Colombo accelerates Sinhala colonisation in Batticaloa: TNA MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 July 2013, 23:54 GMT]
The Colombo government is accelerating the Sinhala colonization in the Batticaloa district. More than one hundred Sinhalese families were brought down from Ampaa'rai district and have been settled down in Kevu'liya-madu village in Paddippazhai DS division, according to Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr. P. Selvarasa.

Kevu'liya-madu is a traditional Tamil village.

Tamil farmers were engaged in Cheanai-cultivation (rain fed) in the village since 1970.

They were uprooted from the village several times and lost their belongings when they fled from the village seeking safety elsewhere.

Now, only 21 Tamil families have resettled in the village due to their personal efforts though they were not provided with basic facilities by the Sri Lankan authorities.

Already, 227 Sinhala families are living in the village with voting rights.

The Tamil National Alliance vehemently opposes the move by the government to colonize the village with more Sinhalese from other parts of the island.

Attempts made by the Paddippazhai DS division in taking legal action were proved futile.

The Sinhala settlers ordered by the court to vacate their lands in the village are being provided with houses constructed with bricks.

The Sinhala families living in the village for years also blame that the latest illegal settlement of Sinhalese as disturbing the prevailing ethnic harmony in the village, Mr Selvarasa, who recently visited the village told media.

Batticaloa Mangalarama Viharathipathi Ambitiya Suma Ratna Thera was giving support to the illegal Sinhala settlers.

Colombo government should take immediate steps to evict those Sinhalese families who have encroached lands in the village. The uprooted Tamils and Sinhalese who have been living in the village legally since 1970 should be provided with basic facilities, the TNA parliamentarian said.