Rajavarothaiam Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), speaking on an adjournment submitted by him in Sri Lanka’s parliament Friday, said that "encroachment of lands belonging to Tamils and Muslims and State has been on going in the eastern province on large scale with the support of government, and amid intimidation of minority communities by government security forces, and this should be stopped immediately," parliamentary sources in Colombo said.
Sampanthan further said persons brought from out side the eastern province are being settled in lands where Tamils and Muslims lived for generations.
"The illegal settlements are taking place in lands both sides of the Kinniya and Moothoor main road in Kinniya and Moothoor DS divisions, along the newly constructed road from Seruvila to Polonnaruwa in the Seruvila DS division, on both sides along Trincomalee-Habarana road in the Thampalakaamam and Kanthalaai DS divisions, along both sides of Trincomalee-Horowopottana road covering Tamil areas Mudaliyarkulam, Veppankulam and Pankulam in Morawewa DS division," Sampanthan said.
Sampanthan reminded the House that the largescale encroachment of lands belong to minority communities has been taking place ignoring the Eastern Provincial Council administration.
Mr.Sampanthan appealed to the government to stop all encroachments on lands belong to Tamils and Muslims in the eastern province and to take immediate step to evict the encroachers who have been brought from other provinces with the support of the government and military.
He further appealed to the government to resettle all the 1486 internally displaced Tamil families in their traditional homes in Champoor East, Champoor West, Koonitheivu, Navaratnapuram, Kadatkaraichchenai which have been declared security zone by the Sri Lanka Army after its military operation in the year 2006.
Participating in the debate, Parliamentarian Mr.Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) asked the government to halt the distribution of land in the North and East till the resettlement process of the displaced people is concluded.
Dissanayaek said the distribution and sale of land should be stopped forthwith so that the displaced could be resettled in their original lands, adding that the main topic of discussion among the business community today was the purchase of land in the North and East. This was because of the potential investment opportunities that had come up after the war.
"The investment trend today is to purchase land in the North and East than investing in the stock market or any other venture. But one must think of the poor people who had lost their lands during the conflict," Dissanayake said.
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