This is the third year of this project that National
Fisheries Solidarity Movement (
NAFSO) is implementing as a partner of Active Citizenship For Development
Network( ACDN). It is better to concern about the relationship between the
beginning of the third year and end of the second year. National Fisheries Solidarity Movement
obtained a fresh experience from this program because this is a new concept and
program for the NAFSO as well as the people. This program shows a new approach
to the marginalize community with a new vision.
NAFSO attempted to socialize the budget monitoring concept as a challenge.
NAFSO had to spend more time to build up the
basement in the inceptive stage of this project. We needed to build up some
kind of deep conversation among the people on this new concept. However, we
managed to establish citizen forums with different challenges as a result
of great attempt but
we faced huge obstructions. This was a new program for the people also. We
tried to establish citizen forum process in four districts such as Jaffna,
Mannar, Trincomalee and Ampara to organize the people around the citizen forums
to ensure the development rights of the people on that. But, there were some complicate situations
related to the citizen forum s in Jaffna and Ampara district. Therefore, we got
a decision to develop the citizen forums as module further in Mannar and
Trincomalee districts.
According to the whole experience, we were able to
build the two citizen forums over the stable situation at the beginning of
2012. That means, the concept of the citizen forum has established in Mannar
and Trincomalee districts after two years of this process.
A space is opening gradually to the people to concern
and intervene about their rights not only the development rights but also other basic rights after finishing
the conflict situation in the country. People’s rights had been covered in the
war. People did not much intervene to ensure their rights because they had no
enough opportunities to engage with that
area.
Now, people are concerning about the development
rights on the post war situation. Therefore,
we were able to introduce a new approach for the people implementing
budget-monitoring program which can be used to make sure people’s rights.
Although we had to spend much time to build up the basement within the
inceptive years, we managed to succeed strengthening two citizen forums in the field in the second
year. After the second year, we were able to fully strengthen the citizen
forums and citizen forums built the some kind of civil power functioning among
the people in the particular fields. They had their own identification built in
this arena. The citizen forums strengthened the
constructive links with divisional secretariat office, local governmental
institutes including other governmental officers, the police, school, hospital,
cooperative, transport board, fisheries
office and religion leaders on
development purposes in second year. One of the special facts is that citizen
forums were maintain the relationship with Assistance Commissioner of Local
Government in both districts. The representatives of the citizen forums
participated to the people’s gallery. One
member of citizen forum had a membership of advisory committee in the
pradeshiya saba in Trincomalee district.
Citizen forums kept connection with political representatives and
governmental officers through the people council. Women leadership is one of
the positive features in the citizen forum process. There was a considerable
women participation in the citizen forums.
We entered to
third year of this process over above situation. Therefore, we were working
properly five villages of the Musali pradeshiya saba domain in Mannar district
in Northern province and five villages in Town and Gravest pradeshiya saba
domain and Trincomale Urban Council domain in Trincomale district in Eastern
province in the country. According to that, we work with 10 villages in
3 local governmental domains in two districts in the country. There were stable
50 members of two citizen forums.
There was a discussion among the citizen forums to
expand this process opening opportunities wider participants to engage with the
citizen forum from the beginning. The expectation of the citizen forum members
was to be organized the people around
the citizen forums pressure to the
local governmental bodies. Therefore,
although we have identified stable 25 members for the citizen forum we opened
the doors of citizen forums to enter the people who would like to engage with
this process.
We tried to shape and strengthen the citizen forums selecting
two citizen forums among four citizen
forums such as Jaffna, Mannar, Trincomalee and Ampara districts as modules in
this year. We continued the process
organizing the people and direct them to
make sure their rights. The way of this process is gradually coming forward
with the many difficulties.
Some features of democracy such as human rights,
media freedom, right to information, citizen rights, rule of law and good
governance has challenged in this existing socio, economic and political
context in the country. There are many
gaps of the development in the country. The authorities for the people are not taking
their responsible properly. Pressure is being built against the people
according to the existing situation. Therefore, people are motivated to engage
with the citizen forums to find solutions for the problems they face in this
context. The citizen forums obtained the social value and acceptation in the
community. The government also is
establishing citizen forums in
district level.
