hdo annual repot 2013/2014 report 2013 - 2014.pdf · hdo annual repot - 2013/2014 3 human...

HDO Annual Repot - 2013/2014

2 HDO Annual Repot - 2013/2014

“If you focus on Results, you will not achieve Change.

If you work for Change, You will get the Results”


Human Development Organization (HDO) is a non governmental, non profit making and non ra-

cial national human rights organization that works with underprivileged and marginalized com-

munities in the plantation and rural areas of Sri Lanka. HDO is legally registered under the So-

cial Service Act, Sri Lanka and was ac-

credited by the UN OHCHR for the

World Conference against Racism. The

vision of HDO consists in

“Establishment a socially just, equita-

ble and peaceful civil society through

poverty eradication and sustainable de-

velopment”. Since last 22 years the or-

ganization has developed appropriate

strategies, methodologies and approach-

es to challenge the human rights and de-

velopment issues among the target groups, and in the region and the country. HDO is institution-

ally supported by CCFD France.

As a movement HDO creates a platform through which communities can voice their concerns

regarding (rights) issues / laws that directly affect their welfare. This remains an essential and

relevant part of HDO’s work that lends them credibility.

HDO has proven to be able to respond to right-based needs (HR violations) at individual and

community level and started playing a role in national and international dialogues concerning

minority rights. This linkage to use experience at local level to enrich debates on national and

international level deserves further reinforcement.

A key role of HDO is to give a critical voice to minorities / vulnerable communities when

their rights or interests are being violated. Without a doubt this means that HDO finds itself

opposing other established (political) forces. This is what gives them relevance, but illustrates

at the same time their need to be politically sensitive as to protect their own interests and that

of their target communities.

HDO : A Seed for Change


‘ Let us defend and ensure the

rights of plantation, migrant and

free trade zone

women workers’

With the rally starting from Katunayake, Colombo ground to Women Centre Amantholuwa,

around 500 women workers from three different sectors participated in the may day 2013,

organized by ‘Women’s Solidarity Front’ registered as a trade union. The WSF is initiated by

the Human Development Organization and supported by Workers Solidarity Union.

Plantation women workers, Free Trade Zone women workers and migrant women workers came

together from various ethnic communities, from different parts of the country underlining the

importance of women workers’ rights.

Women’s May Day Organized

by:


“May Day” celebrated all over the

world is important as far as the work-

ers are concerned. The workers

commemorate the struggle of the Chi-

cago workers demanding the reduction

of 12 hour shifts to 8 hour per day.

Women’s Solidarity Front - which be-

lieves the rights of the workers cannot

be won through isolated sector based

struggle – organized the May Day ral-

ly jointly with its sister trade union, representing the mi-

grant workers and FTZ workers. The program was supported by the Hu-

man Development Organization and the Women’s Centre, Ja Ela.

The Program supported : by PAN AP / FLOW

‘I have participated in May day meetings during the past few

years. But I could not see them remembering those who gave

their life tor the rights of the workers. Today I have come to

know the historical background of May day and its im-

portance. I also find that WSU and WSF are organizations

which are influencing an increase in workers’ sense of self-

confidence and self-reliance. I also believe that we can build

ourselves in to a force through building plantation, factory,

foreign and agriculture women by coming under the banner of

WSF’ (Ms K. Ariyamala, a Plantation worker).


People of the Up Country Plantation through out four generations of their

hard labour to create and develop the plantation sector, made foreign exchange earnings of

the country, a reality. The bodies of the pioneers, who gave their lives in the process, lie buried

under the tea bush. But, they the workers are helpless and unable to know the fate befell, or, who

swallowed approximately Rs. 1888 million (188 crores) of money recovered from the hard

earned wages of the workers of Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB) Sri Lanka State

Plantations Corporation (SLSPC) managed plantations, on account of Employees’ Provident

Fund (EPF), Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) and Retiring Gratuity?

