‘GotaGoGama’ A land that demands justice

People of all professions gather at GotaGoGama demanding justice

Even though the Yala season, one of the main paddy harvesting seasons is about to begin, paddy farmers are contemplating whether to continue with their harvests

Promotions for Special Grade midwives have been halted for over a month as the government is dancing to the tunes of Ven. Muruththettuwe 
Ananda thera

The Galle Face Green has evolved from a mere protest site to a land that demands justice. This is evident with the various tents and their titles that dominate the space at ‘GotaGoGama’. From families of disappeared persons to students, doctors, artistes and in fact people from all professions have now made it a point to gather at the Galle Face Green and voice for a common cause. While some continue their protests against the corrupt regime, others visit the venue as and when possible to demand justice for injustices faced by them during the incumbent regime and previous regimes. Over the past few days, the Daily Mirror spoke to several such groups and individuals who arrived at the Galle Face Green demanding justice. Their stories are as follows ;   

Left to right : Karunaratne, Bandara and Wijeratne, three farmers from Polonnaruwa

“ Now the president admits that he made a mistake with the organic fertiliser policy. But on numerous occasions we tried to convince him to revoke the decision.” 
- Sanath Nandasiri Bandara 

Laments from farmers 
Even though the Yala season, one of the main paddy harvesting seasons is about to begin, paddy farmers are contemplating whether to continue with their harvests or abandon their paddy lands and look for alternative modes of income.   

D. A. Wijeratne, Sanath Nandasiri Bandara and K. P. Karunaratne representing the Sansungama Farmer Association, one of 22 farmer associations under the Minneriya-Kaudulla irrigation network arrived at the Galle Face Green during the early hours of April 25. With a bundle of paddy, a sickle and three boards with slogans demanding justice for an errant decision, the trio educated onlookers at the protest site on the damage done to a much revered profession they thought they could depend on for their entire lifetime.  

“We haven’t seen fertilisers or pesticides,” opined Bandara.“A kilo of fertiliser costs around Rs. 35,000. In case of pesticides, it costs over Rs. 20,000 per litre. Today a can of diesel costs around Rs. 8000 and with that we can plough around one acre. Therefore we need more than Rs. 100,000 to plough one acre. We can reap around 30 bundles of paddy from one acre. We have to allocate around Rs. 100,000 for allowances. The hire for the ploughing machine costs around Rs. 15,000. The minimum labour cost per person is Rs. 2500. Therefore we are left with around Rs. 20,000 - 30,000 after waiting for six months. We have absolutely no profit. Now the president admits that he made a mistake with the organic fertiliser policy. But on numerous occasions we tried to convince him to revoke the decision. A pack of urea costs around Rs.40,000 but back then it was only Rs. 1500.”  

Wijeratne said that even though they have released water from the Minneriya reservoir the farmers in the area have demanded for fertiliser at the season meeting.“They said that they don’t need water if they don’t have fertilisers. Now these meetings are presided by Army Officers. Already there are compost fertilisers filled at paddy storage facilities. We have been engaged in paddy farming for over 30 years. Nobody has to teach us how to use organic fertilisers.”  

“It’s difficult to harvest paddy from organic fertilisers,” opined Karunaratne. “Organic fertiliser would have suited previous paddy variants. But now we have hybrid variants and they need nitrogen for their growth. Fertiliser available in the black market costs around Rs. 40,000. They even told us that they would give us fertiliser free-of-charge or at subsidised rates. We haven’t requested fertiliser for free. Ministers take decisions while in AC rooms. We don’t even get a minimum wage. A few people are holding the monopoly of the paddy business and their profits don’t get shared among us.”  

“When people are suffering in pain and agony, unable to bear the brunt of cost of living and other inconveniences, we thought we should join with them.”
- Rev. Sisters Jennifer and Dilrukshi 

Sisters Dilrukshi (left) and Jennifer

Rev. Sisters join hands with people 
A group of sisters joined the protest site and have been supporting people for over two weeks. Sisters Dilrukshi and Jennifer attached to the Wellawatte Convent believe that they should support people irrespective of religion or any other differences. “Sri Lanka is a small island. When people are suffering in pain and agony, unable to bear the brunt of cost of living and other inconveniences, we thought we should join with them to share their sorrows and support them in every way possible.”  

Recollections from ‘88/89 insurrections 

“I didn’t receive the body of my husband or my brothers” : Sodimana 
Premaseeli Sodimana from Girula, Hambantota has been at the Galle Face Protest site for three days. Her story is a reminder of the gruesome realities civilians experienced during the ‘88/89 insurrection. “In December 1989 my husband and I were arrested. We were initially taken to the Mamadala Camp and the next day I was sent to the Hambantota Camp. They assaulted me and my husband. We were blindfolded and we didn’t know where we were. After that I haven’t seen my husband to date. My two brothers were also arrested. They had gone to collect seashells for a living. I searched for them as if I have gone mad but I couldn’t find them,” she recalled.  

