The resolution of the women’s movements demanded

PRESS RELEASE

Conference of Autonomous Women’s Movements Oppose Swaminathan Committee.

Kolkata: The participants of the 7th National Conference of Autonomous Womens’Movements, 9 – 12 September, 2006, Kolkata passed a resolution oppposingSwaminathan Committee Report on Coastal Zone Management. The resolution ofthe conference noted that The MS Swaminathan Committee reportrecommendations to the government released in February 2005 to “manage”rather than regulate coastal areas represent further erosion of bothfishing communities’ rights and the integrity of the coastal ecosystem.Since these recommendations which are likely to form the basis for newcoastal legislation, the participants said that they threaten rights ofthe fishing communities as well as coastal environment.

The resolution of the women’s movements demanded:

1. That no move be undertaken to dismantle the existing CRZ 1991 notification

2. That no policy level or legal changes be undertakenwithout the direct participation of fishing communities and theirrepresentatives, including trade unions, in the decision-making process

3.  That the right to land and means of livelihood of fishing communities be recognized and formalized with immediate effect

The resolution was initiated by the Theeradesa Mahilavedi, the women’swing of Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF). MaglinePeter and Freesca Kurishappan, the representatives of the TheeradesMahilavedi said that various women’s groups all over India expressedsupport to the struggle of fisherpeople to protect their livelihood andthe coastal environment. More than 2,500 participants belonging to morethan 250 women’s groups all over India participated in the conference

RESOLUTION

Resolution on Fishing Communities’ and Fisher Womens’ Rights to Life andLivelihood in the Context of Proposed Neo-liberal Coastal Policy Changes – Proposed by Theeradesa Mahila Vedi (Women’s Wing of Kerala SwatantraMatsya Thozilali Federation (KSMTF)), Trivandrum, Kerala (email:tmv@sify.com)

We, the participants of the 7th National Conference of Autonomous Womens’Movements, 9 – 12 September, 2006, Kolkata, recognize that:

1.   Fishing communities in India have inalienable rights on coastal areas and resources based on generational customary use which include:

a.    The right to housing in coastal areas and existing fishing villages

b.    The right to use of coastal lands for occupational purpose Lazers

c.     Right of free access to sea and marine resources

2.  These rights have been continuously eroded by development policies thatprivilege industrial and commercial activities such as mechanizedtrawling, sand mining, foreign trawler fishing, and establishment ofnuclear facilities, unplanned industrialization, urbanization, tourism,and biosphere erosion.

3.  New economic liberalization policies are an attack on the existingrights of fishing communities and expose coastal areas to unregulatedexploitation by market forces.

4.Globalization and economic liberalization affect fisher women mostadversely through increased:

a. Unemployment/underemployment, leading to the predominance of women-headed households, and consequent burden on women who have toperform roles of both the primary earner and domestic caregive.

b. Domestic and social violence as a result of the disintegration offishing communities leading to alcoholism, gambling and other problemsamong men

c. Burden of domestic work due to depletion and salinity of ground water

d. Livelihood struggles in the context of takeover of traditional occupations, livelihood resources and spaces by market forces.

5. The MS Swaminathan Committee report recommendations to the governmentreleased in February 2005 to “manage” rather than regulate coastal areasrepresent further erosion of both fishing communities’ rights and the integrity of the coastal ecosystem. These recommendations which are likely to form the basis for new coastal legislation.

a. Propose to dismantle the regulatory aspects of the existing CoastalRegulation Zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991

b  Ignore the livelihood rights of fishing communitie

c. Propose to include and make available for commercial exploitation territorial waters upto 12 nautical miles

We therefore demand:

1.  The stringent implementation of the CRZ 1991 notification and punitive action against past and present violations of the notification the basis for new coastal legislation

2.   That no move be undertaken to dismantle the existing CRZ 1991 notification

3. That no policy level or legal changes be undertaken without the direct participation of fishing communities and their representatives, including trade unions, in the decision-making process.

 4.  That the right to land and means of livelihood of fishing communities be recognized and formalized with immediate effect.