“There are up to 70,000 people living on the island of Mannar. The majority of them are women-headed families. They depend on the sea and land for their livelihood. Their livelihood will be taken away by this sand mining. Their future is in question.”
People together with religious leaders they conducted the protest on 11 of June ,against the sand mining project in Mannar island .
Why they against this project?
Impact of Sand Mining in Mannar: A Threat to Livelihoods, Ecosystems, and Sovereignty
Mannar Island, located off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka, is not only ecologically sensitive but also home to vibrant fishing and farming communities whose livelihoods depend on the fragile balance between land and sea. Recent attempts by Titanium Sands Limited (TSL), an Australian mining company, to initiate a large-scale mineral sand mining operation on this island have sparked widespread concern and resistance among local communities, environmentalists, and civil society organizations.
The Project and Its Scale
TSL, through its Sri Lankan subsidiaries, has conducted exploration and scientific studies across Mannar Island. Preliminary data indicates that the region hosts one of the world’s richest deposits of heavy mineral sands—particularly ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and garnet—with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) estimating over 53 million metric tonnes of mineral-rich soil.
TSL has sought to capitalize on this resource, promoting a multi-billion-dollar extraction project. However, despite repeated lobbying, the project has failed to secure necessary licenses due to mounting public opposition and regulatory scrutiny.
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Environmental and Ecological Concerns
Mannar Island is an ecologically rich zone, home to wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs, and migratory bird sanctuaries. Environmental experts warn that large-scale sand mining can cause:
• Erosion and habitat destruction, threatening marine and coastal biodiversity.
• Saltwater intrusion into freshwater systems, contaminating water sources and harming agricultural lands.
• Disturbance to marine life, including endangered species, due to sediment runoff and coastal alteration.
Furthermore, the long-term ecological damage could be irreversible, affecting not just the local environment but the entire Gulf of Mannar ecosystem shared with India.
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Livelihood and Economic Threats
For generations, the people of Mannar have relied on small-scale fishing, agriculture, and livestock farming as their primary means of income. The proposed sand mining project poses direct threats to these livelihoods:
• Destruction of fishing grounds due to coastal degradation and siltation.
• Loss of arable land used for farming and coconut cultivation.
• Displacement risks, where communities may be relocated to make way for mining zones.
Rather than bringing prosperity, local communities fear that the project will result in job losses, resource scarcity, and social disintegration.
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Social and Cultural Impact
Mannar Island's communities have deep cultural ties to their land, shaped by generations of history, traditional knowledge, and post-war recovery efforts. Many see the mining project as a form of modern colonization, with foreign companies profiting at the cost of local people.
The secrecy surrounding project approvals, limited public consultations, and lack of transparency in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) have further deepened public distrust. Communities have held protests and awareness campaigns demanding an immediate halt to all mining activities and calling for recognition of their rights to land and natural resources.
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People’s Resistance and the Call to Stop Mining
The public resistance in Mannar has been loud and clear: Stop the project.
Protesters, including fisherfolk, farmers, women, and youth, have highlighted how their futures are being put at risk. They argue that instead of extractive industries, the government should invest in sustainable livelihoods, ecological tourism, and local enterprise development.
Community leaders and civil society networks demand:
• A moratorium on all heavy mineral sand mining projects in ecologically sensitive areas.
• Respect for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of local communities.
• A participatory and transparent environmental governance framework.
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Conclusion: A Call for Justice and Sustainability
The case of Mannar Island is emblematic of a broader global struggle: the fight between extractive development and the rights of indigenous and local communities. It raises pressing questions about who benefits from natural resources, and what kind of development is just and sustainable.
Sri Lanka must prioritize people and the planet over profit. The voices from Mannar are not just calling for the protection of their island—they are demanding a future where their land, water, and way of life are respected.
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