Sinharaja road issue (2 items)

Sinharaja road rape stopped by UNESCO

Yapa may proceed anyway?

By Lakshmi Jayakody and Rathindra Kuruwita

In a good example of a foreign body intervening when local laws have been flouted, UNESCO could revoke Sri Lanka’s "World Heritage Site” description given to Sinharaja forest, and hence perhaps save imminent destruction of the reserve, due to the proposed road construction that the government had embarked upon. The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sinharaja as a World Heritage Site in 1988.

UNESCO National Commission Secretary General, Preethi Perera said that UNESCO holds the government responsible not only for the site but also for the surrounding areas which are important for its preservation.

“If UNESCO feels that the relevant authorities are not protecting the site the committee would place a site on its list of ‘World Heritage sites endangered’ (leading to revocation of the description) and attempt to negotiate with the local authorities to remedy the situation. If mediation fails, the committee will definitely revoke the designation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Environment, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa hinted yesterday that the construction of the road through Ilumbakanda and Beragala proposed Sanctuary adjoining Sinharaja is likely to continue.
“The road is built on private land and we have no right to intervene. Although environmentalists are against it, the people in the area want the road, so we will try to reach a compromise,” he said, addressing a media briefing at the Central Environmental Authority premises.

However, it is learnt that Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa has called for an Environmmental Impact Assesment on the issue, and the road construction has been stopped pending its recommendations.

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SINHARAJA ROAD DISASTER
UNESCO proves our laws don’t work

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Minister of Environment Anura Priyadharshana Yapa ‘temporarily suspended’ construction of the proposed six km road which runs through the Ilubakanda and Beragala proposed sanctuaries, which abut the Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area, a world heritage site – after UNESCO demanded an explanation from the Ministry of Environment, as to what was going on in the area. 

However this suspension is valid only until he returns to the country after attending the 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The minister had to make this hasty announcement after it was made known that a special team of experts from UNESCO was quite likely to visit the site and would either ‘red list’ or revoke the world heritage title given to the area under the circumstances.

International interference saves Sinharaja

In recent years environmental activists have attempted to prevent many unplanned and dangerous development activities from being carried out in ecologically sensitive areas with minimum success. The road through Sinharaja would have been built, in violation of all domestic laws, if not for the prompt action by UNESCO. 

In essence, the message given by the Sri Lankan government, is that only international pressure can make them take measures which should instead have been brought through domestic mechanisms and local laws. The significance of this, at a time when many critics claim that only international intervention can move the government to address the country’s human rights situation with regard to what took place during the last phase of the war, might also be pertinent in strengthening the pro-LTTE elements’ claims that our domestic mechanisms are ineffective and politicized.

UNESCO to investigate

UNESCO National Commission Secretary General, Preethi Perera told LAKBIMAnEWS that while UNESCO is likely to take the minister’s decision ‘as a positive step forward’ it will closely monitor future developments. The Commission will also attempt to determine whether human activity has changed the ecology of the site.

“These are areas of universal importance and the government is responsible not only for the site, but also for the surrounding areas which are important for the preservation of the named site,” he said. “After reviewing the newspaper reports about the road adjoining Sinharaja, UNESCO has asked the Ministry of Environment to respond to the allegations, and is likely to send a team to investigate after the ministry replies. The minister’s statement is not enough; the ministry will have to provide an in-depth report,” he added.

The title of ‘World Heritage Site’ is considered not only prestigous but is also known to stimulate tourism. However if UNESCO feels that the relevant authorities are not protecting the site, the committee will place the site on its list ‘World Heritage – endangered designation,’ and attempt to negotiate with the local authorities to remedy the situation. If remedial attempts fail, the committee will revoke the designation.

Another Yapa says project is on

On the other hand, the minister’s colleague, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane speaking at the press conference to announce cabinet decisions, stated that the road will be built without harming the UNESCO World Heritage site, and that the project had been approved by the Rakwana Development Council recently.
“This is an old Gam Saba road which existed a long time ago and the plan to make it a 20ft road was made a few decades ago. We are merely implementing it but the road does not go through the Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area,” he said. 

It seems that the minister is unaware that three km of the road has already been cleared, and that the 20ft road has gone through Ilubakanda and has entered the proposed Beragala sanactuary, both biodiversity hotspots that were gazetted in 2004 to come under the Department of Wildlife. In addition, some sections of the road come dangerously close to Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area.

“Some parts of the road hug less than 100m away from the Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area. This is illegal and what is worse is that the road is only the beginning. Already we have heard that people have been promised one h.a. plots of land to plant tea alongside the road and another sector is to be given to hotel projects,” said Sajeewa Chamikara of the Environment Conservation Trust (ECT.)

Invasive species: Is damage already done?

Only one-fifth of the Earth’s original forests remain in large, relatively natural ecosystems. These are known as frontier forests, and Sinharaja (see main story) is one of them. 

Frontier forests are large and natural enough to ensure the long-term survival of their fauna and flora, including the biggest and rarest mammals with the most extensive home-ranges. On the other hand, as a haven for endemic species, frontier forests are invaluable refuges for global biodiversity. Forests are home to between 50 and 90 per cent of the world’s terrestrial species, which have provided much of the food and other basics that humans need to survive.

Building a road through such an important system will effectively fragment Sinharaja and destroy its fauna as the road would act as a barrier which hinders animal migration, and will lead to a gradual weakening of the gene pool. 

“When you build a road across a habitat/ecosystem the animal population in the area gets divided. This will lead to an ‘island effect.’ Amphibians, lizards and mammals will not be able to cross the road and that will reduce the diversity in the gene pool,” said environmentalist Madura de Silva. 

With human activity comes invasive fauna and flora which could endanger the delicate ecosystem. Predators like jays, crows, dogs and cats are usually not abundant in extensive forests. But when a forest is fragmented, predators gain more access to the woodland.
“In addition, invasive plant species creep into virgin forest areas and cause havoc. These invasive plants and animals are extremely difficult to get rid of; we know that from examples around the world,” said environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardane.

CEA and Forest Conservation Department play dead

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and Forest Conservation Department are responsible for the protection of the affected areas. However, apart from the independent action taken by local officials of the forest department, the two institutions have been extremely silent about the construction of the road.
“When the local forest department agents heard that backhoes are being transported to Ilumabanda, they set off to investigate. However armed goons threatened them and asked them to leave if they valued their lives. When the officials complained to the Rakwana police, the police who should have escorted the officials and apprehended the goons, refused to assist,” added Gunawardane.

He explained that any development activity in a sensitive area requires CEA approval. However the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has not been obtained. Although environmental agencies have informed both institutions about the construction of the road, so far both institutions have not taken any action.


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