Sevanagala farmers threaten fast unto death

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 01:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Devin Jayasundera

Agitated sugarcane farmers in Sevanagala yesterday warned of a fast unto death unless the Government removes the enterprise from the Revival Bill’s Schedule.

The farmers, who are dependent on Sevanagala Sugar Industries Ltd., highlighted the insurmountable consequences that the villagers in the area would face if the enterprise is not entrusted to its original owner Daya Gamage, who is also an Opposition MP.

“Under the ownership of Daya Gamage we have benefited heavily through the welfare scheme in place at the Sevanagala factory,” said a group of farmers at a press conference in Colombo. They said the livelihoods of 50,000 dependent on the enterprise were at stake following the impending takeover by the Government under the Bill.

During Daya Gamage’s reign, Sevanagala Sugar Industries was revitalised into a profit-making industry where many farmers benefited greatly from its welfare schemes.

Jagath Sunanda, a sugar cane farmer in Sevanagala, explained the void created by Gamage’s exit: “During the factory was under the government we had to go on strike to increase the price for a mere Rs. 10 but today the price of sugar cane has increased from Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 4,000 and this has been achieved not by a single strike or picketing but due to the influential role that Gamage had in the industry.”

Sunanda added that the factories in Kantale and Hingurana had been closed for some time but they had opted to take over Sevanagala, which is in operation, instead.

The farmers threatened that if the Sevanagala factory was not removed from the list of underutilised assets, they would fast unto death.

“If President Mahinda Rajapaksa is not paying attention to our woes but keen to takeover the factory, we will go on a fast unto death,” Venerable Sumangala who accompanied the farmers told the Daily FT.

He praised Gamage’s work in the area and stated that before Gamage took over the Sevanagala factory, monks were in dire straits but after his presence in the area he assisted in rebuilding the monastery and most importantly helped rebuild the community.

With regard to another private company taking the ownership of the Sevanagala Sugar Industries, Ven. Sumangala opined that they didn’t have a problem if another company took over the operations but the issue was the trust Gamage has created between the community and the administrators of Sevanagala, which he stated could not be rebuilt instantly.

“If the Sevanagala factory is closed, all other factories such as the apparel factory and the fruit processing factory operated by Gamage will be also shut down,” he added.

However another farmer stated, “Daya Gamages will not fall just because the Government takes over the factory; it is the Sevanagala community who will lose in the end.”