Features
Exercising sovereign rights of a coastal state
By Neville Ladduwahetty
Coastal states, such as Sri Lanka, could claim up to 200 nm as its Exclusive Economic Zone, according to the General Principles of the Law of the Sea. Consequently, Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is nearly eight times its land area. According to Article 56 (1) of the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS):
“1. In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has: (a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting conserving and managing the natural resources» whether living or non-living» of the waters superjacent to the sea-bed and of the sea-bed and its subsoil» and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds”.
In fact, recognition given to the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) was underscored by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar when, he, as the Vice Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), at its 23rd Secession of the Council of Ministers, stated: “India’s priorities are clear.
It is our effort to develop an Indian Ocean community that is stable and prosperous, strong and resilient and which is able to cooperate within and to respond to happenings beyond the ocean. It is thus important to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) as the Constitution of Seas.
“India’s commitment to the well-being and progress of nations of the Indian Ocean is based on our Neighbourhood First policy, the SAGAR outlook, our approach to the extended neighbourhood … A multilateral rules-based international order along with SINCERE RESPECT for SOVEREIGNTY and TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY (emphasis added) remains the Foundation for reviving the Indian Ocean as a strong community”.
MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Although UNCLOS recognises Sri Lanka as a “Coastal State” enjoying sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploitation, conserving and managing the living and non-living natural resources, as well as jurisdiction over resource-related off-shore installations and structures, MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (MSR) (emphasis added) and the protection and preservation of the marine environment”, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) of Sri Lanka is not equipped to carry out marine scientific research in such a way as to make a meaningful contribution to Sri Lanka’s national interests.
For instance, NARA has the capability to stay only five days out at sea, whereas Shi Yan 6 has the capability to operate 80 days out at sea. Therefore, by necessity, NARA is compelled to collaborate with another country that is suitably equipped if the quality of its research is such that it furthers Sri Lanka’s interests; a policy it is reported to have resorted to in the past when Sri Lanka collaborated with countries such as the US and Norway.
Not to exercise the sovereign right to engage in “maritime scientific research” as per Article 56 (1) (ii) of UNCLOS because of spurious “concerns” of India and the US sets a precedent to deny other rights. Furthermore, by limiting the research only to two days as reported, Sri Lanka has been denied the opportunity to gather information that could serve its national interests. This denial is a violation of a sovereign right of a sovereign State.
EXPLOITATION of RESOURCES in SRI LANKA’S EEC
The exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing living and non-living natural resources of a coastal state within its EEC is a sovereign right. Despite this, it is a well recorded and reported fact that thousands of trawlers from India enter Sri Lanka’s EEC and not only exploit its resources but also destroy marine resources by resorting to bottom trawling.
In a United Nations-Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Programme of 2016, Aruna Maheepala claims: “There are over 5,000 mechanised trawlers in Tamil Nadu and nearly 2,500 of them enter Sri Lankan waters on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and often coming at 500 m of the shoreline (emphasis added) …. More than 50,000 marine fishers live in the northern fisheries districts (Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mulative), and they account for about one-fourth of the marine fishers of the country.
Before the commencement of the war (1982) around 40% of the fish production of the country came from Northern fishery districts (except Kilinochchi). However, contribution of the fish production in the northern fishery district drastically dropped to 5% in the peak period of the war (2008) and gradually increased after 2009. Livelihoods of Sri Lankan fishers’ have been drastically affected as a result of the Indian poaching”.
Judging from the map of Sri Lanka’s EEC and its proximity to India’s coastline, to claim that Indian trawlers “drift” into Sri Lankan waters is unacceptable. On the contrary, the India trawlers “drift” into Sri Lankan waters because they have exhausted the resources within India’s EEC.
In the context of the ground situation cited above, for Dr. Jaishankar’s claim that ‘India is committed to the well being and progress of nations of the Indian Ocean is based on our Neighbourhood First’ is far from the truth. Instead, it sounds more like India First in the neighbourhood. To expect India to address this issue despite Dr. Jaishankar’s commitment to “a multilateral rules-based international order along with sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity” is only a pipe dream because it is alleged that the majority of Indian fishing boats entering Sri Lanka waters are connected to Indian politicians who are Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu.
Furthermore, since Sri Lanka’s legal provisions are limited only to violations relating to the illegal plunder of its resources by individuals and their fishing crafts, no action can be taken against those who sponsor and finance such acts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to review existing legal provisions and revise and update them in order to meet current challenges.
