Seventeen years after the end of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, large tracts of privately owned civilian lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces remain under military occupation, Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told Parliament today (08).
MP Rasamanickam said the Government must fulfil its election pledge to expedite the release of occupied lands and enable resettlement.
He welcomed the recent release of two military camps in Batticaloa, following the concerns raised at the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence, chaired by the President as Minister of Defence, but stressed that the pace of land releases remains far too slow.
The MP noted that continued military occupation hampers reconciliation, resettlement, and economic recovery, adding that except where there are genuine national security requirements, military deployment should be progressively reduced to levels comparable with the rest of the country.
Shanakiyan highlighted ongoing peaceful protests in Palaly, Myliddy, and Keppapilavu, where communities demand the return of their lands.
He pointed out that the National People’s Power (NPP) secured a ward in Palaly at the recent Local Government Election largely on its promise to release civilian lands, saying, “The people who placed their trust in that promise now deserve to see it fulfilled.”
He called on the Government to present Parliament with a district‑by‑district breakdown of lands still under military occupation, the extent released since the current administration took office, and a timeline for releasing the remainder.
Shanakiyan further outlined specific unresolved issues, such as:
- Myliddy: 556 acres belonging to around 700 families.
- Palaly: 556 acres belonging to about 300 families.
- Karaichchi Public Library: Land required for expansion.
- Iranamadu Agricultural Research Institute: Land still occupied.
- Keppapilavu: 59.5 acres remain under military control, with families only given temporary plots.
Rejecting claims that Keppapilavu residents had been provided with alternative lands, Shanakiyan said only a limited number of families had received temporary allocations.
He urged the Government to accelerate demilitarisation in the North and East, stressing: “The affected communities have waited long enough.” (Newswire)