::: Sri Lanka | Post Conflict National Reconciliation At Grass Root Level :::

The importance of conducting a situation analysis for a thorough understanding, is a must. And the need of Peace-Sensitive and Development-Oriented public policies, can not be denied. Policies based on universally shared values are needed not only for Sri Lanka also any country emerging from conflict. Internally displaced families, returning refugees, and unsupported youth, former child soldiers, ex-combatants, and others are particularly vulnerable to being co-opted into unproductive or illicit activities that are counterproductive to the effective functioning of the state. Thus Sri Lanka must organize specific, demonstrable initiatives to regenerate social cohesion through policies and programmes that promote participation, equity, and inclusion of each and every Lankans.
Conflicts spilling across the borders represent an additional threat not only during the conflict also it will continue post conflict disintegration attempts, on both a national and regional level. Therefore, Sri Lanka should prepare to deal with those actors by setting special unit of two way communication.
Establishment of credible, transparent, participatory and efficient governance, and public administration institutions in fragile post conflict settings is the key ingredient to achieve peace, stability, and sustainable development. A solid governance infrastructure is crucial to deliver the political promises along with the needed public goods such as security, health care, education, and infrastructure.
It is true that the confidence building between the North and the South at national level is the utmost task that the state has prior to any long term development goals in the island.
We invite Sri Lankan Communities to help the Internally Displaced Families ( IDFs ) to rebuild their lives. Fostering IDFs is in a way we can build the trust that we all badly needed to bring us together ..

::: Barefoot Safari | Gamini s Greener Globe :::

With the esprit of " Adventure begins where the road ends ", two fully expedition prepared 4 x 4 vehicles left Colombo towards the scenic Strict Natural Reserve ( SNR ) named Yala Block 2, situated in the south eastern corner of Sri Lanka. This reserve is a part of Yala Sanctuary restricted for general public. You have to get proper approval and permission to get in as no one is generally allowed to camp inside the Yala Block 2. This permission can be obtained at the Department of Wild Life Conservations ( DWLC ) Head Office situated in Colombo ..
Going to Yala Nature Reserve, not merely for the animals but for the serenity one gets to experience. A place cut out from human habitat, an ideal environment to be alone and rediscover who you were ..
Yala Nature Reserve and its never changing environment is a sort of a meditation centre to those who live in this ever changing world in the city. An occasional trip to Yala Nature Reserve always helps me to realise how much, I myself, had changed as a person ..
All the journeys that I had to Yala Nature Reserve always provided me the opportunity to learn how much we, the nature and the humans, are connected ..
The elephants guarding their offspring reminds humans how to be available for their children .. And a leopard who makes a successful kill shows us how to be focused when pursuing a goal ..
Entering Yala Nature Reserve for the first time as a kid, I read the sign board which stated that no visitor had the right to take away even a grain of sand from the sanctuary. Since then, no one has needed to teach me how to protect assets of all forms ..
Drinking water is often a problem when you travel in the reserve. We have always been forced to conserve drinking water in Yala by our cautious Park Ranger Friend. Whenever we return home from Yala Nature Reserve, we have an ample reason to be ashamed of ourselves when we see how water is wasted in the wet zone of Sri Lanka ..
There is always the temptation to do something unlawful at Yala Nature Reserve. These questionable acts can be ranged from killing an animal, cutting timber, or bringing home a souvenir as flora and fauna. However, I prefer to bring home memories from Yala of which has got an unseen link between the wildlife and the humanlife ..
Memories of Yala Nature Reserve are strong, so strong that I only have to close my eyes to travel to my most favourite place on earth ..

::: Kumbukkan Oya Gathers Moonlight Life And Shadow .. ! :::

