mangroves and military

..a good news story…kinda?
Recently went with local journalist to Batticaloa to interview a local ngo representative about their efforts to restore the area’s lagoons.



They were replanting mangrove bushes vital to the fishing ecology. The mangroves had been devasted by the tsunami and the fishermen themselves who had been cutting them down to harbor their boats.



As we walked toward the lagoon, we were stopped by some Sri Lankan military forces inquiring what we were doing. My colleagues explained, careful not to mention the word ‘ngo’ too much. The forces had soured on ngos after finding water tanks and supplies with international ngo logos on them at a tamil tiger camp they had recently captured. Never mind that the tanks were stolen. After the soldiers allowed us to pass the ngo representative explained that the tract of mangroves that used to be where we were standing had been cleared by the Sri Lankan military. Looking out onto the other side of the lagoon was Tamil Tiger territory—the mangroves provided cover for surprise attacks, so they fell casualty to the conflict themselves. Those mangroves aren’t likely to get replanted anytime soon.