Constructing the ‘legalities’ of encroachments in dam, canal, and stream reservations in the north-central province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Encroachers on dam, canal and stream reservations in Sri Lanka have a long history, although largely neglected and sparsely investigated by academics and policy makers alike. They have been observed to degrade water resources at an alarming rate and have proven resistant to attempts of eviction. The present work attempts to employ a discourse analytical viewpoint to open up and explore the ideas, perspectives and justifications held by various social groups regarding the legality of encroachers, thus moving beyond the simplistic legal/illegal binary that has characterized previous academic inquiries on the matter. In doing so, the present work has found three competing discourses or ‘storylines’, each of which characterize encroachers in a different way. Together, these different discourses provide a platform to better understand the social practices, behaviors and motivations of the encroachers, and provide more complex and nuanced answers to the questions of ‘who they are’ and ‘what can be done about them’.