Colombo schemes Sinhalicisation of Batticaloa

Following the end of war in Vanni last year, the Colombo government has taken over three thousand acres private land in Eastern Province in seven Tamil Divisional Secretariat areas for the purpose of setting up new Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps, colonizing the traditional Tamil homeland with Sinhala people and for contracting the land to external actors for commercial exploitation, civil society circles in Batticaloa said. Some of the private lands taken over, rich with resources, are to be given on long term lease to entrepreneurs from South involving Chinese and Iranian assistance, the sources added.

Many private lands are taken over to construct star hotels to develop tourism, road construction, horticulture, prawn breeding.

The areas in the seven Tamil Divisional Secretariat where lands that have been taken over are:

• Chinna-pullumalai in Ea'raavoorpattu Chengkaladi Divisional Secretariat (DS).
• Kaayaangkea'ni, Panichchangkea'ni, Periyatheevu, Challiththeevu, Puchchaangkea'ni and Tho'ni-thaadda-madu in Koa'ralaippattu North DS.
• Ka'ndiyan-ku'lam in Vavu'natheevu DS.
• Punaanai in Koa'ralaippattu South DS.
• Chungkaangkea'ni in Koa'ralaippattu DS.
• Cheaththukkudaa, Paalameenmadu and Kalladi in Ma'nmunaippattu DS.
• Kevi'liyaamadu, Kachchakkodichcheanai in Paddippazhai DS.

Meanwhile, more than 350 Sinhala people have encroached on the lands of Tamils in Kevi'liyaamadu area located on the boundary of Batticaloa district.

Sri Lanka government intends to annex the Tamil village of Tho'ni Thaa'ndaku'lam in North DS area with Polonnaruwa district.

Though the appropriation of private lands of the Tamils has been brought to the notice of the Eastern Province parliamentarians and the related government authorities no action has been taken to stop it, according to civil society sources in Batticaloa.