{"id":114,"date":"2019-05-02T23:40:34","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T23:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/?post_type=project&#038;p=114"},"modified":"2019-09-10T20:45:29","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T20:45:29","slug":"part-ii-eastern-province","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/","title":{"rendered":"Part II: Eastern Province"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=&#8221;Part II: Eastern Province&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg&#8221; background_position=&#8221;bottom_left&#8221; min_height=&#8221;600px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;501px||0px|||&#8221; text_shadow_style=&#8221;preset3&#8243; text_shadow_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_row custom_margin=&#8221;-71px|auto||auto||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Uppuveli is now a popular tourist destination but was once a wasteland. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||0px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||10px|||&#8221;][et_pb_row custom_margin=&#8221;-56px|auto|-71px|auto||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">The tall grass surrounding the long-abandoned bunker is littered with wrappers and empty beer cans. But the cracked concrete structure once held lethal purpose, maintaining watch over the sandy beach before it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause this was a place of the LTTE,\u201d explains Vaseikaran Prathapan, sitting on the veranda of the nearby Palm Beach Resort. \u201cThey came in the night time, bringing weapons and everything from this beach.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Prathapan has lived here almost his entire life. Born in Jaffna, his family moved to Trincomalee when he was only two after the Sri Lankan army recaptured that city in 1995.<\/p>\n<p>Now nearly 30 years later, the nearly six-foot jolly giant manages this hotel in a suburb north of Trincomalee Town proper, an area at various points in history occupied by the LTTE, the Indian Peacekeeping Force and the Sri Lankan Army.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/20fb2394-a481-468e-b5dc-70ab54dbce4b?src=embed\" title=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 0;font-family:Arial!important;font-size:13px!important;line-height:15px!important;text-align:center;border-top:1px solid #dadada;margin:0 30px\"><!\u2013- [et_pb_br_holder] -\u2013><a href=\"https:\/\/infogram.com\" style=\"color:#989898!important;text-decoration:none!important;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><\/a><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;|152px||615px||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo they will bring (weapons) here and they will supply them to Trincomalee,\u201d he says. \u201cThis land, when it was a junkyard, we couldn\u2019t come to this place easily \u2013 they had a barrier here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A decade ago, when the war ended, the small suburb of Uppuveli was mostly empty land. Even today, there are still tracts of empty swamp more often frequented by wild animals than people.<\/p>\n<p>(And bothersome monkeys, who had just deprived Palm Beach of its internet by chewing through some cable)<\/p>\n<p>But these few square kilometres that once housed only three hotels has exploded into a hub of dozens of guesthouses and small restaurants. Although official capacity estimates for such a localized area are not available, locals say that in the high season between May and July, guests from all over Sri Lanka and parts of Europe flock to the area to try their hand at paddleboats and enjoy the sandy beaches.<\/p>\n<p>The Palm Beach Resort, Prathapan tells me, has 19 full-time staff during those months. When I visit in December, they\u2019re down to only seven.<\/p>\n<p>Many other hotels and guesthouses simply close their doors in the off-season and a few surrounding ventures have clearly been abandoned for years, a sign of the sustainability problems faced by locals trying to enter the tourism industry here.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_header _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181217_111443.jpg&#8221; min_height=&#8221;600px&#8221;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-70px|||||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The scene of the fish market in Trincomalee Town. Fishing is still one of the primary livelihoods in the district. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-110px|||||&#8221;][et_pb_row custom_padding=&#8221;12px|||||&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;|150px||361px||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||-2px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><strong>EASTERN GATEWAY<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Trincomalee Town is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, ten times the size of Colombo and once the lynchpin of the state ambitions of the LTTE; mentioned under different names in ancient Hindu texts, the Koneswaram temple daily attracting crowds of people from all throughout South Asia. In 2006, it was the first \u00a0true battle site for the re-eruption of the civil war after the Tigers cut off the water supply to lands under the control of the Sri Lankan Army.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now the district is the focus of an ambitious master plan, commissioned by the central government and crafted by a Singaporean consultancy firm, that will transform Trincomalee into the \u201cEastern Gateway of Sri Lanka,\u201d an international tourism hub that includes a yacht marina at Deadman\u2019s Cove, a national cricket stadium, a cruise ship terminal and an aquarium.