A large group of Buddhist monks, environmentalists and social activists held a protest in front of the Ministry of Environment yesterday morning, demanding the immediate resignation of the Director General of Wildlife and the Minister of Environment, who they said must take responsibility for the death of the elephant Kavanthissa.
The protesters said environmentalists and local residents had warned for a long time about threats to Kavanthissa’s life. However, the responsible authorities had failed to take the necessary action. Kavanthissa was considered one of the largest elephants not only in Sri Lanka but also in South Asia.
They said the failure to protect an elephant like Kavanthissa, which should have been protected as a national treasure, was a clear example of the inefficiency of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Ministry of Environment.
The protesters demanded that Director General of Wildlife and Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi resign immediately, accepting responsibility for Kavanthissa’s death while the elephant was receiving veterinary treatment.
They also pointed out that people continued to occupy forest lands, including elephant migration routes and grasslands. They said illegal hunting and other human activities had become common in forests, leading to increasing conflicts between elephants and people. The protesters accused the government of showing no real interest in solving these problems.
Manjula Perera
Speaking to the media, well-known wildlife photographer Manjula Perera said that several elephants, including Kavanthissa and Bhatheeya, had died in similar circumstances in recent times. He said the lack of proper intervention by the Department of Wildlife Conservation was one of the main reasons for these deaths.
He added that although Kavanthissa was a very large animal, it was a peaceful elephant. He described the death of such an animal in these circumstances as a great tragedy.
Manjula Perera also said that the public knew about Agriculture Minister Lal Kantha’s statement telling farmers to do whatever they wanted with wild animals that entered their cultivated lands. He said such an irresponsible statement by an elected representative paid with public money could not be accepted.
He pointed out that the minister’s inappropriate statement could also encourage hunters to kill elephants and other wild animals.
Perera said immediate action was needed to protect the remaining elephants, including Agbo. He also called for more veterinary surgeons graduating from the University of Peradeniya to be recruited into the Department of Wildlife Conservation to break the monopoly in providing veterinary services. He stressed that the responsible authorities had a duty to listen to public protests.
Social activists and people from areas such as Galgamuwa, where human-elephant conflict is common, also took part in the peaceful protest.
They said that despite repeatedly reporting the takeover of grasslands and tank reservations in their areas by people, wildlife authorities had failed to intervene effectively. They added that, as a result, they were eventually threatened by illegal operators.