The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam

¶ 01 Adjournment Motion:

¶ 02 I move the following:

¶ 03 “By Gazette Notification bearing number 2430/2025 dated 28.03.2025, settlement notices totalling seven in number (Numbered from 5617 to 5623) for the Districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar covering more than 5,000 acres has been published.

¶ 04 The said notifications attempt to take over land including beaches, lakes, cart lanes and cemeteries—land that was used by the Tamil people from time immemorial as res communes—and convert them into State land.

¶ 05 The Tamil struggle for self-determination originated inter alia in response to the alienation of State land by the Sri Lankan State with the explicit intent of changing the demographics of the North-East, through which the Sri Lankan State attempts and continues to attempt to make the Tamils a minority in their own homeland. The Tamils have consistently maintained that their autonomous institutions must have control over State land in the North-East.

¶ 06 The above Gazette Notification is another initiative in the long history of depriving the Tamils of their homeland by successive Sri Lankan Governments.

¶ 07 Furthermore, our understanding is that the land sought to be declared includes private lands which those private owners have difficulty establishing ownership owing to loss of documentation during the tsunami and repeated displacements.

¶ 08 This Government in its manifesto, both at the Presidential Elections of 2024 and the General Elections of 2025, promised to genuinely explore a constitutional settlement to the National Question which includes settling the question of who controls State land. However, this act on the part of the Government makes clear that their views are no different to the previous governments in relation to control of the State land. The Tamil people see this action on the part of the Government as yet another act of structural genocide of the Tamil nation.

¶ 09 I urge that the Government immediately withdraw this Gazette Notification.”

¶ 10 Hon. Presiding Member, this Gazette was issued on 28 March. It allows only three months—until 28 June 2025—for owners to establish title over nearly 6,000 acres, failing which all such lands will be declared State lands. Yesterday, there was an announcement that, given the confusion, it was being “suspended.” But the Land Settlement Ordinance provides no room for such a suspension. Even if the Government says it is suspended, once the three months lapse, unproven titles will be declared State land. That cannot be stopped unless the Gazette is revoked. Therefore, I humbly request the Government to withdraw it.

¶ 11 If implemented, after the three-month period, not only private lands but also communal lands traditionally used by Tamils will be absorbed. For over 30 years of war, half our population fled abroad under fear of anti-terror laws. Many left in haste, illegally in some cases, seeking asylum, losing documents and property. Many were displaced multiple times—five, six, even ten times—often losing all their documents, and the 2004 tsunami further devastated coastal homes. This Gazette targets precisely such coastal tracts.

¶ 12 It is not merely about private land; it sweeps in communal lands long used for public purposes—local authority lands, roads, cemeteries. It was issued during an election period without consultation. We learned of it only about a month later; people and media knew only after we raised it. With only three months, the stated objective of “helping people confirm their titles” is doubtful.

¶ 13 This action undermines reconciliation. Even leaders previously branded as hardliners did not rush like this. This morning, in response to a question under Standing Order 27(2), the Government claimed this was to help people confirm titles due to documentation gaps. If so, the Government would never issue a proclamation to absorb lands into State ownership. A genuinely people-centred approach would have been to consult Tamil representatives and, through a Commission, regularize defective title. Past governments have appointed many Commissions. If the objective were positive—to cure defects and regularize titles—do that, not set a three-month trap to proclaim lands as State.

¶ 14 Hon. Prime Minister is here. We implore you to halt this process. If your purpose is truly to regularize titles where, say, 30 per cent are defective while 70 per cent are in order, we will cooperate. Our people are the rightful owners; we, too, want defects cured. But through this Gazette you seek to convert the entirety into State land. This is not for the people’s benefit.

¶ 15 Reconciliation is not done this way. Land is the root of the national question. History shows Tamil lands in the North and East were taken and Sinhalese settlements created. Issuing such a Gazette in such areas only deepens mistrust. Withdraw it and address the matter through dialogue so that all sides can agree on a proper process.