‘GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO REDUCE FARMERS TO COOLIES OF MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANIES’ CHARGES ELAHERA FARMER
Afarmer said that a secret conspiracy to ruin agriculture in the country was being hatched by certain officials prompted by foreign elements.
Convener of the Movement of Farmer Struggles, Jayantha Randeniya told the media during a meeting of farmers in Radvigeoya tract of paddy fields in Atthakadawala in Elahera, that farmers were being tricked through shrewd tactics to abandon agriculture.
He pointed out that the Moragahakanda and Kotmale Reservoirs had the capacity to provide irrigation facilities for paddy cultivation in Elahera colonization
Farmer organizations should have the right to take decisions in releasing water for paddy cultivation.
scheme but that officials ignored it. ‘It was a part of the conspiracy to ruin agriculture in the country’ he charged.
“The main object of the Moragahakanda Reservoir Project was to provide irrigation facilities to Elahera farmers for paddy cultivation. However, they have been left without water to cultivate even one season. If irrigation facilities are not provided to farmers, the government should pay them compensation. Obviously the government is planning to reduce farmers to the position of coolies of multi-national companies. Farmers must well understand what is going on and be prepared for a campaign to foil that conspiracy and to safeguard their rights. Today Minneriya and Kantale areas are fed with water from Moragahakanda while vast tracts of paddy fields in the Elahera colony have been left to the mercy of the jungle for want of water. Farmer organizations should have the right to take decisions in releasing water for paddy cultivation,” he said.
President of the Farmer Organisation Ananda Edissuriya, President of the Polonnaruwa- Aluthwewa-diulapitiya Farmer Organisation P.k.d.wijeratne addressed the media.