, St Anthony’s Housing Programme, St. Peters Housing Programme, and the 74 acre land for housing at
Kadolkele.
Problem of Shelter in
Negombo.
In spite of the above mentioned housing programmes, people
of Negombo are still facing an acute problem of shelter. The number of people
who seek membership in the NUPO has increased. For this problem has been there
for generations whle the authorities failed to evolve a shelter policy for
Negombo.
NUPO as an organization has realized from its own
experience, the need for a shelter policy, and is also willing to lobby with
the authorities and raise its voice on this issue, while at the same time
engaging in housing programmes at the local level.
The poor in Negombo have suffered immensely for
generations due to lack of proper shelter programmes. Seeing their fate, NUPO
in year 2000, identified a number of state lands for housing schemes, namely the
land set aside for the 3rd stage of the Kadolkelle housing programme and the
land at Hettiyagewatta (Sea street), Udappuwatta in Palangaturai, Mahawatta (at
Pitipana); NUPO then made a proposal to
the authorities to start housing projects in these places. If that proposal had
been implemented, about 15,000 poor families in Negombo would have benefited.
Sadly those in authority did not heed to our request. Even today we wish to
call on the government to consider our proposal.
Then in 2004, those in the coastal area were affected by the
Tsunami. The government then selected Udappuwatta in Palangaturai and
Hettiyagewatta in Sea Street —the lands which NUPO has
earmarked for common housing programmes for their own members— to build houses for the victims of Tsunami.
However, NUPO did not raise any objection to that programme on humanitarian
grounds.
Yet we checked the list of the beneficiaries and found
many who are not eligible for housing benefits. Although, NUPO raised this
matter with the Negombo Municipality and the Pradeshiya Saba, it did not
receive any response.
Alternative Soloutions.
NUPO members continued to suffer day in and day out due to
high cost of living economic hardships and also unaffordable house rents.
Having discussed this matter they finally decided in year 2005 to approach the
Archbishop of Colombo. Having listened to our plight, he agreed to buy a land
for us for a housing programme.
While we were discussing how we could build the houses in
case the archbishop bought the land for us, Mr. Osman Bopearachchy a friend of
Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda and a professor in Archeology now living in France, happened
to be holidaying in Sri Lanka and
promised Fr Sarath to raise funds for the housing programme.
Accordingly, we bought with the Archbihop’s Fund a land
first in Athgala and then at Batakanda,
Godigamuwa, hoping to build 50 houses with the housing fund promised by
Mr. Bopearachchy. However we could not organize the housing schemes in both
areas as planned due to various socio-cultural constraints and selfish agendas
of some.
Subsequently, we resumed our discussions with the
political authorities through the intervention of our priests of the area. As a result of these discussions, the
authorities made a promise to give us a 2 acre land from Kadolkelle. It is sad
to say that this still remain a mere promise.
The question of non availability of land for the proposed
housing programme became a problem for Mr. Bopearchchy who promised a house
construction fund to Fr. Iddamalgoda. The issue was discussed at length at
Janawaboda Kendraya and then decided to inform Mr. Bopearachchy about the crisis
situation here.
The ultimate result of this negotiation was the agreement
reached between the donors in France and the Janawaboda Kendraya to utilize the
funds to buy the land for 25 families. Due to the new arrangement, NUPO
membership had to face the enormous challenge of selecting the most deserving
families. Undoubtedly it was a difficult moment for the leadership and those who, consequently decided to opt out of the scheme. Nevertheless, without
much dispute 25 members sacrificed their opportunities for more deserving
members in true solidarity. It was a
sacrifice made by the poor on behalf of the poor. Those who made that sacrifice
are participating at this joyful event with the hope that they will one day be
able to settle down in a land at Kadolkelle.
We of NUPO assure them that we will not forget their cause
and we are very much alive to their burning need. We will continue to support
their struggle to secure the shelter rights.
Our Thanks
We are very thankful to all those animators of Janawaboda
Kendraya who supported us in many ways during our long journey to secure our
shelter rights. At the same time, we appreciate the contributions made by our
patrons the venerable chief monk of Maha Pansala Negombo, Moulavi and the Hindu
Priests
A special mention
must be made of Fr. Gamini Fernando the former Episcopal Vicar and Fr. Patrick
Fernando the present Episcopal Vicar of the Negombo region, who always extended
their helping hand whenever we sought their intervention. We are sad to note their
absence on this platform.
Our thanks also go to both the members of “Habitat” and
their foreign collaborators, who came to our assistance, for without their
collaboration we would not have been able to construct the houses.
Last but not least we extend our thanks to Mr.
Bopearachchy whom we have never met but
whose patience with us and timely intervention in organizing the fund made this
project a reality.
Our Future
The long term objective of NUPO will not end with the
today’s event. We have a long way to go. The problems of the poor will continue
to affect us. There are other NUPO members who still suffer without shelter. I
would like to conclude my talk by inviting all of you to continue to exercise
our social responsibilities on behalf of all of them.
Negombo United People’sOrganization.
04th August 2012
