Sri Lankan Minister of Wildlife Resources and Conservation Management Must Resign.

  • by: Rahula Gunasekera
  • recipient: Minister of Wildlife Resources and Conservation Management, Mr. Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni de Zoysa.

We call on the Sri Lankan Minister of Wildlife Resources and Conservation Management, Mr. Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni de Zoysa, to vacate his post due to conflicts of interest.  The minister is allowing the exploitation of nature reserves for immediate illegal profit and does not care to preserve wildlife habitats for future generations. The minister is suspected to be complicit in the following eco crimes:

  1. Involvement in the kidnapping of wild elephants for temple and tourist use. (1)(2)
  2. Sanctioning illegal settlement of national parks and elephant habitat by subsistence farmers for political gain.(3)(4)(5)
  3. Allowing the illegal construction of hotels and roads inside national parks and critical wetlands such as Muthurajawela and world heritage sites such as Sinharaja rainforest and The Knuckles Range. (6)(7)
  4. Allowing commercial agriculture in elephant habitat, exacerbating the existing human elephant conflict.(8)
  5. Allowing tens of thousands of cattle to compete for food with wild elephants, driving wild elephants into conflict with small scale farmers. (9)
  6. Not funding adequate vet staff to deal with injured elephants, while profiting from our wild elephants. (10)
  7. Inaction in creating new marine parks and national parks, such as in Northern Sri Lanka to allow elephant migration as recommended by ISEA. (11)
  8. Suspected involvement in illegal logging and mining inside national parks. (12)(13)(14)
  9. Never arresting or convicting anyone for killing elephants when over 200 elephants get killed illegally every year.(15)
  10. Suspected complicity in the bush meat trade inside national parks.(16)

 

  1.       http://www.ceylontoday.lk/51-63258-news-detail-poisoned-or-sedated.html
  2.       http://www.lankafreedom.com/english/news-1-15-741.html
  3.       http://www.nafso-online.org/2013/12/61860-acres-grabbed-sans-forest-dept.html
  4.        http://www.lankafreedom.com/english/news-1-15-819.html
  5.        http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/sri-lankan-government-vets-go-on-strike-in-protest-over-treatment-of-wild-elephants-2055356.html
  6.       http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/07/25/knuckling-it-down/
  7.       http://www.lankastandard.com/2011/08/sinharaja-forest-reserve-desecrated-rajapakse-family-accused-of-destroying-national-heritage-for-personal-benefit/
  8.       http://www.lankafreedom.com/english/news-1-15-547.html
  9.       http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=82921
  10.   http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/sri-lankan-veterinarians-strike-better-treatment-elephants-2010
  11.   http://www.isea.lk/dl_gal/119/103.jpg
  12.   http://www.illegal-logging.info/content/sanctuaries-threatened-excavations-and-deforestation
  13.   http://www.lankastandard.com/2012/10/politicians-grabbing-wildlife-conservation-lands-in-north-central-province/
  14.   http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=86241#
  15.   http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/12/29/elephant-killers-roam-free/
  16.   http://www.nation.lk/2010/03/28/eyefea6.htm

 


Right Honorable Sri Lankan Minister of Wildlife Resources and Conservation Management Mr. Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni de Zoysa.


Right Honorable Minister,


We the undersigned call on you the Right Honorable Sri Lankan Minister of Wildlife Resources and Conservation Management, Mr. Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni de Zoysa, to vacate your post immediately due to conflicts of interest.  Sir you are allowing the exploitation of nature reserves for immediate illegal profit and do not care to preserve wildlife habitats for future generations. You Sir are suspected to be complicit in the following eco crimes:



  1.       Involvement in the kidnapping of wild elephants for temple and tourist use. (1)(2)

  2.       Sanctioning illegal settlement of national parks and elephant habitat by subsistence farmers for political gain.(3)(4)(5)

  3.       Allowing the illegal construction of hotels and roads inside national parks and critical wetlands such as Muthurajawela and world heritage sites such as Sinharaja rainforest and The Knuckles Range. (6)(7)

  4.       Allowing commercial agriculture in elephant habitat, exacerbating the existing human elephant conflict.(8)

  5.       Allowing tens of thousands of cattle to compete for food with wild elephants, driving wild elephants into conflict with small scale farmers. (9)

  6.       Not funding adequate vet staff to deal with injured elephants, while profiting from our wild elephants. (10)

  7.       Inaction in creating new marine parks and national parks, such as in Northern Sri Lanka to allow elephant migration as recommended by ISEA. (11)

  8.       Suspected involvement in illegal logging and mining inside national parks. (12)(13)(14)

  9.       Never arresting or convicting anyone for killing elephants when over 200 elephants get killed illegally every year.(15)

  10.   Suspected complicity in the bush meat trade inside national parks.(16)


Respectfully.


Concerned Citizens of Sri Lanka and the World

Update #29 years ago
The Minister is no longer in office, due to a change in goverment. The bad news is, his deputy H.D Ratnayaka, beleived to have been involved in elephant kidnappings is still holding office. I will close this petition in three days, I have created a follow up petition, please sign this new petition. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/294/940/655/justice-for-sri-lankas-kidnapped-baby-elephants/ Thanks again for all that signed and help end the reign of a corrupt wildlife official,

Update #19 years ago
updated picture for petition calling for Minister of wildlife of Sri lanka to resign, prior picture was too big.
Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.