The occupying SL military, Buddhist monks and Sinhala civil officials have stepped up appropriating lands belonging to Eezham Tamils in Ampaa’rai district. The instructions for land grab come from Colombo and the appropriation of Tamils’ lands has accelerated since the Provincial Council elections in the East and the recent ‘development’ exhibition held in Ampaa’rai. Threatened by prevailing ‘disappearances’ and other forms of harassments in the district, the victims hesitate to lodge complaints with the SL Police.
70 acres of land, initially earmarked for a radio station in the Chammaan-thu’rai DS division of the Ampaar’ai district is being segmented by the SL authorities for the construction of a military cantonment, which was earlier confined to 15 acres at the site.
Fences are being constructed overnight.
After the recent so-called ‘development’ exhibition called ‘Deyata Kirula’ (‘crowning the nation’) held in Ampaa’rai, the commander of the military base told the residents in the area that the military base would be expanded covering the entire 70-acre of land.
This 70-acre land is the ancestral property of the Tamil people who have been using it for their cultivation purposes.
The construction of fence by the military is not even endorsed by any civil authority.
In the meantime, Buddhist monks have appropriated 140 acres of land at Thoddaach-churungki Puthuk-kaaddu-veddai in the district. These lands had also been earmarked for the radio station.
Unable to expect justice from hostile Sinhala officials, the Eezham Tamils at Malvaththai have been demanding their own Tamil division.
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