by Society for Threatened Peoples, Switzerland, February 2015
STP Dark Clouds tourism report
In spite of this poor human rights record, the Sri Lankan government promotes a country that has returned to normality. This image of a peaceful and prosperous holiday destination is marketed aggressively in Western Europe. However, this report clearly shows the sobering reality behind the glossy brochures…
MILITARY INFLUENCE ON THE TOURISM SECTOR Despite the end of the civil war, military expenditure has increased continuously during recent years. In 2009, the final year of war, EUR 1.1 billion1 was reserved for military expenditure. In 2015 the budget allegedly amounts to is EUR 1.9 billion, which equates to 16.6% of the projected national expenditure. The military is focusing this increased budget more and more on tourism with the army, navy and air force opening hotels all over the country and increasingly offering tourist activities. The provision of tourism opportunites by the military is problematic not least because it deprives the local population of an important source of income. Members of the military working in tourism receive their salaries directly from the military department. In return, the military sector secures a lucrative additional income through the tourism sector and is thus able to provide packages at lower prices than the private sector. The employees present themselves quite openly as members of the military, with some even wearing uniforms. The profits made from these tourist deals present a further issue because of the lack of transparency regarding their use…
THE LOCAL POPULATION HARDLY PROFITS AT ALL To advance a reasonably controlled development of the island, the government has chosen four areas where tourism should be particularly promoted: Kuchchaveli, Passikudah, Kalpitiya and Dedduwa. Our research focuses on the three regions of Kuchchaveli, Passikudah and Kalpitiya. These areas are very ethnically diverse and were rarely frequented by tourists during the civil war. In the meantime, numerous hotel complexes have been built there, which are offered by travel agencies in Germany and Switzerland. Our primary research interest is whether human rights have been violated in connection with tourism projects and to discern the degree to which the local population actually benefits from the tourism boom: How is it involved in local developments? What impact has tourism had on everyday life? Have local land rights been respected? What are the labour conditions like in the hotels and resorts? The results are sobering: in all three regions the government’s minimal development standards have scarcely been observed. Environmental and social impact assessments take place only sporadically and little is known about the findings. The local population is not consulted on the planning of tourism projects. Hotels and resorts block access to the sea, thus massively encroaching on the livelihood of local fishermen. Land grabbing is taking place and only a small part of the local population is able to make a living from tourism. The majority of hotel employees come from other Sri Lankan regions. There are no educational opportunities for the local population to cater to the needs of the hotels. Public facilities have had to make way for tourism projects…