• Cabinet approves release of 1,000 acres of HSZ land 220 acres to be distributed under phase 1, pilot village for 1,022 displaced families
• Air Force land in east also to be released, buildings around President’s House and Temple Trees back to public

Ahead of President Maithripala Sirisena’s visit to India, Cabinet has approved the release of 1,000 acres of land that had been controversially absorbed into High Security Zones (HSZ) in the north. Under phase one, 220 acres in J 284 Valalai Grama Niladhari Division of Valikamam East will be released to establish a pilot village where 1,022 families will be given 20 perches of land and financial assistance to build a house. Basic infrastructure including schools, hospital and religious places will also be provided by the Government. Land under the control of the Air Force in the east is also to be released to landless people with the exception of 25 acres. In addition buildings used by security services around President’s House and Temple Trees will also be returned to public use. “This is in no way an effort to undermine the forces nor is it limited to the north and east. The idea is to evaluate and release all land around the country not used by the forces, which will be done by the president with Cabinet approval,” said Minister of Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs D.M Swaminathan. “There are challenges,” he noted, but declined to elaborate other than to assure they would be resolved “through discussions”.    

TNA, Sirisena discuss India visit   President Maithripala Sirisena speaks to Northern Province Chief Minister C.V Wigneswaran about the issue of Indian fishermen straying into Sri Lankan waters, yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo – Pic by Sudath Silva       The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday met President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo and held discussions ahead of Sirisena’s scheduled visit to India next week. TNA member and Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran said that the meeting was a preliminary discussion where issues involving Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen were the main focus. Sirisena is scheduled to leave for India on 15 February, his first overseas visit since assuming office after the 8 January presidential election in which he will have talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Fishermen from India and Sri Lanka have crossed borders on several occasions in the past resulting in them facing arrest and their boats being confiscated. Talks held between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen associations in the past in an attempt to defuse tensions resulting from the whole issue have so far failed to produce results. Fishermen in the north of Sri Lanka are those mainly affected by the issue as Indians often poach in northern waters and Wigneswaran said that during the talks with Sirisena, he had proposed a joint naval surveillance as a part of a solution to address the longstanding issue. “Many others who were present at the meeting agreed to my proposal of launching a joint naval surveillance. Hopefully the matter will be discussed between President Sirisena and the Indian officials next week,” Wigneswaran said. Indian fishermen have been accused of being engaged in bottom trawling which is one of the main concerns of Sri Lanka and Wigneswaran said that they had sought a ban on trawlers being used in Sri Lankan waters. According to Indian media reports, a proposal has been made to have talks on 5 March between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen and the proposed date had come from India’s southern Tamil Nadu administration. Meanwhile Sri Lanka is expected to release over 80 Indian boats in its custody to coincide with Sirisena’s visit to India next week. (Colombo Gazette)