<\/p>\n<p>By 2050, that is: for now it is still a town of around 100,000 with a 10 per cent district poverty rate, the primary industries still sustenance fishing and agriculture. The riches of that megacity are still far off, the district\u2019s local strategic plan for 2018-2022 painting a stark portrait of\u00a0 unemployment and poverty as well as the need for reconciliation, reintegration and peace building.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<div class='tableauPlaceholder' id='viz1556852373719' style='position: relative'><noscript><a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/static\/images\/Po\/Poverty_15564215156440\/Dashboard1\/1_rss.png' style='border: none' \/><\/a><\/noscript><object class='tableauViz'  style='display:none;'><param name='host_url' value='https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F' \/><param name='embed_code_version' value='3' \/><param name='site_root' value='' \/><param name='name' value='Poverty_15564215156440\/Dashboard1' \/><param name='tabs' value='no' \/><param name='toolbar' value='yes' \/><param name='static_image' value='https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/static\/images\/Po\/Poverty_15564215156440\/Dashboard1\/1.png' \/><param name='animate_transition' value='yes' \/><param name='display_static_image' value='yes' \/><param name='display_spinner' value='yes' \/><param name='display_overlay' value='yes' \/><param name='display_count' value='yes' \/><param name='filter' value='publish=yes' \/><\/object><\/div>\n<p>                <script type='text\/javascript'>                    var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1556852373719');                    var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0];                    vizElement.style.width='600px';vizElement.style.height='827px';                    var scriptElement = document.createElement('script');                    scriptElement.src = 'https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/javascripts\/api\/viz_v1.js';                    vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement);                <\/script>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a tourism-oriented city, Trincomalee tourism sector is seen as the main contributor to the economic development,\u201d reads the district plan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to increase the tourists here because the thing is most of the growth is coming from the Middle East, Western countries and Asians,\u201d says Mohamed Fayis, acting director of the Eastern Province Tourism Bureau, wearing a fitted patterned shirt and trim mustache. \u201cThose people are focused on the Southern Province.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut they are not concerning the North and Eastern Provinces.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We meet in the caf\u00e9 of the Trinco Rest House in central Trincomalee Town. Across the street from the spot, where the Indian Peacekeeping Force once made its headquarters, a white and gold trimmed gate guards city hall. Less than a block away, families (and several cows) gather on Dutch Bay Beach to enjoy the sunshine and view of the cliff of Trincomalee where sits the ancient Koneswaram Temple.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/youtu.be\/i2jcRAkQEps&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><span>But even this popular local park is imbued with the legacy of the war: here, 13 years ago, five Tamil students were killed by Special Forces in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.\u00a0<\/span>The case caught the attention of international media, and the victims became known as the \u201cTrinco Five.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span>No one has yet been held accountable for the extrajudicial executions.<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181218_171112.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>An ox walks the green of Dutch Bay Park, a popular local beach. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_margin=&#8221;|auto||370px||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>Like many civil servants, Fayis wears a few different hats. He\u2019s served for several years within the health department of the Eastern Province and was only appointed to the tourism bureau in October. As its first director he still struggles to find ways to grow the industry.<\/p>\n<p>There are many reasons why the province continues to lag in its growth of tourism, he says, much of it connected to the lasting effects of the war: poor infrastructure, distrust of government projects by locals, and even a lack of technological knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After the civil war 30 years ago, the mentality of the people was different from others,\u201d he says. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know the new technology earlier than 2009, we couldn\u2019t understand what is in the internet and email and how we can live with those things.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<div class='tableauPlaceholder' id='viz1556852472289' style='position: relative'><noscript><a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/static\/images\/Co\/ComputerLiteracyRates\/ComputerLiteracyRates\/1_rss.png' style='border: none' \/><\/a><\/noscript><object class='tableauViz'  style='display:none;'><param name='host_url' value='https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F' \/><param name='embed_code_version' value='3' \/><param name='site_root' value='' \/><param name='name' value='ComputerLiteracyRates\/ComputerLiteracyRates' \/><param name='tabs' value='no' \/><param name='toolbar' value='yes' \/><param name='static_image' value='https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/static\/images\/Co\/ComputerLiteracyRates\/ComputerLiteracyRates\/1.png' \/><param name='animate_transition' value='yes' \/><param name='display_static_image' value='yes' \/><param name='display_spinner' value='yes' \/><param name='display_overlay' value='yes' \/><param