I arrived in Nachchikuda, a small coastal town in the Kilinochchi district, as men scuttled between boats, busy transferring their catches, untangling stubborn crabs from nets, and sorting, cleaning, and stacking equipment. They were preparing quickly and decisively for another foray to sea before the ominous clouds made their final approach. The faint scent of fish wafted through the air. Discarded hooks, ropes and smashed shells littered the beach; dogs gnawed on grimy foam as a rust-coloured stream ran parallel to the seashore. The fishermen seemed relaxed, casting knowing smiles this way and that as the visiting journalists meandered around, but each man’s mood darkened when discussing his current plight; supporting a family through fishing is no easy job. Things are better than they were during the war, but our lives are not easy here, said Veena Rejin Remin Sulaxan. Sulaxan ventures to sea at 2.00 a.m. and returns around 8.00 a.m. He usually goes about three or four kilometres offshore, but at times travels as far as 20 kilometres away to chase his catch. I have five children and a wife. I can cover food but not much else. I often have to borrow money from my family, and sometimes I take loans, he said. He said he can get cash advances from the collection centre to which he usually sells his catch, but he still saves almost nothing and cannot escape a cycle of persistent poverty. His equipment is expensive and must constantly be repaired. If I use the nets to fish for crabs, they only last between one and three months. If I go for fish, the nets last between eight and 18 months, he continued, adding that he spends most of his surplus money on equipment. Sulaxan works with his son and a partner. The proceeds from each catch are split into five portions: one each for the three fishermen, one for net maintenance, and one for boat maintenance and fuel procurement. Despite working very hard, the catch is often meager. I cannot say what my average catch is. Sometimes I go and catch one kilogram, sometimes 10 kilograms, and often nothing, said Sulaxan. We survive on what we have. It’s a big challenge, but so far we are managing, he added.The majority of the 600 households that call this town home were resettled during the war. While most men worked as fishermen before their relocation, many were employed as labourers during their time in the IDP camps in and around Vavuniya. Upon the conflict’s conclusion, these families made their way back to Nachchikuda and resumed their fishing operations, with many receiving land title and housing assistance from the Sri Lankan and international governments, as well as NGOs. The community found itself in dire need of assistance to begin fishing again, and several NGOs and government agencies helped in this regard. These efforts will hopefully be bolstered by the Rs. 1,200 million the government has pledged in its budget proposal to improve housing and livelihood development in coastal fishing villages. NGO Aid The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has provided around 7,300 households, or about 30,000 people,mostly in the Northern and Eastern provinces, with livelihood assistance over the past five years. The majority of the programmes focus on providing vulnerable families, many of which are female-headed, with microfinance backing to start sustainable businesses. While many associate microfinance with onerous loans, the ICRC programme offers cash grants, of around Rs. 50,000, that do not have to be paid back. The NGO also provides vocational training to those selected for participation. Many people want to restart jobs they had done before or during the conflict. We have helped people start tailoring businesses, grocery stores, poultry farms, and agricultural operations. We work with local governments to identify those in need of assistance, said ICRC Communications Department Spokesperson and Head Sarasi Wijeratne. Most of these initiatives are aimed at helping individuals get back on their feet after the prolonged conflict, but the ICRC is also conducting community support programmes that empower groups of people to work together for the betterment of all. One such community-based programme was conducted in Nachchikuda. It is relatively expensive to begin a career as a fisherman. Boats and engines are pricey, and nets, lines, lures, and hooks are somewhat costly as well. Given that almost all of those in Nachchikuda had little money upon their return from the resettlement camps, resuming their lifestyle and profession proved difficult. They relied on some help from international NGOs to bring them up to speed. A few years ago we received loans from the United National Development Programme (UNDP) that helped some of us buy boats and engines, said Nachchikuda Fisheries Organisation (NFO) president Abdul Rahim. He did, however, point to gaping holes in some of the boats and noted that they were still in need of new equipment. The fishermen must repay the UNDP loans over a period of years, but they have received additional aid from the ICRC. Instead of providing livelihood support directly to the local fishermen, the ICRC piloted a programme whereby it gave one-time cash grants to the NFO that were meant to benefit everybody in the community. After assessments to identify the needs of particular communities, we found that this group was particularly vulnerable. Many were injured in the war, and there are also several women-headed households living in the area, said ICRC project manager Mohamed Kamil. Findings We submitted our findings to local government agencies, and, with their help, we started working with 157 people here to provide legal, ecofriendly fishing nets, he continued. With the aid of the local Department of Fisheries, the ICRC signed an agreement and memorandum of understanding with the fishermen’s community-based organisation (CBO) to provide money for the nets. Government officials, for their part, were happy to back the initiative, as it promised to rid the community of the illegal nets that used to be prevalent. After making these agreements, the ICRC deposited enough money with the fishermen’s organisation to provide 157 recipients with 10 nets each. Given that each net costs about Rs. 4,200, each person received approximately Rs. 42,000 in grants. While most of the recipients use the nets themselves, there are a handful of female heads of household who rent out their nets in exchange for cash or fish. Working with CBOs can be advantageous for ICRC, as these organisations have rules that their constituents must follow to remain members. For example, fishermen in the NFO are required to use legal nets and wear lifejackets while fishing. A fishermen’s inspector, a government employee, reportedly visits the village each week to make sure the fishermen are following protocol. Despite these rules, I did not spot a single lifejacket during my visit. Another important aspect of supporting organisations rather than individuals is that it encourages fishermen to work side by side. We have received equipment from several NGOs, and many of our members work together to provide the material for each trip. If somebody owns a boat and another person owns an engine, the two of them can work together. Those who do not have equipment work as laborers on the boats and are paid a wage. People cooperate with each other, said NFO secretary Mohamed Nilas.Furthermore, the NFO provides some training sessions for the local fishermen to help them develop their vocational skills. It also helps repair damaged nets. While there is no doubt that the initiatives undertaken by the UNDP and ICRC have improved the lives of the fishermen, life remains difficult for those in Nachchikuda, as they must contend with myriad equipment issues. Many of the boats are in compromised conditions: some riddled with holes and powered by old engines. Moreover, an acute lack of navigation technology hinders the fishermen from venturing further away from their village with the hope of hauling in larger catches. This is a fishing community of 600, but there are only four GPS units. Since the technology is expensive, the owners do not share them with other boats, said Rahim. On top of these shortcomings, the Nachchikuda fishermen must contend with incursions by competitors from other parts of Sri Lanka. We have had trouble with fishermen from Jaffna and Mannar coming down here. This used to be a big problem, but the Fisheries Department has helped us keep them away over the past six months, said Rahim. A bigger issue, though, is the continuation of Indian trawlers taking the fish and damaging our nets, he continued. Many agreed that this was a massive issue, and some complained that the trawlers had cost them thousands of rupees in damaged or lost nets. These residents, despite the help they have received from the government and NGOs, find themselves in situations wherein it is difficult to make a decent living. We are thankful to be back here after the war, but life is still hard for us, said Rahim.
The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd., 19962016.