News

Environmentalists sound warning ‘Mahaweli bid to reduce size of EMZ will worsen human-jumbo conflict’

Published

5 years ago

2021/04/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Pro-govt. racketeers engaged in illegal activities with impunity

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Mahaweli Authority has insisted 5,750 acres be removed from the proposed Hambantota Elephant Management Zone (EMZ) and if the Authority is allowed to have its way the human-elephant conflict and the water shortage in the area will worsen, environmentalists warn.

Environmental activist Sajeewa Chamikara said yesterday the undue delay in declaring EMZ was mainly due to obstacles placed by the Mahaweli Authority.

“The plan to create this reserve was prepared in 2010 and approval granted in 2011. However, powerful ministers of both the Rajapaksa and yahapalana governments prevented the implementation of the plan. The same people are behind a large number of illegal soil and granite extraction sites in the area earmarked for the reserve. These racketeers have the support of politicians in the SLPP and the SJB and Mahaweli Authority officials.”

Chamikara said that the Mahaweli Authority had allowed big businessmen to pump water to their illegal cultivations inside the area within the proposed EMZ, and as a result small-scale farmers were facing a severe water shortage, he said. “The farmers of Hambantota who have been protesting for nearly 100 days, will continue with their agitation until the gazette notification declaring the Wild Elephant Management Reserve in Hambantota is published”, the environmental activist said.

“Due to the continuous protests by farmers the Mahaweli Authority now has agreed to the EMZ, but it still insists that 5750 acres be removed from the EMZ and this extent includes forest area in Usgala, Andarawewa from the EMZ. This forest area is an important catchment for many of the tanks and used by elephants to enter the Andarawewa forest. If the EMZ does not encompass this particular area the human-elephant conflict in the area will take a turn for the worse, and the water shortage will become more acute.”

The Cabinet in February approved a proposal by the Minister of Environment to declare a 23,746-hectare elephant reserve subsequent to obtaining the Legal Draughtsman’s consent for publishing the gazette at issue.

Chamikara added that according to the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, the Minister of Environment could declare a protected area. Given that, the government’s move was a clear diversionary tactic, he said. Chamikara said that the government had not obtained Cabinet approval for expanding the road to Lankagama in Sinharaja or parcel out land in Kandakadu, Dahaiyagala, and Somawathiya.

“Farmers know this and that’s why they will go on with their struggle until the gazette is actually printed. More than 156 farmer organisations and a number of trade unions have joined the struggle of the Hambantota farmers.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.