COULD THE INCUMBENT GOVT. RESOLVE DEEP-ROOTED LAND CONFLICTS IN THE NORTH AND EAST?

When incumbent President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Jaffna in January this year, he said that land belonging to people should rightfully remain with them and that the issue of land disputes in the Northern province is being reviewed.

- By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe

Fierce opposition

While land conflict is a sensitive issue for people who had grappled with the extremities of the war, many families remain displaced even after 16 years since the war ended. Tamil politicians questioned the basis of issuing this gazette while criticising the government for requesting land ownership documents from families who fled these lands at the height of the conflict. But speculation is rife whether the government would continue their efforts to reclaim these lands through other bureaucratic means.

However, when MPs representing the North and East met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on May 23, they pointed out that there is a prevailing suspicion among the public due to the procedures followed by previous governments in clarifying land ownership in these regions and that many rightful landowners lack proper documentation to prove ownership. They emphasised the need for a structured process that regained public trust. Following this discussion, Dr. Amarasuriya assured that the government has no intention of acquiring the lands owned by the people of the Northern and Eastern provinces and that the aim of the government is to promptly return land ownership to those who rightfully own them

A call to resolve outstanding land issues

Speaking to the