We planned to strengthen selected citizen forums as modules in Mannar
and Trincomale districts as we extend
this program to the third year. So, we needed intervene to ensure the people’s
developments rights strengthening further two citizen forums . We implemented the budget monitoring program focusing on three concerns. 1. Strength the citizen
forums shaping and updating the knowledge of citizen forum 2. Ensure the
constructive links between the citizen
forum and other sectors 3. Involve to the policy an advocacy on development
rights of the people
We often concern to improve the understanding of
the citizen forum members over different areas such as budget allocation,
budget circle, Various awareness programs have been conducted to improve their
knowledge. We wanted to create an active
citizen developing specially knowledge, skills and attitudes of them. We
conducted leadership and capacity
building trainings in this year. Not
only that but also the citizen forums members were able to participate external
leadership and capacity building
training which was organized as a
common program in the secretariat of NAFSO in Negombo. Some selected citizen forum members
participated to the program which consisted of leadership and documenting
parts.
The citizen forums have already built up constructive link with local
governments. We concerned to maintain those relationship in a positive way
further. There are positive advantages of keeping a connection
with them. The citizen forum has created
an own identification among the community.
Except the link with the local government, the citizen forum has
connections with governmental officials, civil societies, religion leaders as
well as other responsible officials.
There is another citizen forum which is being
leaded by one Rev. father in Mannar district. That is a great
encouragement for the citizen forum in
Mannar because both of citizen forums
function on a same purpose. The Musali citizen forum always attempts to
organize common campaigns with the collaboration of District Citizen Forum,
focus group members and general people. That is one of the major advantages to
be organized some kind of huge campaign against the decision makers. Otherwise,
we are unable to influence to the decision makers due to the existing political
culture in the country. We organized campaigns to get an attention of responsible
authorities on the informal construction specially even organizing silent march with the people.
We tried to work with the
NGO forum closely in Trincomale district because the citizen forum needed to
get collaboration actions on common issues. Having a membership of the NGO forum we were
able to share responsibilities according to the programs the NGOs implement in
the same area. The Mannar citizen forum also is keeping contact with likeminded
organizations which are working in the same area but not a membership in NGO
forum in Mannar. We are seeking to join to the NGO forum in Mannar district.
We succeed to hand over
the alternative budget proposals to the local governments in both districts.
That was one of the most important events because there was a long process to
succeed this attempt. We organized meetings to collect people’s proposals in
village level. Then, we prepared a common budget proposal connecting the whole
proposals. We convened a common meeting with the political representatives for
the open discussion about the proposal. That was a good affect concern to the policy political
representatives about our alternative budget proposals. There was a critical
discussion between the people and political representatives based on the budget
proposal which was prepared with the people’s engagement.
There are some evidences for validity of the
citizen forum in intervening to ensure the people’s rights on development. National
Fisheries Solidarity Movement has taken a decision to introduce the concept of
budget monitoring to other areas where NAFSO is working on internal displaced
people ( IDP) and women headed families based on the experience of citizen
forum process. NAFSO has built a citizen forum related to the IDP program in
Betticaloa district. IDP program has planned to establish citizen forum for other places where they
implement the program in the North and East. That is a good indicator for
development of the citizen forum.
This was taken about the citizen forum process by
National fisheries Solidarity Movement considering its ability and validity, a
decision has been taken to introduce the concept of citizen forum to other
areas where NAFSO works related IDP program base on the experience. NAFSO has built a citizen forum related to
the IDP program in Betticaloa district. IDP program has planned to introduce
citizen forum for other places where they implement the program in the North
and East. That is a good indicator for development of the citizen forum. We
managed to conduct a stakeholder meeting in both districts . That was our
achievement and we paid many attentions to be concerned the people’s consensus
for the local government through the stakeholder meeting.
It changed the planned exposure visit because of
the request from national level. We change only a time period but not the
contain or whole program. Although the exposure visit had been planned in the
fourth quarter, it was organized inviting network partners to get experience
about the citizen forum in Musali in second quarter. That was a good experience
for the network partners about the citizen forum in Musali as well as
participants were able to get general
understanding about how NAFSO implements the budget monitoring program
in the North and East.
