Farmers threaten to convert protest to fast-unto-death over elephant issue

 Farmers protesting over the non-gazetting of the Proposed Wild Elephant Management Reserve in Hambantota have threatened to convert their protest onto a fast-unto-death campaign.

The move came as the protest at Walsapugala reached its 50th day without a solution to the issue, despite promises from cabinet ministers.

I.K. Sudharshana representing the Walawa Left Bank farmers association said that the failure to issue the gazette has resulted in illegal encroachment of lands and the elephants coming into the villages.

He said that if a solution is not received,  they would have no option, but to convert the protest into a fast-unto-death campaign.

It was on January 18 that villages including farmers from Walsapugala, Hambantota decided to take to the streets demanding the Proposed Wild Elephant Management Reserve in Hambantota, be included in the government gazette. 

The  village in the frontlines of the Human-Elephant conflict has been experiencing a series of incidents where elephants enter their villages and damage crops and demolish houses.

Cabinet Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa are among those who have promised to get the gazette issued soon.

(Pix and text by Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi)