Pola politics

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Grave politicisation has left 25 former shop holders of the newly-opened Rs. 131 million Nugegoda Shopping Complex without a place to do their business and deprived them of a livelihood, the United National Party (UNP) charged yesterday.

UNP Kotte District Organiser Dr. Harsha de Silva told media that there had been gross political interference in giving shops at the Nugegoda Shopping Complex, resulting in over two dozen families losing their livelihoods. The centre was opened by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday.

The shopping centre was originally opened in 1968 and this is the first time that it has been developed since 40 years. However, of the original 172 shop holders in the market, 25 have not been given new places to commence their business.

These are all people who have documented proof that they have been stall holders for 20-35 years.        

However, 20 shops have been given to outsiders, which the original owners allege is based on political patronage from the ruling party.

In fact Dr. de Silva charged that candidates from the ruling party were also using the shops to bolster their votes and for illegal campaigning.             

“We appealed to the Elections Commissioner to postpone the opening of the shopping complex as it was happening two days before the election. However, he personally told me that he has no legal rights to do so. Moreover, when I went to the shopping complex, former IGP Chandra Fernando turned up and asked me what I was doing there. When I explained, he told me that to know about the allocation of shops I should talk to Mahinda Kahadagama, who is a candidate for the upcoming polls,” he said, adding that after his encounter with the former IGP (who is also an advisor to Minister Rajapaksa), two Police jeeps also arrived.

Dr. de Silva charged that this was a serious breach of democracy and injustice of the highest order to the 20 families that were left without livelihoods. He stated that when the original building was demolished, the former shop owners were kept in front of the shops and had their photos taken, but they were not given any legal documents. Yet when stall allocation was done it was carried out randomly by the Police, giving top considerations to recommendations that had come from politicians.

“Just because I take a photo with a woman it does not mean that I am married to her. This is something similar; these people are not given legal documentation that they are entitled to and because the Police is doing the allocations under the Defence Ministry, people are too scared to talk.”

The deprived traders have even lodged a complaint at the Human Rights Council and gone to all relevant ministries with no avail.

Dr. de Silva charged that the Government’s use of Police for activities outside their mandate is eroding the relationship between the Police and people. He also asked why a Government that talks about human rights at the United Nations breaks them within the country. He pointed out that even though Government reports say there are 202 stalls at the complex, there are in fact only 95, with the rest being only spots allocated on the pavement.

M. Sumanawathie cried at the press conference, berating the Government and calling on it to give justice to the original stallholders. “If I don’t have a shop I have no way to eat,” she told reporters, her voice breaking with emotion. “This is all I have. I have gone to everyone but they have given shops to political supporters but not to me. I have always supported this Government. I call on the President to solve this issue and see our misery. We did not appoint this party to be treated like this.”