Colombo converts 2000 acres of ex-HSZ lands citing India-assisted airport expansion in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 August 2019, 20:05 GMT]
The SL State schemes to permanently seize 2000 acres of properties belonging to private Eezham Tamil landowners in Valikaamam North, citing the Indian-funded transformation of the so-called civilian airport in Palaali in Jaffna. Valikaamam North Divisional Councillor Shanmugalingam Shageevan, who is also the chairman of Vali-North Resettlement Committee, said the occupying SL military was converting the former ‘High-Security Zone’ lands into the so-called civilian airport lands. The ultimate aim of the SL State is retaining the areas as before during the times of war, he accused.

The Tamil National Alliance, particularly the ITAK, is silent as it is under pressure to collaborate with Colombo and New Delhi, he further said.

It was the former Indian military experts who advised the SL military to retain the HSZ lands during Norway facilitated the peace process.

The lands in question were initially taken over by the SL military in 1985. The people have been waiting for thirty-four years with a hope to get back their properties. Now, the Indian government is assisting the scheme without de-militarising the airport, Mr Shageevan said.

Eight hundred acres of lands located close to Thellip-pazhai Cancer Hospital were also being seized under the same scheme. These lands, situated to the south of the SL military airbase at Palaali, also belong to private owners, the civic councillor further said.



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