SLA allows cultivation, resettlement in Kurankupaanchaan

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 August 2007, 05:51 GMT]
About three hundred families displaced from Kurankupaanchaan, a hamlet in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district, will be allowed to resume cultivation of paddy and other crops in their abandoned lands immediately. Resettlement of these families displaced in 1990 would take place simultaneously, according to consensus reached at a discussion held Saturday at Kurankupaanchaan camp of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) , civil society sources said.

A team of government officials led by Mr.M.Mubarak, Kinniya Divisional Secretary, representatives of farmers' organizations visited Kurankupaanchaan tank, Kiraan village and abandoned paddy fields in Kurankupaanchaan village.

Later a discussion was held with Divisional Secretary in the chair.

SLA officials, representatives of Ulama Sabha and farmers' organizations participated in the discussion. Farmers' representatives wanted permission to commence immediately paddy cultivation in their lands and resettlement of IDP families.

SLA officials replied that farmers could commence cultivation. They could put up huts while the cultivation progresses.

Majority of IDP families from Kurankupaanchaan belongs to Muslim community and the rest are from Tamil community, sources said.