By Maryam Azwer
Owners of lands in the High Security Zone (HSZ) area in Mathagal, Jaffna have sought legal action to get back their lands, said TNA MP and Attorney-at-law, M. A. Sumanthiran.
He said he was approached by a group of Mathagal land owners last month, who had explained their situation and asked if a legal remedy was available.
Sumanthiran also said that this was an issue related to certain cases filed around eight years ago, regarding land being held in the HSZ.
Two of these cases are still pending in court, he said, one of them in which TNA General Secretary, Mavai Senathirajah, is a petitioner.
“Mr. Senathirajah, as a Member of Parliament, filed one of those cases. His house is also in that area,” explained Sumanthiran. “It is in that case that the court gave an order, around four or five years ago, directing that people must be resettled, once the demining certificates are obtained,” he said.
He added that, “Accordingly, although progress is slow, as and when the demining certificate is obtained, people are allowed to go.”
The people of the Mathagal area, however, have not been allowed back to their lands, said Sumanthiran.
“Mathagal is a place which has been demined, and tourists are allowed to go, but residents have been told that they will not be allowed to resettle there. This is contrary to the direction already given by court, and that is the issue now,” he said.
He added that, based on this, they were looking at the possibilities of court action.
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