SWCC, Sea Turtle Documentary

Ada Derana News 2012 10 24

Case Closed

Case Closed

Two Fisher Leaders who faced to a court case filled by Negombo police, accusing that they are conspiring  against the state by distributing falls information and making people unrest. two fisher leaders were freed by Negombo magistrate after hearing the case near two years and case was closed on 21st Monday 2012.

Marcus Fernando, Chairman of United Negombo Lagoon Fisher People Organisation and, Aruna Nishantha, Chairman of all Ceylon Fisher Falk Trade Union were arrested on November 2010 and release on bail after producing them to Magistrate court.

court case was closed due to accuser, Negombo police have not appeared in court after the 2010 December, the first hearing.

These fisher leaders actively work against project on use the lagoon for landing sea planes.

Farmers protest over GM seeds

Source: 

Critics say seeds threaten health and agriculture

ucanews.com reporter, Colombo
Sri Lanka
October 16, 2012

Farmers protest over government plans for GM seeds

More than 2,000 demonstrators marched in Colombo yesterday in protest at government approval of genetically modified crop seeds which they said are set to undermine those produced locally using natural methods.
Religious leaders joined farmers and civil society leaders in the protests after the government recently reversed approval for nearly 3,000 local seed varieties in favor of GM alternatives produced by multinationals.
Farmers have since rejected GM varieties, claiming they would contaminate the farm land and cause losses for farmers who have invested in local seeds.
“Companies are trying to sabotage and eliminate native production which has been historically developed by rural farmers,” said Kankanam Pathirange Somawathi, president of the Savithri women’s movement in Monaragala.
GM seeds lead to dependence on monopolistic multinational firms, she added, with potentially devastating results for Sri Lanka’s farming sector.
Protesters said they plan to send a petition to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, calling on the government to protect farmers’ rights to continue using their own seeds and fertilizers.
Doctor Channa Sudath Jayasumana, a lecturer of pharmacology at Rajarata University in Anuradhapura, said GM seeds and associated products were rising in price, increased environmental degradation and posed health concerns for farmers and the general public.
“Millions of people across the world – especially in Latin American and African countries – are badly suffering today due to GM-seed produced foods,” he said.
A new seed act proposed by the government would also limit the rights of farmers to operate small-scale seed banks, said environmentalist and lawyer Jagath Gunawardane.
But Robin Abegunawardene, a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, said the government was aiming to maintain the quality of seeds through the proposed act.
“The Ministry drafted this bill after consulting many people, including farmers,” he said.
Nearly 900,000 families – about 20 percent of the population – are involved in paddy production in Sri Lanka with the farming sector responsible for employing about a third of all working people.

The Protest Against of  Destruction in Negombo Lagoon, Sri Lanka.

The Protest on 09/10/2012 in Negombo Sri Lanka for Stop  Pollution, lagoon embankment destruction of Negombo Lagoon. it is voice of women's around the Negombo Lagoon.

WhyHunger: Food Sovereignty Prize Event

2012 Food Sovereignty Prize Ceremony

National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) 

Food sovereignty includes rights and self-determination for all producers, not just those on land. Fishing is an essential way of life for many communities around the world—one which is threatened by increasing corporate control, shrinking fishing rights and environmental crises. The 2012 Food Sovereignty Prize recognizes the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO), a 12,000-member organization founded in 1997, for its work to promote food sovereignty and food security in the island nation of Sri Lanka as the country emerges from a 26-year civil war.

Small-scale Sri Lankan fishers are finding their existence threatened by a post-war government intent on developing all coastal regions for tourism and have been left out of discussions for the new development, despite their reliance on the coast for their food and livelihood. NAFSO began its work in Negombo, Sri Lanka, home to both fishing communities and the booming tourist industry, conducting political seminars and trainings for affected fishing communities on their rights and how to retain and reclaim them. With its network of small-scale fishers, the organization has had success around the country in persuading the government and private developers to delay or suspend tourist development in order to protect fishers’ livelihoods.

NAFSO now also collaborates with many national and regional networks on food sovereignty, land rights and rights of fishers. NAFSO is active in numerous international networks, promoting food sovereignty and human rights and equality for all fishing communities. Its accomplishments have included working towards the adoption of the International Convention on Safety and Security of the Fisheries at the 2008 International Labor Organization, ongoing participation in the International Planning Committee on Food Sovereignty and being part of the development process of a mechanism to protect sustainable small-scale fisheries to be adopted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in 2013.