We concern
what we learnt during the two years period on budget monitoring program because we hope
to develop citizen forums successfully in Mannar and Trincomlee districts
further. We limited to implement the planned activities in the first month of
third year because of the fund reasons. We managed to implement regular citizen
forum meeting and focus group meeting in village level. Although we planned two
leadership trainings to conduct in April, we succeeded to conduct one
leadership and capacity building training to the citizen forum in Mannar. We
have to implement training for the citizen of Trincomlee in July.
Stakeholder meeting was one of the important events
that we conducted in the field level. We gave priority the candidates of Northern province to
deliver their policy statement to the public. Implementing this program in the
North and east was actually a challenge for NAFSO but we took the challenge
because we had a strong belief that we are able to implement the program in the
North and east successfully.
Lack of civil
administration, poverty, economic background of the people, restrictions to
intervene in the North and East districts for civil society activists without
permits from Presidential Task Force, highly restricted powers of the security
forces were the main challenges to the program in North and East. The main
challenge was coming from the security forces related to the government. Intelligent services often follow and observe the activities and citizen forum
members in the field. They collect all
information observing the citizen forums intervention to make sure the people
rights.
We faced a crucial situation as an organization,
which is intervening to ensure the people’s development rights in this year. NFSO
intervention for ensuring people’s rights is being closely monitored and questioned
by the government in existing situation. Mr. Raheem Nana who is the district
coordinator of Trincomalee district was questioned and gathered information
about him by the intelligent officers.
Mr. Raheem was informed to appear in the Government Intelligent Service in
Colombo. He was monitored even checking note books, notes by the intelligent officers related to the police in
Trincomalee. Sunesh who is the district coordinator also was
questioned by unknown groups and he has been
threatened by unknown group over the phone. Unknown group has gathered
information about him. So, we have to face
a real challenge when we implement our programs with the people specially
in the North and East. In the end of the this year, Mr. Sunesh, coordinator of
the NAFSO in Mannar faced worst situation because of the intervention of him to
protect the people’s rights as a human right defender. The security situation
was gradually becoming worst than the
beginning. There was a threat to his life. He changed his living place time to
time due to the influence he faced. Finally, NAFSO took a decision to send him
abroad to make sure his life. According to those situations, we have paid more
attention to the protection of the activities.
Out
come
|
Indicator
|
Activities
|
One
|
1
|
·
36
Focus group discussions were conducted
·
18
Regular citizen forum meetings were
organized
|
2
|
·
2 meetings with the community leaders
and religion leaders
|
|
3
|
·
6 awareness
programs were conducted
·
3
Leadership and capacity building training have been held
|
|
4
|
·
Collect the information on
budgets
|
|
Two
|
1
|
·
2
stakeholder’s meeting were convened
|
2
|
·
11
members have participated to the people’s gallery
·
8 members have participated to
the main committee of the local government
|
|
3
|
||
4
|
·
3 people councils were held
·
9
discussions were organized with policy
makers
·
1
discussion was arranged to search the feasibilities to open the gallery
|
|
5
|
·
4
practical action to monitor the budget
·
2 open
discussions to hand over the alternative budget proposals
|
|
Three
|
1
|
·
9 District coordinators meetings were arranged
|
2
|
·
1
exposure visit was organized
|
|
3
|
·
10. NGO forum meetings
·
1 Regional summit was conducted
|
|
4
|
·
Record
the minutes of the citizen forums
|
Focus
group discussions-
36 focus group discussions were
conducted in village level in two districts
innthis year. 23 focus groups were conducted in Mannar and 13 focus
groups have been held in Trincomalee districts. Focus groups are the main
basement of the both citizen forums. That is more important to the citizen
forums because citizen forums are
functioned based on the focus groups. Many people are able to participate to
the focus groups and concern their issues in the village on development. There
is no limitations of members participate to the focus groups. That is a more
flexible discussion in the village level. Five representatives are coming to
the main citizen forum from the focus group. 68 members have participated to
the focus groups discussions in Mannar. 38 members have participated to the
focus group discussion in Trincomalee district.