name='display_count' value='yes' \/><param name='filter' value='publish=yes' \/><\/object><\/div>\n<p>                <script type='text\/javascript'>                    var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1556852472289');                    var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0];                    vizElement.style.width='600px';vizElement.style.height='827px';                    var scriptElement = document.createElement('script');                    scriptElement.src = 'https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/javascripts\/api\/viz_v1.js';                    vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement);                <\/script>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">The legacy of war hurts more than just promotion. Communities are heavily segregated according to their ethnic background \u2013 neighbourhoods and villages are often arranged into Sinhalese, Tamil or Moorish enclaves. It is a division further accented by distrust as social programs struggle to encourage interaction and communication between the various communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>At Kanniya Hot Springs, those ethno-religious tensions take on new dimensions as local Tamil Hindus set themselves against the Archaeological Department.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ndv4_NMBwLA&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/ae3d030b-aa8b-46a1-8595-f06d08af9302?src=embed\" title=\"Trincomalee\" width=\"600\" height=\"580\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 0;font-family:Arial!important;font-size:13px!important;line-height:15px!important;text-align:center;border-top:1px solid #dadada;margin:0 30px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/infogram.com\/ae3d030b-aa8b-46a1-8595-f06d08af9302\" style=\"color:#989898!important;text-decoration:none!important;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>Fayis, a Muslim himself, says he struggles to involve his own community in developing the kind of cross-cultural, year-round attractions that could break the boom-and-bust cycle of the tourist season.<\/p>\n<p>But plans must also consider the people already there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll the beautiful beaches \u2026 (are) their livelihood,\u201d he says. \u201cWe cannot immediately move those people to somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_header _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181218_112649.jpg&#8221; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; min_height=&#8221;600px&#8221;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; min_height=&#8221;130px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;10px||0px|||&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-15px||107px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Fishing boats of Kuchchaveli stored by the Salpayaru Bridge. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-50px|||||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><b>LAND FOR TOURISM<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">In the case of Kuchchaveli, a coastal town northwest of Trincomalee Town, the interruption of livelihoods has nonetheless followed development. Located just north of Trincomalee, the establishment of a tourism zone of approximately 500 acres stretching eight kilometres down the coast resulted in the displacement of local fishers and farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>According to a report from the European minority rights organization the Society for Threatened Peoples, in 2010 around 300 people were ordered to leave the land by the navy. Two years later, a petition was sent by the locals to the government requesting the land\u2019s return. They received a response saying the building containing land titles was destroyed in a fire and there was no official proof of their ownership.<\/p>\n<p>Fishermen from local villages must now walk several kilometres to a crowded beach beside the Salpayaru Bridge to access their boats, allowing for little opportunity to establish efficient nets in the shallows of the beach.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the nearly 10 years the site has been allocated for tourism development, few resorts have actually been built. The slow progress is at least partially owing to disagreements over leasing prices between the SLTDA, government, and investors, according to reporting from the Sri Lankan national newspaper the Daily Mail.<\/p>\n<p>Kuchchaveli is an exemplar of failed tourism development in the Eastern Province negatively disrupting livelihoods. But 150 kilometres south in the Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province, the success of the Pasikudah resort has been no less disastrous for some locals.<\/p>\n<p>In the 1970s and early 1980s, the precursor to the SLTDA operated a resort comprised of 171 rooms in the area for which \u201cthe local community surrounding the bay earned a living primarily from tourism,\u201d according to a development plan from 2009. But that resort shuttered its doors in 1989 when hostilities escalated.<\/p>\n<p>For the fishermen of Pasikudah and nearby Kalkudah, the war was devastating.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWartime we faced problems \u2013 we lost our properties, we lost our work, and we lost our nets,\u201d the village president, Kanagaradnam Rajan, tells me. We meet at the small plot of land that serves as their dock, dozens of small boats crammed into a 350-metre area with only one rickety building. To the north is land claimed by the development board and to the south are pristine beaches overlooked by resorts<\/p>\n<p>The fisherfolk are feeling the squeeze.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe tourist board is coming, saying we need that land \u2013 you are to go to other places,\u201d says Rajan.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181220_121530.