Involuntary displacement and resettlement due to expressway projects in Sri Lanka:

Abstract

Unlike many developing countries in the Asian continent, Sri Lanka has a rapidly developing road network. Currently it stands at 112‟997 km and is been extended as we speak. Given the magnitude of the road density, it is correct in saying that it is yet inadequate to meet the demands of the growing passenger and freight transportation needs. In order to meet this demand the government is constantly looking at alternatives.Therefore, the government has prioritised the improvement of the entire road network by 2020. While this development is indeed a positive step economically, in order for this development to be carried out land extent in residential areas is required, and more often than not these lands are used lands. Because of that involuntary displacement and resettlement has become a huge issue. This research evaluates the impacts of involuntary displacement and resettlement due to expressway construction in Sri Lanka and is based on Stage 01 of the Central Expressway project. The study is intended to achieve four (04) objectives. The literature review was done based on the themes of the study. The study was based on the Cernea‟s IRR model (1990), its acts, policies, and procedures relating to involuntary displacement and resettlement. The Land Acquisition Act (LAA) and National Involuntary Resettlement Policy (NIRP) were used herein. The study was carried out in a survey design, through a questionnaire and validated through interviews. A random sampling method was used in order to select 100 Project Affected Persons and another 20 interviewees. These respondents took the questionnaire in order to gather the necessary information. Through these interviews it was ascertained that many issues are in fact on the rise due to involuntary displacement and resettlement. While some of these impacts are indeed negative, there are others which produce a positive outcome. These include the fact that many of these affected families are able to improve the quality of their houses. While of the flip side they have lost the green environment which they were previously residing in, and its natural calm environment. While some of these residents survive of agricultural farming they lost their livelihood though these development projects. This in turn resulted in physiological and psychological stress, which resulted in an unhealthy family environment. However some best practices were identified through the research which included the land-for-land compensation schemes which should be a major option for resettled individuals. The main cause of these impacts is the lack of compensation. The need for proper resettlement planning was identified though the research, as this is currently a slack area. The need to develop mechanisms for people's participation in proper resettlement planning and implementation needs to be updated and all acts, policies and procedures relating to this relooked at in order to carry out successful resettlement.