Involuntary Displacement and Resettlement — Policy and ... - CEPA

In the search for land, men and women encounter different challenges.Female heads with small children find it very difficult to travel alone on thebus to places they have never been to before and negotiate a land deal withan unknown person. Furthermore, the negotiation process to buy a piece ofland is not in her favour, as a poor, single, woman she needs to normallynegotiate with a man who by virtue of being a landowner with a spare pieceof land to sell occupies a higher social standing than her (this powerrelationship is discussed in detail below).One woman said, “Even if we wanted to go, most of us cannot afford the bus fareand lunch to go and search for a piece of land in an outside area” (field notes 23November 2007). The same is true for the elderly. Mrs. Fernando isparalysed and her husband suffers from arthritis. During their interview, theyshowed the research team a newspaper article published about them in theDaily Mirror (30-07-2006). The article asked the public for help, but resultedin nothing. They received Rs.250,000 from the President’s Fund and anotherRs.250,000 from the DS, but this money will not be released until they finda piece of land. They cannot find land because they are too old and ill to golook for it (Field notes, 18 October 2007). Another couple, Mr. and Mrs.Wickramatunge received their land grant (Rs.250,000) and bought a plot ofland in Kalutara district, but have yet to receive the money for the house(Rs.250,000) and now are afraid to follow up as documented below:The GN told us to go to a geriatrics home. He is angry with us because wekeep asking when we will get the next installment for the house. We haveno solution for this.- Mrs. Wickramatunge(Field notes, 25 October 2007)In addition to travel costs, after purchasing a piece of land, families learnedabout extra ‘hidden’ costs. Sunil from Ratmalana explained his situation:I bought land in Gohanapola. The GN then told me I need to have a(survey) plan for the new house and then he will give me the money to buildthe house, but I don’t have any money to get the plan made.194