Public servants in East under increased pressure to alienate lands from Eezham Tamils

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 December 2016, 23:13 GMT]
The Divisional Secretary of Koara'laippattu North (Vaakarai), Ms S.R. Rahulanayaki, has been under constant pressure from the Speaker of Eastern Provincial Ms Ariyawathi Galappaththy, a Sinhalese, and the Government Agent of Batticaloa District Ms P.S.M. Charles, who is a Tamil, to collaborate with Colombo's ministries and departments to alienate lands from the people of Vaakarai, informed civil sources in Vaakarai told TamilNet. While the Divisional Secretaries are under pressure to alienate lands to intruders from other areas in the island, the Governor to Eastern Province is busily engaged in identifying lands elsewhere along the strategic coast of Trincomalee to lease those lands out to US and other external actors, the sources further said.

The details of lands being identified to lease out to global forces will be leaked to media soon, the sources said.

Colombo's Forest Department is attempting to demarcate lands in Tamil areas seized from the control of the LTTE.

Sinhalese with UNP links from Colombo, including those having marital relationship with the daughter of late K.W. Devanayagam, a popular MP from Batticaloa who joined UNP becoming a minister in late 70s, are making claims to the coastal lands.

Divisional Secretary Rahulanayaki, facing pressure from the Tamil people in the division, chose to challenge the erection of a Buddha statue and encroachment that was being schemed by the extremist Sinhala monk at Kaayangkea'ni. Galappaththy and Charles, on the instruction from Mr Fernando, were harassing her to drop the case.

The GA, acting on the instructions from the SL Governor, has blocked promotions and other facilities to Ms Rahulanayaki, the informed sources further said.

At the same time, M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, a national list Parliamentarian appointed by SL President Maithiripala Sirisena, has also been exerting pressure to alienate lands to traders from Marutha-munai.

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