SL military appropriates Tamil lands in Ampaa'rai to construct cantonment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 October 2012, 22:34 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lanka Army has been constructing a permanent cantonment in an area in extent of 60 to 100 acres, whch is situated in Va'laththaap-piddi in Chammanthu'rai DS division of Ampaa'rai district. The militarisation of the Tamil area targets Sinhalicisation, say Tamil leaders pointing that there is an elite commando unit of the Special Task Force (STF) already stationed 2 km near the area at Sadayanthalawa and another SLA camp is situated 7 km away.

The new military cantonment is located close to the settlements of Tamil speaking people in the area at Ka'napathi village and at Majeeth village.

Tamil people were earlier chased away from the area in 1990 by the SL military and its paramilitary outfit which was then known as ‘homeguards’.

The land, used by Tamils over several decades for agriculture was then occupied by the SL military.

When the owners approached the SL authorities, they were told that the lands were taken over by the Education Department.

But, the SL military continued to use the lands. But, three years after the end of military confrontations in the district, the SL military has appropriated the lands to construct a military cantonment.

Tamil families residing close to the site where camps of SLA and STF are perturbed over their security situation following the latest appropriation of the lands for militarisation by the occupying SLA.