25 acres of coastal stretch in Vaakarai seized for Sinhala colonization in Batticaloa
A coastal stretch running parallel to A15 Trincomalee highway in Vaakarai region, which was controlled by the LTTE before 2007, has been secretly transferred to a Sinhala business woman at the instruction of the occupying Sinhala Navy and Sinhala politicians from South, grassroots organisations in Vaakarai complain. The area, known as Noolam-paadi and as Club area, has been under the illegal custody of the occupying Sri Lanka Navy since 2007. The SL Navy is stationed in 15 acres of lands, which belongs to private owners. But, resettlement of civilians has been ‘prohibited’ in the area, according to the occupying SL Navy.
Ms Anura, the Sinhala lady who has ‘purchased’ 25 acres of lands near the area where SL Navy is stationed, was initially claiming that she was purchasing the lands to set up a tourist resort at the locality.
But, it turns out to be a plan to set up a Sinhala settlement of fishermen from South, complain Rural Development Society (RDS), Fisheries associations and Women Development Society representatives in Vaakarai.
80 acres of lands in Noolam-paadi area belongs to private owners who are all Tamils. They were affected by the devastating Tsunami in December 2004.
Claiming that civilian resettlement was prohibited in 100-200 meters from the coastal line, the original land-owners were not allowed to reconstruct their houses. But, the regulation was later revised, reducing the no-building buffer zone to 50-100 meters.
Before the people managed to reconstruct their houses, the war broke out and people were forced to vacate the entire Vaakarai region.
Since 2007, the SL Navy has been stationed there refusing people to resettle in Noolam-paadi.
This costal stretch is now being slowly transformed into a Sinhala colony, the representatives of local organizations say.
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