SAMPANTHAN WRITES TO SIRISENA ON A MONK’S ATTEMPT TO GRAB 3725 ACRES OF LAND IN KUCHCHAVELI, TRINCOMALEE DISTRICT.

16/05/2019

“A Monk lives in the area known as “Arisimalai” area within the Pulmoddai Grama Sevaka Division, and within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s – Division in the Trincomalee District. He has in recent times been claiming that various lands within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s Division belong to various Viharas and should be surveyed and brought under his control. The Viharas so claimed by him are ruins of structures claimed by him to be of archaeological value. Within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s Division he is making such a claim in respect of six (6) plots of Land in extent around 500 Acres each, one (1) plot of Land in extent around 320 Acres, yet another plot of Land in extent around 100 Acres, yet another plot of Land in extent around 53 Acres, yet another five (05) plots of Land in extent around 50 Acres each, and another plot of Land in extent around 02 Acres, totalling in all to about Three Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty Five(3725) Acres” says TNA leader in a letter to President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe. 

The letter follows:

R. Sampanthan

Member of Parliament

Trincomalee District

Telephone No: 011 2 559787

15.05.2019

1)His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena

President Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Presidential Secretariat

Colombo-01

2)Hon Ranil Wickramasinghe

Prime Minister

Prime Minister’s Office

Temple Trees

Colombo-03

Your Excellency/Hon Prime Minister,

I desire to bring to your notice the following matter of urgent importance

A Monk lives in the area known as “Arisimalai” area within the Pulmoddai Grama Sevaka Division, 

and within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s – Division in the Trincomalee District.

He has in recent times been claiming that various lands within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s Division belong to various Viharas and should be surveyed and brought under his control. The Viharas so claimed by him are ruins of structures claimed by him to be of archaeological value.

Within the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary’s Division he is making such a claim in respect of six 

(6) plots of Land in extent around 500 Acres each, one (1) plot of Land in extent around 320 Acres, yet another plot of Land in extent around 100 Acres, yet another plot of Land in extent around 53 Acres, yet another five (05) plots of Land in extent around 50 Acres each, and another plot of Land in extent around 02 Acres, totalling in all to about Three Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty Five(3725) Acres

These Lands are situated in the following different ancient villages within the Kuchchaveli DS Division.

1. Thennamaravadi
2. Pulmoddai
3. Yan Oya
4. Sempi malai-Kuchchaveli,
5. Kuchchaveli
6. illakanthakulam
7. Salappai Aru

All these villages have been historically inhabited by the Tamil speaking, Tamil and Muslim people who have lived in these areas for generations and centuries. These people were displaced by the armed conflict from the Lands used by them for residence and farming and are now returning to these Lands, and endeavouring to take possession of same, so as to continue their residence and farming. Most of the lands not possessed or used for around 30 years are overgrown with jungle.

These activities of this Monk seem to be intended to prevent the Tamil and Muslim people from returning to their villages which they have historically occupied.

I am informed and I am aware that not even a handful of Sinhala Buddhist families lived in these areas.

There are ancient Buddhist places of worship in some parts of these area, which did not suffer any damage even during the armed conflict where people including visitors to Trincomalee worship.

There are also ancient Buddhist places of worship in some areas which have inscriptions in Tamil showing that even Tamil people followed Buddhism at some time in our past history.

This Monk is attempting to have all these Lands surveyed in order to fulfil whatever purpose he has in his mind. The Tamil speaking residents of the area both Tamil and Muslims are resisting these efforts, and are determined to prevent Lands in their ancestral villages being grabbed in this way.

If there were any ruins of archaeological value in this area needing preservation, these ruins would have been so declared and preserved during the several decades prior to the people being displaced. 

This was not done obviously because it was not considered necessary that any such step be taken.

Regrettably the Tamil speaking residents both Tamils and Muslims are strongly of the view that some officials in the Archaeological Department are greatly influenced by the activities of persons such as this Monk.

Such a situation prevails not only in the Trincomalee District. There have been several complaints of such activities in the Vavuniya and Mullaitivu Districts. The activities of the Forest Department, the Wildlife Department, Mahaweli Authority pertaining to Land have been a severe impediment to displaced refugees returning to their Lands, and putting them to proper use and to also landless Tamil people receiving lands.

We have in several instances brought these matters to your notice at various meetings and it is also necessary that these issues be addressed on the whole.

The activities of this Monk are a severe impediment to ethnic and religious reconciliation. It is necessary that these activities should be curbed and terminated.

I bring these matters to your kind notice and earnestly request that appropriate action be taken to prevent the peace being disturbed.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

R. Sampanthan

Member of Parliament – Trincomalee

Leader- Tamil National Alliance

Copies to: 1) Hon.Sajith Premadasa MP, Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural
Affairs. Ministry of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs,8th Floor, Sethsiripaya,Battaramulla,

2)Hon.Gayantha Karunathilaka MP, Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms, Ministry of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms, Stage – II, Sethsiripaya,Battaramulla

3)Surveyor General, Surveyor General’s Department, 150, Kirula Road,Colombo-05

4)Commissioner of Archaeology, Archaeological Department, Sir Marcus Fernando Mw,Colombo-07

5)Superintendent of Surveys, Survey Department, Trincomalee

6)District Secretary/Govt. Agent, District Secretariat, Trincomalee.

7) Divisional Secretary, Divisional Secretary’s Office, Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee