JHU files court action against giving 300 tsunami houses to Muslims

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 17:28 GMT]
A petition seeking interim order to stop the distribution of three hundred houses constructed in Deegavapi area in Ampaarai for tsunami affected Muslim families has been filed in the Supreme Court by Venerable Ellawela Methanananda Thera , a parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and six others from the Deegavapi Restoration Association, legal sources in Ampaarai said. The houses have been constructed by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) under the tsunami rehabilitation project.

The petitioners have cited Ministers Ferial Ashraff, Jeevan Kumaratunga, and P.Dayaratne, President of the Deegavapi Management Committee, Akkaraipathu Divisional Secretary, Land Commissioner and seven others as respondents.

The petitioners state that land belongs to Hingurana Sugar factory has been handed over to the SLRCS to construct 500 houses for tsunami affected families.

Three hundred houses have been constructed in the close proximity of the Deegavapi area. The distribution of these houses to Muslim families would affect the rights of Buddhists in the area in worshipping the historic Raja Maha Vihare in Deegavapi, the petitioners said. "Hence we beg court to issue interim order stopping the handing over the three hundred houses to Muslims," states in the petition.