By Risidra Mendis

A group of environmentalists have requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to intervene and immediately stop the release of the tusks confiscated by the Customs Department to various temples in the country.

Elephant at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy ~ pic courtesy of: AlJazeera English

Activists raised this matter at a media conference held at the National Library Auditorium on Wednesday.

It is learnt the tusks which were in the custody of the Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) were removed to another location recently in preparation of handing over ceremonies which are soon to take place.

“The SLC have to be commended for detecting these tusks and for confiscating them. But, the Presidential Secretariat has requested the SLC Director to release these tusks to them. It is possible President Rajapaksa doesn’t know these tusks are to be released to temples through the Secretariat,” Vimukthi Weeratunga, Director Operations, Environment Foundation Ltd (EFL) said.

He added, if these tusks are released to temples, it would create a bad impression on the country and the President, as hundreds of elephants were brutally massacred to gather ivory.

“In a recent article published in the National Geographic magazine, Sri Lanka was identified as a good tourist destination. But if the government decides to donate illegal ivory in this manner, they would be violating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),” Weeratunga warned.

According to him, over a 100 years ago, there were over 10 million elephants and today this number has dropped to less than half a million. “Over 40,000 elephants are hunted for their tusks and in less than 30 years, elephants will cease to exist in this world,” Weeratunga explained. He said, some of these elephants are killed by the herds and the babies are left to starve after their mothers are dead.

Valued at Rs 4200 million

“Baby elephants are also killed if they have tusks. The ivory detected by the SLC also contained small tusks from baby elephants. The decision to hand over the tusks to temples is disrespectful towards Buddhism and goes against the conservation of the species,” he said. The African Ivory, he said, is considered as ‘blood ivory’ and there is always a possibility the ivory may return to the ivory smugglers.

Conservationist Rukshan Jayewardene said, the government should not release these tusks since the inquiry is still going on. These tusks were valued at Rs 400 million by the SLC. However, it was later revealed this consignment is worth Rs 4,200 million,” Jayewardene said.

Chairman, Asian Elephant Specialist Group, Dr. Devaka Weerakoon calling for a global ban on illegal trading of ivory said, “This ivory should be burnt and destroyed instead of a price being put on it. Giving it to temples will create a bad impression internationally. Sri Lanka cannot violate the CITES Convention.”

Attempts by Ceylon Today to contact Presidential Spokesperson, Mohan Samaranayake proved futile.

Govt. wants tusks released- Customs

Leslie Gamini, Media Officer, Sri Lanka Customs confirmed that the Department of Customs has received a letter from the Presidential Secretariat requesting for the release of the elephant tusks.

“Director General of SLC, Jagath Wijeweera has received a letter from the Presidential Secretariat but the ivory is still in the custody of the SLC as no official has asked for their removal yet,” he said.COURTESY:CEYLON TODAY