PRROPOSAL to SET UP an ANTI-NARCOTIC COMMAND
The need to establish an Anti-Narcotic Command was reportedly realised after detecting the 200 kg of heroin valued at Rs. 4.5 billion, which was intercepted in the high seas. While this is a long overdue measure, it must be accepted that this “interception” is one of many that went undetected; this is inevitable when about 2500 mechanised trawlers brazenly enter Sri Lankan waters three times a week with absolutely no regard to Sri Lanka’s sovereign rights.
In such a context, Dr. Jaishankar’s sincerity and respect for Sri Lanka’s sovereignty will have no significance unless and until India is held accountable for deliberately overlooking the vandalism caused not only to Sri Lanka’s marine resources but also to security related issues such as crimes relating to drugs, human trafficking, arms smuggling and money laundering.
Even if India and Sri Lanka work out an arrangement to compensate Sri Lanka materially for the lost revenue to the Sri Lankan fishing community and for the damage done to its marine resources, the very fact that Indian fishing craft continue to enter Sri Lanka’s EEC means that the threats to security from drugs and other crimes would continue unabated despite the establishment of an Anti-Narcotic Command because no Command, however effective, would be able to identify which of the 2,500 Indian trawlers that come three times a week become the means by which to support other crimes that are a threat to Sri Lanka’s security. The collective cost to the Sri Lankan State and its citizens pales in significance compared to the loans and lines of credit given by India.
The irony is that Sri Lanka is prepared to address security concerns of India but India is totally impervious to those of Sri Lanka, not to mention the loss of livelihood to its citizens and to deny their opportunity to develop its fishing sector.
DRAFT OF FISHERIES AND ACQUATIC ACT
A draft of an Act to repeal and replace the existing Act of 1996 is presented below:
“AN ACT TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES ACT No. 2 of 1996. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION, LONG TERM CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF MARINE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES, AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA; TO GIVE EFFECT TO SRI LANKAS’ OBLIGATIONS UNDER REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS; AND TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES ACT, No. 2 of 1996 AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH WITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO”.
“PART VII – SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION”
“Section 92 – Scientific research by fishing vessels Section 93 – Scientific research by a foreign research organization or another State Section 94 – Fisheries Data Collection Programs Section 95 – Collection, transmission and validation of data”.
“PART XI – MEDIATION, ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS”
“Section 147; Cost Incurred by the State
The owner or charterer of a foreign fishing vessel, upon conviction, shall bear any cost or expenditure incurred by the State, as determined by Court where an application is made on that behalf by the State in all or any of the following instances: a) the seizure of the foreign vessel for an offence under this Act, including any relevant costs of pursuit of a vessel; b) the prosecution for an offence in accordance with this Act; and c) the repatriation of the master or crew of any vessel seized under this Act. 2. The amount of any cost and/or expenditure awarded by Court under subsection (1) may be recovered as a fine and shall be imposed in addition to any other fine or penalty that has already been determined by Court. 3. Nothing in subsection (1) shall be deemed to permit the recovery of any cost and/or expenditure that has already been recovered pursuant to any other Order made under this Act. 4. If it intends to apply for pursuit costs in accordance with subsection (1) (a), the State shall, fourteen (14) days prior to a trial of the offence, serve the accused with written details of such costs”.
While Part VII addresses issues relating to scientific research and data collection by foreign organization or a State, Part XI that deals with costs incurred by Sri Lanka is totally inadequate because it is based on individual penal responsibility of violators, when the violations to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and resources are committed collectively by 2500 plus trawlers that invade Sri Lanka’s EEC. Therefore, this aspect requires serious revisions to the Draft Act. Another serious omission in the draft is the non-inclusion of any relevant provisions of UNCLOS and the need to specifically refer to UNCLOS in the preamble to the draft Act instead of the vague reference to “OBLIGATIONS UNDER REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS”.
HARD REALITIES
Prior to exploring strategies to deal with the challenges cited above, Sri Lanka has to recognise certain hard and irrefutable realities.
The first hard reality is that threats to Sri Lanka’s security, the economic wellbeing of its citizens, in particular those in the North and East of Sri Lanka and the plunder and damage of its natural resources are committed by Indian citizens against the interests of Sri Lanka and its citizens. Therefore, all issues relating to the illegal entry of fishing trawlers from the territory of India should be addressed at the bilateral level, between the governments of India and Sri Lanka and not with the state of Tamil Nadu; a serious mistake that has failed Sri Lanka for decades.
The second hard reality is that threats in whatever form come from the unlawful encroachment of thousands of fishing trawlers into Sri Lanka’s EEC in total violation of its sovereignty; a fact recognized as a right by all Coastal States.
