Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform
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Agriculture

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IFI interventions in the paddy and rice sector in Sri Lanka

(The purpose of this note is to present in summary form the documented evidence of interventions by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank in the paddy and rice sector in Sri Lanka.)
  Struggle for the Peasants’ Rights in
Sri Lanka


(Six farmer leaders, two women farmers and three Buddhist monks in Hingurakgoda, in Polonnaruwa District, Sri Lanka, “fasted” for six days from August 13 to 18, 2000, with thousands of farmers and supporters rallying round them in public demonstrations, in support of a set of 19 farmer demands for immediate solutions.)
  A View on Sustainable Development in Agriculture: The experience of the peasant movements in Sri Lanka

(Issues of sustainable agriculture, survival of small scale peasant farmers, eradication of hunger and poverty, threats to global environment and ecological survival, facing challenges of Globalization and new trends in global trade have become closely inter linked in today’s world.

What is attempted in this presentation is to express the views that have emerged through the experiences of the peasant movements in Sri Lanka regarding the role and contribution that small scale peasant agriculture could make towards facing most of these interrelated challenges.)


Economic

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PROPOSALS OF PEOPLE'S ORGANISATIONS FOR ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT: Observations and alternatives on the Sri Lanka Budget 2005

(Budget proposals of the Government are based on its Economic Development Strategies. Both the Government and the lending agencies funding its activities agree that Poverty Reduction (poverty eradication as we would like to call it) should take priority in the economic development strategy.

Since 1999, the World Bank, IMF and the other lending agencies have required that the Government of Sri Lanka should produce a strategy for Poverty Reduction (PRSP) in consultation with the people, and that it should be the basis for foreign assistance. It is further expected that such a strategy should be “Country Owned”. Our proposals towards the preparation of the Budget for 2005 are based on our views for a more effective strategy for poverty reduction in Sri Lanka.)

  Regaining Sri Lanka and PRSP:
Compelling the poor to subsidize the rich


(Analysis of “Regaining Sri Lanka” and “Connecting to Growth: Sri Lanka’s Poverty Reduction Strategy”, the Economic Strategy Document presented by the Government of Sri Lanka at the Tokyo Donor Meeting in June 2003 for which a loan commitment of US $ 4.5 Billion was obtained)
  Sri Lanka Development Forum 2005
Civil Society Statement


(The Government has convened the Sri Lanka Development Forum on 16th and 17th May 2005 in Kandy to discuss the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka: Post-Tsunami Action Plan’ that is supposed to be published on 15th May 2005. The World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank and all UN Agencies, as well as the Japanese, American, British and many other Bilateral Donors , will be present.

From the non-governmental sector, it is understood that the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, World Vision, Oxfam GB, Sewalanka and Sarvodaya have been invited to attend.

The organisations endorsing this statement represent fish worker collectives, farmer groups, women’s organisations, trade unions, plantation worker organisations, NGOs, human rights organisations, lawyers’ groups, academics, scientists, clergy and others from across the country. While we have not been invited to provide input to the Development Forum, we take this opportunity to present our collective position in the hope that this may open avenues for further dialogue. However, the current climate of repression of dissenting voices does not bode well.)

  Sri Lanka: Destined to the same fate as Argentina?

(Discussion paper on the impact of the IMF/World Bank policies on Argentina and Sri Lanka.)
  Sri Lanka faces a serious Danger…..

36 Bills that affect lives of the people to be introduced, without public knowledge

(The Government is preparing to pass 36 Bills in Parliament just within one month. The Parliament would meet continuously during the month of August and if necessary part of September to get these through. Minister G.L. Peiris stated that these are not just temporary measures, but would be a comprehensive and long term approach. These laws according to the Government would have implications on the economy and on the lives of the people.)

 

SRI LANKA POVERTY REPORT
2003


(The objective of this paper is to provide necessary information and background to understand the situation of poverty in Sri Lanka, analyse the reasons for poverty increase in order to develop a Civil Society Perspective on the strategies for poverty eradication.

This is a contribution towards the initiative of South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) in developing such strategies in the region. Therefore, an attempt is made to look at the impact of the strategies adopted in Sri Lanka over the last few decades by the governments of Sri Lanka under the recommendations of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank (WB), International Monitory Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other Aid giving agencies such as EU.)

  Sri Lanka Trade Consultation
13th – 14th December 2004

Background paper

(This paper provides readers with an overview of how recent governments of Sri Lanka have been increasingly turning towards liberalisation and privatisation and how international institutions are still pushing them to go further.)

