Mannar protest sends powerful message to government: Namal
– The collective voice of the people of Mannar, strongly opposing the controversial wind turbine and sand mining projects, sends a powerful message to the government, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa said.He said in a post on X that meaningful dialogue with the people, their representatives and clergy is essential before proceeding. “The President’s mandate in Mannar was clear – not to move forward with projects that raise concerns among the community. The directive from the President’s Secretary to bypass this mandate is a direct violation of the people’s wishes. We strongly condemn the use of police harassment against those peacefully voicing their concerns. The government must engage with the public, provide education on these projects and ensure that no misinformation is allowed to spread.
“We have witnessed similar misinformation from the NPP when they were in the opposition, opposing major foreign investments and chasing them away. Now, it is time for the NPP government to educate, raise awareness and proceed with development in a manner that respects the people. We support development, but not at the cost of harassing the people,” he said in the post.
