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OCTOBER 2011 MIHISARA .

Protest Rally against Chaos

Civil organizations and other multi community organizations joined hands together and prepared a set of suggestions regarding reforms for democratic changes and handed it over to several political parties other than the ruling party on 25.11.2011 at 1500 hrs. opposite the Fort Railway Station.

The objective of this programmes was not only to effect a change in the present government but to establish a Civil Society Movement which could exert impacts to effect a favourable change socially economically and politically.

For this purpose 109 civil and multi community organizations and a crowd exceeding 1000 representating farming, fishing and plantation labour from various Districts participated at this event.

For the reformation programme essential to effect a democratic change in the country, 100 Savisthri members from Monaragala , Anuradhapura, Matale and Matara Districts participated and Savisthri took the responsibility of initiating a Signature Campaign. Added to this, there were events like bana preaching in stanza form, street dramas, media discussions, exhibitions and expression of views.

Savisthri Movement has made plans to give an awareness to the masses and form a strong civil society Movement, in the near future.


World Food Day - Caravan 2014

With World Food Day 2014 in view the Movement on National Land and Agricultural Reforms (MONLAR) organized an activity to make public, especially agricultural community, knowledgeable about the ruinous consequences of Draft Seeds and Planting Materials Act (popularly known as Seed Act). Activists concerned about the well being and rights of the farming community are against this due to obvious reasons such as the uprooting of farmers’ right to produce seeds in the traditional methods, allowing two or three multi-national companies to produce seeds and so forth.  The keenness of the government of Sri Lanka to pass this in the Parliament is easily interpretable as a plot between some unscrupulous politicians and multinational companies. If this is enacted farmers are compelled to buy seeds from the multinationals at exorbitant prices every growing season because harvest of modified seeds cannot produce seeds useable in subsequent seasons. Current experience has proven that the power of germination of seeds supplied by the companies is limited only to one season. In addition, the produce from these seeds would be high in price and could affect the consumers’ health in various ways. Moreover this is disastrous for the food sovereignity and food security of the country.
This activity was started from Murukandi temple in Kilinochchi on 11th October 2014 and continued until 16thOctober  in Colombo where a large protest was held in front of the Fort Railway Station with the participation of people from all the districts.   Savisthri participation and cntribution included members of  the districts of Anuradhapura, Matale, Monaragla and Matara joining the campaign at several points along its way in the protest on 16.10.2014. On October 12th Matale communities joined the Caravan at Matale town. On 13th, the members of the Anuradhapura Savisthri Women’s Collective and the Youth Society greeted the Caravan at Hiripitiyagama. Youths had erected an attractive pandol using various seeds which was quite innovative. They also had arranged to provide lunch and refreshments to all who came with the procession and who joined the activity from Anuadhapura. 
At Matara, the members proceeded to Hambantota and joined the caravan to travel back to Matara. On the way, they had distributed pamphlets to raise awareness of the public during stopovers at Hambantota, Ambalantota, Ranna, Tangalla, Dikwella and Matara. Over 5000 pamphlets had been distributed. Therein, people in Ranna and Ambalantota were more interested because cultivation is the livelihood of the majority in these areas.

Through the distribution of pamphlets farmers, fishers including women had been given an awareness regarding the conditions Stipulated in the draft seed bill and the unfavourable impacts exerted. Masses in Ranna and Ambalantota took a very keen interest in this and even expressed their views against the draft bill. This activity gave an opportunity to instill in the masses the importance of protecting their seeds, the system of conducting the exchange of seeds and to exert impacts on the people to open some more home gardens utilizing their own seeds.
Mention must be made that the community in the Matara, Monaragala, and the Anuradhapura Districts bore all the expences relating to the organization of the activity, provision of meals and Tavelling.
Monaragala members joined the activity at Monaragala town. They too distributed pamphlets. In all these places presence of Savisthri as an organization concerned about food sovereignity and food security  was conspicuous. 

American Embassy Officials Visit to Observe YACHT Youth Project

Savisthri youth project implemented in Kekirawa with the assistance from the American Embassy in Sri Lanka  was visited by Ms. Samanthi de Soyza and Ms. Sunera Schaller, Public Diplomacy Associate to observe its success. There were members of the YACHT project and Savisthri members to meet the visitors at Pinpara Farm and Savisthri Field Training Centre . Due to being busy attending to their cultivations all failed to participate but representatives from each village were present.

 Resource persons sharing experiences   

 The visitors seemed impressed with the progress made by the youth and the coordination they maintain with the Savisthri members. Savisthri members mentioned that they wanted younger group to take over the vision and mission of Savisthri  which has empowered them to show their strength as responsible women.

Discussions in progress
 
Except for the interpretation to overcome constraints of language, there was a direct discussion direct. Mr. Ravi Kariyawasam who acted as an external  resource  person during the course of implementation  and Mr. Somaratne Herath, internal resource person and Ms. K. A. Chandanie, Savisthri District Facilitator for Anuradhapura district also participated in the discussion.
Observing an income generation project – 
finger millet flour making in the traditional method

The visitors witnessed one income generation project being carried out at Pinpara farm and the farm produce collected at the Centre for sale. They mentioned that there would be a permanent sales point at the farm and the need for a storage building to collect the produce. They explained that at present, they use the building at the centre for collection especially on Tuesdays, the day prior to Savisthri weekly fair at Ranajayapura Junction, Wednesday  and on Thursdays.

Protest Campaign against the Draft Seed Bill- 2014.06.24

Members of the Savisthri Movement whose livelihood is cultivation exceeding 200 from four Districts viz Monaragala, Matale, Galle and Anuradhapura participated in a massive protest campaign today along with members of other organizations which exceeded 1,000 against the Draft Seed Bill. The government is planning to introduce this bill which if passed and implemented would adversely affect the masses. More than 1000 members participated in this campaign which commenced at 10:00 hrs. at Battaramulla close to the Ministry of Agriculture, after which they gathered opposite the Ministry. This was a peaceful campaign. Although it was a peaceful  campaign slogan were shouted right through out there march until they reached the Ministry premises. Thereafter they sat and most of them were engaged to religion observances.


 Thereafter a group of representatives wanted to hand over a memorandum to the Minister explaining the bill effects of the Draft Bill and get his consent for its withdrawal. As the Minister was not co-operative enough to accept it, The media secretary of Minister  came. but  did not hand over the memorandum to him. Buddhist monk Rev. Mahamankadawala Piyarathana Nayaka Thera the convener of the "Movement for the Protection of Seed Rights" and who work in close collaboration with the other religious dignitaries went in to hand it over to the Minister. It is reported that the Minister was quite indifferent and had not paid any attention to the matter.




Savisthri Members from the Monaragala & Anuradhapura Districts, (farming women)

On hearing the attitude of the Minister some participants had get restless but the other participants had brought the situation under control. 

A riot squad was present in the premises to take action in the event of an uprising. But quietness and calmness prevailed and everything ended well. 

The attached pictures which appeared in the daily papers of Sri Lanka show various instances of the rally.