Homeless ask why no land for housing but plenty for business
Last Monday, on World Habitat Day a demonstration organised by Janawabodaya Kendraya, which opposes economic globalisation, was held from the Negombo Municipal Council up to the Rukmani Devi Arts Gallery at Negombo, where they held a meeting demanding houses for the homeless, under the banner ‘where shall we dine tonight?’
Headed by Rev. Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda, other religious leaders and converner, lawyer Vincent Bulathsinhala, about 500 people joined the meeting that was held at the Rukmani Devi Arts Gallery. Susil Siriwardena former commissioner of Jana Saviya, general manager of National Housing Development Authority and adviser was the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Siriwardena, said the the “housing problem should be looked at from three angles; how this problem was solved in the past, what they are doing now and how they are going to solve this in the future’’.
He further said: “This should be addressed with the help of homeless people themselves. They have a right to live where they are living now. No person can deprive them of their right to live where they want to live. They should be involved in whatever housing scheme the government is going to launch in future.’’
Aruna Shantha, secretary of a support group of Janawabodaya said: “Negombo has enough land for hotels and other buisnesses but for people without a roof it has only railways, road sides, or canals. According to a survey among 366 families, 42% of them live with two other families in one rented house.’’
Jenita Fernando, a member of Janawabodaya, said: “I have been a member of this organisation since it began in 1980. Since then we have been agitating against the deprivation of our people’s right to live in a house. We vote for this and that, but no one votes for us.’’
She further said: “Our efforts to meet the Minister of Housing [Sajith Premadasa] too failed. The Negombo Municipal Council is talking about the beauty of the city, but not our housing problem. The private sector has enough facilities for mega market complexes. The government has no intention of getting land and building houses for the poor.’’
Mr Bulathsinhala, who has been the administrative secretary for more than 35 years said: “The origin of this was an unprecedented one. It all happened when a few houses caught fire on the eve of Christmas in 1979. Then a few people got together directed by Rev. Fr Iddamalgoda , formed a little organisation. This little organization later became Negombo Janawabodaya Kendraya in 1990.’’
He added: “Since then we have worked hard and our efforts were not in vain. In 1980, we persuaded the government to start the first housing s ch e m e ‘Niwasa 64’ in Munnakkaraya. In 1981, we could form 16 groups as branch organisations, assisted by a team comprising Fr Iddamalgoda, sister Noel Christien, Vincent Lerins Peiris and Christopher Warnakulasooriya and myself.
“In 1985, we had another victory. At Kadolkele, 77 acres were given to us for a housing scheme and 137 houses were built. Thanks to the late Prime Minister R Premadasa who approved it immediately after listening to our problem. Of this, 25 acres were taken for NARA and and later as we demanded, eight acres were given to us, but still there is no plan to build houses. It is unbelievable that still some dwellers there have not been given their land deeds.’’
He said there are about 500 families without a roof. Since they have no permanent houses they have been deprived of their basic rights.
“We can't vote.We can’t get our children admitted to schools. We can’t get a loan. We lack sanitary facilities too, they complain.’’
Article 25 of the UN Declaration says: “Every one has the right to a standard living adequate for health and well being of oneself and one’s family.’’