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rush hour traffic in Sri Lanka�s capital Colombo. The usual crush is on
to get home as fast as possible. But there�s a different crowd here
today, at least seven thousand strong, and they have no intention of going
home just yet.
You see over the last several years, there has been a quiet protest brewing in Sri Lanka�s heartland � a protest about land, livelihoods, and ultimately life and death. And the rally here, unique in that it�s lead by a group of religious leaders, is the culmination of those years of dispute and dissatisfaction. |
Anuradhapura. |
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Anuradhapura. |
But
to truly understand the reasons for this protest, we�ll have to travel
further north from Colombo, and into the North Central plains of the
country.
At first glance, Eppawela seems just like any other peaceful village, quietly baking in the heat of the sun. But despite the easy comings and goings of its inhabitants, this is a village with a history. A tradition that dates back over 2 thousand years, to an age of Royalty and Empire. From the village itself, across dry forests, can be seen the towering remnants of that era, the dagobas of Anuradhapura - ancient capital of Sri Lanka. And the Jayaganga, the river that runs through the province and feeds Eppawela and its neighbours, is living proof of the tremendous feats of hydrological engineering that were achieved during that time. |
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as then, the river waters these fertile lands � an essential lifeline to
wildlife as well as the rural community. And the most astonishing fact is
that this waterway was actually built in those days of old.
The Jayaganga feeds farms, irrigation canals and lakes with the region�s most precious commodity � water. But times are changing, and water is no longer the most sought after element in Eppawela. Eppawela sits on a high-grade deposit of apatite-phosphate. The ore has been used since the early 70�s to provide fertilizer for local agriculture. |
Villager and friend, Eppawela. |
At the foot of Phosphate Hill. (Rock Phosphate in foreground) |
A
US mining conglomerate, Freeport McMoRan, working through
one of its subsidiaries, IMC-Agrico,
both with histories of well
documented environmental degradation in several areas of the world, has
negotiated a business deal with the government of Sri Lanka.
The company has proposed a 56 square kilometre strip-mine of the mineral deposit that would sever the backbone of the Jayaganga water distribution system. Most of the mined phosphate will be shipped to America and diluted with low-grade ore. The irony is that it may then be sold back to Sri Lanka�s farmers as an expensive agricultural import. A fine business deal indeed, if wasn�t for the fact that their supposed environmental impact assessment report failed to mention that over 12,000 families inhabit the proposed mining area; a land rich in indigenous flora and fauna; a land that has been continuously inhabited by people for over 5 and a half thousand years. And that was the way it was going to be � a big company happily mining the resources of a developing country. But there was more at issue in Eppawela than just a mineral resource. And of course the Jayaganga and its connecting waterways would be disrupted forever. |
| And that was the way it was going to be � a big company happily mining the resources of a developing country. But there was more at issue in Eppawela than just a mineral resource. And of course the Jayaganga and its connecting waterways would be disrupted forever... | |
A tributary of the Jayaganga, Eppawela. |
If you want to get in-depth information about the Eppawela controversy, then check out these websites: | |
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The definitive guide to the scientific, social and political background of the Freeport McMoRan deal at Eppawela. | |
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Supporting the human rights of communities resisting mining and oil exploitation. Up to date reports of activities at Eppawela | |