A Campaign for Access to Justice:

Social Security of Plantation Workers

The Present generations of the Up Country Plantation Workers are the descendants of those,

brought from South India in the 1820s to develop the plantation, urban and transport sectors

and who settled in Sri Lanka. They are an integral part of the working class that made this coun-

try resourceful and rich. In this background, it will not be an exaggeration to say that they

are the back bone of Sri Lanka’s development; their hard labour and commitment in equal meas-

ure to that of others, or more, have helped enrich this country. Still depending on the daily pay,

when they retire at either 50 or 55

years age, all that remain for

them are their skeletal body and

Employees’ Provident Fund

(EPF) for the last many years

these workers have undergone

untold hardship, unable to receive

Employee Provident Fund (EPF),

Employee Trust Fund (ETF) and

Service gratuities.

This program is supported by

CORDAID & CCFD


Human Development Organization and

Workers’ Solidarity Union have been

conducting studies and creating aware-

ness to the affected people about what

has become of their EPF, ETF and Gratu-

ity dues. These activities have specifical-

ly been carried out in the Kandy, Matale

and Nuwara Eliya Districts.

EPF, ETF are the savings of the planta-

tion workers. These payments amounting

to 1888 million rupees due to about

12,000 workers of Kandy, Matala areas

have gone in the thin air. It has been re-

ported in the press that EPF, ETF and

retiring gravities due to the workers and

staff employed in Janatha Estate De-

velopment Board (JEDB), Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation (SLSPC) and Elkaduwa Plan-

tation Company (EPC) have fallen in arrears since 2001.

Workers, representing their problems have, in the meantime, joined the Workers’ Solidarity Un-

ion with a view to finding resolution to the problem themselves. They have, for this purpose, or-

ganized a taskforce in the name of Collective Action for Plantation Network. This task force

comprises estate level leaders, school principals and teachers and others from different walks of

life.

In addition to acting through this Collective Action, the Workers Solidarity Union (WSU) had

drawn the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission’s attention to this problem, with the legal advice

of the HDO in October, 2013.

WSU has made a complaint to the Human Rights Commission Kandy with the support of HDO

on behalf of thousands of workers, with the objective of seeking the latter’s intervention with a

view to enquiring in to the accountability of JEDB, SLSPC and EPC and also The Department of

Labor and ensuring that the workers’ rights are sustained.

As the second part of the advocacy, WSU volunteers carry out awareness raising activities


among the Kandy district plantation workers

distributing hand bills and posters and con-

ducting meetings and discussions. HDO

& WSU had organized a well-attended pub-

lic meeting and demonstration at Deltota

town on International Human Rights Day,

10th of December 2013, the objective being

to give full meaning to the Human Rights

Day, as one dedicated to sustaining the plan-

tation workers’ rights, rather than commemo-

rating it as just another annual event. The

Central Provincial Council Member and the

former Justice of High Court Mr. Warawewa

and Provincial Council Member Mr. Velu

Kumar who participated in the meeting said

that the nonpayment of EPF, ETF and Gratu-

ity to the plantation workers was a serious

issue and that they would raise the issue in

the provincial council and other fora on be-

half of the plantation workers. They also

pledged support and participation in any

worker right oriented struggle.

A delegation of WSU and HDO complained

to the Human Rights Commission in Colom-

bo and met the Secretary, Attorney Mr. N.G.

Punchihewa in HRC headquarters, Colombo.

The HRC authorities assured the delegation

that immediate action would be taken on the

matter. This was followed up with a media

conference in Colombo. Almost all the lead-

ing electronic, print and web media were pre-

sent at the media conference. Ms.

Lechchumy Worker of Loolcondra Estate,

Kandy who a the member of the delegation,

stated: “I have been a worker in the planta-

tion for the last 25 years. We have been sub-

jected to various kinds of discrimination. Our

money – the money recovered from our wag-

es – has been robbed. : Who robbed it? We

are in Colombo to put forward our problems,

thanks to the awareness created by WSU &

HDO. Please get us relief”.

Since December 5th, many Tamil, Sinhala

and English Print & Electronic Media high-

lighted the issues as a major issues and Jus-

tice was long overdue.

This meeting was followed up by another

meeting at the Human Rights Commission,

Colombo Office, when the WSU/HDO pre-

sented a delegation of workers. The Human

Rights Commission advised WSU/HDO to

lodge a formal complaint with details. There-

fore, the Human Rights Commission called

the JEDB, SLSPC, EPC and the Department

of Labour to account for their lapses.

