Tamils blocked from accessing properties near SL Navy training base in Champoor, Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2020, 22:10 GMT]
The occupying SL Navy in Champoor in Trincomalee has deceived twenty poverty-stricken Tamil families into clearing one-hundred acres of lands located between SLNS Vidura base and the nearby Munpa'l'li Murukan temple with the false promise of resettlement. Five months ago, the SL Navy told the resettling Tamil families that they could move back into 300 acres of their properties. In their drive to get back their lands, the families went to the extent of borrowing money to clean up the bushes and trees. When one-third of the work was complete towards the end of May, the SL Navy refused access to the lands. SLNS Vidura is SL Navy's naval training base of the SL marines, established and groomed by the US Indo Pacific Command since 2017.

The SL Navy has told the people that their access was blocked due to new instructions from Colombo.

Each of the families had spent up to one lakh rupees. Machinery used to clear the forest costs typically 6,000 rupees per hour. The people had taken up loans in the hope that they would be able to settle it once they resumed cultivation.

The Sinhala Navy has seized thousands of acres of agricultural lands in the ancient Tamil village of Champoor in Moothoor East. The area was part of de-facto Tamil Eelam during the times of the LTTE.

After 2009, the Rajapaksa regime entirely transformed the region into a military and trade zone. Champoor was formally erased as a village in the registries.

Although the SL State allowed the people to resettle in some areas after the regime change in 2015, their legal ownership was not restored.

Some of the families believe that the SL Navy at the Vidura base wanted to clean up the bushes and trees and deceived them in the process.

The families have complained to the Village Officer (GS) and the Divisional Secretary of Moothoor a month ago. But, they have not received any answer.

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