The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya

¶ 01 Answers to Hon. K. Kader Masthan:

¶ 02 1) Following the tsunami of 26.12.2004, the Norochcholai Tsunami Housing Project (500 houses) in the Akkaraipattu DS Division, Ampara District, was constructed in 2005 with the assistance of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, completed in 2011 and handed over to the Government. However, a fundamental rights application was filed on 31.03.2008 before the Supreme Court by a group including Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, objecting to settling Muslim families near the Deegavapi Rajamaha Viharaya in Ampara, alleging violation of Sinhala Buddhist fundamental rights. Accordingly, distribution was halted. On 01.06.2009, the Supreme Court observed that State lands are held by the Executive for the people and may be alienated only as permitted by law; beneficiaries had not been selected through a transparent process; and any alienation should be in accordance with a national ethnic ratio and procedures for alienation of State lands by the Executive as trustee. Owing to this judgment, the 500 houses have not been distributed.

¶ 03 2) On 11.01.2016, the Ampara District Coordinating Committee decided that allocation according to the district’s ethnic ratios would be appropriate. Based on the 2012 Population and Housing Census, if Supreme Court concurrence is obtained, distribution of the 500 houses could be as follows:

¶ 04 - Sinhala 38.9% – 195 houses - Muslim 43.4% – 217 houses - Tamil 17.4% – 87 houses - Others 0.3% – 1 house

¶ 05 The Attorney-General had earlier advised to act in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment. However, at a meeting convened by the Attorney-General on 13.12.2023 (Ref. E/457/2023), it was decided to reconsider allocation based on the 2012 Census ethnic ratios, in a manner consistent with the 2009 judgment.

¶ 06 Accordingly, a proposal to distribute the 500 houses as above, consistent with the 2009 judgment, has been referred to the Attorney-General for reconsideration by the Supreme Court. On 23.06.2025, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment convened a meeting with the Attorney General’s Department, the Department of the Land Commissioner General and the Ampara District Secretary, where it was agreed that steps must be planned without violating the Court’s judgment and that a report on the present condition of the houses be provided. Discussions will continue towards resolution.

¶ 07 Although 20 years have elapsed since the judgment, the houses have not been distributed and are presently uninhabitable.

¶ 08 3) The Ampara District Secretary has not been informed regarding any donor commitment to rehabilitate or add 500 houses.

¶ 09 4) By letter AP/PLN/NRHSC/2/18 dated 29.04.2024, the Ampara District Secretary informed the Presidential Secretary, based on requests by the Tsunami beneficiaries’ association and civil society groups, that 308 tsunami-affected families in Akkaraipattu DS Division were identified and requested allocation among them. The District Secretary was informed to identify suitable beneficiaries; however, implementation difficulties were noted and this has not been definitively confirmed.

¶ 10 5) A Parliamentary Committee may be appointed to find modalities to distribute the houses without contempt of court. The Ministry has, on various occasions, apprised the Royal Saudi Embassy of the present status of distribution.