All people of the north and east who cannot confirm ownership of their land through supporting documents are to be given a two-month period to furnish details of such land through a special application to the respective Divisional Secretaries, reports SL state-owned Daily News and SL ‘Defence’ website. “A special procedure is to be followed in cases where state land has been claimed by the people,” the report says, meaning that ‘state’ lands distributed to Tamils during British rule and after independence will be now ‘reconsidered’ if documents or parties are not available. All land issues in the country of Eezham Tamils have to be dealt with only by Tamil sovereignty and by no body else, commented Tamil political circles, adding that the former colonial power Britain and India that backs genocidal Colombo are answerable for not upholding the sovereignty of Eezham Tamils over their land.
Colonial Sri Lanka’s Lands Ministry is to advertise notices calling for applications for people of the North and East through the print and electronic media next week, Daily News reported last Friday.
Ownership of private land would be dealt with by the Bimsaviya programme (a Sinhala name given to the programme), which would be first implemented in the five DS divisions of Nallur (Poonakari), Karaichchi, Karaithu’raippattu, Nedungkea’ni and Musali of the Vanni districts of Ki’linochchi and Mullaiththeevu, the announcement said.
The applications would be separated under different categories. A special procedure is to be followed in cases where state land has been claimed by the people. These cases would be inquired into by a special committee of inquiry at Divisional Secretariat level with the participation of representatives of all government institutions.
This committee of inquiry will make a preliminary list after conducting thorough investigations and this list is to be further reviewed by the second committee of inquiry again. These lists would be published in the media so the public could make objections and a considerable period is to be declared to receive objections too, Colombo’s officials said.
With heavy Sinhalicisation of administration and with the occupation Sinhala military that has most of the say in the Tamil districts, the land committees are camouflaged efforts to confiscate Tamil lands or to make Tamils subservient even in getting their lands back, Tamil politicians in the island said.
In the meantime, a recently uncovered cabinet memorandum has provided details of the new “Sri Lankan Land Alienation Policy to Promote Development Activities”. The memorandum outlines how the policy will open the doors for investment in private agricultural production and create special zones for industries and tourism, reports media in the island.
This memorandum exposes the current government’s plans to go ahead with policies that will allow land grabbing, destroying the livelihoods of the country’s smallholder farmers, the media reports further said.
The New Delhi establishment is the primary culprit in bargaining lands in the island in return for backing Colombo’s colonisation and militarisation of Tamil land, accuse Tamil political circles in the island.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow TNN on Facebook and Twitter )