Sri Lankan Police blocks uprooted

14/Feb/2019

 

One hundred and thirty-eight families in Keappaa-pulavu in Mullaiththeevu,Mutur who have been staging a continuous protest for 670 days since 01 March 2017 attempted to enter their lands inside the SL military occupied zone on Monday. The protesters had sent a letter to SL President Maithiripala Sirisena and TNA Leader R. Sampanthan two days ago warning the Sinhala and the Tamil political leaders would be responsible if they were to be assaulted by the SL military while trying to enter their lands. 

On Monday, the SL military had beefed up its positions with additional security, put up barbed wire hindrances in front of the main entrance of the military base and deployed SL police in large numbers to block the people from entering their lands. 

The SL military personnel were also threateningly taking photos of the protesters. 

The occupying SL military is refusing to vacate lands even after receiving money from SL Ministry of Resettlement to relocate its military buildings, the families complained. 

In December 2017, almost 302 days after commencing their continuous protest, the SL military released a pocket of 111 acres of lands with properties belonging to 28 families in Keappaa-pulavu and another pocket of 28 acres that belong to 17 families in the nearby Seeniyaa-moaddai. 

Even the families that received their lands back are unable to resume their livelihood as the SL military was still retaining the coast of the lagoon. 

SL President Maithiripala Sirisena had earlier promised to complete the resettlement of all war-displaced people before 31st December 2018. 

The protesters said their action aimed at reminding the SL President that his promise remains unfulfilled.