In the meantime, WSU/HDO

Conducted district level awareness crea-

tion meeting for workers and

Dedicated the International Human

Rights Day – 2013, held at Deltota to sus-

taining the plantation workers rights.

Conducted Print and electronic media

discussions


E ducation is the main aspect of human life, making her/him perfect. A man/woman

sans education is isolated; his/her rights are denied and socially devalued and dis-

respected. It is why HDO prioritizes educational development in its activities in

the plantation and war affected areas. The plantation workers remain a community

identified as worker within the plantation they live in. HDO has intervened to develop the edu-

cation of the plantation children in order to bring them in par with their counterparts elsewhere.

The program Supported by AHI, Japan & Olivet, France

Beginning from Childhood…….!

In order to improve the culture of childhood education among the plantation children, it created...

Pre Schools, together with the help of the community. This has increased the number of planta-

tion students getting admission at government schools every year. The HDO intervention

has also raised the interest of the parents, and especially of mothers, in the children’s education.

Their role / participation at right based activities has increased. It is noteworthy that the parents

Social Dignity: Is Education a Tool……?


have taken the full responsibility for the monthly remuneration of teachers. HDO either supports

or implements these activities, since they lead to sustained development. The Pre-school is not

one of the prioritized activities of HDO, but the activity is used as a strategy and tool to empow-

er mothers and the community.

A Voice from a Teacher : “We take this opportunity to thank HDO, AHI. We conducted GCE O/

L classes since 2010. These classes were most useful for our students to go for higher education.

At the same time most plantation schools are situated in isolated areas where transportation is

very difficult. If they had go to town tutorials it would be a waste of time and money. As we con-

ducted the classes in school itself the students were able to save their time and money and they

could learn longer hours”.

A Voice from Parents:

“Generally the students in

the plantations lag behind

their other counter parts in

educational performance.

The plantation workers see

the possibility of raising

the education level of the

children as a distant hope.

It is in this context, that the

HDO conducts various ed-

ucational activities”.

HDO’s activities, targeting these students education, also embrace leadership training, food secu-

rity and health care awareness. The project implemented in the Eastern Province benefits stu-

dents affected in the war and tsunami areas. We are sure that the education program in the East-

ern Province for Tamil and Muslim youths & children, created an alternative way of co-existence

than fighting each other, and also created sense of co-existence among the communities.

HDO meaningfully utilized the International Children’s Day and world peace Day, as an oppor-

tunity to conduct leadership training, awareness on Child Rights, Children’s Protection and

Against Abuse of Children in its target areas. Opportunities to participate in these exercises are

open to all students – from Pre School level up to university level.


T Provincial Council Election for the Northern Province of Sri Lanka will be held

on 21st September 2013. This is the second Election for the province 24 years after the

provincial council system was introduced. Therefore this election is important in the political his-

tory of Sri Lanka and for the political strength of the people of the province. It is the responsibil-

ity of the citizens of this country to ensure that this election is held in a free and fair environ-

ment. In this context HDO in coordination with Mothers and Daughters of Lanka (who is granted

to Election Monitoring) is implementing election monitoring activities. This election is expected

to generate many changes in the political arena. To a question whether the people in the prov-

ince need structural development or political freedom, they have democratically answered that

they need their own political identity and freedom.

This decision cannot be construed as one demanding a mere political change. There are youth as

well as elders who have, for longer periods of time, been reduced not only to political non enti-

ties, but ones who have passed 25 years without even the most basic facilities. They now long to

enjoy at least the basic human rights available to ordinary citizens, namely: basic educational

facilities to children, a house to live in, means of livelihood, fundamental freedom, clean water,

basic health care, self-

governance and redemp-

tion from poverty, to name a

few.

In this context, MDL and the

HDO together organized

training program on Election

Laws and Election Monitor-

ing for NGO, CBO & Reli-

gious leaders and activists in

North – South Dialog: Building Solidarity

Bridge


Vavuniya, Killinochche and Mu-

laitheevu Districts. It was a new ex-

perience for trainers as well as train-

ees. A dialog was initiated among

youths of North and South of the

country.

