Sri Lankan docs in US urge President to ban glyphosate 

by Don Asoka Wijewardena  -    April 3, 2014,

A group of Sri Lankan scientists and doctors living in the US has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to implement his decision to ban weedicides containing glyphosate.

Praising the President for his bold action to solve the problem of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) which snuffs out 13 lives in Sri Lanka per day, they have urged him not to give in to pressure.

The ban must be maintained until special interest groups prove beyond doubt that such agro-chemicals are not injurious to human health, they have said.

Approximately 5,000 farmers in the North-Central province (NCP) in Sri Lanka dies of CKD. Many cases go undiagnosed.

Sri Lanka scientists have proved that glyphosate in weedicides is the root cause of the CKD.

A group of Sri Lankan scientists met Special Projects Minister SM Chandrasena recently and informed him that glyphosate was responsible for CKD. Thereafter Minister Chandrasena briefed President Rajapaksa, who ordered a ban on glyphosate in Sri Lanka. However, the presidential order has not yet been carried out.

The letter urging the President to ban glyphosate has been signed by Dr. Iresha Goonesinghe (MD, FACP, FACC, MACPE) Consultant Cardiologist, California; Dr. Niranjala Tillkaratne (PhD, Research Pro.Senior Scientist University of California, Los Angeles); Dr. Rasika Wikremasinghe (MD, FACC) Consultant Cardiologist) California; Dr. Chandrika Seneviratne (MD) Consultant Pathologist) California; Dr. Himanshu Wickreamasinghe (MD, FACCP) Consultant Pulmonologists) California; Dr. Lasika Seneviratne (MD) Consultant Haematologist and Oncology) California and Dr. Mohan Kumararatne (MBBS FAAP Consultant Pediatrician) California.