by Ifham Nizam

The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) is contemplating legal action against what it called ‘land grabbing of indigenous people’.

Urging the Mahaweli Authority to stop the illegal seizure of lands, CEJ Chairman, attorney-at-law Ravindranatha Dabare said the unhealthy trend could lead to soil erosion and especially the blockage of many waterways.

“We will face some critical issues if that happens”, he warned.

He said the Rambakan Oya and many tributaries have already been blocked. “What they are doing is completely illegal”.

He said these resources don’t belong to the government, Mahaweli Authority or the officials in charge. These are resources that belong to the people of the country.

“Nobody has the legal right to plunder these resources and destroy hundreds of trees, some of which are centuries old.

The length of the bund of Rambaken Oya reservoir is 1,225 meters. The irrigation area is 1,968 acres. The reservoir has a water capacity of 45,500 acre feet. The catchment area is 12,800 hectares. Around 3,500 acres are cultivated during the Yala and Maha seasons and the length of the field canals supplying water alone is more than 78 km.

The leader of the Veddah community, Uruwarige Wanniyelatho said he had earlier heard of the destruction being caused to their traditional homestead, but didn’t believe it was actually happening.

“Some people even came to my house and informed me of the plunder that was going on. Generally, I don’t give credence to hearsay. I accompanied the CEJ Chairman and have now seen with my own eyes the degradation that’s being done”, he noted.

“Everything I heard about is true. The surrounding forest is ready to be cleared. Already, a vast area has already been cleared. However, these lands that people grab and clear today are originally those of our people”, he said.

He said that “Seethala Wanniya”, “Gorikana” and “Pollebadda” were native lands his ancestors occupied. “Now, when our people go to the forest to collect material to build a house, collect fuel wood or bees’ honey, they immediately take legal action against them. But, when large scale companies destroy thousands of acres of the forest, nothing is done”, the chieftain complained.

He added: “This forest is not something only indigenous people and animals want. Forests and environment are things that everyone wants, everyone including the tiny ants and insects that we don’t even see. The whole world is talking about natural disasters caused by environmental destruction. The destruction here is happening before our own eyes. This cannot be allowed to happen. This is our heritage, our lands and our culture. They must be protected. It is our responsibility to protect it for future generations”.

The Rambaken Oya Reservoir receives water from the foothills of this forest. So, when these farming activities take place, the water source will be polluted by fertilizers and pesticides used in cultivation, he asserted.

“The poison will then enter the Rambakan Oya reservoir, which provides drinking water. We have experience. The Mahaweli movement started in the 1980s has created kidney patients in the Mahawali C area at Girandurukotte. Today, people in those areas go to kidney clinics the way children go to school. If these projects implemented, we will suffer the same fate, he warned.

Therefore, this cannot be allowed to continue. The authorities should stop this. Otherwise, I will go to the court with the Center of Environmental Justice on behalf of my generation and my homeland to stop this destruction”, Wanniyelatho said.