SL Military motives questioned while Colombo trio visits Jaffna
[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 March 2015, 23:19 GMT]
The SL military has suddenly fenced off a crucial link road in the area supposed to be handed over back to the people of Vasaavi'laan East, just one day ahead of the much-orchestrated visit to the area by the Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena together with SL Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and former SL President Chandrika Kumaratunga. On Sunday, Northern Provincial Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran visited the area and was shocked to see the link road been fenced off by the SL military. The Chief Minister said the lands have not been released as promised by the Colombo government. Only a small area has been released, he said questioning whether there was a conflict between the Colombo government and its military or whether there was anything else. The people are disappointed to see that the lands have not been handed over as promised by the government.
“I came to Vazhalaay just 2-3 days before. We used this road to reach the Palaali Road. The SL military Brigade Commander Prabath Thilakaratne accompanied me. But, all of a sudden, the road has now been cut off. New military installations have also mushroomed,” the NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran told media on Sunday, while visiting Vasav'laan East to inspect the release of the lands.
SL Minister D.M. Swaminathan had promised speedy release of these lands within three weeks. A month has gone and the people are disappointed, Mr Wigneswaran told media on Sunday after witnessing the deviation from the promised extent of the land to be released.
“Who is responsible for this deviation? Is it the government or the military? Is there any conflict between the government and its military on the issue? We are yet to understand anything,” he said. “But, we understand clearly that the people are going to face severe difficulties by this road getting cut off,” he told the reporters.
“This is like giving with one hand and taking away with the other,” Mr Wigneswaran told media.
“More than one month has passed since Mr Swaminathan told us that these lands would be released within three weeks,” he said.
“We need to carefully study the details and enlighten our people and the global community on what exactly is going on,” Mr Wigneswaran told the reporters who asked what would be the response of the Northern Provincial Council.
When the journalists questioned the Chief Minister on the programme on Monday during the visit by the trio from Colombo, Mr Wigneswaran said nobody was aware on the details of the programme scheduled on Monday. “No one is aware on what exactly is going to take place. We have no details on the exact agenda. We do not know who are going to speak tomorrow. I was told that I would be receiving an invitation from the President. But, I have not received any such invitation. However, I received an invitation with brief information from the Government Agent in Jaffna just one hour ago,” he told the journalists.
In the meantime, S. Sugirthan, the chairman of Valikaamam North Piratheasa Chapai, said Sri Lankan military has put up new military camps in J/244 area. The SL government has earlier promised that the entire area of 197.6 acres of lands in the GS division J/244 was to be handed over to the people of the area. Only 60 acres have been released in the GS division in Valikaamam North.
712 families were living in the GS division in 1990 before they were uprooted from their lands. 411 of these families had registered to resettle. 260 families are spontaneously prepared to move back to their villages on Friday. But, only 22 families are going to get some of their lands back, Mr Sugirthan said.
Similarly, 233 acres were to be released in Vazhalaay in Valikaamam East last week. But, only 1/3 of the promised area was being handed over to Vazhalaay villagers, he said.
Chronology:
The SL military has suddenly fenced off a crucial link road in the area supposed to be handed over back to the people of Vasaavi'laan East, just one day ahead of the much-orchestrated visit to the area by the Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena together with SL Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and former SL President Chandrika Kumaratunga. On Sunday, Northern Provincial Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran visited the area and was shocked to see the link road been fenced off by the SL military. The Chief Minister said the lands have not been released as promised by the Colombo government. Only a small area has been released, he said questioning whether there was a conflict between the Colombo government and its military or whether there was anything else. The people are disappointed to see that the lands have not been handed over as promised by the government.
“I came to Vazhalaay just 2-3 days before. We used this road to reach the Palaali Road. The SL military Brigade Commander Prabath Thilakaratne accompanied me. But, all of a sudden, the road has now been cut off. New military installations have also mushroomed,” the NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran told media on Sunday, while visiting Vasav'laan East to inspect the release of the lands.
SL Minister D.M. Swaminathan had promised speedy release of these lands within three weeks. A month has gone and the people are disappointed, Mr Wigneswaran told media on Sunday after witnessing the deviation from the promised extent of the land to be released.
“Who is responsible for this deviation? Is it the government or the military? Is there any conflict between the government and its military on the issue? We are yet to understand anything,” he said. “But, we understand clearly that the people are going to face severe difficulties by this road getting cut off,” he told the reporters.
“This is like giving with one hand and taking away with the other,” Mr Wigneswaran told media.
“More than one month has passed since Mr Swaminathan told us that these lands would be released within three weeks,” he said.
“We need to carefully study the details and enlighten our people and the global community on what exactly is going on,” Mr Wigneswaran told the reporters who asked what would be the response of the Northern Provincial Council.
When the journalists questioned the Chief Minister on the programme on Monday during the visit by the trio from Colombo, Mr Wigneswaran said nobody was aware on the details of the programme scheduled on Monday. “No one is aware on what exactly is going to take place. We have no details on the exact agenda. We do not know who are going to speak tomorrow. I was told that I would be receiving an invitation from the President. But, I have not received any such invitation. However, I received an invitation with brief information from the Government Agent in Jaffna just one hour ago,” he told the journalists.
In the meantime, S. Sugirthan, the chairman of Valikaamam North Piratheasa Chapai, said Sri Lankan military has put up new military camps in J/244 area. The SL government has earlier promised that the entire area of 197.6 acres of lands in the GS division J/244 was to be handed over to the people of the area. Only 60 acres have been released in the GS division in Valikaamam North.
712 families were living in the GS division in 1990 before they were uprooted from their lands. 411 of these families had registered to resettle. 260 families are spontaneously prepared to move back to their villages on Friday. But, only 22 families are going to get some of their lands back, Mr Sugirthan said.
Similarly, 233 acres were to be released in Vazhalaay in Valikaamam East last week. But, only 1/3 of the promised area was being handed over to Vazhalaay villagers, he said.
Chronology:
கருத்துகள் இல்லை:
கருத்துரையிடுக