Moothoor farmers file FR petitions in Supreme Court against HSZ declaration

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 07:18 GMT]
Four Moothoor farmers and Dr.Pakkiyasothy Saravanamuthu, Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a Colombo-based think-tank, Friday filed fundamental rights petitions in the Supreme Court seeking the court to order the Sri Lanka Government's declaration of traditional paddy lands in Moothoor and Champoor as high security zones null and void, legal sources in Colombo said.

The HSZ was established by Presidential gazette notification dated May 30 under the Emergency Regulations.

Nine persons including the Defence Minister, Defence Secretary, Commanders of the armed forces, the Inspector General of Police have been cited as respondents in the FR petitions, legal sources said.

Petitioners state that the traditional fertile paddy lands in Moothoor and Champoor have been brought under high security zones by the government depriving the livelihood of the villagers occupying these areas who have been displaced due to war and sought refuge elsewhere.

The petition said the government's action was illegal.

Petitioners begged court to declare the extraordinary gazette notification issued by the government null and void and to order appropriate compensation to them, legal sources said.

Chronology:


Related Articles:
23.06.07   Moothoor
20.06.07   Trincomalee