A program was conducted in Urumpirai on 10th August 2011, with the objectives of aware people on food sovereignty and increase the concern on widowed women by the 3 decade long conflict.43 women participants were at the program who have lost their bread winners during the war.
Displaced since 1990, in tents, and houses of relatives, without way to fulfill any basic requirements. No jobs or way to earn daily expenditure. Few women go for day labor and earn some amount of money to protect their children and parents. This information reviled during the visit to Urumpirai with the objectives of find out the present situation of the displaced, widowed women from the ended conflict three years ago.
According to women who have lost their husbands, they are facing social discrimination as well as, it is impossible to avoid educational and nutrition issues of their children. Whether they have their lands in visible range, they are unable to access, land problems still to be solved are the main reason they are still in displaced.
During the discussion, Mr. Herman Kumara convener of National Fisheries Solidarity, invite to all people who looking for permanent solution for their land ownership issues to join with network working for common goal in south. He added that “this issue is not confined to north, it is all over the country, and we have face together to get solution so we need to strong movement to strength the fight”.
“We have aware the authorities of the government about the situation and our expectations, and also conducted some lobby work too, but still no answer from the officials, we are expecting to join with NASO and go forward to win our goals” added the participant.
After the program afford a pack of dry food ration worth of 1000LKR to the participants.
Mr. Impanayagam, coordinator of NAFSO in Jaffna, field activists from Mannar district and Anthony jesudasan coordinator of North and East were also participated to the program and agreed to strengthen the people to bring their fight forward with the assistance of south working groups on same objectives.