The third hard reality is that no Acts of Parliament or security related arrangements such as Anti-Narcotic Commands, however effective, would be able to make a dent in the aggression because of the scale of the ongoing operations; a fact evident from the report that Sri Lanka’s Navy has arrested nearly 180 fishers and taken 27 trawlers into the custody this year. (The island, October 30, 2023).
The fourth hard reality is that if the livelihoods of those in the North and East of Sri Lanka associated with the fishing sector are to be restored and Sri Lanka wishes to develop its fishing sector as part of its economic development, the illegal entry of thousands of mechanised trawlers from India has to stop. If nothing is done it amounts to an international crime of annexing part of Sri Lanka’s EEC by India.
CONCLUSION
The facts presented above show the gross violations committed by the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Central Government of India is fully aware of these violations but does nothing for reasons of internal political compulsions, although this kind of aggression amounts to a complete disregard of the sovereign rights of a Coastal State embodied in the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas. India has made a mockery of the much-touted policy of Neighbourhood First.
Therefore, if India is not to lose its credibility and make disingenuous statements about its “sincere respect for sovereignty and its commitment to the well-being and progress of nations”, it should finance the development of the fishing sector of Tamil Nadu to engage in deep sea fishing as an alternative to violating the sovereign rights of its neighbour’s EEC.
In the meantime, Sri Lanka should call for Expressions of Interest to invest in a Joint Venture in order to develop its fishing sector in the North and East of Sri Lanka which was 40% of the total production (Maheepala cited above) as a significant component towards Sri Lanka’s food security. Until then, the potential loss in revenue incurred by Sri Lanka due to the violations committed by a state of India should be factored in the settlement of financial commitments to India.
Digital Economy in Sri Lanka:
by Dr W.G. Somaratne
PhD (Econ), Latrobe, Australia; MSc (Ag.Econ), London;
BA (Econ), First Class, (USJP); Freelance Development Consultant,
Ex-Economist (ADB), (Part Time); Ex-Head and Senior Research Fellow (HARTI); and Visiting Lecturer,
(USJP); Email: wgsomaratne@gmail.com
The digital economy represents a transformative shift in the way businesses, governments, and individuals interact, trade, and create value. For Sri Lanka, this shift towards digitalisation presents a vital opportunity to stimulate economic growth, enhance economic governance, and social inclusion, and improve service delivery across the country. The expansion of digital infrastructure and increasing access to mobile technology and internet services have already paved the way for new economic models, from e-commerce to digital finance and remote work. With a strategic focus on building a resilient digital economy, Sri Lanka can address critical challenges such as unemployment, regional economic disparities, and limited access to global markets, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
A robust digital economy can empower Sri Lankan citizens, providing access to global markets, financial services, education, and healthcare through advancing new technology by opening opportunities for the general public. It also enables innovation and entrepreneurship development by reducing barriers to entry, encouraging startups, and supporting local industries in becoming globally competitive. However, realizing the full potential of a digital economy requires significant investment in digital infrastructure, improvement in digital literacy, and a regulatory environment that promotes security, trust, and innovation. With the right framework and collaborative efforts, Sri Lanka’s digital economy can play a pivotal role in the nation’s journey towards a sustainable, inclusive, and competitive future on the global stage.
Need for digital economy in Sri Lanka
The transition to a digital economy is critical for Sri Lanka’s development, as it provides avenues for economic growth, social inclusion, and improved governance. By embracing digitalisation, Sri Lanka can modernise traditional agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors, increase competitiveness, and overcome existing economic limitations.
Economic Growth and Employment Creation
Digital tools and platforms can improve productivity across sectors, from agriculture to manufacturing and services, by streamlining processes, enhancing data analysis, and reducing costs. The digital economy offers new avenues for employment in sectors like information technology, e-commerce, fintech, and digital marketing. These jobs can reduce youth unemployment, which remains a challenge in Sri Lanka. Further, digital tools empower SMEs by providing easier access to markets, customers, and resources through e-commerce platforms and social media. This can boost growth in the SME sector, as a vital part of Sri Lanka’s economy. Accordingly, some of the key reasons for the necessity of a digital economy for Sri Lanka’s development are explained below:
Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Digital platforms enable aspiring entrepreneurs to develop startups with lower initial investments. This fosters a culture of innovation, leading to the creation of unique solutions to local and global challenges. Further, a focus on digital can drive the development of solutions in fintech, health tech, agri-tech, and edu-tech sectors, addressing specific needs in Sri Lanka’s context, like financial inclusion, healthcare access, and agricultural productivity.
Enhancing Global Competitiveness
A digital economy allows Sri Lankan businesses, especially SMEs, to access international markets and access to finance more easily. This can boost exports and promote Sri Lanka as a global supplier of IT and knowledge services. Developing a digital economy demonstrates that Sri Lanka is forward-thinking, which can attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in 4IR technology, telecommunications, and knowledge-based industries including SMEs in the country.
