An Echelon Media Company
Tuesday December 5th, 2023

Karu calls for action on rapidly escalating human-elephant conflict

Karu Jayasuriya

ECONOMYNEXT – The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) is calling on the government to immediately act on mitigating the human-elephant conflict in the country which has recently escalated making Sri Lanka the country with the highest number of elephant deaths in the world.

NMSJ Chairman former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told reporters yesterday that the authorities continue to ignore the seriousness of the issue.

“As a result, Sri Lanka has become the country with the highest number of elephant deaths in the world due to clashes between elephants and humans. Not only that, Sri Lanka has the second-highest deaths of humans caused due to the human-elephant conflict,” he said.

He said that NMSJ “studied the valuable research papers and recommendations of Dr Sumith Pilapitiya and Dr Prithiviraj Fernando, who are eminent scholars in this field. As we have been informed, this situation has also come to the notice of a parliamentary committee.”

“Today, 131 Divisional Secretariats in 19 districts in eight provinces are impacted by the human-elephant conflict. Also, the number of Divisional Secretariats where the human-elephant conflict is rapidly escalating is increasing annually at a record rate,” he pointed out.

“For example, the human-elephant conflict has spread from Hambantota in the South to the Madurankeni or Vadamarachchi East Divisional Secretariat belonging to the Jaffna District in the North,” he said.

“There are many world-renowned scholars in our country who study the facts and give valuable opinions and recommendations about the issue. Their findings and recommendations have even received special attention internationally. It is reported that foreign delegations also visited Sri Lanka to study these matters. Sadly, not much attention has been paid to their opinions locally,” he said.

At the same time, compensation for physical and property damage to the public must continue to be paid. As far as we know, no compensation has been paid for crop damage. Therefore, the government has to pay appropriate compensation for this damage. Also, in order to rid the country from this problem, an action plan needs to be planned at the national level.

Jayasuriya also said that he hears of several large scale frauds being brazenly committed in this country without any hesitation or fear. “It is a pity to have to talk about such incidents. The public did not expect a government consisting of politicians who often made promises to the people about clean governance and clean financial governance would commit such acts. It has caused deep embarrassment to the majority in this country.”

The government is not giving any explanation about the massive fraud of Rs. 10 billion that took place in this country with his involvement. This is clearly a serious blow to the confidence that the people of this country have in the President. It will mar his reputation. He should understand that Jayasuriya went on.

Jayasuriya also called for justice for the stranded migrant workers in the Middle East.

“Last week we pointed out the number of Sri Lankan migrant workers stranded in a number of countries, including the Middle East and the difficulties they are facing without any help or support.”

“We suggested that the funds created using their own money be used to repatriate these Sri Lankan workers. We pointed out that the fund holds around an estimated Rs. 14 billion. Following this, it was reported that the number of migrant workers being brought to Sri Lanka has increased by this week,” he added.

It is a piece of good news for all involved and it would have been a more valuable humanitarian act if these Sri Lankan workers could have been provided with all repatriation facilities from the fund established through their own money without being unfairly charged to return to their homeland. (Colombo, January 22, 2021)

Reported by Arjuna Ranawana

Comments (1)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. sacre blieu says:

    There have been many studies and failed solutions to this conflict. Humans and even the natural habitat have to be in a sate of co-assistance, and importantly, maintain a delicate balance, mostly due to the rapidly growing of the human population and following encroachment of the natural habitat as a result, in addition to the environment decay. We have to curtail the expanding population, and both the rulers and the citizen have to seriously take note and action. Even with modern improvement and expansion of living area, the rest of available land is terribly insufficient to deliver the follow up necessitates for sustaining life , and what with the hand out of huge tracts of land to a few individuals, a few justified.

View all comments (1)

Comments (1)

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. sacre blieu says:

    There have been many studies and failed solutions to this conflict. Humans and even the natural habitat have to be in a sate of co-assistance, and importantly, maintain a delicate balance, mostly due to the rapidly growing of the human population and following encroachment of the natural habitat as a result, in addition to the environment decay. We have to curtail the expanding population, and both the rulers and the citizen have to seriously take note and action. Even with modern improvement and expansion of living area, the rest of available land is terribly insufficient to deliver the follow up necessitates for sustaining life , and what with the hand out of huge tracts of land to a few individuals, a few justified.

Sri Lanka rupee closes stronger at 327.40/90 to the US dollar

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 327.40/90 to the US dollar on Tuesday, from 328.10/30 the previous day, dealers said.

Bond yields were stable.

A bond maturing on 01.06.2025 closed at 13.60/70 percent from 13.70/14.00 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.08.2026 closed at 13.90/14.00 percent from 13.90/14.10 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.01.2027 closed at 14.00/15 percent from 14.00/14.10 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2028 closed at 14.10/20 percent from 14.20/35 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.05.2030 closed at 14.20/35 percent, from 14.25/45 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2032 closed at 14.10/35 percent, from 14.05/40 percent. (Colombo/Dec5/2023)

Continue Reading

Sri Lanka stocks close down as investor sentiment dips

ECONOMYNEXT – The Colombo Stock Exchange closed down on Tuesday, CSE data showed.

The All Share Price Index was down 0.40 percent, or 43.50 points, at 10,700.09.

The S&P SL20 index was up 0.43 percent, or 13.32 points, at 3,054.41.

Turnover was at 711 million. The capital goods sector contributed 172 million, the food, beverage and tobacco sector contributed 140 million, and banks 113 million of this.

Top positive contributors to the ASPI in the day were John Keells Holdings Plc (up at 193.00), Richard Pieris And Company Plc (up at 19.80), and Nation Lanka Finance Plc, (up at 0.40).

Negative contributors were Commercial Bank of Ceylon Plc (down at 89.70), Sampath Bank Plc (down at 71.00), and Central Finance Company Plc, (down at 106.00). (Colombo/Dec5/2023).

Continue Reading

Sri Lanka plans to reduce number of school grades from 13 to 12

ECONOMYNEXT – The Ministry of Education proposes to reduce the number of school grades from 13 to 12, according to a government information department statement.

“Every child will be given the opportunity to finish school in 17 years through the proposed new education reforms,” education officials were quoted as saying after a discussion on budget allocations.

Under the proposed system, pre-school education will be at the age of 4 years, the primary section between grades 1-5, junior section between grades 6-8, and senior section between grades 9-12.

The General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Exam (GCE O/L) is proposed to be conducted in grade 10, and the Advanced Level Examination in grade 12.

It has also been decided to reduce the number of mandatory subjects at the GCE O/L Exam from 9 to 7.

Three new subjects, information and communication technology (ICT), technical and professional skills, and religion and values will be made mandatory and included in those 7 subjects. (Colombo/Dec5/2023)

Continue Reading