“We didn’t support any party. Those who supported the parties are living 
freely today.” 
- Premaseeli Sodimana

When asked if they supported the JVP at the time she replied in the negative. “We didn’t support any party. Those who supported the parties are living freely today. There were groups called ‘billo.’  If they caught ten people they were being released by the Police. Thereafter when I went to the Police to demand compensation, the Police Officer wanted sexual bribes. We were supposed to get Rs. 50,000. But because of his perverse gestures and requests I refused compensation. As revenge the death report stated that my husband had engaged in anti-government activities. I didn’t even take a copy of it because I didn’t have knowledge about keeping evidence. I received the death certificate in 1992. But I didn’t receive either my husband’s body or those of my brothers. I was in Police custody for five months,” she recalled further.   

Sodimana now looks after her grandchildren. Although she was a mother of three, one of her sons is no more.   
When asked if successive regimes provided them with compensation, she said that during Maithripala Sirisena’s tenure they allocated Rs. 500 million to be given to families of disappeared. “This government allocated Rs. 300 million. But we haven’t received anything. I know of around 200 families from the South with at least one disappeared person. But over 6000 people were either killed or disappeared in the South.  

But today, she has come all the way from Hambantota to support people at Galle Face Green in their struggle to overthrow a corrupt regime and ensure that future generations never get to experience the gruesome past that she had lived through.  

“The bodies were already burned” : Kariyawasam 

“We are here to support people. More than compensation we are here to voice against corruption and injustices that we have faced and still face.” 
- Jayantha Kariyawasam 

Jayantha Kariyawasam’s husband too had gone missing since December 1989. Her final recollection of her husband was when she saw him returning home after fetching some fresh catch from the sea. “My husband went missing in December 1989. At that time, nobody was selling items from door-to-door. Postmen were not allowed to deliver letters. Communication was disrupted and we had to find our own food. That morning my husband had gone to sea to get some fresh catch. I saw him returning. He was around 200 metres away from the house when a Police van approached him and forced him in. I rushed to the Police and I saw the vehicle but police officers didn’t allow me to go in. They blamed me for supporting the JVP and I repeatedly said that we didn’t support them. Two others were also abducted along with him.”  

“There were some people working at the saltern and they travelled via our area. One of them have told a relation of mine about my husband’s body. They have seen it in Gannoruwa, a few kilometres away from my village. Since there were no buses I decided to walk. But when I reached, I wasn’t allowed to go near them and people said that the bodies were already burned,” she added.  

“There was no conclusion regarding his death for the next few years. I had three children at ages 12, 8 and 5. Since I had to raise them I learned to stitch and worked at a few garment factories. I even applied to the post of a female civil defense officer. But because I had to be stationed at headquarters I didn’t take up the job. I demanded compensation and received Rs. 50,000 along with the death certificate of my husband after around two years. But that was the only instance I received compensation.”  

“My daughter passed away at the age of 19. Now I’m looking after my two sons and their grandchildren. Even though we were told that we were allocated finances from the budget we didn’t receive any. We are here to support people. More than compensation we are here to voice against corruption and injustices that we have faced and still face.”  

Customs Officers demand Govt. to resign 

“We have joined with the common voice of the people and demand the incumbent regime to resign.” 
- Amila Sanjeewa 

On April 28, over a thousand trade unions took to the streets joining with the people’s protests, demanding the incumbent leadership to step down. Amongst these unions were the Customs Officers Union who voiced for pay hikes while demanding the rulers to resign. “We have joined with the common voice of the people and demand the incumbent regime to resign,” said Amila Sanjeewa representing the Union. “The government should stop inconveniencing the public further. The Customs Department still continues its services as an essential service but if the government doesn’t listen to the people’s demands we will be compelled to join forces with other trade unions and take collective action against this corrupt regime.”  

Midwives demand Govt. to resume promotions 

“Thanks to midwives the maternal and infant mortality rates have experienced a sharp decline. But when it comes to appointments of service grade midwives there are political interferences.” 
- Devika Kodithuwakku

The Government Midwives’ Association also took to the streets on April 28. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Government Midwives’ Association President Devika Kodituwakku said that midwifery as a profession has existed for over a century in this country and midwives have done a yeoman service to the nation. “Thanks to midwives the maternal and infant mortality rates have experienced a sharp decline. But when it comes to appointments of service grade midwives there are political interferences. A Grade III midwife gets promoted to Grade II, I, Special Grade etc. But promotions for Special Grade midwives have been halted for over a month as the government is dancing to the tunes of Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda thera. Just because he campaigned for the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime we cannot allow him to interfere with our profession. We are planning to go from house to house educating the public on the injustices that we have experienced and launch continuous trade union action from May 4.”