Will 2010 be Wilpattu’s swansong, with Sri Lanka going down in history as the country which deliberately allowed the destruction of one of its pristine beauty-spots not only of tremendous ecological value but also of archaeological importance?

The most recent tragic story to hit the headlines and grip the people was that of two-year-old Amila Sandaruwan Fernando who was thrown into the Kalu Ganga at Kalutara by his mother. Although he was rescued by a truck driver, little Amila died nine days later at the Lady Ridegway Hospital even after a major effort to save his life.