"Stop constructing Buddhist shrines in Tamil villages"-TNA MP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 July 2004, 17:06 GMT]
"The construction of Buddhist Vihares on lands in traditional Tamil villages in the Trincomalee district would cause serious impact on the current peace process and would disturb the mutual understanding and co-existence that prevails among various communities in the district," said Trincomalee District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham in a letter to the Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge.

"A Buddhist Vihare is being constructed in a predominantly Tamil village Vilankulam which is located between Trincomalee and Thampalakamam on Trinco-Kandy highway where there is no trace or evidence to show the existence of a Sinhala settlement or a Buddhist shrine. The construction is being done despite vehement protest by Tamils and their elected representatives," Mr.Thurairatnesingham pointed out to Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge by his letter.

Mr.Thurairatnesingham brought to the President another incident where preparations are underway to built a Buddhist shrine on a piece land allocated to a Tamil allottee 34 years ago in Palampoddar village under the Land Development Ordinance, just in front of the historical Paththini Amman Temple. For the construction of this Vihare, authorities have decided to acquire an acre of the five-acre plot allotted to a Tamil farmer Mr. Varathalingam three decades ago despite protests by elected Tamil representatives, Mr.Thurairatnesingham pointed out in his letter.

He appealed to the President to take immediate steps to stop constructing new Buddhist shrines in predominantly Tamil villages in the Trincomalee district

Mr.Thurairatnesingham has sent copies of this letter to the Prime Minister, Minister of Lands, Trincomalee District Government Agent, Provincial Secretary of Lands and Provincial Land Commissioner.