Daniel Vasanth, the Mannar District Organiser of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), has accused the Sri Lankan government and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led administration of continuing environmentally destructive mineral sand excavation projects in the Mannar district, despite promises to halt such activities.
Speaking to media this week, Vasanth said that even after Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the president of Sri Lanka, planned activities for illegal mineral sand excavation in Mannar continue to take place.
He further alleged that while the JVP-led National People’s Power (NPP) government has publicly committed to environmentally sustainable policies, its actions on the ground contradict these pledges. “After coming to power, they have made several visits to Mannar for mineral sand exploration, accompanied by security forces,” he stated.
Mannar has long faced environmental threats from resource extraction, including extensive proposals for mineral sand mining that have drawn criticism from local communities and environmental advocates. Previous attempts to begin excavation were halted following public opposition, but concerns have resurfaced over renewed interest in the area from Colombo-based officials and foreign firms.
Vasanth also commented on the upcoming local government elections, claiming that both the JVP and the central government are using the polls as a vehicle to consolidate power in the North-East. He highlighted that a Sinhalese candidate had been allocated a bonus seat in the Nanattan Pradeshiya Sabha election — a strategic move, he claimed, designed to bypass the lack of direct electoral support from the local Tamil population.
“They view the local councils in Mannar as key instruments for advancing environmentally harmful projects,” he said. “In the Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha division, several steps are reportedly underway to facilitate mineral sand excavation.”
He added that the government’s calculated use of the proportional representation system — such as by awarding bonus seats to Sinhalese candidates — reflects a broader strategy to assert political dominance and implement controversial development initiatives in Tamil-majority areas without meaningful local consent.
