Tamil, Muslim farmers in Trincomalee file writ application against land appropriation

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 July 2012, 23:29 GMT]
Two member bench of the Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal on Wednesday fixed the inquiry for August 28 into the writ application filed by a group of Tamil and Muslim farmers against the appropriation of their fertile paddy fields for the construction of a high way by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Thampalakaamam of Trincomalee district.

The petitioners A.M.A Fareed of Ki'n'niyaa, Seenithamby Sathiyanathan, Sinnarasa Theivanayagi and Kurukulapoopalasingham Thilakaretnam, all are from Thampalakamam have cited the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, SLAF captain in Choorankal, officers of the Road Construction Authority and Village officers (GS) of the respective division where the paddy fields are located.

The writ application was taken up for inquiry on Wednesday. The bench comprised Justice S.Sriskandarajah, President of the Court of Appeal and Justice Deepali Wijesundera.

Counsel M.A.Sumanthiran with Counsels Ms. Bavani Fonseka and Ms. J.Arulanandam appeared for the petitioners and submitted to court that several acres of fertile paddy fields have been appropriated by the Sri Lanka Air Force, without the consent of the landowners, to construct a highway to connect the Air Force base in the area with Colombo.

Owners of the paddy fields have not been informed of such land acquisition. Lands have been appropriated without legal basis, the counsels argued.

The SL Appeal Court directed its Registrar to issue notice on the respondents returnable on August 28 and allowed the petitioners to file application seeking injunction against the land appropriation by the Sri Lanka Air Force if they feel such injunction is necessary.

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