Court directs action towards Jaffna HSZ resettlement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 15:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the Jaffna District Government Agent to prepare a preliminary report and submit to court on July 24 on the question of resettling about seven thousand displaced families in the Palaly high security zone in the Jaffna district giving priority to the displaced sheltered in refugee camps and welfare centers when the Fundamental Rights Violation applications filed by Mr.Kasipillai Yogeswaran, a farmer and Mr.Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district parliamentarian in this regard came up for inquiry Monday, legal sources said.

The three-member bench of the SC chaired by the Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva further instructed Mr.S.Ganesh, Jaffna District Government Agent to consult the Sri Lanka Army in the preparation of the preliminary report in this regard and to give attention to the Palaly air base. The bench comprised Justices Nihal Jayasinghe and Nimal Dissanayake, legal sources said

Mr. Appathurai Vinyagamoorthy, Counsel for the first applicant submitted to court a report stating about 7465 families have expressed their willingness to resettle in their lands now occupied by government troops, legal sources said.

Petitioners in their applications have begged court to order the authorities concerned to allow them to resettle in their houses and lands located in the Jaffna-Palaly HSZ. Petitioners told in their applications that they had been displaced as the security forces had taken over their houses and lands in the name of high security zone in the year 1990, legal sources said.

Jaffna Security Forces Commander, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, the Defense Secretary and the Jaffna District Government Agent have been cited as respondents in these petitions, legal sources said.

Counsel Mr. Appathurai Vinyagamoorthy with Counsel Thanabalasingham Janahan appeared for the first petitioner Mr.Kasipillai Yogeswaran and President Counsel Mr.Kanageswaran appeared for the second petitioner Mr.Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna MP. Deputy Solicitor General Ravindra Fernando appeared for the respondents, legal sources said.