Sri Lanka is not a property of Medamulana, stop plunder of lands in the North – JVP

SUNDAY, 28 APRIL 2013 

Sri Lanka is not a property of Medamulana and the government should immediately stop plundering lands in the North says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva.

Speaking at a special media conference held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta today (28th) Mr. Tilvin Silva said, "There are several issues that affect the people in the North and the East at present. As the attention of the media is less to these issues the government is attempting to trample the issues.

It will be four years since the end of the war by the 19th of next month. The government should have found solutions for the issues of the masses who have been distressed due to the war during these four years. They should have listened to their woes. However, the government, despite four years have gone by since the end of the war, is creating more problems for the people in these areas instead of finding solutions for their issues. Sowing of communalism, wrong policies followed by rulers and constricting democracy were the reasons for the 30 year war. Even after four years the government has not been able to build trust among people, unity among communities or the notion that Sri Lanka is their country. However, the government is pushing the masses in the North and the East towards separatism.

There are several issues confronting the masses in the North and the East. Among them the issue of the displaced is the foremost. The government, instead of re-settling the displaced in their villages, is abandoning them in jungles. Many more are still in camps for the displaced. The government has failed to resettle the displaced and allow them to live as human beings. Also, civil administration has not been established in these areas. The people who had to live under arbitrary conditions of the LTTE have now have to live under and arbitrary administration of the government. A semi-military administration is being carried out in the North and the East. These areas are a part of our country. These people also should be given freedom and democracy.

The government talks about an election to the North. However, the masses in these areas have been denied democratic rights. Other political parties are not allowed to engage in politics in these areas. The Army is used to interfere in political matters. The latest issue that has sprung up in the areas is the grabbing of land belonging to the people. This has drawn international attention as well. Instead of using the opportunity made available with the end of the war to create unity among communities, the government has made plundering lands its policy. There are state lands as well as private lands in these areas. The situation of the private lands is disastrous. The original settlers of these lands left the area due to atrocities of the LTTE. Now they have lost their lands. The people living in camps for the displaced should be given back their lands. However, what the government does is to take over these lands arbitrarily.

The government is taking steps to arbitrarily take over 6381 acres from Valikamam North and East in Jaffna. The government has posted notices too regarding this. These notices are displayed with the responsibility of Mr. A. Sivasamy, the officer in charge of taking over lands in Jaffna Secretariat. These are lands of ordinary people in the area. The government makes use of the Land Acquisition Act No 28 of 1964 to grab these lands. 6381 acres in Thellipale in Valikamam North, Kopai, Kankasanthurai west and East, Vimankamam South, Thiaiti South, Palaly South, Kottapulam, Valalai are to be taken over this way. The lands are in 27 Grama Sevaka Divisions. The government that temporarily took over the lands stating security needs is now attempting to take them over legally. The serious issue is that people in several families are losing their lands. There are 29,000 people belonging to about 10,000 families who are without lands in the North at present. They still live in camps for the displaced.

When the land issue was heard in Supreme Court the government stated people cannot be settled in the lands as there were land mines. As a result about 1700 people in Mallapuram and Kopapuram have been displaced. Despite agitations, were carried out by people, the government ignored them. The government not only does not solve their problems but is creating a risk of pushing them towards separatism. This would push them towards clamouring for a separate state.

The government is attempting to grab 700 acres that belongs to several people at Marudankeni in Vadamarachchi. Some time back the government held land kachcheris in all five districts in the North. Instead of distributing lands to the people through these the government took over lands that the owners could not establish their ownership. Even religious places were taken over in this manner. It is a great harm culturally. No government would take over lands of a religious place.

The government acts arbitrarily. The government doesn't care about the wishes of the people in the North. Only the government supporters are pacified. KP, Daya Master, Karuna, PIlleyan are cuddled. Members of the LTTE are brought down to show them the Parliament. However, the government does not solve the genuine issues of the people in the North and the East.

There are reports that lands have been taken over in Batticaloa area as well.  115 acres from Kiran area, 13 acres from Valachchenai, 1 ½ acres from Chenkalady, 5 ½ acres from Pattipalai have been taken over in this manner. The government took over the land reserved to construct a cancer unit at Batticaloa Hospital.  Also, there is a serious environmental issue due to clearing of jungle in state lands. The government carried out mass scale clearing of jungles stating it is for military and economic purposes. 500 acres at Mandai in Mannar, 500 acres from Moosali Divisional Secretariat area, 100 acres from Thalimannar as well as 295 acres of lands planted with medicinal herbs in Mullaithivu area have been cleared.

While the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim masses in the North and the East are displaced and are unable to prove the ownership for their lands, the government is taking steps to settle its supporters from the South in these areas. Recently it was reported that a group from Hambantota area was settled in Killinochchi. The government is distributing a printed form among their supporters to get signatures from Grama Sevakas to establish they are residents in areas in the North. The government is settling people from the south in the North to get their votes at a future election.

While India and imperialist institutions are attempting to interfere in Sri Lanka the government is creating an environment and providing opportunities for such interventions. There was an issue in Tamil Nadu recently. Sri Lankans could not go to Tamil Nadu. Our government is such an idiotic and stupid one. It burdens masses with issues; cultivates and helps separatism. The idiotic ministers come out with various stories to sow disunity. A situation has been created that people in this country are ashamed to call themselves Sri Lankans.

Hence, we demand the government to find solutions for the issues of the masses in the North and the East immediately. The plunder of lands in the North should be stopped immediately. The government that grabs lands in the north and East as well as in all parts of the island is handing over lands to multi-national companies. As such, a land clearing commission should be established. Through this the original owners of lands should be given their lands back without any difference. Rajapaksa who said he was the caretaker of the country when he came to power has now become the owner of the country. Rajapaksas think that Sri Lanka is an estate belonging to Medamulana Walawwa. The JVP will join masses in the North as well as in the South to give leadership against the plunder of lands."

Responding to questions from journalists the General Secretary of the JVP said, "We held a media conference in Vavuniya as the People's Wall of Comradeship (PWC). We also held an agitation demanding the government to hand over lands in the North to their legitimate owners. At present the government does not allow other political parties to engage in politics in the North. However, we would not stop our programme whatever obstacles are placed against us. We would pay attention to whether legal action could be taken. However, land cases in Sri Lanka go on for 15 to 20 years. This is why we demand that original owners should be given their lands through a land commission."

Members of the Central Committee of the JVP Sunil Handunneththi and Ramalingam Chanderasekar too were present.