Creating a sustainable future

Linus Jayatilake is a member of CAFOD partner, MONLAR (Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform) in Sri Lanka. He is also president of the United Federation of Labour [CAFOD]

A keen awareness of the importance of our environment is an important element in MONLAR's vision of a more just world

Linus Jayatilake comes from a coastal region of Sri Lanka which emerged surprisingly unscathed from the devastating tsunami in December 2004.

“The reason is that we still have mangroves and a large coral reef that acted as natural defences. In many other areas, this has been destroyed so there was no protection at all when the wave came.”

A keen awareness of the importance of our environment is an important element in Linus Jayatilake's vision of a more just world.

Linus is a member of CAFOD partner, MONLAR – the Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform – in Sri Lanka. He is also the president of the United Federation of Labour.

Sustainable farming

Linus got involved with MONLAR through a keen interest in organic farming. MONLAR helps farmers to produce food without fertilisers, using low-cost ecological methods that save small-scale farmers one-third of production costs.

MONLAR and the United Federation of Labour played an active role in helping the tsunami relief effort.

“Many people went directly to help with their own hands, but we also had members of our alliance such as the union of health workers who set up clinics in refugee camps to prevent epidemics.”

Linus said there was still a deep sense of trauma in the country: “The tsunami was a complete shock to us. We had never experienced anything like it.”

Aid must go directly to the people

Although there has been a big relief response, Linus has concerns that some of the aid is not getting through to the people who need it most and that the reconstruction effort is not properly accountable to the people it is supposed to help.

MONLAR has been actively calling for proper administrative structures to be put in place, particularly in the north-eastern areas of Sri Lanka, to make sure the aid and reconstruction benefits those devastated by the tsunami.

“The situation is that people are still desperate and helpless, yet do not know what is happening. There is not enough consultation at the moment to ensure that the aid is properly directed.”

“It is vital that aid goes directly to the people. The way CAFOD is working is the right way. They have been involved for a long time in working with organisations in Sri Lanka and can therefore act quickly and effectively.”

Policies against poverty

For Sri Lanka to recover in the long-term, however, Linus believes there will need to be a fundamental change in Sri Lanka's economic policies.

“First of all, we need to push for the cancellation of the debt which has come from loans that have not benefited the people.

“But more than that, we need to stop the government's policies that are carried out with the support of the IMF and the World Bank.

“Their policies of opening markets and a trickle-down approach to poverty reduction has led to a deteriorating social situation in Sri Lanka. According to statistics, 40 per cent of people live below the poverty line, although I believe it is even more.”

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