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| Sunday, 15 August 2004 |
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Early settlers to get jungle entry IDs by Jayantha Sri Nissanka and Vimukthi Fernando The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources will issue identity cards for the indigenous people in Dambana to enter jungles. If they enter jungles without permission they will be charged. Identity cards will be issued to Early Settlers for free movement in the jungles without any obstruction of Wild Life Department officials to collect bee, medicinal plants and yams and not for hunting purposes. Wild Life Officials are empowered to arrest anyone who poach in the Maduru Oya National Park. Mostly many early settlers were the victims and many of them were fined Rs.10,000. This tug-of-war continued for many years in the past, Mahiyangana District Secretary Bandara Rajapakse told the 'Sunday Observer. Leader of the Community Uruwarige Wanniya agreed to stop hunting for one year and insisted that the Ministry grant permission to replant trees in 100 acres. Wnniyala Attho asked Minister of Environment and Natural Resources A.H.M. Fowzie when he visited Dambana with a team of officials to mark the World Early Settlers Day on August 9, as to why permission has not been granted for replanting in the already destroyed jungle. "When some influential people illegally fell trees in the jungle why can not you allow us to replant 100 acres. Animals and the jungle are the lifeblood of the early settlers. When both are destroyed our community is also destroyed and it is our duty to protect them", he stressed. He charged that animals and the jungle have been destroyed by the so called educated men and not by the early settlers. The Director of the Department of Wild Life Dayananda Kariyawasam admitted that there were 59 cases and of them only 20 are against the early settlers. However, Minister and the officials finally agreed to demarcate 1500 acres of land for the early settlers and solve most of their grave problems which were dragging on for years. The meeting also decided to use educated early settlers to protect the jungle and animals with Wild Life officers. In addition, a Committee will be appointed to take collective decisions and monitor the progress. A Cultural Centre and Museum constructed by the Government was declared open. |
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