Colombo prepares to seize entire hill-top of Maththa'la-malai in Kooniththeevu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2018, 23:14 GMT]
The Archaeology Department of occupying Colombo has instructed the SL Police Officer-In-Charge of Champoor, Trincomalee, that the entire hill-top of Maththa'la-malai in Kooniththeevu, including the traditional Murukan temple of the village deity of Tamils, should be considered as Sinhala Buddhist site of archaeological heritage, according to an informed source close to the SL Police.

Although the Tamil people of Kooniththeevu are being currently allowed to enter their temple and engage in daily prayers, they would soon be forced to shift their temple out of Maththa'la-malai as a consequence of the Sinhala Archaeology policy, the source further said.

In the meantime, official land documents of the temple have been transferred away from the Divisional secretariat before the detained temple trustees were released from police custody on Thursday.

Anyone challenging the decision of SL Archaeology Department would be dealt with arrests and there would be no bail to those who get arrested under the concerned acts of vandalism at archaeological sites, the SL police has told the trustees of the temple.

A section of activists in Kooniththeevu have also been warned by the civil officials from the office of the SL colonial Governor to East Rohitha Bogollagama, the villagers said.

SL policemen operating under Champoor Police OIC are manning the site both day and night and the temple trustees have been strictly told not to engage in any construction activities.



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