GENERAL
ELECTION
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Reaping
votes on farmers’ woes Although these farmers are aware that most politicians promise much but do little once they come to office, they have no option but to trust these same politicians to solve their problems over fertilizer subsidies, poor irrigation systems, lack of official guidance, high cost of insecticide and lack of fixed price for paddy. The prevailing drought and fears of a security threat in border villages in the event war breaks out again are additional burdens that the farmers face. Insufficient fertilizer subsidy is one of the major problems that the farmers face. They complain that only a few of them can afford a bag of fertilizer which now costs Rs. 950. They say it was much cheaper during the previous regime. "It costs about Rs. 18,000 to cultivate an acre of paddy out of which we reap only 60 bushels. This doesn't leave us with much profit. So at least the fertilizer subsidy should be increased," one farmer said. Non availability of proper irrigation systems, especially in view of the prevailing drought, is another hardship that the farmers face. Farmers also lament that agriculture officers do not come into interior areas to discuss problems and give them advice. As a result most farmers still stick to traditional agricultural methods. An angry 85-year-old farmer M. Wannihami from Thalgaswewa said that if politicians came begging for their votes, they should be able to assure them that their problems would be solved instead of giving bogus promises. He also spoke about the poor state of roads, saying that schoolchildren were the worst affected. He said politicians should look into this area too. The high cost of living is also tipped to make a considerable impact on the election. Farmers grumble that on top of the rising cost of living, the cutting down of Samurdhi has made matters worse. "Many of us who were getting a substantial amount through Samurdhi are now getting only a small amount. Families in the border villages have lost their Samurdhi because many in those families are serving as home guards," a young villager said. He said people living in the border villages of Kebitigollewa and Horowpathana fear that another war might break out if there is a change of government. This too would be a deciding factor in the upcoming elections. As the farmers see little or nothing being done about their grievances, the election campaign has got off in the district with the two main parties – the UNF and UPFA – reaping political mileage from the farmers issues. P. Harrison, former UNF minister who is also contesting the elections from Anuradhapura, blames the PA-led North-Central Provincial Council for mismanagement of funds. He said the Provincial Council had spent about one million rupees to renovate about 1000 small tanks for irrigation purposes, but none of them could be used now, as they had been constructed badly. Discussing the UNF's strategy in the Anuradhapura district, he said they would focus on carrying out meetings at the grassroots level rather than hold big meetings. He said the government had planned to give each drought-affected farmer family a food basket worth Rs. 1400. The UPFA which kicked off its campaign from Anuradhapura on Friday, promised to increase the fertilizer subsidy, provide loan opportunities, improve agriculture and increase Samurdhi that has been drastically cut. President Chandrika Kumaratunga addressing the election rally told the people that fertilizer subsidies that were given in 2001 under her regime would be given again if the alliance comes to power. She also said the UPFA would give priority to local products. Former parliamentarian and JVP candidate for Anuradhapura, K.D. Lal Kantha told The Sunday Times their election rallies would focus on agriculture issues. He said that campaign rallies would be organised throughout the district focusing on agriculture issues and agro development. uddhist monks who are contesting under the Jathika Hela Urumaya are yet to make inroads especially in the remote areas. Ven. Dutuweva Lankananda Thera said they would be carrying out their election campaign through temples in the area. Once
there were 400, now there are only 2 B. Kusumawathie, the only teacher, said the school had been closed down since the area came under an LTTE attack three years ago. At that time there were 400 students. With the ceasefire holding there were moves to re-open the school in January this year, but only two schoolchildren returned, she said. Isuru Chinthaka (6) and Chamara Suresh (6), of Year 1 are the only two students. They are there because their parents are too poor to send them to a better school. Kusumawathie said before the school was closed down, its standard was satisfactory and in one year, the 14 students who sat for the O/L passed it. She said most parents have sent their children to other schools due to security fears. Although the Provincial Education Director has taken steps to provide computers to the school the whole village including the school has no electricity. The building is also in need of urgent repair. Meanwhile, the two students say they would be happy if they could have more playmates. Fear
of war but unhappy over day-to-day life These people are afraid that if there is a change of government at the upcoming polls another war might break out. They are afraid if another war breaks out they would lose their little belongings once again and have to flee into the jungles when night falls. Fifty-five year-old Sirisena, a farmer, says his livelihood has been badly hit by high fertilizer prices and lack of irrigation water. But more than his economic hardships he yearns for peace. "Since the LTTE attacked our village and the nearby army camp killing 18 soldiers in 1994, my family and I used to spend the nights in the jungle in fear of LTTE attacks. I don't want to live through a period like that again," he said. B.S. Tennakoon, another farmer from a border village, said he is in a dilemma as to which party to vote for. On the one hand he is afraid of the war breaking out, on the other, the high cost of living and paddy-related problems have hit him hard. "I don't want to see the prevailing peace being shattered by LTTE attacks. But I also want my problems solved," he lamented. Who's
coming? The two JVP members contesting under the UPFA are former parliamentarian and trade unionist K.D. Lal Kantha and A.R. Ranavira Pathirana. The bigwigs on the UNF list are former Ministers P. Harisson and Lal Dharmapriya Gamage, former parliamentarians Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe and W. B. Ekanayake . |
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