Encroachment of government lands in Batticaloa Tamil areas

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 November 2009, 16:46 GMT]
Ma’nmunai Southwest Divisional Secretariat has informed the Deputy Secretary to President Rajapakse confirming the illegal colonization of government lands in Batticaloa district in Eastern Province where Tamil people live predominantly. Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Ariyanenthiran had already brought the issue of illegal colonization to the President and his Deputy Secretary had called for reports from the three Government Agents (GAs) in Eastern Province.

Ma’nmunai Southwest Divisional Secretariat in relation to the directive of the Deputy Secretary to the President submitted the following report to Batticaloa district GA and a copy of it has been sent to President’ Deputy Secretary.

The following is the English translation of the above letter:

From: Divisional Secretariat

Ma’nmunai Southwest 11.11.2009

To: The Government Agent

Secretariat

Batticaloa

Encroachment of government lands

With reference to your letter of 3.11. 2009

Encroachment of government lands in Kevu’liyaamadu in Kachchakkodi Village Officer area under my divisional administration has been taking place from September. Instructions were issued to stop this illegal occupation of government property was given to the Officer-in-Charge of Vakkialla police station on 11.09.2009.

No action being taken, the encroachment has continued and now there are 170 illegal settlements and some of these are permanent structures. This area is heavily guarded with sentry posts and the encroachments continue with the assistance of the former Village Officer when this area was annexed to Uka’nai Divisional Secretariat.

Some of the encroached lands have already been allocated to Sinhalese and Tamils.

Though the Sinhalese people whose lands had been encroached no action has been taken.