A powerful warning from an Indigenous leader says reckless development and environmental destruction have pushed nature to retaliate, leaving ordinary people to bear the cost.
Indigenous Chief Uruwarige Vannila Ettho has said the recent natural disaster that brought widespread destruction across Sri Lanka is the direct result of ill-planned development projects and human activities that violate the balance of nature.
Speaking to the media yesterday, the Indigenous chief stressed that humanity is governed by nature and not the other way around. He warned that attempts to dominate or exploit nature inevitably lead to tragedy.
He noted that while his own area remained largely unaffected, surrounding districts suffered severe landslides, rock falls and floods that brought daily life and transport to a standstill. He expressed deep concern for the economic impact on Indigenous communities, particularly the loss of livelihoods among families dependent on tourism.
“My area was not affected by the disaster. However much havoc has been caused by the cyclone and floods. This would create severe economic constraints for everyone,” he said. “Men, women and children have been buried alive in mounds of earth. More than 100 families in my clan depend on tourists. They are now facing hardship. Tourists visiting our area are none.”
The Indigenous chief said the disaster should serve as a warning that human survival is inseparable from environmental protection. He emphasized that nature responds harshly when its limits are ignored.
“Man is subject to the conditions of nature, and he must not violate them. The present disaster that ravaged the country and devastated the land and fields is a result of the ruin caused to nature,” he said. “Nature has retaliated mercilessly to teach a lesson to man.”
He added that when nature unleashes its fury, both those who harm the environment and those who protect it suffer equally. He pointed to the destruction of ancient mountain ranges and virgin forests, saying haphazard development has erased ecosystems that existed for generations.