Energy

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Proposals for implementing the energy policy in Sri Lanka

(A feed back to the "National energy policy and strategies of Sri Lanka", published by the Ministry of Power and Energy of the Government of Sri Lanka in February 2006)

Gender

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Survival and Sovereignty: Challenges to Women’s Studies

(Discussion paper presanted at the 8th National Conference of Indian Association of Women’s Studies in Pune )
  Submission of Women’s Organizations in Sri Lanka on the Sri Lanka’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)

Health

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Towards a relevant health Policy in Sri Lanka

Some thoughts towards a relevant health policy for Sri Lanka

(Health policies in any country should obviously aim at keeping people healthy. In a country such as Sri Lanka, where a big majority of the people cannot access the existing health services, since they are so poor and the health services have become unbearably costly such a health system is totally irrelevant. There is a need to have an approach to health that is radically different from what we have today, if we accept that the poor people should also be healthy.)


Land

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New Trends in Land Policies in Sri Lanka

(The Government of Sri Lanka is introducing a series of new policies and laws related to land. This process envisages a major structural reform in the economy of the country. Land is one of the most important resources on which the lives of the people depend. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to look at the new policy trends and new laws and processes that have been proposed.)
  Views on Draft National Land Use Policy in Sri Lanka

Plantation

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Socio-Economic Conditions and Unproductive Lands in the Plantation Sector in Sri Lanka

Poverty & Hunger

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Hunger is a Shameful Crime in Sri Lanka When, food can be a free gift of nature

(Hunger in Sri Lanka today has become one of the worst crimes. However, those who could and should take urgent remedial action have not yet decided to look at this situation with concern that it deserves.

October the 16th is declared the World Food Day. It is a day to bring to awareness the shame of hunger and starvation that prevails worldwide.)

  Recent poverty increases in Sri Lanka and alternative poverty alleviation strategies

Tsunami


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Water


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The Authors of Water Policy in Sri Lanka

(In October 2006, the national newspapers carried a one-page advertisement inviting public views on a draft water policy for Sri Lanka.

It is a sensitive topic. There have reportedly been almost twenty versions of the draft policy and at least eight draft bills since the first version emerged in March 2000 .

It is not supposed to be about privatisation. Public opinion is clear: there should be no marketing of water in Sri Lanka. Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed when he said in his manifesto for the presidential elections only a year ago: ‘Water is one of the prime resources of our country. The owner of these valuable resources should be the people of this country. I will firmly assure this position.’

However, the first version of this water policy was written by foreign consultants working for the Asian Development Bank. They are regular recruits of the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Any cursory glance at the documents would show that the process of revision has been confined to cutting a few controversial words and adding some charming prose by way of introduction, with no fundamental change in the meaning or purpose. The resulting contradictions in the text would have been spotted if somebody had subsequently read it all the way through. Certainly no new thinking has been done by the Government.)

  Campaign to Protect Common Water Rights in Sri Lanka

(People’s Responses to the proposed “National Water Resources Policy and Institutional Arrangements in Sri Lanka” November 1999)
  Can Water Marketing Prevent a Crisis?

(An Analysis of the Proposed National Water Resources Policy
In Sri Lanka)

  Proposed Water Resources Policy:
Impact of Water Entitlements and Transfers:

Problems of the Small Farmers

( Proposed Water Resources Policy and Institutional Arrangements clearly aims at achieving a different objective from what it claims to achieve. The intention is clearly to provide the necessary legal and institutional framework to convert water into a “commodity” for profits of big private companies. It is not a policy that emerged out of the needs of the people here in Sri Lanka, but a policy forming a part of a global process of converting even the most essential services for profits of big TNCs.)
 

The Roles of the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO in Liberalization and Privatization of the Water Services Sector

By
Nancy Alexander
October 21, 2005


Other

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A Complete Change in the Legal System to Support the Private Sector led Economy in Sri Lanka, in Collaboration with World Bank, But, with no Consultation with the People

(On June 22, 2000 Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs, and Ethnic Affairs announced that a major Legal and Judicial reform would be carried out to upgrade the entire Legal System to be fully equipped to support private sector led economy.)

  “A Dream That Will Come True”

(Synopsis of the presentation “As I see it” by Sarath Fernando)
  Plant Breeders Rights Law in Sri Lanka

(On July 24, 2001 the national intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka foundation institute organized a seminar with the objective of reviewing the proposed Plant Breeders Law of Sri Lanka.

The Intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka has drafted a working paper for the proposed law on Protection of New Plant Varieties (Plant Breeders Rights). The aspects discussed included legal and institutional aspects, rights of plant breeders of Government and private sector, farmers who produced their own planting material, seed user farmers, UPOV Convention and national development.)


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