Browsing by Author "Athukorala, Kusum"

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Collective Action for Protection of Water Rights: The Case of Thuruwila, Sri Lanka
(2006) Athukorala, Kusum
"Irrigated agriculture, was the mainstay of the hydraulic society in ancient Sri Lanka. A two thousand five hundred system with its technical excellence was fittingly referred to as the 'Granary of the East'. Multifunctional water resource development systems in Sri Lanka supported human livelihoods, while fostering a strong sense of community ownership of natural resources. "The Mahavamsa, the premier historical chronicle in Sri Lanka enunciates the principle of common property resources, equity of access and state trusteeship .The development activities fostered by the State and individuals recognised the principle of coexistence between man and nature. Most ancient Sri Lankan irrigation systems, which provided the main source of livelihood for the people, were thus built for 'the benefit of the country ' and 'out of compassion for all living creatures'. "Intersectoral competition for water in modern times have caused traditional communities depending on irrigated rice cultivation confront stresses related to loss of traditional water rights to urban and industrial demands. To illustrate the scope of this challenge, this paper proposes to present the case study of a water transfer out of Thuruwila, a Purana (Ancient) village with a well endowed reservoir, in the Anuradhapura District in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. More conservative in its social norms than the modern irrigated settlements nearby, the Purana village of Thuruwila has a close knit kin group, who maintain an ongoing tradition of agricultural rituals and festivals and derive a strong sense of identity from irrigated rice cultivation, their main source of livelihood. "Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka and a venerated center of Buddhist pilgrimage, faces periodic shortages on its water resources due to heavy influxes of more than one million pilgrims during major Buddhist festivals. In an attempt to meet the increased demand the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) failing to increase the volume of extractions from existent sources, sought to tap Thuruwila, a medium sized reservoir, using financing from the ADB to supplement the Anuradhapura water supply. "The agencies involved finalized the proposed water transfer without adequate community consultations. Politicians and water professionals were the main decisionmakers in this process. When this was disclosed, opposition to the project arose due to the perceived loss of livelihood as well as loss of decision-making rights of the community over what they consider to be their water heritage. Supported by a network of environmental NGOs, Thuruwila then organized itself to mount a protest campaign and took its case to the Human Rights Commission and later, to the Supreme Court. Thuruwila was able to obtain an order upholding its right to irrigation water. This case is a significant illustration of collective action and judicial activism related to water rights in Sri Lanka. "This paper is based on work carried out as part of Regional Study of Water Transfers out of Agriculture for IFPRI."
Shifting Sands in Sri Lanka: Mobilizing and Networking for Collective Action by River Sand Mining Affected Communities
(2008) Athukorala, Kusum; Navaratnem, Champa M.
"Sri Lanka's construction industry contributing over 8% to its GDP requires over seven million cubic meters of sand annually (expanded in the short term due to additional demands of post tsunami construction) which is obtained from the countrys river beds, river sides or mined from previous riverbeds and sand dunes. Though until recently manual harvesting was the norm, increasing mechanized and often illegal, river sand harvesting has caused major loss of water security and ecosystem damage due to lowering of water tables, bank erosion, land degradation and salinity intrusion; damage to infrastructure; increased health hazards and negative impacts on women. The steep cost increase of sand (over 250% over the last decade) has encouraged the growth of a politically powerful 'Sand Mafia' operating uncontrolled in a country already saddled with a plethora of laws and regulations covering of natural resource use, within a poor regulatory environment which is further complicated by the prevailing security concerns. A womens volunteer organisation, NetWwater (Network of Women Water Professionals) who engaged in a Gender and Water Dialogue in North Western Province in 2005 was initially requested by affected community groups to initiate an advocacy program to highlight damage due to river sand mining (RSM). Women, who previously had access to drinking water literally at their doorstep, now were forced to travel 3-4 kms in search of water due to impacts of RSM. After studying the extent of negative impacts in Deduru Oya, NetWwater activists catalyzed the formation of an awareness and advocacy network through intensive national media coverage (which uptil then had been intermittent), building critical mass among activists, building national profile for the issue and enhancing awareness on the need for alternatives. A linkup with other active civil society groups, religious institutions and universities led to the linkage of RSM action committees for three affected rivers, the staging of two National Sand Mining Dialogues in 2006 and 2007, highlighting the issue at national level through media programs and profiling community needs with political decisionmakers. Two video documentaries were produced; school, community, agency as well as Police RSM related awareness programs were carried out and inter-community, inter-river linkages fostered. Though RSM continues to be a major threat to water and livelihood security, the control of which varies with the rise and fall of the politically motivated pressure groups, the networking initiative thus established with its media linkages continues to give a platform for RSM affected groups."
The Study of Commons--For Whose Benefit?
(2008) Athukorala, Kusum
"David Bray’s essay makes reference to a success story in Mexican forest communities in accessing and governing common property resources. It is interesting and infact energizing reading; most of the cases of commons study do not highlight the level of success attained by the Mexican forest communities who are now empowered to become global players. Most studies of the struggle for common property rights do not end 'happily ever after.' Far from it."