The right to live in our ancestral land has been denied by greedy businessmen backed by politicians who have left a trail of destruction to vast swaths of forests in Pollebedda, said leader of the indigenous community, Wanaspathi Uruwarige Wannila aththo during a recent visit to the location by environmentalists and journalists.
He said that destruction of forests has been taking place for a long time with no notice being taken by the authorities. “I received several messages about the destruction before I arrived at the location. Our people have inhabited this land for generations and had lived peacefully with the surroundings but now our survival has been threatened by those trying to grab land to carry out business activities,” he said.
According to Wannila aththo, his community had complained about the destruction to the local authorities on several occasions but to no avail.
“Some of my people visited me and told me what has taken place has caused irreplaceable damage to the ecology. Usually I am not someone who simply accepts facts until I know that they are true. However, having visited the place I am sad and ashamed to see the activity of inhuman people in this rich and blessed land that has sustained people for generations,” Wannila aththo said.
“The head of the Centre for Environmental Justice and media personnel are witnesses to the destruction. More land is to be cleared soon and if no action is taken our people will be left homeless,” he said, adding that the law is applied only to the helpless. “If our people try to build a hut or carry a stick they will be taken to task, but if the powerful destroy large areas of land no action is taken against them.
“The forest is not the possession of the indigenous people but it is everyone’s land which needs to be preserved for the generations to come.
“Forests and its environment are something that everyone wants. We need to protect every living being in it. The whole world is talking about natural disasters caused by environmental destruction which must be stopped immediately.
“The heritage, our belongings and culture 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. When farming takes place using these water sources, the water gets polluted. The reservoir provides drinking water. We have experienced this since the start of the Mahaweli project in the 1980s.
“If the authorities fail to take action I will go to courts on behalf of my people and our homeland,” Wannila aththo said.