Regular citizen forum meetings
18 regular citizen forum meetings have been conducted in
bath districts in this year. 405 members have participated to the 18 citizen
forum meetings in Trincomalee and Mannar districts. This is main structure of
this process. We conduct monthly citizen forum meetings in
every month. 214 members have participated to the 9 citizen forums in Mannar
district and 191 members have participated to the 9 citizen forums in
Trincomalee district. The citizen forums are the main body which can take
decisions on the development issues in the area.
Meeting with the community and religion
leaders-
2 meetings were organized with the
community and religion leaders to discussion about the existing situation of
the project such as some barriers and difficulties we face when we implement
the program in the field. We planned to aware them about the situation of the
project as well as share the progress and future programs of the project with
them. One religion leader and 8 community leaders have participated to the
meeting in Trincomle district. One Rev. Father and 10 community leaders
participated to the meeting which was arranged in Sawariyarpuram in Musali,
Mannar. Leaders have been updated about the situation of the project. Religion and community leaders have agreed
support to implement the project properly in two districts. Those meetings were
organized according to the existed situation in the district level. We faced
some difficulties in the field. Therefore, we organized those meeting to aware
the leaders about the situation.
Awareness programs
6 awareness programs were conducted consisting of
two advance awareness programs with citizen forum members, regional level
leaders and political representatives in local governments, two awareness
programs to analyze the budget allocation and budget circle of the national budget and local governments’
budget of year 2013and two awareness
programs to the citizen forums about the frame work in this year. We conducted
2 advance programs in each district. 51 members have participated in both
discussions such as 24 members in the Mannar program and 27 members in the
Trincomalee district. We organized two awareness program to educate the citizen forum members on budget
and related issues. There were 43
members in both programs. There were 26 members in Mannar program and 27
participants in Trincomalee program. We conducted another two awareness
programs to provide the knowledge about the frame work in both districts. 25
members have participated to the program in Mannar district. 21 members have
participated to the program in Trincomalee district. Improving the
understanding of the citizen forums is one of our main strategies on this
project. We concerned to shape and update the understanding of the citizen
forums because they are the core groups which engage to the process on
development.
Practical actins on budget monitoring
One campaign and three meetings were organized to get an attention of responsible
authorities on the development issues and providing services of the pradeshiya
saba. One campaign was organized to be concerned about the informal construction specially in
Savariyarpuram, Mannar. . Silent march
was conducted with the participation of the people in Musali. There were more
than 50 participants for the campaign.
Protesters marched with the placards to the local government. Finally, a petition was handed over
discussing with the president of local government by the protesters. The president
of the citizen forum directed the campaign with the support of people. Three
meeting were arranged with the pradeshiya saba to influence them on the
development issues which came out of the citizen forums. We wanted to challenge
the political representatives on their proving services.
Leadership and capacity building training
3 leadership and capacity building trainings have
been conducted in this year. One of those was conducted in Trincomalee and
other was arranged in the secretariat office of NAFSO in national level,
Negombo. That was a common training program. Five selected members participated
in bath citizen forums. Participants were able to got understanding about
leadership as well as documenting methods. Four female and one male participated
from Trincomalee and three female and two male came representing the citizen
forum in Musali, Mannar. Other
leadership and capacity building training was conducted in Trincomalee district
. There were 21 participants for the training program as 15 females and 6
males. The training was arranged in the center of fisher cooperative society,
Trincomalee Third leadership training
was conducted in Mannar. 30 members have participated to the leadership program
in Mannar district. We always concerned to build up leadership in the citizen
forum. They are leaders in the community. The citizen forum lead the community
in positive way to find the solution for the development issues in the area.
Leadership skill should be developed in the citizen forums.
It collects the
information about the budget as a supportive work for the citizen forum
Stakeholder meetings
2
stakeholder meetings were organized in
regional level in Mannar and Trincomalee district. Mr. Adekkelanadan, Member of Parliament, Mr.
