“VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS”

Is the supplement that gives an insight on

voluntary services performed by JVP members
and sympathisers of the JVP using
money from the fund.

Our readers know that the elected

JVP members of the Parliament, provincial
councils, local councils and municipal
councils are contributing
their whole salaries and allowances into a
fund which is reserved for
public services.
AUGUST 2009

JVP'S CONTRIBUTION TO BADULLA

'VISHVA' COMPUTER CENTRE
In a time when there is lots of
discussion about information
technology, rural children far from
cities are reduced to merely being
outside looking in. Even though the
prevalent theme is about a
computer technological world, it is
rare that a school possesses a
computer. There are private classes
for computer science, but their costs
are high, nigh on unbearable for a
normal citizen. Also the knowledge
obtained in these classes can only
be utilised outside the classroom in
order to amaze a computer illiterate
person. This is because the
objective of these classes is to train
a person with a computer for self
employment.
If a country is to adapt to a
new situation, there should be a well
thought out plan for it. This is no
d i f fe r e n t w h e n c o n s i d e r i n g
information technology. However,
what has happened up to now is that
computer knowledge has been
contained in only a few cities. Free Food Center Orgernised by the Computer Center on the occassion of Poson full moon day ...
The People's Liberation Front is a
party that has understood this need currently studying at the Centre. A computer course which would The Centre's unique features
well. Therefore it took steps to pool normally cost about Rs. 4 million in effortlessly train the students to
the salaries of its MPs into a fund to the market is taught free of charge behave in a disciplined manner.
implement a project that would CURRICULUM here. The mental image we have of
satisfy children's thirst for computer Not only that, but the 'Vishva' a computer centre is that of a setting
OFFICE Computer Centre possesses many with a few computers and a few
knowledge.
The main objective of this Introduction and Windows other special features. Its discipline teachers educating students. The
project is to distribute computer 6 Ms Word is notable. The age group of the 'Vishva' Computer Centre is not such
knowledge among rural, financially 6 Ms Excel students at the Centre is between an institution. The students are not
disadvantaged children. This 6 Ms Access 18 35 years. Congregations of such o n l y e d u c a te d i n c o mp u te r
education is given completely free of 6 Ms PowerPoint groups can easily lead to many knowledge, they are also trained in
charge. There are 5 such centres in disciplinary complaints, within the social activity. The Poson 'dansal'
Matara, Tissamaharama, DESKTOP PUBLISHING Centre as well as from the residents held every Poson Full Moon Poya
Anuradhapura, Badulla and Introduction and Windows of the surrounding area. However, Day is a perfect example of this. The
Kurunegala. Recently we visited the 8 Photoshop CS the 'Vishva' Computer Centre offers Centre aims to impart many
'Vishva' Computer Centre in Badulla. 8 Corel drow 12 a completely different reality. The qualities to its students, including
The 'Vishva' Computer 8 Illustrator CS students themselves admit that leadership and organisational skills,
Centre of Bogahamaditta, Haliela 8 Pagemaker 7 they behave in a disciplined manner. and to improve the bond between
was declared open on 27 March The residents of the surrounding students.
2003. 200 students were included area also attest to this. There are no Another feature is the annual
PROGRAMMING outlandish rules to ensure discipline field trip of every student batch.
in the first batch of trainees. Since
then, 2300 students, in 6 batches, Introduction and Windows here; it is merely its culture and work Their collective identity is improved
have studied at the 'Vishva' < Ms EXCEL ethic. The students have become and they gain a host of new
Computer Centre, Badulla. The < MS Access familiar with this too. They do not experiences.
seventh batch, of 290 students, is < Visual Basic need to be forced to do anything. see pg V
 “THESE RESOURCES ARE NOT THE
PRESIDENT'S OR THE PRIME
MINISTER'S. THEY BELONG TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC”
Uva Wellassa, Bintenna, Eastern Triprovincial Sangha Nayake
Rev. Badulla Gammana Sumanasara
These are our resources, the general public's resources. We cannot
let them waste away to corruption. These resources and the natural
wildlife belong to the public, not to the President or the Prime Minister. The
government is only a guardian. Their responsibility is to protect these
resources and give the opportunity for the public to utilise them.
The Minister had said that this project would be implemented
regardless of objections because it had the approval of the Cabinet.
However we handed over a massive petition, with hundreds and
thousands of signatures, to the President against this project. With the
opposition of the whole province, for whose need has this project been
