Honest Officer Chathura Who Protected the Forests Under Threat! Are Self-Proclaimed Environmentalists Silent?

Only a handful of public officials in Sri Lanka are committed to protecting the country’s natural ecosystems and wildlife, including elephants, through action rather than words. Among them is the story of an extraordinary public servant who set aside the opportunities offered by his law degree and professional freedom to enforce wildlife laws within forest reserves in the service of the country. The case of Attorney Chathura Chaminda Gunaratne has now drawn nationwide attention.

Gunaratne joined the Department of Wildlife Conservation on June 7, 2012, and spent more than a decade working tirelessly to protect wildlife laws across Sri Lanka, from the north to the south. After being sworn in as an attorney-at-law in 2023, he had the opportunity to pursue a career in the legal profession, which could have offered him greater personal income and freedom. However, he chose to remain a wildlife officer, continuing the difficult task of protecting vulnerable wild animals and the country’s natural heritage. Accordingly, he was appointed to oversee the Herathgama Wildlife Range on September 1, 2023.

The Hakwatuwana Oya Reservoir Reserve, located near the Kahalla-Pallekele Sanctuary, is a forest area where unauthorised land acquisitions and various illegal activities had taken place for years, with wildlife laws not being properly enforced. Attorney Chathura Gunaratne understood that these illegal land acquisitions were not merely administrative violations. They also deprived elephants of their habitats and water sources, forcing them into villages and worsening human-elephant conflict.

Refusing to bow to any pressure, he took a firm stand against the illegal occupation of reserve lands by individuals with political and business connections. He filed 30 court cases concerning illegal land acquisitions in the Hakwatuwana Reserve and helped ensure that nearly 60 acres of land were legally returned to government and reserve control. In addition, he handled more than 100 cases involving wildlife-related offences, enabling the government to collect substantial sums in fines.

Unfortunately, his strict enforcement of the law and efforts to protect reserve lands allegedly attracted the hostility of influential political and business interests in the area. In what has been described as an organised effort to make life difficult for an officer who was properly carrying out his duties, an order was issued on September 9, 2025, under the signature of the Director General of Wildlife Conservation, transferring Attorney Chathura Gunaratne to the North Western Regional Wildlife Director’s Office with immediate effect.

The alleged unfair transfer and attempts to dismiss him through what have been described as fabricated charges were also raised in Parliament. During a parliamentary session in October 2026, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa made a special statement, saying that preventing an honest officer such as Chathura Gunaratne, who was committed to protecting the environment and wildlife, from performing his duties for the purpose of retaliation amounted to a national crime.

A call was also made in Parliament for the President and the senior administration to intervene immediately, halt these allegedly unfair actions and ensure justice for the officer concerned.

Although allegations have been raised about political influence and the involvement of various parties behind the incident, the injustice allegedly suffered by a public servant who worked for the country extends beyond a mere transfer. Discouraging public officials who stand firm in support of independent administration and environmental conservation in this manner could have serious consequences for the entire public service.

Therefore, the authorities must urgently investigate the parties responsible for the incident, ensure justice for Attorney Chathura Gunaratne and take appropriate measures to protect public officials who work to safeguard the country’s environment.

The post Honest Officer Chathura Who Protected the Forests Under Threat! Are Self-Proclaimed Environmentalists Silent? appeared first on Mawratanews.lk | Sri Lanka Latest Sinhala News and Headlines.