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We like to be like the bee... |
| The bee draws nectar off a flower without harming either its color or its fragrance, and ensures the survival of genetic strains by facilitating cross pollination. A wise man once observed: “The sky does not become less private although it belongs to everyone else”. In other words, our individuality is not necessarily disturbed by sensitivity to and identification with the collective. The bee, we should not forget is an insect that knows “community”. This is why, when the ancients tell us to follow the example of the bee, they are in fact advising us that gentleness alone will not save us, or our earth. We firmly believe that it is the tenderness of solidarity deeply rooted in traditional wisdom which empowers better and beneficial engagement. This way, we believe, leads to a full flowering of gentleness on the earth, in her waters and her skies. |
Website update
We are in the process of implementing a long overdue upgrading of our website. The new site will have a different layout, be far more navigable and will eventually contain many useful instruments.
You can now access a few of the key pages and the remainder of the site will be active shortly. We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding over the last year. |
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GMSL current action update
In light of the end of the conflict in 2009, the Green Movement recognizes the urgent need for sustainable development to occur within the conflict-affected Northern and Eastern Provinces. We are currently working to expand our program in this area to ensure that development occurs according to a community-centric, environmentally sensitive, needs-based paradigm.
While acknowledging the importance of working to empower citizens of the conflict-affected areas to re-enter society and engage on equal terms socially and economically as soon as possible, the Green Movement wants to ensure that this is an organic process that takes into account needs other than economic, so that the conflict-affected citizens can engage in society in a sustainable, meaningful way. This means not only focusing on infrastructure and economic development but also working to ensure that environmental factors are taken into account through effective Environmental Impact Assessments, that the social and psychological needs of traumatized people are considered, that the youth have the opportunity to gain sufficient education, that marginalized groups including women, youth, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities have equal opportunities to develop their lives and livelihoods and that all development occurs on a participatory, community-led basis.
The movement is working to provide support for the rehabilitation and reconciliation process in the conflict-affected areas in many ways. Preliminary actions to start engagement in this area include as a crucial first step extensive surveys and field visits. Green Movement staff have regularly visited the north and east to liaise with partner and member organisations there, and to initiate the planning process for increased engagement. Areas surveyed include parts of Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomalee.
The Green Brigade youth program has been active in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts of the Eastern Province since 2009, where youths have been carefully selected to form Green Brigade groups and have completed training on environmental activism, peace building and English or Sinhala language. These youth groups are now active in environment conservation and activism in their local areas, with several inter-district exchanges and programs planned for 2010. We are currently in the selection process for youths to form Green Brigades in Mannar, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi districts of the Northern Province. After the stringent selection process, the first training programs are planned to be held in July and August 2010.
The Green Movement has also been active in providing gap-filling support and relief to people internally displaced and living in camps because of the conflict (IDPs). This support included providing essential items and comfort kits to mothers, children and pregnant women, providing entertainment and communications infrastructure to IDP camps and conducting informal trauma reduction exercises.
To support the rehabilitation and reconciliation process on the ground, the movement is working to identify isolated villages where inhabitants are returning after prolonged displacement. Further updates on this action will follow shortly.
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We are in a process of implementing a long overdue upgrading of our website... the new site will have a different layout, be far more navigable and will eventually contain many useful instruments.
You can now access a few of the key pages and the remainder of the site will be active shortly. We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding over the last year.
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