Jaffna Peninsula: the army will return 700 acres of land to Tamil owners
The land is located in the High Security Zone of Myliddy, occupied by the military during the civil war. Major General: "the problem of internally displaced persons living in refugee camps will be solved".
Colombo (AsiaNews) - The Sri Lankan army has announced that it will deliver 700 acres of land confiscated during the civil war to its legitimate owners, in short Tamil fishermen and farmers. The lands are located in the Jaffna peninsula and delivery is scheduled for tomorrow, April 13th.
Anthony Jesudasan, coordinator of the North-South Peace Desk of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (Nafso), told AsiaNews: "This is really good news. Finally the Tamils are about to return to their territories, just on the eve of the New Year". But, warns the activist, "they must not make false promises yet. It does not have to be a flash in the dark just to satisfy or make fun of the international community".
The land that will be delivered tomorrow is located near Myliddy, in the High Security Zone, in the Vali-North region. They had been occupied by the military during the civil war between the army and the Tamil Tigers. Specifically, the plots are located in Palali, Varuthalaivilan, in Kadduvan Junction, along the Kadduwan-Myliddy road and opposite the port of Myliddy.
Major General and current commander in chief of the security forces (Sf), Darkshana Hettiarachi, reports that at the moment the road Myliddy-Kankesanthurai-Point Pedro can only be travelled by city buses, but from tomorrow it will be open to general transit from 6 am to 18 in the afternoon. "The complete reopening of the road will be evaluated later, after having monitored the present conditions". However, according to the general, "with the return of 700 acres to their legitimate owners, the problem of internally displaced people living in refugee camps will be solved".
Kanagarathnam Ganamalar, an activist from Vavuniya, in the central-northern part of the island, comments: "We are really happy. It is a dream that comes true after a long time. These lands really have value for our Tamil population of fishermen and farmers ". "A promise is a promise," says Jesudasan, "and if [the military] announced that it will return 700 acres of land from the High Security Zone, it must do so without delay."
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