Environmentalists vow to go to highest courts to block return of elephants

By Ifham Nizam

Environmentalists and their lawyers yesterday vowed to file a writ application in the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal against the Attorney General’s Department and the Criminal Investigations Department over the returning of some elephants back to their keepers.

Environmental Lawyer Dr. Jagath Gunawardana stressed that on the part of AG’s Department there was a grave lack of concern. “They should have investigated …there can’t be a regulation against the law.”

He said that they were looking at filing a writ petition in the Court of Appeal or a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition in the Supreme Court (SC). Elephants were moved out of the Pinnawala and Udawalawe Elephant Shelters, back to their owners, following a decision taken by the Magistrate’s Court following CID submissions, on the advice of the Attorney General.

Since 2015, 34 such elephants, including baby elephants, were taken into custody and held with the DWC and the National Zoos.

“However, the Court ruling on 06 September allows the return of 14 of these elephants back to their so-called original owners – although we regard it as stolen property being returned to thieves,” claimed the former Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) President Rukshan Jayewardene.

Director-General of the Department of National Zoological Gardens Ishini Wickremesinghe yesterday stepped down from her post. Her resignation comes amidst a controversial Gazette that paved the way for the return of several elephants currently held in state protection, to their previous owners.

The government claims the Gazette was brought in as a means of protecting elephants.