reopened? The President promised us a discussion in 2007. Even that
hasn't been granted yet. Why?
'People have not come to
obtain character references, but to
get Grama Niladari certification
that their crops have been
damaged.' It is appropriate to begin
this story with this quote by retired
Grama Niladari Mr. Karunaratne.
He was talking about the present
living conditions of the sugarcane
farmers of Pelawatte. These
farmers or their children have no
need for character references.
They have become perpetual
debtors. Even if they draw more
debts to plant sugarcane they do
not make enough profit to repay
them. Therefore they dream of
'deferring' their debts for a few
more days, and thus they have to
get Grama Niladari certifications
that their fine crops are damaged.
That certification can only stave off
repayment for a few more days.
However, they have no freedom
from the crop debts, the debts that
can never be repaid.
We heard this story in Bibile,
not Pelawatte. That is the
speciality. Not only that, it was a
warning for the future of the people
of Wellassa.
Uva Wellassa is a fertile
agricultural and historical area. It is
a medicinal garden with thousands
of traditional remedies such as
aralu, bulu and nelli. There is also
folklore that King Buddhadasa
possessed a medicinal garden in
the Nilgala area.
The area was named
II
PROVIDE RICE INSTEAD OF SUGAR FOR However, they have more
than enough plans to turn the
proud people of Wellassa into
WELLASSA slave labourers for multinational
corporations. They have more than
enough determination and
conspiracies to betray by not
listening to their voices the people
who endeavour to prevent the
will all be engulfed by the Booker attempts to make them slave
Tate Company. The fate of the Sri labourers, who demand freedom
Lankan people, who even today are and rights. The government
subsisting on imported rice, doesn't measured land in the Bibile for the
need explaining. Booker Tate Company claiming
that farmers will be given two
The recent drought in the acres each. The government has
Monaragala area caused the enough plans like that to mislead
destruction of thousands of acres of the public. They have enough plans
rice paddies. The people of the area to fell and sell the extremely
are still experiencing hardship due valuable ancient trees of the
to this. If the Booker Tate Company nature Reserve.
and the Ministerial circus manage to
cut down the Nilgala Reserve and The mechanism in operation
convert it to wasteland to plant here is nothing else but a new
sugarcane in, what sort of outcome colonisation plan. Since the world
would that bring? People must is at a stage where countries
endeavour to drive out the new cannot be directly subjugated,
invader in Wellassa. imperialists have utilised an
approach of controlling those
If there is genuine care for the countries' economies and
people of Wellassa by the controlling the political mechanism
authorities, what must be done? Not through that. Imperialists put into
allowing the people to be turned into motion a variety of plans to destroy
slaves for the Booker Tate Company, our agriculture for that purpose.
Wellassa because Prince
which has shown its naked greed Through steps such as the Water
Saddhatissa cultivated a hundred
and lust for profit through the Management Act and replacing
thousand rice paddies in the area.
Pelawatte Sugar Factory. Not paddy cultivation with tobacco
The war waged by King
allowing the fertile rice paddies of plantations they tried to
Dutugemunu against King Elara to
Wellassa which supply the country accomplish this. By this, the
reunite Sri Lanka was fuelled by the
with rice to be destroyed and imperialists hope to weaken our
rice of the Wellassa area. Also, it
replaced with the giant headache economy, lure us into a giant debt
was the people of Wellassa who
collection that is sugarcane trap and to snatch our valuable
took up arms against the English in
cultivation. They must instead take resources. What is being offered to
the 1818 rebellion. That rebellion
steps to improve the people's quality the people of Wellassa is that cup
was crushed by the English by
of life. of poison sweetened with sugar. It
destroying the tanks, anicuts and
rice paddies of the area, burning is the whole country's
The government that responsibility to decide whether
crops, and massacring the people
implemented a plan to ship oranges they should be sacrificed to that.
of Wellassa along with their
officials of our country, whether due Viharaya. A twig on the forest floor of the that outcome. The average time for from Pakistan and distribute them to
children. Wellassa is an area
to gained knowledge or the needs of Gal Oya Reserve is not allowed by an aralu fruit to mature from the the whole country cannot implement This situation should change,
suffused with blood shed for
politicians, do not know of this Since the people of Uva the officials to be used as firewood. tree is 75 years. Hundreds and a plan to distribute oranges grown in and should be changed. The
standing up against invaders.
pattern of cultivation. Therefore they, Wellassa have emphasised that they However, when the political authority thousands of such trees are on the Bibile to a few traders in Colombo. people who supplied the food for
