SLA asked to consider allowing cultivation in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 12:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to submit a report by 3rd December on the possibility of allowing cultivation in the agricultural lands in the high security zones (HSZ) occupied by the SLA soldiers in the Jaffna district, legal sources said.

Fundamental Rights application filed by Mr.Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna District Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian (TNA), and by a farmer of Maviddapuram in the Palaly HSZ came up for inquiry Tuesday before a three-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva.

The petitioners in their applications begged the court to order the SLA to allow them to reside in their houses and cultivate their agricultural lands in Maviddapuram area located in the HSZ and currently occupied by the army, legal sources said.

The Chief Justice said there could be a legal wrangle over the question of maintaining HSZ under the existing law. Hence the army commander should submit a report about the possibility of allowing the displaced to cultivate their lands in the HSZ, legal sources said.

State Counsel appeared on behalf of the respondent, SLA Commander said the army could not allow cultivation or resettlement in HSZ as they are not in a position to declare the said plots are mine free, legal sources said.