Strengthening Governance and Transparency
Promoting Digital Government Services can be performed, especially, the establishment of a digital economy in Sri Lanka, which enables efficient and transparent government services, reducing bureaucratic hegemonies and delays and corruption in the government institutions. E-governance can improve public service delivery in areas like licensing and taxation in Customs, the Department of Inland Revenue and the Exercise Department, and promote social welfare in the country. Further, the decision-making in government organizations could be improved based on Data-Driven Decision-Making in the country (eg. Digitized Food Storage System). In particular, access to real-time data enables the government to make informed decisions on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and public safety, which can lead to better resource allocation and promote Smart Infrastructure, Smart Health, Smart Education, Smart Security, Smart Agriculture etc.
Facilitating Financial Inclusion: Digital banking, mobile payments, and online financial platforms improve access to banking services, especially in underserved regions. This enables more people to participate in the economy, save money, and invest in their businesses by promoting access to financial services. In addition, it improves the Growth in Fintech. The fintech sector can help provide credit, microfinance, and savings solutions to SME businesses and individuals, especially in rural areas, stimulating economic activity and growth.
Improving Education and Skill Development
The digital literacy level in ri Lanka needs to improve through digital tools and resources, which enhances education by providing access to online courses, resources, and remote learning. This can bridge education gaps and the digital divide, especially in rural areas. In addition, it can promote Skill Development for the Future, particularly, because a digital economy encourages the acquisition of skills in AI, data science, coding, digital marketing, e-business and e-commerce, which are in high demand globally. This improves employability for youth and women and prepares Sri Lanka’s workforce for the global future.
Environmental Sustainability
A digital economy reduces the need for physical infrastructure and travel, which can help minimise carbon emissions. Remote work, for instance, reduces the need for commuting, lowering the demand for fuel, decreasing pollution etc.. Further, digital solutions in areas like agriculture and energy enable more efficient use of resources, such as precision farming techniques that reduce water and pesticide use, contributing to goals of environmental sustainability and Smart Resource Management.
Challenges to Address for a Successful Digital Economy in Sri Lanka
While the benefits of a digital economy are clear, Sri Lanka faces some challenges in realizing this vision:
Digital Literacy Improving digital skills and literacy, particularly in underserved areas, will be essential for widespread adoption to promote the functioning of the digital economy.
Regulatory and Policy Framework: Clear, supportive policies that encourage digital innovation and protect consumer rights are needed to support a digital economy.
Infrastructure Development
Expanding internet access and digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas, is crucial to promote connectivity.
Cybersecurity and Privacy
Ensuring robust cybersecurity and data protection measures is also critical as more services and businesses move online and promote the concept of Smart Cities in the country.
The functions of the proposed new Ministry of Digital Economic Development would be to make decisions regarding the promotion of the digital economy in Sri Lanka and the provision of digital solutions for the development and promotion of digital economic governance and entrepreneurship development in the digital economy. The digital economy will be established by networking with all government institutions in Sri Lanka to promote efficiency in economic governance, which reduces transaction costs, and provides services with efficiency and effectiveness.
In particular, the management of the human capital and digital economy is less effective because many of these functions are not performed with the modern standards to promote efficiency in the human capital operational functions.
Accordingly, malfunctioning of the processes is rampant, no time management, and prolonged delays in service delivery, which denies the gaining of improving human capital in the country. However, the development of both the human capital and digital economy is necessary for operating with maximum efficiency for utilizing the hard-earned taxpayers’ funds. The only solution is establishing a digital economy linking all the government organizations together with the digital network to get rid of financial fraud, malpractices, bribery and corruption by using blockchain technology. For this purpose, Smart Health, Smart Education, Smart Custom, Smart Inland Revenue and Smart Exercise Department are some of the priority projects in the digital economy of Sri Lanka. Establishing and Promoting SMART Cities is also considered a necessary project for attracting investment to link the public and private sectors working together for national development. Eventually, it will assist in increasing government revenue as well.
Digital Economy and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Human capital development refers to the process of enhancing the knowledge, skills, abilities, and overall well-being of individuals, contributing to their personal and professional growth. Intellectual skills, innovation and information technology assist in wealth creation and lead to a knowledge-based economic system for Sri Lanka’s economic transformation. A Digital Economy in the transformed Sri Lanka that maximizes the use of digital technologies sustainably. It has three main scopes (a) Core scope as a Digital (IT/ICT) sector; (b) Narrow scope: Digital Economy; and (c) Broad Scope: Digitalized Economy and Society. The digital economy expects to transform the Sri Lankan economy into a fully pledged digitalized economy to gain advantages in improving economic governance attracting investment with 4IR technology and maximizing the economic and social well-being of the people.
