The Colombo government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse has been implementing a land appropriation policy to reduce the parliamentary strength of Tamils in Trincomalee district with the support of occupying Sri Lanka Army, say Tamil politicians in the district. While landless residents of the district have to fight for the allocation of half an acre per family, the outsiders brought down from south are allowed to clear forest lands 2 to 3 per acres per family. More than three hundred Sinhala families have been brought down from southern districts of the island and are allowed to clear forest area in Suriyawewa situated in Seruwila DS division at the rate of two to three acres per family.
These families are currently clearing the forest lands with the support of the SL military.
There was no Seruwila electorate in Trincomalee district when the country gained independence. Seruwila electorate in the Trincomalee district was carved out in 1970 after the state aided Sinhala colonization scheme carried out by the United National Party government since the British left the island in 1948.
Earlier, there were two electorates, Trincomalee and Moothoor. Tamils and Muslims were elected to Ceylon parliament. Later a Sinhalese was elected to parliament from the Seruwila electorate.
The land appropriation policy of the Colombo government with the backing of the occupying Sri Lanka Army has also a clear agenda to reduce strength of the Tamil population in the district, weakening Tamils electoral strength in the future elections, Tamil politicians lamented.
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