Friday, 9 August 2013 00:00
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Sampanthan says former Minister Kadirgamar’s son is litigating against forceful acquisition of land in Jaffna
By Ashwin Hemmathagama
Our Lobby Correspondent
The Tamil National Alliance yesterday brought the ongoing battle for land in the north to Parliament, moving an adjournment debate on the acquisition of property in Valikamam by the armed forces.
Tamil National Alliance Leader MP Rajavarothiam Sampanthan yesterday moved the adjournment debate, which forced Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody to suspend Parliament for 15 minutes to summon a party leaders’ meeting, following objections raised by UPFA Member of Parliament A.H.M. Azwer.
The Speaker finally allowed the motion to proceed as long as names and details of the ongoing legal action were left out of the debate. Sampanthan stated that Tamil civilians were being prevented from returning and resettling because the Sri Lankan armed forces were forcefully occupying large portions of the private lands in the north post-war for agricultural, housing, recreation and tourism purposes.
“The land in Valikamam amounts to 6,381 acres where 25,000 rightful owners are kept out. Many have sought legal action,” the TNA Leader charged. Sampanthan also noted that late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar’s son was also a petitioner, suing against the forceful acquisition of his private property.
“The high security zones still remain although the war ended four years ago. Many families are unable to return to their own lands and resettle due to actions with the explicit or implicit involvement of the Government,” he said.
Sampanthan said that the move indicates a design to alter the cultural and linguistic identity of the north and east and to further change the demographic composition. “These actions pertaining to lands are clearly indicative of the Government collaborating to aggressively implement a secret agenda, which would in the thinking of such persons render superfluous the need for political resolution leading to genuine reconciliation,” the TNA Leader said.