Strategic Framework for Adopting the Digital Economy
The Strategic Framework for establishing and functioning a Digital Economy in Sri Lanka needs to establish 15 ‘Fortune Economic Zones (FEZs)’. Through these proposed FEZs, it is expected to invest in generating employment opportunities for youth and women and foreign income for the country. The proposed 15 digital FEZs are as follows:
Digitalized Economy and Society –
1 Fortune Economic Zone – For Establishing 5 Smart Cities within 3 years (pilot in Kandy and Gampaha and other 3 cities are Colombo, Matara, and Jaffna);
Adopting Smart Governance System:
1 – Fortune Economic Zone, covering E-Government Services for online public service delivery, covering Digital Platforms for citizen engagement and participation.; and Open data initiatives to provide public access to government data. Issuing a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for each citizen of the country is vital to promoting good governance and a corruption-free society. Sri Lanka needs to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, fraud and malpractices in the country. In addition, by adopting 4IR – blockchain technology in the operation of economically critical sub-sectors like customs, the Department of Inland Revenue and the Exercise Department, the government will be able to assist in maximising the generation of government revenue greatly.
Smart Mobility:
1- Fortune Economic Zone – for Intelligent transportation systems; it includes Real-time traffic management and monitoring; Smart parking solutions, and Public transportation enhancements, covering real-time tracking and scheduling;
Smart Energy –
1 Fortune Economic Zone: for Energy-efficient technologies and infrastructure; including Smart grids for efficient energy distribution; Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, waste) integration and Energy management systems for monitoring and optimizing energy consumption;
Smart Buildings and Infrastructure:
1 Fortune Economic Zone for Energy-efficient and sustainable building designs; Building automation systems for energy conservation; Smart street lighting with sensors for adaptive lighting; and Infrastructure monitoring for maintenance and safety;
Smart Environment:
1 Fortune Economic Zone, for Air and water quality monitoring systems; covering Waste management solutions, including smart bins and recycling programs; Green spaces and urban planning for environmental sustainability;
Smart Healthcare:
1 Fortune Economic Zone; Telemedicine and e-health services; it includes Health monitoring through wearable devices and sensors; Electronic health records and networking for efficient healthcare management in both state and private healthcare institutions/hospitals, Patient registration and management etc.
Smart Education:
1 Fortune Economic Zone for E-learning platforms and digital classrooms; Smart campuses with technology-enhanced learning environments; and Educational analytics for personalized learning;
Smart Security:
1 Fortune Economic Zone for Surveillance systems with video analytics; Emergency response and disaster management systems; and Cybersecurity measures to protect digital infrastructure;
Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI):
1 Fortune Economic Zone for Big data analytics for extracting valuable insights from vast datasets; AI applications for predictive analysis and decision-making; Machine learning algorithms for optimizing city services (Eg. Stock and Buffer Stock Management Systems in the economy covering both the private and state sectors’ operations).
Internet of Things (IoT):
1 Fortune Economic Zone for Sensor networks and IoT devices for collecting real-time data; and Smart sensors for monitoring and managing various aspects of city life.
Citizen Engagement and Social Innovation:
1 Fortune Economic Zone for Platforms for citizen feedback and participation, and Initiatives promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship development.
Establishing an IT park for attracting FDI
– One Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Malambe;
Establishing an IT park for attracting FDI
– 1 Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Gampaha; and
Establishing an IT Park for attracting FDI
– 1 Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Avissawella
Concluding Remarks
The development of a digital economy is a pathway to sustainable and inclusive growth in Sri Lanka. By operationalising the above strategic interventions, improving economic productivity, increasing financial inclusion, fostering innovation, and enhancing governance, a digital economy could help Sri Lanka meet its development goals and compete globally. With a strategic approach and investment in the necessary IT infrastructure, and skills, and operationalizing the above strategic operational framework with ‘Establishing ‘Fortune Economic Zones’, Sri Lanka can make a successful transition to a thriving digital economy.
As I have said with great relief before this, news in our land is good and actually excellent when compared with what spurts forth from other countries. The new government seems to be going seriously about its business of looking to the welfare of you, me, and more so our poorer brethren. Recent news of international gatherings had foreign VIPs voice their satisfaction in the way the country’s new leaders are settling down to their governing.
