Colombo diverts Indian housing assistance to wedge North and East

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2014, 23:18 GMT]
After Sinhalicising the civil administration of the Ma'nalaa'ru division, which is becoming almost a Sinhala only division in the Mullaiththeevu district, Colombo has seized the private lands of Eezham Tamils to allot the lands to Sinhala settlers in Kokku'laay, says Thurairasa Raviharan, an elected member of the Northern Provincial Council. While the war-affected Tamils languish without proper housing, new settlers brought from South are receiving houses intended for war-affected people under the Indian housing scheme, he says after visiting and witnessing the genocidal land grab taking place at Mukaththuvaaram in Kokku'laay.

The area surrounding the Kokku'laay lagoon is the focus of Sinhala colonisation presently, as it is the key location for wedging the demographic contiguity of the north and east of the country of Eezham Tamils in the island, as well as direct communication between Mullaiththeevu and Trincomalee.

The affected Tamils in Mukaththuvaaram at the provincial border have handed over copies of their land permits and deeds to the visiting councillor.

Many Tamils have also lost their land permits as they were displaced several times during the genocidal onslaught on Vanni.

One needs to document ownership of land in order to be eligible for the housing scheme being provided by India.

Under the cover of ‘resettlement’, 250 Sinhala families are being provided the housing assistance, which has been diverted from reaching the real war-affected people.

3 acres lands of Sinthanthurai, 1 acre of Sebastiampillay, 2.5 acres belonging to Santhiyampillai Seemanpillai, 3 acres of Singarasa, 1.5 acres of Thampi Iya, 1.5 acres of Sebastiampilai Mariamathanilam and 3 acres fo Galththoppillai Yasintha have been seized by the SL authorities, the councillor said.

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