and political heavyweights, complain do not want to become slaves of the ordered the felling of kumbuk trees verge of being destroyed due to the They have no plan to transport King Dutugemunu's war effort, and
It is true that Wellassa today is
that farmers destroy the land, waste Booker Tate Company, and this from the same area, no officials threat of the sugarcane. Even if chillies grown there to the markets. sacrificed their lives for the
a financially disadvantaged area.
it, and do not utilise it properly. They opposition was included in the were able to challenge the authority. billions of rupees are spent, such a They have no plan to bring limes that rebellion of 1818 are being turned
This is because that like the English
do not stop at complaining, and petition of the Uva Wellassa Human The same officials built a tank in massive medicinal forest cannot be rot under their trees without into slave labourers. The
of the past, the so called 'our' rulers
prepare to save the land from Rights Protection Front that was the Athugala area. The tank wasn't re-grown. Therefore even purchase to the markets. They have endeavour against this should be
have not even given 'stepmother's
'ignorant farmers', cultivate signed by all the farmers of the even large as a field. The locals economically, this is a massive no plan to distribute grains to people given life, and support. If that does
treatment' to the people of the
sugarcane on it, and to 'harvest the area, why the strenuous effort to point out that this tank, not even resource. Such a massive resource who like them. The government that not take place, the youth of
Wellassa area. Despite this, they
bounty of the land.' The experience ensure the cultivation of sugarcane? sufficient for a cow to drink from, is about to be destroyed for a pays millions of rupees to India for Wellassa will not go to the Grama
are the owners of a self-sufficient
of the farmers of Pelawatte pointed If the people of Uva do not want it, necessitated the felling of all pittance. importing ayurvedic medicine Niladaris for character references.
economy.
out by Mr. Karunaratne starts to who does? valuable trees in the surrounding Not only that, the whole agriculture doesn't have a plan to bring They would instead go and ask for
become the fate of the people of area. Therefore it is clear that the of the Uva Wellassa area is under medicines grown in Uva Wellassa to aid. They would ask for crop
They cultivate in an
Uva Wellassa. The answer to his question is purpose of the tank was not to aid threat. The water feeding area of the ayurvedic medical centres. They damage certification from Grama
environmentally friendly manner.
clear. The residents of the village cultivation. Senanayake Samudraya is to be have no plan to utilise fruits that Niladaris to stave off debt
After cultivating a piece of land, the
Since the sugarcane cultivation supplied more than enough completely destroyed for the uselessly rot under trees, fruits that repayment. They will be jailed for
next cultivation is done after about
project has received Cabinet information to us. When all the above mentioned sugarcane cultivation. Madura Oya, could generate a large amount of not being able to repay a small
10 years, after the scrub jungles
approval, Minister Dharmadasa facts are considered, the fate of the Kerawala Oya, along with a large foreign exchange if utilised and debt. No one except politicians
have grown back. Therefore the
Banda has stated that it will go This political authority is the 65,000 acres allocated from the number of other tanks, are about to marketed properly. How can it be drunk on wealth and power lust
land is very fertile, and there is no
ahead regardless of any objections. one that cleared a priceless 500 Nilgala Reserve is not difficult to be destroyed. When a hundred assumed that the tanks and would like to see such a fate befall
harm to the wildlife of the area.
Due to this statement the Minister acres of the Nilgala Forest for predict. To cultivate sugarcane, a thousand rice paddies were reservoirs of the Wellassa area will the people of Wellassa. However,
Wepathdeniya Yaya,
was, for the first time, subject to the pineapple cultivation. Not one completely deforested land area is cultivated, a suitably gigantic be reconstructed, its agriculture dislike alone is not sufficient.
Galgemullayaya, Thimbirigas
opposition and ridicule of the people pineapple has been cultivated, and needed. That is the fate of the irrigation system was also supported, and its people Action is needed.
Gommanayaya, Welikiula Yaya are
of his own area. A more important ancient trees were all felled and priceless 65,000 acres of the implemented. A large number of rejuvenated? In short, there is no
some of those cultivated lands.
question was posed by the Chief sold. Nilgala Reserve. The people of small tanks are scattered plan to develop the Uva Wellassa
Incumbent of the Nagala Raja Maha Wellassa are struggling to change throughout the Wellassa area. They region or to improve people's lives. see page V
A large number of responsible
III

