“Sri Lanka has been a pioneer in the rehabilitation of wild elephants and our captive breeding programme has gained recognition around the world” said Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona while making the introductory remarks at the seminar titled “Sri Lanka Conserving the Wild Elephant” which held today (12) at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations & Strategic Studies.

Full text of Dr. Kohona's introductory remarks;

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this Introductory Seminar on Conserving the Wild Elephants of Sri Lanka. As you may be aware, this seminar is a prelude to an exciting event this Saturday which will see the release of a number of rehabilitated young elephants to the wild in Uda Walawe. This process of rehabilitation has taken some years. If you have read the introductory piece on each of the elephants, you will notice that some of them had been saved in the nick of time.

One young calf who had lost its mother had literally followed a villager to his house. Another orphaned elephant calf was mixing around with a herd of buffaloes pretending to be one. But eventually, due care and attention and dedication of our wildlife staff, they were given a new lease of life and are now ready to be released back to the jungle to live as they should – in freedom.

We must thank those who have dedicated themselves to saving these wonderful animals – the veterinaries, the keepers and well-wishers who funded this project. I must also add here that Sri Lanka has been a pioneer in the rehabilitation of wild elephants and our captive breeding programme has gained recognition around the world. There are well established organisations in other countries which are very interested in this programme.

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Wild Elephants in Sri Lanka

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This development in Sri Lanka is not surprising given that the connection between man and elephant in Sri Lanka goes back thousands of years. Rock carvings in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa clearly illustrate the closeness between this majestic beast and our ancestors. Our literature is full of references to elephants; so is our folklore. Not only did we tame and use elephants for a range of purposes, including warfare, we also developed a pharmacopoeia for different elephant illnesses. One of my priced possessions is an Ola Leaf manuscript detailing remedies for various elephant illnesses. Our ancient civilization developed in such a way that elephants and humans could coexist. The village, the tank and the jungle beyond was the ideal environment, the ideal setting, for both man and beast.

Ladies and gentlemen, I could go on talking indefinitely about an animal which is a part of our national heritage and our psyche, but I believe that you have come here to listen to the Hon. Champika Ranawaka and his colleagues who have been responsible for the rehabilitation programme for the elephants which will be released on Saturday. We hope that many of you will be able to be present at the ceremony in Udawalawe on Saturday. Thank you for being present here this evening.  

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

12 June 2008