STF creates rifts among Muslims in Pulmoaddai

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2019, 22:05 GMT]
The occupying Special Task Force (STF) stationed at Pulmoaddai 1st Ward has recruited Muslim informants to operate against their fellow villagers in Pulmoaddai using the ‘counter-terror’ relationships it has established after the Easter Sunday attacks. Using the rapport with the Sinhala commandos, operatives such as Jainulabdeen Muhammed Buhari, are making money from the villagers, the people complain. On Thursday, the SL Police suppressed a protest by the villagers by promising to control the informants from misbehaving. The villagers said lack of political power aftermath the April 21 attacks had given space for the rise of exploitative personalities as witnessed during the war when the SL State deployed paramilitary operatives deploying divide-and-rule counter-insurgency tactics.

The STF is allowing the intruding Sinhala settlers from the border villages to enter the abandoned agricultural lands in Pulmoaddai. The intruders are also destroying the forest areas to expand their agriculture.

They are also seizing agricultural lands that belonged to Eezham Tamil villagers who were uprooted during the times of war.

The Muslim villagers who want to resume agriculture are asked to pay a ransom of 10,000 rupees per acre to commence agriculture even if they possess deeds for the lands in question.

There are around 8,000 acres of agricultural lands in the area where the STF commandos hold sway.

The Village (GS) Officials and Divisional Secretary (DS) officials are the ones tasked with the job of looking after the land issues. However, the STF and the SL military are using the extra-ordinary powers during the Emergency after the Easter Sunday attacks have made it a custom to intervene in the land affairs.

Although the Emergency has been lifted, the STF is controlling the land use in Pulmoaddai through its agents.

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