Sinhala armed guards block monsoon rice cultivation in Vadamaraadchi East, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 October 2018, 20:00 GMT]
Armed guards belonging to the Wildlife Department of the unitary state of genocidal Sri Lanka are blocking Eezham Tamils from engaging in cultivating rice in Maruthang-kea'ni in Vadamaraadchi East. The SL Wildlife Department has seized 12,000 acres of paddy lands owned by Eezham Tamils who have land deeds for the property. The Wildlife Department had 18,000 acres in 1938. However, occupying SL military was blocking resettlement for an extended period during which time the SL Wildlife Department has seized additional 40,000 acres without consulting with the Divisional Secretariat or the District Secretariat. The motive behind the converting of the lands into ‘State Lands’ was aimed at choking Jaffna Peninsula and Vanni mainland, the officials said.



As the North-East monsoon (Perum-poakam) season started with rains, the owners of the paddy lands began to plough the fields this week.

However, the guards of SL Department of Wildlife Conservation have been patrolling the area in the morning times to chase the land-owners away from their paddy fields.

The Divisional Secretary was not available to comment. However, the officials at Jaffna District Secretariat said they were demanding the SL Wildlife Department to annul the controversial Gazette notification.

More than 12,000 acres of private paddy lands have been absorbed into the so-called expansion of Mu'l'lik-ku'lam Sanctuary in Jaffna district. People from Pazhai also complain that their agricultural lands have been converted into the zone.

In the meantime, 8,000 acres of lands belonging to Ki'linochchi district have also been absorbed into the so-called sanctuary.

The occupying SL Navy is having its naval establishments in the area, including resorts.

Perum-poakam is the term commonly used in Eezham Tamil for Mahaa season which starts in September and ends by March during the North-east monsoon.



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