Sri Lanka Minister Namal Rajapaksa gave his promise that the Wild Elephant Management Reserve will be formally established
Hambantota, Sri Lanka. Today, Minister Namal Rajapaksa gave his promise that the Wild Elephant Management Reserve (EMR) within southeast Sri Lanka will be gazetted (protected).
Rajapaksa expressed these strong words today:
"if certain officials are operating on the needs of industrialists using large areas of land for cultivations, necessary action will be taken against them following consultation with the Secretary of Defence."
This is huge news! He is going after the greedy businessmen and likely low level politicians that have raped and pillaged this beautiful landscape!
Some background: In 2012 an agreement was struck that the MER would be established concurrently with the development of the new airport, marina and industrial complex near the port of Hambantota. This was a result of an extensive environmental review and mitigation plan.
Lies everywhere! 8 years later and it has not yet happened! Human/Elephant conflict has been epic in this critical region for the survival of wild elephants. Crop raiding has been happening almost nightly and many human and elephant deaths have resulted.
Locals from various associations collaborated and protested, while international attention has also been drawn to the issue, as it involves two worldwide critical issues: China's military expansion and the plight of a much loved endangered species.
This all began when then-president Rajapaksa took out multi-billion dollar loans from China to fund the industrialization of this heretofore rich wetland/biozone. This area is the southern terminus of a critical South Asian Flyway, as well as intermittent home to up to 500 wild elephants.
The Chinese strategy: They have trapped a multitude of developing countries into accepting loans with the knowledge they can never be paid back. They then take land in exchange for debt, as loan defaults are inevitable for these poor countries. In this case, the Chinese took 15,000 prime acres! This 'land for debt' swap is a corrupt strategy that China uses throughout the world, yet naive and/or economically optimistic politicians take the money! China wanted this land badly as part of their Maritime Silk Road. They now have it, while the Hambantota locals and elephants have forever lost their way of life.
Will Minister Namal Rajapaksa honor his word and help establish a protection zone for wild elephants (MER), while stopping the stealing of more land? Being the eldest son of the Prime Minister, and nephew of the current president, he has serious influence. He says he will…we will be watching!
