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Sinhala Buddhist vihara, SL militarization pose threat to resettlement at Valikaamam North

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2016, 21:25 GMT]
The occupying military of genocidal Sri Lanka has constructed Buddhist vihare at the site of a Saiva temple (Kumaara-koayil), which was located in the lands belonging to a popular Eezham Tamil female singer from Veemankaamam North GS Division in Valikaam North of Jaffna district. Uprooted Tamil families, along with some journalists in Jaffna, were able to access the area this week after 26 years. Despite the propaganda from SL President Maithiripala Sirisena that these lands were being released back to the people in Valikaamam North, the GS divisions still remains largely militarized, the journalists said providing visuals from the site. Sinhala police, SL ‘Terrorist’ Investigation Division and the ‘State Intelligence Service’ are occupying the lands that belong to more than 60 families at the locality surrounding the Buddhist temple, named ‘Gamunu Vihare’.



Sinhala Police officials have told the uprooted landowners visiting their village that there was no plan to vacate the Vihara and the lands in the vicinity on both the sides of the KKS Road.

Meanwhile, Sinhalese visitors from South are being encouraged to visit the military-built Vihara as ‘pilgrims’ in order to discourage the landowners from demanding removal of the Buddhist vihara.

Veeman-kaamam is situated between Thellippazhai and Kaangkeasanthu'rai (KKS) in Valikaamam North (J-236) GS division.

SL military is still stationed at several places in the GS divisions that were claimed as being released back to the people by the SL President.



938 acres are yet to be released at KKS West (J/235 GS division). 243 uprooted Tamil families have registered for resettlement there. They were disappointed after witnessing the level of Sinhala militarization.

At KKS South (J/234) GS division, the occupying Sinhala military is still stationed in 86 acres of lands that belong to 131 families, civil officials at Thellippazhai said.

The Sinhala military is still occupying 247 acres of lands belonging to more than 300 families at KKS Centre (J/233) GS division, the officials added.

The real intention of the Colombo establishment was to discourage people from resettling in their lands and make them to sell their lands back to the SL military establishment, civil officials commented.

Nadeswara College, which was one of the key education institutions in Valikaamam North, was reconstructed and re-opened amidst much propaganda some time back. But, the SL military is still stationed surrounding the school, making it very difficult for the students to attend the school.





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