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Aftermath
of the SAARC Summit
By
Shabna Cader
After months of preparations, rebuilding the roads,
putting up hoards and banners, cleaning the streets of Colombo,
and breaking homes, the long awaited SAARC Summit has finally
come to an end. The meetings have been held, words spoken,
ideas combined and Colombo can now finally get back on its
feet. Or is it so?
Taking a closer look at the drastic measures that were implemented
by the Government, the municipality and the Urban Development
Authority (UDA), what has our country gained? People have
lost their homes, have had to move to unknown and unsuitable
areas, and has all this been worth it? Most took to leaving
the city and staying out of town for the entire week, as roads
were blocked, and it was difficult to move even a few steps
outside homes. Vendors were asked to vacate and come back
after the Summit was over. Homes destroyed and families left
out were given ‘temporary’ houses to live in.
The Bottom Line took a look around the city the following
day and visited a few homes and families that had to vacate
and are now temporarily living in Mutuwal.
These families had been told that their homes would be destroyed
by July 22nd even if they had not moved out; but then, at
the crack of July 18th their homes were razed to the ground
and more than 40 families had to be moved to the houses temporarily
built in Mutuwal; houses that are build with thin planks of
wood, roofs made out of light metal sheets and washrooms that
can barely provide the least amount of privacy.
“Although there was a court order passed and given to
the UDA not to break down our homes, nevertheless ten minutes
later, our homes were completely destroyed. Since the day
we came here it has not been easy for us. A Muslim Minister
provided us with food for the first three to four days; meals
that were given to all families thrice a day. No one else
came forward to help us here. No one cared for us. They say
that we will be given homes within one year and that the houses
are under construction in Dematagoda, but the foundations
have been laid and are rotting for the past three years! Nothing
has still been done about it. Most of the families like mine
have lived there for more than 54 years; I myself was only
seven when I came to live there but now look at where we have
been shifted to” said H.A Dayawathie, a past resident
of Seeya Waththa, Colombo 2.
Many people refused to give their names for fear of retribution
in what has become an increasingly politicised issue. For
some who did not seem to have proper homes, with no sturdy
walls and a steady roof, the houses here seems like a dream
come true. “I am content here and I like it better than
where I was before. I have two children and a husband with
me and my children’s safety matters a lot” said
another resident.
Still others said that most of them have lost the only comforts
they had since they were forced to live here. There is no
privacy even to wash themselves, and the water used simply
drains out towards the area where the houses are built and
it gets muddy easily, the houses are not spacious enough;
a bed and a cupboard cannot be placed in the same room at
the same time, the doors cannot be closed completely and their
belongings are not safe from robbers and thieves at any time
of the day. There are nails jutting out from very single wooden
plank and a family of four would find it difficult to live
in such a place.
The children still go to their old schools in Slave Island
and it is hard to imagine how they manage the fare and ride
to and forth with their current situation. “Just before
our homes were broken, we came here and kept most of our belongings
and school text books. That night it rained heavily the roof
seemed to have leaked because the very next day the books
were all soaked and could not be used” lamented a student
who preferred to remain anonymous. All in all, 48 houses have
been broken in Slave Island, although some of the families
have feared more harm unto themselves and broken down their
own homes and left.
Speaking with a few remaining families at Glennie Passage,
Slave Island, they were quick to say that the court order
has been pushed back to August 19th; which in itself is a
huge relief for the people. But what is to happen thereafter?
There are many talks and discussions going on currently between
five chosen members from amongst the people, including their
Municipal Chairman Member Arshad and five members of the UDA,
and they have been discussing what should be done and what
conclusion they should come to about the remaining families
at Glennie Passage and their homes. Nothing has been decided
as yet. The area has been visited by Members of Parliament,
such as Ravi Karunanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe,
but no concrete solution has been implemented yet.
“We do not want to cause anyone any harm or any disturbances.
If we are given homes that are sturdy, accommodative, already
built with ownership granted to us, we will gladly go and
live there” said a resident at Glennie Passage.
It is a known fact that the SAARC Summit and the delegates
who arrived, were here to talk about eradicating poverty,
but poverty is what they have unwittingly in turn caused.
An accommodative solution has to be arrived at as soon as
possible, as the situation is turning the lives of these people
upside down.
One of the Junior Counsels, who is currently handling the
case, Shiraz Noordeen, said that they met up with the UDA
on August 4, with all the important representatives of the
families. “Our plea is that, although we are ready to
go we have to take into consideration that the children have
their education and the men their work. The Ramadan fasting
period is also coming up; so all we’re asking for is
time, two month’s time. We want four things guaranteed;
that the houses in Dematagoda will be given on time, the infrastructure
in Mutuwal will be improved, that we are given time till October
6th, and about the Rs. 8000 that is given monthly for a year,
what is to happen after the year is over?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply,
Dinesh Gunawardena said the families had been informed about
the situation previously. “The Supreme Court gave certain
orders and the UDA is only following them as should all others,”
he said.
“Alternate homes have been given to most of them and
those who haven’t, have been given rented homes for the
time being,s until the houses in Dematagoda are completed
within the next 18 months. This is not the first time that
the UDA has reached out in this way and they have done so
during the past year as well. We hope that the people learn
to appreciate their hard work and effort. We do not want the
families to live in slums, which is why we have provided temporary
homes for them” he added.
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