Illegal logging accompanying SL militarisation threatens agricultural ecosystem in Moothoor East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 April 2018, 16:52 GMT]
Colombo's military and police are functioning as brokers for intruding woodcutters coming from other areas to collect timber by logging the trees in SL military occupied Tamil villages in Moothoor East of Trincomalee. The farmer's associations representing the resettling uprooted Eezham Tamils in Champoor, who are struggling to resume their lost agricultural livelihood, complain that recent deforestation has become one of the most severe problems on par with the militarisation of Moothoor East.

The destruction is widespread near Champoor, Navaratna-puram, Kaddai-pa'richchaan, Kadatkaraich-cheanai, Choodaik-kudaa and Koonith-theevu.

While the SL Forest Department and the SL police, who block Tamils from cutting a single green tree for their temple festival, they act as brokers for external traders running illegal logging as an industry, the farmers said.

The SL Police also block Tamil villagers from collecting firewood in their jungles.

The forest area, which was part of the de-facto Tamil Eelam, was being protected by the environment-wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the times of war and peace.

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