SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION PROJECT HALTED AFTER MASSIVE PROTEST
Agroup of officials of the Mahaweli Development Authority and representatives of two foreign companies, who attempted to construct a road under the proposed sugar cane cultivation project in Dehigama in Bibila, were forced to leave the site due to strong protests from residents of the area.
The Organisation to Protect the Rights of the People in Uva Wellassa had organised the protest in which over 500 people participated.
Residents of the area had been protesting against construction of a sugar cane factory in Dehigama, Rideemaliyedda in Bibila. Member of the Uva Provincial Council Samantha Vidyaratne, who joined the protest, said the government had permitted a Singaporean company to clear 62,500 acres of forests in the Monaragala, Badulla
and Ampara areas to put up a sugar cane factory in Dehigama.
Two individuals who attempted to capture the actions of the protesters on the pretext of being media personnel, were driven away by them. Protesters said the two men who accompanied the officials were not media personnel and that they did not have the media cards issued by
the Information Department or from any of the media institutions in the country.
The protesters warned that they would lay down their life to save the land from foreigners. Members of the Mahasangha too joined the protest and said they would not allow any individual to cultivate sugar cane on the land that belongs to the people. They warned that they would
set themselves on fire and commit suicide if the government attempted to go ahead with the project by force.
The police were forced to intervene to prevent any an incident from taking place and advised all parties concerned to negotiate a settlement and till then requested the company to suspend construction work.
The Mahasangha, which included the Lekanadhikari of the Bibila Sasanarakshaka Balamandalaya and Chief Incumbent of the Bibila Bodhi Rukkarama Temple, Ven. Dodamgolle Soratha Thera, Member of the Uva Provincial Council and Convener of the Organisation to Protect the Uva Vellassa People’s Rights Samantha Vidyaratne, Provincial Council Member R.M. Jayawardene, former Digamadulla District Parliamentarian Wasantha Piyatissa, the Chairman of the Rideemaliyedda Pradeshiya Sabha and several PS members had joined the protest.