People’s Struggle Alliance Joins Mannar Protest Against Wind Power and Sand Mining

The Aragalaya People’s Struggle Alliance, including Wasantha Mudalige, Duminda Nagamuwa, Rajkumar Rajeevkanth, and Marisa De Silva joined today’s demonstration in Mannar, standing in solidarity with the local resistance movement.

Mannar Island, one of Sri Lanka’s most unique ecological treasures, has become the focal point of a growing environmental protest. Local residents, clergy, and activists are urging the government to suspend large-scale wind power expansion and sand mining projects that they warn will devastate the island’s fragile ecosystem and livelihoods.

Speaking to debasa.lk, activist Marisa De Silva clarified that the protests are not against renewable energy itself, but against reckless and poorly planned development in an internationally recognized wetland.

“Mannar is home to nearly a million migratory birds every year, including 20 endemic species. This is their historical flight path, and they remain here for three months annually. Destroying Mannar is destroying a national treasure,” she said.

Currently, 36 wind turbines have already been erected on the island. Locals report that the projects, carried out without proper planning or environmental impact assessments, have blocked waterways, caused flooding, and damaged cultivation. Fishermen also claim that turbine vibrations have driven fish away from shallow waters, directly affecting their livelihoods.

“Clean energy is vital, but it cannot come at the cost of destroying the environment. There are many alternative sites across the country with far less ecological sensitivity. Mannar is not the place,” De Silva emphasized.

The Catholic Bishop of Mannar recently voiced similar concerns during a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, calling for the immediate halt of windmill expansion and sand mining.

Following this intervention, the government has reportedly imposed a one-month suspension on the projects.

Marisa have further warned of severe risks to bird populations from high-tension power lines and turbine blades. They argue that once migratory routes and ecosystems are disrupted, restoration is nearly impossible.

Calls are mounting for independent scientific studies, with experts such as Professor Gajapathi of Jaffna University urged to assess Mannar’s wetlands and the nearby Vidathaltivu Bird Sanctuary, both internationally recognized conservation sites.

“Mannar is not just a local issue; it is a national and international heritage site. The government has a duty to safeguard it for future generations,” activists declared.

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