HEC: A long-term solution for country’s sake – By Bernard Fernando In 2019, the Department of Wildlife Conservation published its policy statement in the newspapers seeking public opinion. Since the long-term proposals that the writer submitted to the department, to terminate the long drawn Human Elephant-Conflict (HEC) did not receive much response, several articles, updating the facts and proposals contained therein, were published in Sinhala and English newspapers from time to time until 2022, to mobilise the public and the relevant authorities including the Director General of Wildlife. Now, the sincere and vehement protests of the helpless farmers have come to the fore with strong media support. It is needless to say that the tragic destruction of the homes and properties of the helpless, poor farmers who make farming their sole livelihood, as well as of the crops, trees and plots of land cultivated with hard labour, has triggered great ...
Jan 23, 2025
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Articles, Bernard Fernando
Tagged Balancing human and wildlife populations, Bernard Fernando HEC proposals, Elephant conservation vs human needs, Human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan farmers and elephant threats, Sustainable solutions to HEC, Wildlife conservation Sri Lanka, Wildlife conservation strategies, Wildlife policy in Sri Lanka