What’s with the world then? You do not need Cassandra to tell you what calamities are being enacted in the Middle East, Ukraine, South Korea and Trump’s disastrous, underhand, ruinous cabals and conspiracies that are fermenting in his mind for when he takes power. He was recently absolved of any crime or fault regarding the January 6, 2020 assault on the Capitol. Even we small fry heard over thousands of miles of sea and land his instigating the beefy white guys gathered that day for revolt in challenging the lawful election of Joe Biden as Prez.
Cassandra has had more than her fair share of listening to, seeing and undergoing calamities, mostly man made like our country’s bankruptcy. So, she moves to write about a hugely successful undertaking to rebuild a monument. Here is one instance of reconstruction as against destruction; giving life as opposed to taking it away, restoring beauty against causing ugliness.
Notre-Dame de Paris
The name of this most famous Roman Catholic cathedral translates to ‘Our Lady of Paris’. A cleaning and restoration project, the second after one in 1963, began in1991. Most unfortunately a fire broke out in April 2019, attributed to interference with electrical wires. The fire was no mere blaze nor limited to a part of the building. Its soaring flames devoured most of the cathedral’s roof and upper regions and heart-rending pictures showed the spires as they crumbled. All the upper artwork, the stained glass windows and priceless art, design and statues were destroyed or damaged. But after five years of reconstruction, the cathedral reopened its massive ancient doors, first to dignitaries and worldwide leaders on December 7, 2024, and now to the public. The dedication of workers achieved the near miraculous: keeping to schedule. The five year reopening deadline was kept despite predictions it would take decades. Another miracle: the total cost of 700m euros ($750m) was financed by donations.
I read that within the cathedral were some of the most precious relics of Christendom: the crown of thorns and a sliver of nail from the True Cross. They sure must have been in such safe keeping that they are intact. Centuries old Gothic, Baroque and even 18th, 19th C sculptures and altar-pieces may have been damaged. but would have been restored.
History
Thanks to Cass’s son who arranged a trip to Paris for her and forced her to prise her bottom off her easy chair and travel, she has stood in front of Notre Dame lost in praise and sheer wonder. Being secular, she moved into the cathedral and with solemnity spent some quiet time absorbing the wonders on the ceiling wall and even the floor. The expanse of stained glass windows was stunning. Watching the opening ceremony of the restored cathedral, all these appear as marvelous as ever.
The cathedral, a medieval place of Catholic worship, is sited on the Ile de la Cité – an island in the River Seine. Construction began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and largely completed in 1260. Dedicated to Virgin Mary, it is considered the finest example of French Gothic architecture. It is also exceptional for its three pipe organs and its immense church bells. The cathedral, as is to be expected, has seen tumultuous times. In the 1790s during the French Revolution it suffered extensive desecration with much of its imagery – sculptures, paintings –vandalised. However great ceremonies and even jubilation have occurred within its doors, such as the coronation of Napoleon; and funerals of French Presidents. Victor Hugo’s famous 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, reawakened interest in the cathedral which led to its restoration between 1844 and 1864. One supposes extensive damage was not done to the glorious church during WW II since France capitulated to the Germans with not much fight. On August 26, 1944, the Liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation was celebrated in Notre Dame with the singing of the Magnificat within.
About 12m people visit the church annually making it the most visited Parisian monument. In 1805, it was awarded honorary status as minor basilica, the meaning of which is “a large oblong hall with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a law court or for public assemblies.” So it is a Christian church whose building is similar to a Roman basilica. It also means a church granted special privileges by a Pope. Incidentally, the present Pope was not present at the opening ceremony; a message from him was read.
Opening ceremony
Writing of this grand occasion which Cass watched on YouTube, it was so noticeable (and distasteful to her) the attention and prime place of importance given to Donald Trump, at least by reporting media and even the reception committee. After all he is not even the US President yet. Detailed showing was of his being received by 46 year young Emmanuel Macron and wife, overshadowing the receiving of the Prince of Wales and other present leaders who attended. What Cass noticed was how the splendour, grace and solemnity of the occasion were lost on Trump. True. He looked foolishly blasé – indifferent, even bored. The boor! Macron was all courtesy, not so his wife, seated next to Trump. No gesture of deference from her.
The great achievement of reconstructing such a magnificent and massive building within schedule called for celebration and congratulations from all the world. I write in detail about this world event because it celebrates man’s ingenuity and commitment and its construction as opposed to destruction that goes on unabated, with two persons most guilty: Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. The former is now giving evidence in court against charges of corruption and granting favours for which expensive gifts were accepted. Putin’s time of retribution will surely come for the blood spilt in Ukraine.