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Kaneshamoorthy Vimalkas, left, Velayutham Vinayakamoorthy, centre, and Kanagaradnam Rajan, right,<br \/> expressed their concerns for fishing and land-use rights along Pasikudah. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3><strong>LEGALIZED ROBBERY<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Although the situation in Pasikudah is especially dire because of the history of displacement caused by both war and the 2004 tsunami, this destructive method of tourism development is present throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p>This is at least partially due to land usage laws dating back to 1950 wherein most land is still technically controlled by the government and is metred out on a permit basis. But land can also be seized by the government if declared in the public interest, including for the development of tourism, but this method does require certain legal proofs.<\/p>\n<p>After the 2004 tsunami, 15 areas were zoned for tourism.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPasikudah is one of the tourism sites they proposed,\u201d explains Herman Kumara, national convener for the fisherfolk rights group, the National Fisheries Solidarity Organization (NAFSO).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey don\u2019t bother about other resource users who are depending on the same resources, the same land and waterways for their livelihood,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Kumara has been a long-time member of NAFSO, which works with marginalized groups to promote human rights and sustainable development. It has made him a target before: in 2012, following a fishing protest that led to the death of one man after police opened fire, Kumara was blamed by the government for the violence. Friends and neighbors were questioned by authorities during the repressive post-war Rajapaksa regime.<\/p>\n<p>NAFSO has remained active in organizing against mass tourism projects that negatively affect the livelihoods of fishermen living along the coast. Kumara describes an especially egregious case across the country at Kalipitya where 10,000 people were suddenly evicted from their ancestral islands in 2010.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo this is a very well-planned, legalized robbery \u2013 land-grabbing and tree-cutting,\u201d he says. People who have fished or farmed lands for generations do not think they need to prove legal claim to the land, he says, giving the government a window to evict them.<\/p>\n<p>But given Sri Lanka\u2019s strategic trajectory, Kumara says those affected cannot stop tourism development and must instead adapt to it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot escape from that so we need to learn how to cope with these things, how to make sure there\u2019s an income for the fisher communities through that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Part of this involves organizing fishing communities and protesting against unfair development practices like land-grabbing. But another is simply educating fishermen how tourism could be an additional source of income, particularly during the off-season<span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_header _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181216_151254.jpg&#8221; min_height=&#8221;600px&#8221;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||26px|||&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-15px||53px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Orr&#8217;s Hill is an army base that boasts a museum dedicated to the war. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/i><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3><strong>TOURISM MANEUVER<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At Orr\u2019s Hill, the army runs a museum showcasing Sri Lankan and LTTE military equipment. Trained interpreters \u2013 soldiers \u2013 offer tours around the outdoor facility that also features a pellet shooting range and a caf\u00e9 where one can even enjoy a cup of coffee in the shadow of a T-64 tank.<\/p>\n<p>On the peninsula south of the city, the Air Force has established an even more expansive tourism operation. China Bay Air Base includes a golf course, hotel, and the regionally-famous resort, Marble Beach \u2013 supposedly named for the visible sheen as the sun hits the water.<\/p>\n<p>But Waapurasa Yaalichipichai remembers it by another name: White Man\u2019s Beach, in reference to the Europeans who once lived there when the land was occupied by the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n<p>I met Yaalichipichai in his home, a small shack of wood and corrugated metal down a dirt road just off the highway running parallel to the Air Force base. White-haired and partially blind due to cataracts, it has been some time since the wiry 79-year-old has fished the waters of Trincomalee.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/05\/20181217_141022.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Yaalichipichai, 79, remembers a time when Marble Beach was open for fishermen\u2019s use. Now, it is off-limits and run as a resort by the Air Force. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) <\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>But the man is a living library of knowledge of the history of the area and an elder of his Muslim community. His father killed by Japanese bombs, Yaalichipichai worked from a young age as a fisherman. At one point he set up more permanent housing near Marble Beach, even harvesting maize and other crops. When the civil war re-erupted in the late 1980s and the military moved in, the fisherpeople using that area were forcefully evicted despite it being an ancestral fishing ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow we can\u2019t go there,\u201d says Yaalichipichai. \u201cOr we can go but there\u2019s nothing to do because we can\u2019t do fishing, just to go for fun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But even access to Marble Beach comes at a cost of 20 rupees per person, a fee not affordable for some locals.