³ OUR STRENGTH – FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE
AMPARA
WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM UNCORRECTED FOR 50 YEARS
SOLVED BY JVP'S INTERVENTION
A problem that remained
unsolved for more than 50 years for
people of the coconut cultivation colony
of Ampara is on the way to resolution
due to the introduction of a water
distribution project implemented by the
intervention of the People's Liberation
Front.
About 300 families currently
live in the colony, and the lack of
drinking water had been a major
problem for them. The residents
complain that even though they have
explained their difficulties to various
political figures over the years, none of
them paid attention to it. Therefore they
From pg I JVP'S ...
At a WORKSHOP...
Another more impor tant
feature is that all instructors at the
'Vishva' Computer Centre work
voluntarily, without drawing a salary,
providing a valuable example. Many of
the current teachers at the Centre are
previous alumni of the Centre itself,
which is a very laudable feature. In a
society that has trained people to
charge for any gained knowledge or
technical expertise, to teach the
students of the same Centre that they
learnt from, especially free of charge, is
AUGUST 2009
had decided to tell the JVP of their need,
they informed 'Janatha Handa.'
In reply, JVP Member of
Parliament for the Ampara District
comrade Vasantha Piyatissa put this
problem to the Parliament's Advisory
Committee of Water Supply, and
secured a grant of Rs. 11,500,000 to
implement this project.
Shown in the photograph is the
occasion of the unveiling of the
memorial plaque in handing over the
project to the general public by
comrade Vasantha Piyatissa.
a significant sacrifice by the instructors.
If there is any place that has advanced
the example of voluntary work more
than any other, it is the 'Vishva'
Computer Centre.
A large percentage of students
that studied at the Centre are employed
in the information technology sector.
They have built their careers and their
lives based on this. That is probably the
most special victory of the 'Vishva'
Computer Centre.
From pg III
Comrade Sarath Vidanagama
Bibile Local Council Member,
JVP
Even a seed thrown away takes root in this
land. This was called Adam's Garden by the English
because of this. Sugarcane cultivation would ruin
this land. People would become slave labourers, and
thus they're opposed to it. The JVP is giving
leadership to this opposition. Any other party would ignore this issue and not
represent the people. In spite of this we have taken the people's side and
have joined their endeavour with them. Until the people of Uva Wellassa
have victory we are not stopping.
Sarath Kumara
Lawyer,
Deputy Secretary, Uva Wellassa
Human Rights Protection Front
We are opposing this project because we are
certain that it is headed for failure. We have the
experiences of Sewanagala, Pelawatte. We have the
experiences of declines in all fields including
economical, social and cultural sectors. The Uva Wellassa area possesses a
self secure economy. We will not let it be destroyed and generational
farmers be slave labourers of a multinational corporation.
M. K. Karunaratne
Retired Grama Niladari
I worked at the Madulla area of the Pelawatte
sugarcane cultivation. The Booker Tate Company
was responsible for that. The farmers cultivated
sugarcane by drawing loans. At the end the farmers,
being unable to repay their debts, came to get Grama
Niladari certification that their crops were damaged,
not for character references. Those certifications were used to delay debt
repayment. Sugarcane cultivation only brings people difficulties.
R. A. Jayaratne
Treasurer,
United Farmers Association,
Bendiyawa.
We were told to accept compensation and
move away from our land, and to come to the General
Secretariat office to discuss it. We told them that if
they want to, to visit our village and witness our
hardship. We didn't go to the office. We know how
compensation is distributed. Ultimately we are going into the fire from the
frying pan. 12 families of the village have been told to relocate.
Upul Weeraratne
- Bendiyawa
The whole village is against this project. No
one likes to cultivate sugarcane on Uva Wellassa
farmland. The plan has apparently been stalled
because of this opposition. However we know that it
has not stopped. We will not let the Booker Tate
foreigners ruin our fertile land.