Not an inch will be released from the balance 4419 acre, bows Commander SF, Jaffna

The Commander of the SF, Jaffna District, Major General Mahes Senanyake said to a Colombo daily, that, not an inch of land will be released from the 4419 acre land within Palaly HSZ and under the control of the Army elsewhere.

Elaborating further he had said that, up to 2010, 11,269 acre were under the control of the Army. Later, under the guidance of the Government, 7,210 acre was given back to the owners. The stance of the Army is that the balance lands which are required for the security purposes should not be released.

Lands cannot be released without taking the security of Palaly base into consideration. Land held around palely cannot be decreased anymore. Those who will not get their lands should be provided with alternate lands by the Government.

Out of the 27,259 acre lands that were under the Army, 21,134 acre had been released in 11 stages after 2010. Although we have removed camps and check points we have not reduced number of soldiers. Currently 3 Brigades are operating under SF-HQ, Jaffna stationed at several places. I declare with responsibility the camps will neither be abandoned nor reduced, he said.