Tourism boom in Sri Lanka, to the detriment of fishermen and farmers
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Expropriations of land and bans on fishing are some of the violations of the rights of the coastal population in Sri Lanka because of the booming tourist industry. With its white beaches, rich vegetation and a centuries-old cultural and multi-ethnic history, the island has been listed among the "Top Destinations" in 2013 by Lonely Planet.
In 2014 more than 1.5 million foreigners have chosen the island in the Indian Ocean for their holidays. But human rights activists want to lift the veil on the "human cost" of this sector.
On June 9 in Colombo the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) presented the report Dark Clouds over the Sunshine Paradise - Tourism and Human Rights in Sri Lanka . The event was attended by religious leaders, civil society representatives, hoteliers and activists for human rights and environmentalists.
"Sri Lanka - reads the document - is not only an idyllic destination for those who love sunbathing. It is also a country with many dark sides, including a civil war that lasted 26 years, with crimes yet to see justice, and an alarming record of violations of human rights. The oppression of religious and ethnic minorities has prevailed even after the end of conflict. "
Despite this situation, stresses NAFSO in its report, "in Europe, the government promotes the country as a peaceful and prosperous destination, now back to normal." With 102,922 visitors, in 2014 Germany was the second tour group; Switzerland fifth, with 20,097 travelers. The tourist agencies of the two European countries have special agreements with Sri Lanka.
The researchers acknowledge that tourism is vital to the island's economy, since it is the main source of foreign currency and provides thousands of job opportunities to the local communities.
However, to develop the sector, the government has "supported" a massive land expropriation, carried out by the Navy to the detriment of the people living on the coast. That, in turn, did not receive any reward. In other cases, the Navy has maintained a ban on fishing in the vicinity of some of its bases even after the war ended, causing extensive damage to fishing communities.
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