Sri Lanka’s treasure
Tomorrow is Unduvap Poya, which commemorates the arrival of Sanghamitta Theri from India, bearing a sapling from the Bo Tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. She also started the Mehenisassna, acceding to the request of Queen Anula of the court of King Devanampiya Tissa. The sapling, now more than 2500 years old, is in Anuradhapura surrounded by many healthy Bo trees. It is a symbol of the living Buddha. Remember the story of how during his 29 years of almost continuous residence in Savathhi (Sravasti), the Buddha decided to proceed on a teaching journey. Ven Ananda asked him how the monks would manage without him present. The Buddha suggested a Bo sapling be brought from Gaya and planted in the grounds. Its second or third generation is a wide spreading tree in that most sanctified of places in India.
The symbol of the Bo tree brings to mind the Dhamma taught by the Buddha; the four Noble Truths and the Path we need to follow, minus too many rites and rituals which now seem to take precedence over the pure Dhamma. Even this attitude may change under the influence and principles of the new government and leaders we have.
Peace and joy to you!
by Ifham Nizam
(Second part of the interview with Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, lead author and lead photographer of ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ published by John Beaufoy Publishing.)
Q: Wildlife photography can be demanding. Could you share some memorable experiences or challenges you’ve encountered while capturing wildlife?
A: I remember once I saw a bull elephant standing still by a waterhole in Yala. My safari vehicle driver wanted to move on. There was nothing to see, he said. I thought there was something going on. The elephant was strangely still. Perhaps it was communicating with a herd using infrasound? Other vehicles drove up. ‘There is nothing to see’ I heard them say and they drove on hoping for a leopard or sloth bear or some elephants that were doing something. We waited, watched, waited and watched. Another bull elephant emerged and the two had clearly been in conversation. But not amicably. A brief fight ensued. I did not get any amazing pictures on that occasion but it was deeply satisfying to know my instinct had been correct.
On another occasion I did get some good images by positioning my vehicle unobtrusively behind some low scrub overlooking a grassy glade. A bull elephant was grazing peacefully and another arrived and a fight ensued, yards away from my vehicle. I was nervous. In Tsavo East National Park I was on a game drive and came to a waterhole with two hippos. The driver wanted to move on. I suggested we just stay and enjoy the bird life and watch the animals coming in procession to drink water. The driver reluctantly agreed and dozed off. A bull elephant arrived and there was this amazing display of aggression between one of the hippos and the elephant. But it does not have to be large animals.
I am just as thrilled if I am in Diyasaru Wetland Park and a huge Water Monitor walks past me. In the Gambia I was on foot photographing Baboons when I was hit by a branch that had snapped back as a large alpha male pushed past it. I froze as this fearsome male unexpectedly walked past within inches of me. As a rule, I am very careful to keep a safe distance and I think safety is very important. No photograph is worth a photographer risking injury or death or triggering an angry reaction from an animal. But when you are on foot and you are absorbed with watching wildlife and taking images, it is easy for animals to sneak up on you. So always be careful, especially if you are in an area where there are animals that could kill you or kill you and eat you.
Q: How do you approach ethical considerations in wildlife photography, especially when photographing rare or endangered species?
A:My general rule with all wildlife photography is that the welfare of the subject comes first. No photograph is worth disturbing an animal from its feeding or resting. My approach is to let an animal come to me or to approach it very carefully and let it get used to my presence. I will keep my distance and avoid forcing it to flee. Quite often by waiting at a distance an animal gets used to me and approaches me closely. This then makes it possible to observe and photograph natural behaviour.
Q: Do you have any upcoming projects or books on the horizon that you’re excited about?
A. Well, I seem to be going back full circle. My recent book ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ was meant to be the one book a wildlife enthusiast or a professional naturalist would take if they only had the space and weight in their field bag for one book. Thanks to contributions from thirteen section contributors it goes some way to being that useful one book. Although having said that, we all know Sri Lanka is so biodiverse that there can never be one field guide.
The present book is a good compromise in size, approaching the upper limit of weight people will carry as a field guide. But following Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and the devaluation of the currency, the book is too expensive for many people who work in tourism and wildlife. The foundation for this book was laid in a series of simple photographic leaflets and booklets I did many years ago for people to have affordable field guide literature. These simple pictorial booklets had a huge impact. In the early days for a hundred rupees, you could buy one of these simple guides that helped you to put a name to a butterfly or dragonfly. I have been having discussions with my publisher to work with the tourism sector to going back to developing a series of such affordable mini guides for people who can’t afford the more expensive books.
PG Wildlife of Sri Lanka Hi-res back
Q: What advice would you give to budding naturalists and photographers who is keen to follow in your footsteps?
