Features
Thilo Hoffmann: Explorer, naturalist and wildlife love extraordinaire
by Douglas. B. Ranasinghe
(Excerpted from Hoffmann’s authorized biography)
EXCEPT FOR A VERY FEW POLITICIANS, administrators and individuals interested in nature and conservation, who saw the need to protect and conserve Sri Lanka’s environment for future generations and for the good of the country, the great majority of the people had a lethargic attitude and displayed a general lack of interest in the environment after we gained independence in 1948.
More than this attitude and ignorance, it appears that Sri Lanka’s unique and beautiful environment is being destroyed due to the selfishness of politicians, individuals, bureaucrats and businessmen, big and small. It would not be incorrect to say that foreigners see the beauty of our country more than most of us. This situation can be compared to a person walking in a Perahara being unable to view it, whereas an outsider watching it would get a fine view and overall impression of it.
Even today we can save our environment and the beauty of the country if we take quick and correct action and if the administrators, technocrats and politicians realize and understand these values. The editorial in the widely-read TIME magazine of 9.2.1998 has the following to say:
If any place on earth resembles Paradise, it would be Sri Lanka. Each plant and tree seems to flower, every white sand beach beckons irresistibly and the entire landscape radiates a shimmering tranquility.
We cannot speak about Sri Lanka’s unique environment without mentioning its forests, the cascading waterfalls in the hill country, the beautiful rivers running through rocky crags and green jungles or the hidden forest paths where elephants and other creatures roam. There are, also, the estuaries and mudflats where Whimbrel and Curlew utter their beautiful calls, the scenic upcountry and coastal regions, the breathtaking beauty of the coral fish swarming in the reefs, and the majestic ancient monuments.
In addition to earlier environmental problems like the large scale destruction of forests and encroachment on the land, the loss of stream reservations, illegal hunting, pollution of waterways and of the air, new dangers are developing. Some of these include the export of endemic plants and fauna (fish, snakes and butterflies), also the construction of hotels and activities in environmentally sensitive areas in the name of Eco-tourism.
Encouraging encroachment in protected areas mainly by some politicians for selfish reasons and the attitude of the administration which turns a blind eye to massive illegal activities, such as sand mining, coral mining, blast fishing with explosives, etc., and the ever-increasing and unchecked pollution of the air with toxic gases and particles are prime examples of official indifference to the country’s well-being. This negligent attitude has by now not only adversely affected the health of millions of people, but also destroyed much of the mountain forests above 5,000 ft. and damaged the environment in general.
As the leading NGO of our country, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) spearheaded the movement for the conservation of our unique environment. Thilo W. Hoffmann’s effective work, first as the Secretary, and then the President of the Society for over three and a half decades is unparalleled and unprecedented in the history of nature conservation and has proved to be of great value to the country.
As the committee member of the WNPS for over three decades who was associated with him in some of his work, it was clear to me that Hoffmann has an exceptional store of knowledge and understanding about our country and its environmental problems as well as the methods we should adopt to overcome most of them. So whenever I met him after his retirement I tried to persuade him to write his memoirs. However his answer was that he had no time and that the magnitude and diversity of the subject overwhelmed him.
It was clear that valuable information and advice for both administrators and young environmentalists would be lost forever if such memories were not recorded for posterity. Hence I proposed to write Thilo’s authorized biography. This book is also meant to counteract the persistent insidious attempts to erase from memory the epic struggle of the 1970s for the conservation of Sinharaja and Thilo’s role in it.
Born in Switzerland in 1922, he came to Sri Lanka in 1946. He died aged 92 on May 12, 2014. Writing a personal note in 1999, he said: “During World War II, we were locked in our small country for years. I had a romantic yearning for the wide world, in particular the tropics. I had read exciting books about the lives of planters, the beauty of tropical lands, the lush vegetation and the fortunes that were waiting to be made. So I was looking for a job in a tropical country, which in 1946 brought me to Colombo in the island of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. I certainly did not make a fortune there, but led a life fulfilled”.