The final rays of the setting sun filter through giant Kumbuk trees and fall on the shallow waters of the river. The almost dry river bed is now bedecked by large extents of sand. The sand exudes a loveliness of its own. The tracks of wild animals stand out clearly in the fine sand, speaking of dangers yet unseen.
I relax in the shade of a Kumbuk tree allowing my eyes to absorb the scenery around me, the shadows, outlines, play of colour and the serenity that is the sum of all these things. A flock of hornbills come into view, fly across the sky and disappear beyond the tree line.
" Look at these leopard footprints .. They have been made just a little while ago .." Kulay Aiya, our Guide on the journey has spoken with a certain degree of excitement. We quickly gravitate to his side. They certainly appeared to have been made by a leopard, and the creature had come very close to our camping facility.
This is a rarely visited spot on the Kumbukkan Oya, located between Madamethota and Galamuna. The sandy bed of the Kumbukkan Oya is our camping ground for the day. " It is dangerous to camp on the riverbed, because one can never tell when the water will arrive ", a friend observes.
The Kumbukkan Oya originates from a group of hills located a little below Badulla. By the time the water reaches this area, the Kumbukkan Oya is a fairly large river, not less than seventy feet wide. It is because the river is fed by a watershed that is 1,218 square kilometers in size, that one can never predict when the river will swell. A large number of animals, showing significant diversity, live around these waters. Block 2, 4, and 5 of the Yala Reserve are bordered by the Kumbukkan Oya. The river on the other side, borders Kumana, which is at the eastern end of Yala.
There are names surrounding the area. Names such as Kebilitta, Galamuna, Madamethota, Gamevehera, and Bowattagala, which referred to a different time. These were sites where history was actively made, they were places that spoke of heritage. How could it not be, when the Kumbukkan Oya is the great body of water that runs through the 352 square miles that make up the Panamapattuwa.
According to folklore, when the river is in spate, even elephants get washed downstream. Today, this giant body of water has been reduced to a little more than a trickle. The drought is in full bloom. From far away, we hear the sound of a bear.
We have now finished cooking dinner. While the darkness launches its heaviest invasion and challenging it, the soft silver of moonlight begins to kiss the sand. We are waiting for the animal life to arrive. We don’t have to wait long. A herd of spotted deer, 20 - 30 of them, emerge from the trees. Some drink while others keep watch, alert to the slightest sign of danger. They know that death awaits only a split second’s carelessness away.
None of us move .. The deer disappear into the jungle. It is the turn of the wild boar next. We must have made some noise, for they fled back into the safety of the trees almost immediately. However, a tusked boar held its ground some thirty feet away from us, digging the sand for about twenty minutes. The creature might have sensed that we meant no harm. Or else it must have been crazy, for if we were hunters, death would have come almost instantly. We were waiting for the great beasts of the jungle, the elephants. The first elephant made its entrance not too far away from where the wild boar stood.
It is almost nightfall. We move closer to the elephant. Someone whispers, " Not One, but Two .. ! "
We watch from the opposite shore. The two elephants leisurely drink their fill, occasionally tossing some water on their backs. " Both are females," says Kule Aiya. They splash water on each other and converse in ways we couldn’t comprehend. One never tires of watching the friendly play of elephants. The elephants also move back into the jungle. The bears, apparently, want to be counted too. They make sure that they are heard. It is quite dark now. Now and then we hear elk.
Moonlight has captured the river bed. It glows in a silvery blue. Too magical to describe. Wrapped in moonlight, the cool waters of the Kumbukkan Oya leisurely meander on their way. It is time to light a fire. We light it close to the water’s edge, on the sand. We know how important it is to exercise the utmost care when lighting a fire in such places, especially in the dry season. Close by lies the half burnt trunk of a giant Kumbuk tree. What a crime it is to set ablaze such a majestic tree, a tree that would have for centuries participated in a natural process, thriving in it, and making it fertile at the same time!
I am gazing at the moon. It is hard to believe that it is this same moon that also shines above and upon the concrete jungle. The night is sweet and soft. How else can it appear when contrasted with the unrelenting heat that comes entwined with the dry winds gathering dust for our feet ? I have once again watched the dawn break by the Kumbukkan Oya and I feel blessed ..

::: Horton Plains SNR | The Breathtaking Beauty :::

With its highly diverse natural habitats ranging from tropical rain forests to montane grasslands, wide range of animal and bird species, Sri Lanka is the haven for Eco Tourism enthusiasts .. Nowhere, else can one experience the wealth of natural attractions still unspoilt by the human touch as what the little island Sri Lanka presents to its discerning visitors ..
A group of us stepped out of " Anderson House " the bungalow of the Department of Wild Life Conservations ( DWLC ) in the morning, to the cool mist and warm sun rays ..
Walking along a jeep track, we came to a T junction where we get a circular path which would brings us to the popular " World's-End " ..
Adjoining mountains of the World's End, covered with bushes and trees. These are virgin mountain forest. The variations amaze us as the leaves of varied colours, umbrella type fragmented canopies; twisted trunks branches and dwarf trees, all adaptations to survive the rough gales. Along the way, we came across a little brook from where originate three of major rivers called Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe in the island. The water is tempting, clear as crystal and cold. However, we would not venture in as we are in a SNR. The purity of the water should not be disturbed. The ground we stand is bumpy and grassy where the water transformation takes place. The water molecules in the air are absorbed and stored in the ground which is soft and rubbery. We heard that the peat layer in the marshes around, goes to a depth of 2.5 Meters.
Horton Plains, a breathtaking beauty ..
All of us did enjoy the nature trail immensely. Blooming flowers in Red, Yellow, Blue, and Purple. The calls and sight of a variety of birds as we continue observing silently and cautiously. Perhaps, we might come across one of the rare sights of even a rarer creature, a Greenish Black Lizard with a small White snout. The Horned Lizards are endemic to the Horton Plains ..
Horton Plains is home to 101 recorded plant species of which 49 are endemic. Five out of the 14 mammal species, 21 out of the 98 bird species, 4 out of 5 reptile species, and 15 out of 40 butterfly species are endemic. There are 20 amphibian varieties and 2 fish varieties recorded as well ..
We reach World's End in time to warm up in the morning sun. The mist has cleared to notice the web of roads down below in another province and another district ..