Tamil fishermen rise up against Colombo's move to permanently militarise Pa'l'li-munai in Mannaar
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 July 2016, 16:39 GMT]
Tension prevailed at Pa'l'li-munai, a coastal village of Eezham Tamils located within the urban limits of Mannaar city Wednesday morning around 10:00 a.m., when the occupying Sinhala Navy was using the SL Survey Department officials to measure lands for permanent military seizure while a case against the SL Navy is still pending at the District Court of Mannaar. SL Survey Department officials were blocked from surveying the lands of fishing market and 21 houses that have been occupied by the SL Navy since 1990. Eezham Tamil fishermen families spontaneously gathered at the site, shouted slogans against the SL Navy and demanded access to all their properties that have not been released to public since 1990.
How could the Additional Divisional Secretary (AGA) Mr S. Vasanthakumar provide permission to the Survey Department officials to conduct surveying of lands without prior notice to the rightful owners, the people gathered at the site questioned when Colombo's survey department officials showed them a letter signed by the Additional DS.  SL Survey Department officials arrived with SL Navy without prior notice required by the Law
The Sinhala navy wants to permanently militarize the area where it has put up a ‘naval detachment’. The families has lodged a legal suit against the SLN commanders in Mannaar. The case is being heard for 18 months by the District Court of Mannaar. Next hearing is scheduled on 26 June.  While the territory under red circles mark the Sinhala military consolidation under Mahinda Rajapaksa seen as ‘pro China’, the coast under yellow circle mark the expansion of the consolidation started by Rajapaksa and continued by Ranil-Maithiri regime viewed as ‘pro USA’. New Delhi continues to have military-to-military relations with genocidal Sinhala military. The ultimate target is land and waters of Tamils in the Indian-Ocean. The places mentioned in the feature come under the yellow circle. [Satellite image courtesy: Google Earth. Legend by TamilNet]
Tamil NPC Councillor Gnanaseelan Gunaseelan and S Ratnasingam Kumaresh, a former Divisional Councillor and the District Secretary of EPRLF were present at the site containing the public from becoming violent against the SL Navy. SL Policemen were also trying to calm down the protesting fishermen.  People confront SL officials surveying Pa'l'li-munai
 SL Military has seized the area from 23 Tamil families since 1990. On 20 July 2016, the uprooted Tamils confronted the SL Survey Department officials who were brought silently to survey the lands for permanent seizure. The SL Navy is trying to consolidate its ‘Naval Detachment’ and several other points along the coast of Mannaar, which is commanding both the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannaar as well as commanding the closest communication line with the Tamil Nadu coast.
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