<\/p>\n<p>And Yaalichipichai is destitute even by the standards of the oft poverty-stricken working class, relying on the generosity of family members (some of whom have turned to agriculture rather than fishing). In his unelectrified house, lit at night by small fuel lamps, there is but a single bed and table amid the occasional wandering hen. I don\u2019t ask about plumbing.<\/p>\n<p>Tonight, he will eat only a quarter loaf of bread, a diet that reveals itself in the way the old man\u2019s skin clings tightly to his bones.<\/p>\n<p>Yaalichipichai says his community has never tried to make a legal case for access. How could they? They can hardly afford to live. But even so, he still hopes there can someday be an agreement to allow his people to once again cast nets in the fish-rich waters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the future, we don\u2019t want to disturb them,\u201d he tells me. \u201cAllow us to go fishing and come, we would be grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But in the Singaporean consultancy\u2019s 2050 strategic plan the area is colour-coded pink: tourism.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_portfolio include_categories=&#8221;2&#8243; posts_number=&#8221;5&#8243; show_date=&#8221;off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22.5&#8243;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_portfolio][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Uppuveli is now a popular tourist destination but was once a wasteland. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) The tall grass surrounding the long-abandoned bunker is littered with wrappers and empty beer cans. But the cracked concrete structure once held lethal purpose, maintaining watch over the sandy beach before it. \u201cBecause this was a place of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":37,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"project_category":[2],"project_tag":[],"class_list":["post-114","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_category-sections"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Uppuveli is now a popular tourist destination but was once a wasteland. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) The tall grass surrounding the long-abandoned bunker is littered with wrappers and empty beer cans. But the cracked concrete structure once held lethal purpose, maintaining watch over the sandy beach before it. \u201cBecause this was a place of the [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peace and Tourism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-09-10T20:45:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"4032\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2268\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/\",\"name\":\"Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/26\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/20181218_180339.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-05-02T23:40:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-09-10T20:45:29+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/26\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/20181218_180339.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/26\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/20181218_180339.jpg\",\"width\":4032,\"height\":2268,\"caption\":\"Uppuveli\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/part-ii-eastern-province\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Projects\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/project\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Part II: Eastern Province\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/\",\"name\":\"Peace and Tourism\",\"description\":\"Tourism development in former conflict areas of Sri Lanka\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cusjc.ca\\\/mrp\\\/srilanka-tourism\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism","og_description":"Uppuveli is now a popular tourist destination but was once a wasteland. (Photo \u00a9 Stephen Cook) The tall grass surrounding the long-abandoned bunker is littered with wrappers and empty beer cans. But the cracked concrete structure once held lethal purpose, maintaining watch over the sandy beach before it. \u201cBecause this was a place of the [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/","og_site_name":"Peace and Tourism","article_modified_time":"2019-09-10T20:45:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":4032,"height":2268,"url":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"17 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/","url":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/","name":"Part II: Eastern Province - Peace and Tourism","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg","datePublished":"2019-05-02T23:40:34+00:00","dateModified":"2019-09-10T20:45:29+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2019\/04\/20181218_180339.jpg","width":4032,"height":2268,"caption":"Uppuveli"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/part-ii-eastern-province\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Projects","item":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/project\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Part II: Eastern Province"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/","name":"Peace and Tourism","description":"Tourism development in former conflict areas of Sri Lanka","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_category?post=114"},{"taxonomy":"project_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/srilanka-tourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_tag?post=114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}