Kunaseelan, Denis wernan and Sihaharan, candidates of the provincial election
in the area, vice president and some members of the local government and
community leaders participated to the meeting. There were more than 28 members
in the meeting as 13 female and 15 males. Citizen forum has handed over a
requirement letter to the politicians. We
organized the stakeholder meeting based on the provincial election in Mannar
district. We provided a space for the candidates to meet the people on their
policies. There was a critical discussion between the citizen forum members and
candidates. Second stakeholder meeting was conducted in Trincomalee district.
23 members participated to the meeting.
People’s gallery-
The citizen forum has a
permission to be participated members to the people’s gallery in Trincomalee
district. The people’s gallery did not open for the public in Musali because of
the limited physical resources. We have discussed with the authorities to open
the people gallery in the pradeshiya saba in Musali. They have agreed to open
and give an opportunity participate to
the gallery as citizen forum. 11 member have participated to the people gallery
in Trincomalee district.
Main committee-
8 members have participated to the advisory
committee in the pradeshiya saba in Trincomalee district in this year. A member
of the citizen forum has permission for the advisory committee. She represents
the citizen forum in the advisory committee. She raises the issues, which
identify in the citizen forum in the advisory committee.
People councils-
3 people councils have been organized in both
districts. One people council was organized in Trincomalee. . Musali citizen
forum has conducted two people council in this year . Assistant commissioner of
local government, secretary and two members of the local government as well as
two representatives from the police participated to the people council. There
were 57 members in two meetings in
Mannar. People had a good opportunity to discuss with officials and concern
about the development issues. The people officers were questioned about the
security situation of the area as well as participants directly presented
problems that there are facing in the area.
The people council was also in
Trincomalee district . Vice president of
the local government participated to the meeting. 20 members have participated to the people
council as 13 females and 7 males. That was a good space the citizen forum
members to be concerned the issues the people face to the vice president of the
local government. We had to spend the
money, which allocated to the people council to the regional citizen summit
that should have been organized by LST.
Discussions with the policy makers-
9 discussions were conducted with the policy makers
in this year. Discussion with policy makers is very important event in the
citizen forum process because people can influence to the decision makers
through this. We were able to conduct 7 meetings
with policy makers in this year in Trincomalee and Mannr districts. 2 of them
were conducted in Musali and other 5 meetings organized in Trincomalee.
President, vice president and one members of the local government participated
to the discussion in Mannar. Some selected members of citizen forum were
allowed to participate to the discussion. Ten members consisting of president
and secretary of the citizen forum attended to the meeting in the local
government, Musali. President and vice president participated to the discussion
with the citizen forum members in Trincomlee district. 20 members have participated to the discussion with decision
makers in Mannar 60 members have participated to the meeting with decision
makers in 5 meetings in Trincomalee district. Members of citizen forum raised
some issues related to the development as well as preparing the annual budget
for 2014, convening four stable committees in the council. But the president
did not much concern about the people’s requirements. The president failed to
explain how they are going to get people’s proposals for the annual budget in
2014. The president of the local government did not reply for many questions
that the citizen forum members asked. We met the policy makers on different
issues on development. We discussed with them after submitting the people’s
budget proposals to follow the process of preparing the budget of pradeshiya
saba.
Discussion to open the people’s gallery-
The citizen forum of Musali met the president and
political representatives to find the any alternative way to open the people
gallery and get a membership to the
committees in Mannar district. But we were unable to be opened the people’s
gallery because of the under construction of the building. The president has
agreed to open the people gallery after finishing the building. According to them
there is no enough physical space to arrange the people’s gallery in the
pradeshiya saba building.
Handing over the budget proposals -
2 open discussions arranged spastically hand over the people’s budget
proposals to the authorities. There was an important event because there was a
very useful and critical discussion in those meetings. We invited to the president and secretary of
the pradehsiya saba and urban council in Trincomale district. We prepared the
budget proposal collecting the information in village level. We built an open
dialogue between the people and political representatives on the people’s
proposals. There were 45 people in the meeting representing ten villages in
Trincomalee district. We arranged a meeting to hand over the budget proposals
in Mannar district also. 20 members participated to the meeting.
9 district coordinators meeting were conducted in
the secretariat office of Nafso in this year at Negombo. Districts coordinators participated to the
meeting in bath districts. We conduct monthly evaluation meeting as common
meeting being covered all projects which implement in the North and East as
NAFSO.
