Colombo released lands with one hand to take away more with the other

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 May 2018, 10:07 GMT]
On the one hand, the SL Government is waging propaganda claiming it is releasing pockets of lands in Valikaamam North in Jaffna. But, on the other hand, it is seizing more lands citing a war-time Gazette notification from 07 August 1987, complained A. Gunabalasingham, the president of Valikaamam North Rehabilitation Society. Gunabalasingham's reaction comes on Saturday as the Divisional Secretary of Valikaamam North, S. Sivasri, issued a fresh notice to report those whose lands (in the former High-Security Zone) were coming under the Gazette Notification 465/14, to his office at Thellippazhai.

The Gazette notification was claiming fertile lands of Tamil people in five GS areas of Then-Mayilai (Mayiliddi South J/240), Mayiliddi North (J/246), Palaali West (J/256), Palaali South (J/252) and Kurumpasiddi (J/242).

The latest instruction from the Divisional Secretary has been issued on 09 May 2018.

Also, other organisations representing the uprooted Tamils have come up with strong reactions against the move.

The lands were initially seized for military purposes. The official reason provided for the appropriation was the expansion of the runway at the Palaali airbase.

But, the runway was expanded with Indian assistance a few years ago by 800 meters. The supposed expansion of a full-fledged runway for international air traffic was also scuttled by the SL State as it was reluctant to resume regional and international flight services with transits in Tamil Nadu.



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