Ki'n'niyaa Muslims under pressure to leave their lands

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Muslim settlers in several villages in Ki'n'niya division in Trincomalee district are being threatened by the Sri Lankan police to vacate their lands they cultivate since the year 1971. Dr.A.M.Thoufeek, former parliamentarian of the Trincomalee district in a statement to media, alleged that "a hidden hand is actively working behind the move to oust Muslims from their lands."

Dr.Thoufeek is a leading member of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress led by Rauff Hakeem.

More than a thousand Muslim settlers in Vaddamadu, Chempimoaddai, Valaimadu, Panichchangku'lam, Kalla'ruppu, Kurangkuppaagnchaan are currently under pressure from the police to vacate their lands on allegation that they have encroached state land and forest reserve without permit, Thoufeek adds.

Thoufeek, who is the chairman of the Moothoor Piratheasa Chapai (Pradeshya Sabah) said these settlers have obtained permits for their lands under Land Development Ordinance Act of 1971. The government authorities had issued permits to these lands in the year 1979.

He has appealed to the Sri Lankan government not to force these Muslim settlers to become refugees again in their own villages.