Exposure visit-
We arranged an exposure visit to Musali citizen
forum inviting network partners of ACDN. There were 38 participations
representing CSR, UCDC and NAFSO. 6
participants had come from the citizen forum in Trincomalee district. 37
participants had engaged with the exposure visit representing the citizen forum
in Musali, Mannar. That group consisted
of citizen forum members, community leaders and officers in the area. The
exposure visit had planned as two
days. We hoped to share the experiences
with network partners on citizen forum process as well as we provided an
opportunity the network partners to get experience about the people in
Mullikulam. The case in Mullikulam is an important land issue which happened as
a result of the war. The village has been captured by the Nave. People are
straggling to ensure people’s rights. We wished to share the experience on straggle
to ensure the rights.
First day of the exposure
visit, we planned to share the experience of the citizen forum process in
Musali. Two invitee’s speaks were arranged in the meeting. Rev. father Sebamale
who is the president of the district citizen forum shared his experiences on
citizen forum. Secretary of the district citizen forum participated to the
exposure visit. Secretary of the local government, vice president of the local
government in Mannar as well as assistance commissioner of the local government
also participated to the program. The ACGL presented the role of the local
government on regional development process. Mr. Sunesh who is the district
coordinator in Mannar basically presented the way of citizen forum in Musali.
President, vice president, secretary and three members of the citizen forum
participated to the panel discussion in Musali. That was a good experience for
the network partners according to their comments.
NGO forum meetings-
10 NGO forums meetings had covered by the citizen forum
in Trincomalee district. District coordinator of Trincomalee district has
participated to the NGO forum meeting representing citizen forum in every month
of this quarter. That is a good
opportunity for the citizen forum because the citizen forum is able to share
information with other organizations, which work in the area on same purposes.
Regional citizen summit-
NAFSO arranged the regional citizen summit with the
collaboration of CSR as partners of the ACDN network in this year. This was
organized in Anuradapuara. This summit should have been organized by LST in
national level. The members of the citizen forums from Mannar and Trincomalee
district as well as CSR participated to the summit. We concerned to aware the
participants on various issues in the summit and we concerned to assess the
program of the citizen forum process in the summit.
Record the minutes of the citizen forums-
This is a normal procedure of the citizen forum
because citizen forums usually keep the record according to the meeting the
conduct.
Challengers-
1.
Intelligent
services related to the security forces always observe the meetings of the citizen forum as well as leaders and
activators. They collect the information about
the citizen forum as well as the official, leaders related to the
citizen forum. Some members have feared participate to the citizen forum. Intelligent officers directly involve to the
people’s activities. As an example, An
intelligent officer participated to the exposure visit program in Musali also.
He questioned about the program and
participants participating to the program. Intervention of the security forces
limits the freedom of the people to activate
on citizen forum.
In the midst of this year, the district coordinator
of Trincmalee district convened to the headquarter of the criminal
investigation department of Coombo. He
had been questioned about some areas related to the citizen forum process. In
the third quarter of this year, district coordinator of Mannar had to change of
his living country because of the threatens from forces. His involvement to
ensure the people rights was questioned by the forces. He is living in abroad
because of the threatens.
2. The
government’s attitude and propaganda about non government organizations
influences us to organize the people
on rights. The government authorities
always attempt to be under control the
organization, which may influence against the governmental political mechanism
on establishing their political agenda. The government has established a powerful
intelligent service mechanism to monitor every
non government organization which challenge the government decisions
especially in the North and East. We are being monitored closely by the
intelligent services of the government.
3.
Accessing to
correct information is one of the main challenges for the citizen forum because
local government authorities do not follow the rules and regulation on
publishing information. General public are also not allowed to access the
information especially in the local government. If people concern about the
corruptions happening they have no opportunity to get legal action without
proper documents. Pradeshiya saba does not provide enough space to get some
important information specially information related to the budget allocation
and contractors. There is no accepted producer to get information. That depends
on the privet relationship with them.
4.