A: A good wildlife photographer is also a good naturalist. Try to learn as much as you can about the plants and animals around you. That will open up new worlds for photography which you had not imagined. Being a wildlife photographer requires two skills, as a photographer and as a naturalist. As a photographer you need to understand elements such as lighting, exposure, composition, how to frame a subject and so on. The skills that go into taking a portrait of a person are the same skills that are needed to take a gook wildlife image. Of course, with wildlife, you have no control over wild subjects. So sometimes you have to either position yourself or wait for the subject to move into the right position where lighting, background, composition all come together. Sometimes it never works out and you have to settle for record shots.
Also give some thought to what you are taking the images for. For many people wildlife photography is a creative pursuit to take stunning images to celebrate the natural world. If you are using it to illustrate an article, then you need a range of images to tell the story. If it is for a field guide to plants for example, then it can become quite technical as you first need to understand subtle features that distinguish one species from another. Fortunately, there is now a lot of knowledge available for free on the internet. You can also study the imagery of top photographers to understand how they approach composition.
In my own case, education and creating a livelihood for people out of wildlife tourism has become the main plank of my activities. As a result, even when I am in Yala, without driving around in pursuit of the perfect leopard photograph, I often stop to take pictures of plants which other people might think is quite boring or even a waste of precious time on a game drive.
Q: You’ve done a great deal to promote Eco-Tourism in the country. What more can be done to make it a sustainable industry?
At the macro level, we need the private sector and government agencies to collaborate to make the experience good for both the wildlife and people. In the open sea, if whale watching boats crowd around a whale that is stressful for a feeding whale. Many visitors also do not enjoy the experience. To improve whale watching it needs a combination of training the boat crews as well as enforcement. I was whale watching in Vancouver recently and I noticed how a patrol boat kept an eye on the whale watching boats to ensure they observed the guidelines on distance.
In places like Yala, the experience for visitors can be improved by having different routes with different numbers of vehicles allowed on the routes. People should also be able buy tickets in advance for different timed entry slots. This is not to create a situation where only people with money will be able to see leopards. Each route can be chosen so that on any of the routes there is a near equal likelihood of seeing a leopard. But it can be priced differently so that people who want routes with fewer vehicles allowed can buy tickets for more expensive routes. This will suit people who want a leopard encounter without being disturbed by too many other vehicles. People who just want to see what the park is like or are happy to see birds and plants can buy tickets for a cheaper route which allows a larger number of vehicles.
Then beyond the immediate visitor experience, there are a number of other things we should look at. Tourism, as with everything else, should adopt sustainability practices. The three Rs, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle come into mind. We should adopt this in our personal lives. For example, can we reduce the clothes we buy and wear them for longer. When a shirt is too frayed on the sleeves to be worn when going out, can we re-purpose it as a night shirt?
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne
The providers of tourist accommodation can play a bigger role by adopting sustainable practices. But they can also play a major part in education and habitat creation. The educational aspect is easier if you have a resident naturalist or a member of staff who is willing to take guests on a guided nature walk. My recent book, ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ which covers 1,180 species with section contributions from 13 others aims to be something that local naturalists can use as a learning tool.
Tourist hotels can also play a big part in habitat creation. At the larger end this can be the creation of man-made wetlands such as at Jetwing Vil Uyana. But it could be something as simple as planting a few wildlife friendly fruit trees. Or, leaving aside a small patch to grow wild. Nectar plants can be planted for pollinators. But remember, with all species you need to think about not just of their food source, but what physical conditions they require for their lifecycle. This included places to rest and places to reproduce.
Q: How do you balance the dual goals of attracting tourists and protecting natural habitats?
In a developing country like Sri Lanka there is a strong linkage. Yes, we can make commitments to sustainable goals such as the amount of forest cover we want to have. These make a lot of sense in terms of the ecosystem services provided by nature. However, what most people want is to be able to provide for their families. If you are poor and living next to a forest you want to be able to feed your family and afford simple things like buying school books for your children. A forest which is simply declared inviolate is no good. But if you can earn a good living as a wildlife tourism service provider, then you will be happy to conserve the forest. But for this to work, there has to be very good infrastructure for visitors to be able to visit it, and stay and have access to visitor amenities. It needs thinking.
But if it is too successful, does it become a victim of its own success? If it reaches that point, other visitor management measures can be applied including requiring the advance purchase of limited ticket numbers and also developing the infrastructure in a way that different visitors are kept entertained in different ways. At sites where visitors can go about by foot, many casual visitors will be very happy to stay within a radius of a kilometre from the visitor centre. If you think about it, a shopping mall with a very small footprint can still manage to handle tens of thousands of visitors in a day. Well managed nature reserves have also learnt to keep many visitors confined to a small area, leaving those who are more serious to explore further afield.
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