Tamil Diplomat

Vadduvagal Land acquisition – final decision before the end of February

The Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defense had promised to the Land owners of 626 acre land which was to be acquired from the owners for making the Navy Camp that is standing on these lands, permanent.

The navy had camped on 626 acre land owned by people. Although the people had demanded several times to release their lands, the Navy had refused to do so and were attempting make their camp permanently located there.

A meeting between the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defense and the 28 Tamil Owners and 5 Sinhala owners yesterday at the Karaithuraipattu DS Office. The Additional Secretary had promised as above at the conclusion of the meeting which was plagued with arguments right from the start.

On the onset of the meeting the Sinhala speech of the Additional Secretary was translated in a shortened form by the District Secretary. But owners called for the speech to be translated in full. When the speech was translated in an increased content, the owners protested that there are some deficiencies in the translation, the secretary directly conversed with the owners and promised as above.

A Sinhalese owner commenting on the meeting said, “ We are in a hapless position losing this land. We have wandered here and there several times for this land after the war. We cannot wander anymore. The are posing security reasons. The forces are here for the security of people. Where is the security when people are evicted from their lands.”