Some behavior
of the authorities of the local government is a challenge because they do not
respond in a positive way in some situation. We faced some incidents in the meeting with
political representatives that they have no active reactions for some issues. They have no understanding
about the new changers of constitute. Those are challenge
we faced in this year. As an example, The president of the local government failed
to explain the process for preparing annual budget in 2014. He does not ready
to get people’s proposals from the public. He has no proper process to be
participated the people for preparing the budget. Those situations are
challenge for the people because citizen forum has to go forward breaking those
barriers. Some citizen forum members have disappointed on this situation.
5.
Relevant
local governments and officials are not in optimal level yet. They have no deep
concern about the people’s gallery or main committees as well as the range of
the constitute of local government. Although we intervened to create the main committee,
they did not take these issues as important components.
6.
Commitment of
the political representatives is one reasonable fact because although the
political representatives agreed to provide solutions or change the situation
they do not properly get actions on that. The citizen forums need to influence
always to find the solutions.
Lessons learn t-
·
The people who are in the North and East
are much concern about their rights
than southern communities. There is a
potential to organize the people
on ensuring rights because they have hidden temper being against the unjust.
Although people are in the margin of the poor, their moral is high. The people
were in the dark in the war period. Their rights were not ensured over the way
but people now gradually come forward to ensue the rights again sting the
unjust.
·
The citizen forums have given a space to
gather people who unorganized because of the war in the north and east. People
could build a common voice against many unjust situations using the citizen
forum as the focal point. People are gathering around the citizen forums
because they want to some kind of structure to raise their voice. The citizen
forums have provided a platform them to organize as well.
·
Majority of the citizen forum
members are Tamil and Muslim who live with limited facilities in the North
and East. They lived in the midst of the civil war for three decades. Many
Tamil people have intervened to the war directly or indirectly. They are in
frustration because their rights were not ensured in any condition in the
country. They are poor and weak
economically and politically when compare with the southern
community. They have limit voice on
ensuring the people’s rights. Citizen forums should be strengthened in
different ways developing leadership, capacity , knowledge and attitude of the
members because citizen forum can intervene among the community on people
rights. Although the war has been finished
the advantage of the development did not receive to the people in
regional level yet.
·
Strong leadership can be seen because of
conducting many training programs. The leaders of the citizen forums are gradually developing through intervention
for the civil activities. We have identified even strong women leadership in
the citizen forum. People are enough strong to challenge the policy makers,
question the politicians on development as well.
·
Engaging the professionals and
developing the close connection with media are very important for the citizen
forum to expand the process and get concerns from outsiders.
·
There should be clear aims and way for
the citizen forum. People should be felt
that they are the most important members of the citizen forum. Any space should
not be created for the citizen forum members to feel frustration about the
citizen forum. There should be a
continuation of the actions. Otherwise, citizen forums are unable to function
successfully.
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| People are questioning the political representatives who participated to the meeting on handing over the budget proposal in Trincomalee district |
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| People are questioning the political representatives who participated to the meeting on handing over the budget proposal in Trincomalee district |
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| Some occasions of the meetings organized to hand over the budget proposal in Trincomalee |
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| Some occasions of the meetings organized to hand over the budget proposal in Trincomalee |
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| The Mayor of the urban council and political representatives of the pradeshiay shaba are participating to the meeting |
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| Handing over the budget proposal to the urban council |
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| Focus group discussion in the village level in Trincomalee |
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| Committee meeting of the CF in Trincomalee |
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|
. Campaigning to be concerned the development
issues to the pradeshiya shaba in Mannar
|
. Campaigning to be concerned the development issues to the pradeshiya shaba in Mannar
 |
|
. Rev. father is expressing to the Southern
group in the exposure visit in Mannar
|
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| - Sothern group is visiting the Mullikulam IDP people on exposure visit in Mannar |
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| Southern group is sharing the experience in Mullikulam |
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| Discuss with the president of pradeshiya shaba in Trincomalee |
 |
|
- Handing
over a petition to the president of pradeshiya shaba in Trincomale
|
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- Candidates
of the provincial election of Northern province are meeting the citizen forum
|
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| Citizen summit in Anuradapuara |
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| Citizen summit in Anuradapuara |
