Tourism has been an important element of Sri Lanka’s post-tsunami reconstruction plans. Out of the 45 tourism projects planned across the country, an important and large project is the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project (KITRP). The project was announced in 2002, however with the change of government it was resurrected in 2005, which was again put on hold due to the war.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in November 2010 made public the detailed plans. As a part of this project, lands in Kalpitiya and 14 of its Islands, which are located in the Puttlam District, are being leased out to private resort developers. This has caused among other impacts, land alienation and loss of livelihood. It is in this context that an International Fact Finding Mission was organised under the aegis of Food Sovereignty Network South Asia and National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO). The team comprised of representatives from civil society organisation in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. EQUATIONS was part of the same team.
