The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chair, before I address the Heads, a clarification. Today’s Thinakkural reports that nominations for local authorities will be accepted from 17–20 March, while Kalmunai Municipal Council, Mannar PS, Poonakary PS, Elpitiya PS, and Dehiattakandiya PS are excluded. This is partly incorrect. There is a restraint order regarding Kalmunai MC, and my party also obtained restraint orders on Mannar and Dehiattakandiya due to nomination rejection. However, those were tied to the previous nominations regime; with the new nominations framework, those orders no longer apply. We will move in the Supreme Court on the 6th to withdraw those cases, clearing the way to hold elections in Mannar and Dehiattakandiya.

¶ 02 Another Thinakkural report refers to tensions in Muththunagar, Trincomalee, where Port Authority officers surveying land faced protests. A Government MP, Roshan Ranasinghe, intervened on site promising a solution. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has held this land since 1984; farmers in Karumalaiyootru, Nachchikuda, Chinna Mullai Senai, Kudakkarai, and Muththunagar have cultivated there. SLPA’s attempt to allocate for renewable energy investment has triggered the dispute. We have met the Ministry Secretary, Mr. Ruwan Chandra, on this. Meanwhile, residents cannot even build toilets without obstruction. Given long occupation and livelihood dependence, and the MP’s assurance, I urge the Government to compassionately review and release appropriate portions from SLPA control for community use.

¶ 03 On Kalmunai North DSD status raised by Hon. Kodeeswaran: TNA MPs, including the present ITAK MP Kodeeswaran, have often pressed this. As SLMC, we too have engaged to find a solution. This is not a simple “political blocking” case; it involves boundary and jurisdictional overlaps. While 29 GN divisions are under Kalmunai North, there are also overlaps with the principal Kalmunai DSD. Ideally, each side would have 29 GN divisions, and about 70% of the land area lies within the Tamil-majority Kalmunai North, but Muslim communities in the overall Kalmunai administrative space must also be considered. We have discussed within our parties to arrive at a consensual administrative arrangement. I will elaborate further in my remaining time on how to regularize authority in line with the 1993 Cabinet decision while accommodating demographic and service realities.