Mahaweli Authority in Sri Lanka is illegally clearing forest land in Welioya, Mullaitivu, for a new settlement, exacerbating the human elephant conflict. The land being cleared is rare thick forest in the dry zone and critical elephant habitat in the Anandakulam and Veppamkulam forest reserves. Historically the Mahaweli Authority has been the leader in elephant habitat destruction. Now that there is very little forest land left in Sri Lanka, there is a disturbing trend of the Mahaweli Authority raiding nature reserves. We respectfully ask his excelency The President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksha and the Mahaweli Authority not to clear forest land in Welioya, Mullaituvi.
http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/22099-mahaweli-authority-trying-to-clear-forest-reserves.html
http://www.mahaweli.gov.lk/
His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa,
We, the undersigned, respectfully request that His Excellency use his authority as the President of Sri Lanka, to ensure that the Mahaweli Authority follows the rule of law and does not destroy nature reserves for their projects.
In particular, the illegal encroachment by the Mahaweli Authority of the rare dry zone forests in Anandakulam and Veppamkulam in the Welioya, Mullaitivu region, which is also critical elephant habitat. This type of illegal encroachment exacerbates the human elephant conflict by driving elephants into surrounding villages.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens of Sri Lanka and the World.
