The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Release of Private Lands in the North Acquired by the Military.

¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, thank you for permitting me to question the Hon. Minister of Defence under Standing Order 27(2).

¶ 03 Shelter is one of the three basic needs. Sixteen years after the ethnic civil war ended, successive governments promised reconciliation and development between Sinhalese and Tamils. Your government received a broad mandate. Yet the President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has not sincerely fulfilled the promises to the Tamil people. I recall your 2000 march from Kandy to Colombo—Mr. Ramalingam Chandrasegar, who took part, is seated before me. Despite slogans like “The people’s lands to the people,” the Tamil people continue to be deceived.

¶ 04 Outside the North and East, there has not been an ethnic suppression unleashed against one community. But the Tamil people affected by a 40-year war remain in the same condition: displaced, unable to return to ancestral homes or livelihoods. The State continues ethnic and political repression by withholding the release of ancestral lands seized by the military. For decades, Tamils have engaged in political and democratic struggles for release of these lands. The President himself recently said lands east of the Palaly Road would be released. I ask:

¶ 05 1. In the five districts of the Northern Province, what private or public lands are presently held by the military under the guise of “High Security Zones”? Provide locations and extents, district by district.

¶ 06 2. In Valikamam North, Jaffna District, what is the total legally gazetted land area of the Palaly International Airport?

¶ 07 3. What total land extent does the Palaly Airport currently occupy, including any lands presently held beyond the legally authorised extent?

¶ 08 4. Beyond the gazetted area, how much additional land seized as a “High Security Zone” has been allocated to Palaly Airport expansion?

¶ 09 5. In the name of a “High Security Zone,” people were evicted, the military took the entire area and is engaging in agriculture there. I wish to state this truth to the Sinhalese public.

¶ 10 6. Apart from Palaly Airport, what is the total extent of lands seized by the military in Jaffna and used not for military purposes but for business and agriculture? Provide details.

¶ 11 7. In Valikamam North, in the Mayilitty area, which Grama Niladhari divisions have lands still held by the military preventing the return of civilians? Provide total extents.

¶ 12 8. East of Palaly Road in Valikamam North, is the military constructing a military base hospital on private lands? At a recent meeting with the President, the Defence Chief said no hospital was being built there. But a hospital construction has been completed between 2007 and 2025. The Hon. Deputy Minister was present at that meeting.

¶ 13 9. If a hospital is being built, what is the total land extent? On what extent is it being constructed?

¶ 14 10. What allocation from this year’s defence budget has been provided for that hospital?

¶ 15 11. Do you accept that the public are opposing the construction of this hospital on private lands? At the meeting with the President, when I raised this, the Defence Chief told the Deputy Minister “No,” and I challenge that falsehood. Please provide the answer.

¶ 16 12. Are you aware the President stated at the Jaffna District Special District Coordinating Committee meeting that “the people’s lands are for the people”?

¶ 17 13. If so, why have the lands east of Palaly Road not been returned to their owners even after one and a half years in office? Why has even a small portion of the agricultural lands cultivated by the military not yet been returned?

¶ 18 14. Are you aware that at a public meeting in Jaffna, the President acknowledged this hospital construction was illegal? Recently he said if it is on private lands, they must be returned to the people. Please stop the wordplay and lies.

¶ 19 15. Will you immediately release the lands east of Palaly Road? If so, what is the date? Do not merely say “yes.” Give a date. The President told the Deputy Minister to go and show the places; yet others are posturing as if they will release these lands. I raise these questions on behalf of the Valikamam people who remain without shelter. I hope the President and the Deputy Minister of Defence grasp the gravity. Thank you.