Mannar Wind Power Project: Public Organisations’ Union Sends Letter to President Anurakumara

05-Oct-2025

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The Union of community based Organisations in Mannar has sent a letter to President Anurakumara Dissanayake expressing opposition to the Mannar Wind Power Project and mineral sand excavation, calling the President’s decision “undemocratic.”

In the letter signed by V.S. Sivakaran, President of the Mannar Union, it was stated that the people have been engaged in democratic protests for years against the wind power and mineral sand projects. 

Last month, discussions were held with ministers in Parliament and subsequently with the President himself, after which work was suspended for one month.

Later, officials from the concerned departments and the Minister of Power met with affected communities, during which people expressed their grievances and strong opposition. However, despite this, a unilateral decision has been taken, disregarding the people’s voice, the letter pointed out.

The Union stressed that democracy requires conflict resolution through mutual dialogue and compromise, not unilateral rulings that resemble court judgments. The action shows that even under the new government, state machinery continues unchanged, the letter said.

It further accused police officers of violating fundamental rights by failing to respect the people’s livelihood rights, an act incompatible with democratic governance. The Union argued that before any final decision, proper dialogue with the people was essential in keeping with democratic tradition.

Despite protests, no announcement has been made suspending the mineral excavation project, and two companies are continuing with their activities. The Union warned that the anger and suffering of the Mannar people are being ignored, and this threatens their rights and dignity.

The letter concluded that social justice must come first in addressing grievances. Failure to ensure people’s basic right to a secure livelihood leads to the collapse of social structures. It urged the President to reconsider, re-engage in dialogue, and arrive at a democratic final decision.