A human chain protest in Vavuniya extended solidarity to the ongoing protest in Mannar, which is demanding an immediate halt to the controversial wind power project and opposing proposed ilmenite mining on the island.
The demonstration, organised by the Vavuniya Mass Organisation for Social Justice, took place near the Vavuniya Hospital Roundabout and drew political representatives, social activists, and members of various public organisations.
Protesters warned that the projects, pushed under the guise of “development”, would strip local communities of their livelihoods and devastate Mannar’s fragile environment. They highlighted the island’s internationally recognised fishing industry, its protected bird sanctuary, and the unique strength of its coastal winds, all of which they said were under threat.
The greed of monopolistic multinational corporations, aided by the helpless complicity of successive Sri Lankan governments, is driving the destruction of Mannar, said the protesters declared.
They pointed to evidence from existing wind turbines, which they say have already reduced the approach of fish to the shore, disrupted breeding patterns, and damaged drainage systems, leading to flooding and the salinisation of groundwater. Noise pollution from the turbines, they added, has altered the migratory paths of birds, deterred their arrival, and caused fatalities from collisions with the spinning blades, all while disturbing nearby communities.
Beneath Mannar’s soil, protesters warned, lie valuable mineral deposits including ilmenite and thorium, resources in high demand for advanced scientific equipment and military applications. They accused multinational corporations of seeking to exploit these deposits, claiming that large-scale extraction would render the island uninhabitable.