HDO as organization acting in coali-

tion with other civil organizations

targeting human development, human

rights and sustainable peace, has con-

tinued to be conscientious about the development of the North and East, on the basis of which it

engaged in election monitoring and training. In this background, it also arranged various visits in

order to create a “humanitarian bridge” between the war affected people of the North and those

in the Up-country/south of Sri Lanka.

The recent international children’s day functions had been organized as a signal that the northern

people had not been isolated, but the other people in habiting this country as well were ready to

join hands with them. HDO and WSF members from the up-country plantation areas visited

Mankulam, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Chettikulam areas, not only to know the condition of

the war affected, but to console them and heal their war wounds.

Going in to the background of these people, it was found that a majority of them were Tamil

Plantation people of Indian Origin who had been chased out of the Southern areas losing the near

and dear ones, and belongings to brutal ethnic riots that took place between 1977, 1983 and

1986. They have settled in Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Mannar areas having cleared

thick jungles.

The plantation people who settled in the Northern areas were/ are the most affected – subjected

to multi displacements and now reduced to refugees – in the war that had engulfed the whole of

the Northern Province.

HDO had organized the international children’s day jointly with the Jaffna Centre for Women &

Development and local CBOs/women’s groups, which themselves are engaged in self-

rehabilitation. They have a long way to go to reach capacity development. Although the children


take part in art, cultural and sports activities they are far from healed of physical and mental war

wounds. A close movement with them revealed that a vast majority of them had no contact/

relationship whatever, with foreign countries (or Diaspora). They lived on that land trusting it

and died in the war. They had no opportunity to migrate to European countries.

According to some of them, and as obvious to us, the Indian origin Plantation Tamil people are

treated as second class citizens even there. They also put forward the view that they are not given

the due place in the politics and development. Among much social oppression in the post war

environment, casteism has figured prominent. Are they a minority among the minorities? Will

the new political dispensation absorb them suitably and on an equal footing? What are the re-

sponsibilities of the civil society organizations? These are but few questions taking a long time to

answer……..What humble role can HDO play?

Already HDO has chosen a new path past many stages such as relief, rehabilitation, development

and human rights for the tsunami/war affected people in the East. Will these capitalization, expe-

rience, knowledge and skills be applicable for changes among these people in the North….? Hu-

man struggle is the key to social change …! Small drop make a big ocean….


No Land No Civilization...

L and Right struggles have become wide spread and intense of late, in Sri Lanka, involving

farmers, workers, fishermen and women and others. The private land owned by farmers, IDPs, in

the plantation and coastal areas and poor are being grabbed under the pre taxt of development by

the government, multinational companies or security forces.

In both Northern and Eastern provinces, land grabbing has taken place during and after the war,

though as far as these 2 provinces are concerned, land right is a political right enshrined in the

constitution under the 13 Amendment of Constitution of Sri Lanka.

In the Eastern province, and particularly Ampara District, HDO has taken interest in the land


ownership and land right issues. In pursuance of this, HDO facilitated a workshop on Land Own-

ership and Land Right, in November, 2013 at the request of the Officers of the Ministry of Jus-

tice and Asia Foundation. In this workshop at Addalachannai Cooperative Society Auditorium,

officials from the Ministry of Justice, local politicians, the affected people and HDO personnel

participated.

The Land acquisition of the minority people in Amparai District is commonly taking place since

recent past. Because of this unwanted act, the people who lead their life through livelihood of

agriculture, fishing and cattle farming have been affected worst.

Grabbing of privet lands by government, Multinational Companies and Security Forces in the

pretext of development – during and after the war in the Northern And eastern provinces and in

the meantime in the plantation areas, has put the livelihood right of the people to jeopardy. The

affected people include those engaged in agriculture, and as far as the Eastern province is con-

cerned, the fisher folk and cattle raisers – worst affected.

Land Rights of the Fishing Community in Vinayagapuram,

Thirukovil DS Division, Ampara.

