Second group of farmers stage satyagraha against Human-Elephant conflict

Colombo (News 1st); Farmers from Mahiyanganaya commenced a satyagraha campaign on Wednesday (17) in support of the Walsapugala farmers who are also engaged in a similar campaign demanding a solution for the human-elephant conflict.

The All Ceylon Agrarian Confederation and the Mahiyanganaya Farmers Collective are engaged in this satyagraha campaign at the Mahiyanganaya town. "This movement will spread to all parts of the country where the human-elephant conflict is worsening by the day," said one farmer adding they will not be deceived by the rulers again. These farmers do not represent any political movement and are staging this satyagraha campaign because they too are constantly faced with the human-elephant conflict. "I was hoping to cook a meal for the new year with the fresh harvest, however, wild elephant encroached on the village and destroyed it all," said a female farmer adding for the past 12 years she was leading a bitter life to protect her cultivations day and night from wild elephants. It is also alleged that many lands in Ulhitiya-Dela have been sold off to multi-national companies and the elephant that used to roam free in Ulhitiya have now been forced to move into settlements in search of food. "The government is giving away lands in Rambaken Oya as well. Wild elephants have no place to live because of these decisions," said one farmer.