From Agriculture Advisor at A. Baur & Co. Ltd., he rose in the course of time to become its Managing Director and later Chairman: on retirement he was named Honorary Chairman. He lived in Sri Lanka for 60 years continuously except for a few spells in Switzerland during his wife’s illness. On several occasions it had been suggested that he apply for Sri Lankan citizenship. But, unknown even to two Presidents supportive of the idea, a rule forbids dual citizenship for non-Sri Lankans. He regretfully had to give up his attempts. The resident guest scheme which exempts members from income tax, and under which a famous author became a permanent resident, was not to his taste.
In the book titled A Baur & Co. Ltd.: 100 years in Sri Lanka published in 1997, it is mentioned that although Thilo Hoffmann had completed half a century with Baurs, he still had to apply each year for a “temporary residence visa” which is issued entirely at the discretion of the Controller of Immigration: in the meantime thousands of Sri Lankans have applied for and obtained Swiss citizenship whilst retaining their original Sri Lankan nationality.
Mr Hoffmann who is probably the most senior expatriate currently in Sri Lanka deserves to be an Honorary Citizen of this country for saving Sinharaja alone, not to mention other conservation work benefiting the country. He does not consider himself an outsider; whenever he refers to Sri Lanka he says “our country” as he loves Sri Lanka as his own.
His understanding of environmental issues and circumstances and his lasting work for nature conservation were furthered both at home and in the schools he attended up to university level. Thilo has a Masters Degree in Agricultural Sciences from the world renowned Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
I spent many days with him at Baurs to record his story and refer to the vast amount of articles, reports and memoranda he has written over the years in his endeavours to preserve Sri Lanka’s environmental treasures. In this authorized biography I had to limit my area of research and it is no exaggeration to say that it would take several volumes to make it quite complete.However, for a future researcher, investigator or student, most of his more important writings, documents, etc., are kept in the Hoffmann Archives in Baurs building, Chatham Street, Colombo Fort, which could be accessed with permission from the company.
The character and nature of Thilo W. Hoffmann are those of an explorer. That is why from his first day in the island to this date, more than 60 years later he has visited and explored every nook and corner of Sri Lanka, from the sea shore right up to the highest mountains, often under extreme conditions and with great exertion. Likewise, it was more important for him to get to know intimately every physical aspect and part of the National Parks and other conservation areas rather than to see exciting animals.
Being out in the wilds and in the most remote areas, living for the moment and from one day to the next, being one with nature, is for him the very essence of recreation and mental well-being.But he is not content with exploring, seeing and recording. If he sees or hears of a threat to any of the country’s natural and cultural treasures, he feels compelled to act.
This combination of explorer and activist, exemplified in his monograph on the Sinharaja forest is what made Thilo Hoffmann the most prominent and successful conservationist in Sri Lanka during the last century and to date. His work and life are characterized by a deep respect for all living creatures.
He has taken thousands of photographs in Sri Lanka, mainly of landscapes and of nature and traditional subjects, but when he goes abroad he typically leaves his photographic equipment behind.In this biography I have tried to give readers a glimpse of the enormous amount of work he has done for our country as a conservationist, voluntarily and in his own free time and with his own funds. I hope that our young conservationists will follow his footsteps in finding solutions to the challenging task of safeguarding Sri Lanka’s fabulous natural environment.
As a Sri Lankan at heart who was instrumental in saving Sinharaja and other areas from exploitation and who never spared himself in those endeavours, his work will be much appreciated and remembered by the grateful people of Sri Lanka.
(Note: Most of the information given in this book about facts and incidents has been provided by Thilo Hoffmann, who vouches for their correct and truthful rendering and stands by the opinions expressed.)
Thilo Hoffmann died on Monday, 12th May 2014, at the age of 92 years, while this book was in print.
(Next week – The Two Homelands)
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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