Protests against the opening of a road in the nature reserve

In recent days, conservationists and local residents prevented more than 300 people from travelling by bus on the Puttalam-Marichchikadai route, which passes through an area known for its biodiversity. The park was established in 1938 and became a battlefield during the civil war. Only the Supreme Court has so far prevented the destruction of the sensitive ecosystem.

Colombo () – Two Sri Lankan MPs tried to enter the Wilpattu National Park via an illegal road built during the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In recent days, conservationists and local residents prevented more than 300 people, led by Ali Sabri Raheem, a member of the Muslim National Alliance, and K. Kader Masthan, Minister of Rural Economy, from travelling by bus on the Puttalam-Marichchikadai route, which passes through the Kallaru reserve, an area known for its biodiversity. Their reason for introducing a new bus service in the park is the collapse of the Eluwankulama highway.

Wilpattu National Park was designated as such in 1938. It covers 13,500 hectares and is located on the north-west coast of Sri Lanka. During the war between the army and the Tamil Tigers, the park became a battlefield. After the conflict ended in 2009, environmental NGOs, including the Environmental Foundation Limited, noticed that two roads had been built inside the park, probably for military purposes: one follows the coast and leads to Kudiramalai Point, while the other, the Puttalam-Marichchikadai, divides the protected area in two.

Only the Supreme Court has so far prevented the destruction of the sensitive ecosystem. In 2010, the Environmental Foundation Limited filed a suit against the opening of the road to the public, but the case has not yet been concluded. The court issued an interim order blocking the development of the road at least until the next hearing on July 17.

Lawyers Darshini Ranatunga and Upendra Gamage told that “in 2010, the Environmental Foundation Limited and the Department of Wildlife Conservation obtained a court order to prohibit the use of the road as an entrance to the park until the case is resolved. No construction project can be carried out without prior written approval, either from a private party or from the State,” the lawyers specified.

According to a Sri Lanka Transport Board official, MP Raheem had requested a bus to take some passengers from Mannar to Puttalam via the national park, but they were not informed of a specific date or time.

Farmers living in Kudiramalai, a village near Wilpattu, said that “the MPs and their supporters wanted to woo voters from Puttalam and Mannar with the connivance of senior government officials. Two groups of supporters are planning to cross the park by bus and meet at the Eluvankulama transit point.”