Colombo instructs civil administration in East to alienate lands to occupying military

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 March 2017, 22:04 GMT]
Fearing continued protests that could spread to the three districts in East against genocidal land grab, the occupying SL State has in recent days issued circulars to all the three government agents in East to speedily alienate lands through so-called legal measures making sure that the lands already seized by its three armed forces and the STF that comes under the SL Police. The military forces should ‘legally’ own all the private and public lands that remain militarized since 1990, a source close to Batticaloa GA told TamilNet on Wednesday. Similar instructions have also been given to land officials. The GA has come under increased pressure from Colombo to collaborate with the occupying military in surveying and transferring the lands.

Sinhala militarisation has particularly targeted the 10 of total 14 administrative divisions within the Batticaloa district.

The Divisional Secretaries have been instructed to assist the occupying military commanders to ensure that the lands are legally alienated to the military bases.

The STF in Ka'lvuaagnchik-kudi in Erulvil South of Ma'nmunai South and Eruvilpattu division has already got survey department officials to complete surveying of Onthaachchi-madam school lands and the residential area of South Eruvil government servants for permanent transfer.

The SL military and the STF stationed along A4 Colombo - Batticaloa Highway and along the Batticaloa - Kalmunai Road are busily engaged with survey department officials to permanently seize the lands where the camps are located.

SL military occupying the villages of Paduvaankarai, which were under the control of the LTTE in the past, has also approached the DS officers with requests to make sure the legal transfer of ownership, the civil sources in Batticaloa said.

Demographic genocide through Sinhala militarization has been a serious problem in six divisions, the officials added. SL military has seized lands in Poara-theevup Pattu, Ma'n-munai Southwest, Ma'n-munai West, Koa'ralaip Pattu South, Koa'ralaip Pattu North and Ea'raavoor-pattu divisions after the end of war in the East in 2007. Almost 10 years have passed. There has been no de-militarisation of Tamil areas in the district.

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