The people in Vinayagapuram area have been depending on fishing as their livelihood from gen-

eration to generation. The alternative opportunities at Vinayagapuram are very rare. The literary

knowledge of the people in this area is also very poor. This area has also been identified that it

has been mostly affected during the period of war. Moreover, the people were also affected by

the tsunami in 2004. While the people in this area are building up their livelihood gradually with

the support of the government and NGO’s, suddenly barbed wire fence with concrete posts have

been laid 20m distance from the beach at Vinayagapuram 3 & 4 villages in beginning of the Sep-

tember 2013. It is believed that an outside Sinhalese businessman has acquired 31 acres extent of

land.

More than 250 fishermen in this village directly opposed this illegal act. The Divisional Secre-

tary and the police assured that the said area belongs to the fishermen to do their fishing activities

without any hindrance. They also emphasized that nobody can put up any enclosure. But, the said

businessman who acquired this land, had put up barbed wire fence (it is said that with the support


of the security

forces) and had

restricted the

fishermen not

to allow the

land for their

livelihood de-

velopment ac-

tivities.

The issue was

discussed

among Fisher-

ies Network

Forum in-

formed to HDO. HDO had done a fact finding mission and facilitated Network, First to approach

legal institutions. Like Department of Costal Conservation, Department of Fisheries & Aquatic

Resources, Divisional Secretariat Office, Human Rights Commission etc. As a result of some

actions, HDO and the Fisheries Network Forum jointly made a complaint to Human Rights

Commission. It was decided that a decision should be made at the Pradeshiya Sabah to remove

the obstructive concrete posts and with the court order and the fishermen should be made to do

their fishing with freedom in a conducive and peaceful environment. A complaint letter was sent

by the Divisional Secretary to the said businessmen, to limit his activities in particular land on

behalf of 250 families live in this area. However, now a case was filed in the district court and

the case proceeding

Land & Housing rights to the Plantation Peoples

Although they have been toiling for generations on the plantation land and tied themselves to it,

their ownership to that land has not been assured through any legal document. the main Contrib-

utory factor being the failure to voice it politically or a lack of clear awareness among them, the

people themselves, over their economic and land rights, and moreover, their poor standard of

living, lack of political powerlessness or clout. This account for more or less 56 percent of them


languishing to date in the single or double side (back to back) line rooms constructed by the

English colonialists.

Despite reports that by distributing such lands to the plantation people, the land hunger among

them can be somewhat reduced, there is a sharp want of interest over the matter at matter at

national level. None of the land reform or land distribution plans has benefitted the plantation

community. On the contrary, lands have been distributed to the political supporters of the

successive governments, culminating to one where the housing security of the plantation people

in jeopardy with accompanying fear of job loss and ouster from the plantations.

A Land rights campaign was initiated by the WSU and Collective Action for Plantation with the

support of HDO. The Campaign demands as follows:

20 Perch land ownership for Housing for plantation worker family &

02 acre land for livelihood and economic purposes for each family.

Awareness programmers and campaigns on land and housing rights are being carried on in the

Kandy, Kegalle and NuwaraEliya District plantation and among middle class people in the other

areas of the hill country by HDO.


Human Development Organization

2013 -2014

Income Details

Project Rs. In Million

CCFD Sustainable Development Project 7.03

Cordaid Human Rights Project 4.99

MRGI - Conflict Prevention Program 0.80

Olivet Solidarity - Children Program 0.70

AHI - Plantation Education Development

Programme 0.63


Human Developmnet Organization

2013 -2014

Expenses Details

Project Million

CCFD Sustainable Development Project 5.35

Cordaid Human Rights Project 3.22

MRGI - Conflict Prevention Program 0.79

Olivet Solidarity - Children Program 0.74

AHI - Plantation Education Development Pro-

gramme 0.91


Human Development Organization

P.O.Box-171,

Kandy - 20000

Sri Lanka

Tel/Fax: 081 – 2232217

Email: [email protected]

“I Have not the shadow of a doubt that any man or women can

achieve what I have, if he or she would make the same effort and

cultivate the same hope and faith”

-Mahatma Gandhi-

CCFD - France

Cord aid - Netherlands

MRGI - England

Olivet Solidarity

AHI - Japan

Ram Group - Italy

PA NAP - Malasiya

CAWI - Malasiya

Our Partners

IMADR

CAWI

IDSN

ARWC

PANAP

ADRM

CARAM ASIA

MDL

Our Supporters

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