TNA says military agrees to release more lands in the North

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has said the Government had promised to release more lands currently occupied by the security forces in the North and East soon.

Speaking to the media following a meeting between party officials, tri-service chiefs and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence on Monday, TNA spokesman MP M.A. Sumanthiran said the defence officials would hold discussions with the politicians and residents in the North to identify the lands to be released.

Sumanthiran said the discussions with the district secretaries of the Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar districts, the tri-forces chiefs, district politicians and residents will be held on 19 and 20 April.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan, Parliamentarians including Mavai Senathirajah, M.A. Sumanthiran, E. Saravanapavan, S. Sritharan, Charles Nirmalanathan and Selvam Adaikalanathan took part in yesterday’s meeting with the security forces chiefs and defence officials.

The TNA has requested the release of the lands, tabling maps on which the occupied lands are illustrated through maps of each district.

Sumanthiran, pointing out that the military was still occupying the land that belonged to the people in the North even though the war ended nearly eight years ago, said the Army Commander had assured that under the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena and the Defence Secretary the lands occupied by the security forces would be gradually released.

Sumanthiran said that the meetings with the district officials had been scheduled to identify the exact lands which could be released to the original owners. A discussion will be held in Colombo early next month to make a final decision on the extent of lands to be released, he added.