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Land grabbing of indigenous people: CEJ contemplates legal action

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/20

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.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]