Financial Times

Rights group seeks equal opportunity as J-Biz

The Alliance for the Protection of National Resources and Human Rights has urged the government, local groups, political parties and international organizations to provide a opportunity similar to the Joint Business Forum (J-Biz) to forward its views on the crisis in the country.

The organization, in a statement last week, said it has been active in the campaign against the privatisation of water, the destruction of local agriculture, the devastation of the environment and the withdrawal of workers rights. A public petition of a million signatures against the policies of Regaining Sri Lanka, including alternate proposals for the protection of peace and democracy, is underway.

"At the present moment, an opportunity exists for political parties to enter into such a dialogue. The Joint Business Forum representing the business community has also been provided with an opportunity to put forward its viewpoint. The political parties, the government and the International Financial Institutions have shown a tendency to listen to this viewpoint, and the media has provided space for its exposition. This is as it should be, in a democratic society," the statement said.

However the Alliance said organisations representing ordinary people should have the same opportunity. The working people, especially the poor who would be affected by the development plans, should be the major stakeholders of such plans. They should have the opportunity to participate in this discussion. The perceived absence of a broad organisation with wide participation is sometimes given as the reason for this lack of opportunity.

The Alliance said it has been in the forefront of the struggle for the rights of farmers, fisheries workers, plantation workers, women, environmental activists and human rights activists.

"It (Alliance) is not a political party seeking power, nor is it affiliated to any such party, but it is a broad peoples movement that mediates in all political, economic and social issues in the country," the statement said adding that in 2003, combining more than 200 organisations, the group presented its criticisms and alternative policies to the government and the international financial institutions.

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