Government Agent Jaffna and Security Forces Headquarters –Jaffna (SF-J) is making arrangements to facilitate the release of civilians’ lands to their original owners on completion of fasted-mining coupled with military vacating of the places earlier occupied by the Army.
This important aspect and inaccurate figures of people waiting to return to their original lands were the main focus of the discussion held at the GA’s office with attendance of Commander SF-J Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, GA Jaffna Emelda Sukumar, senior officers of the SF-J and Divisional Secretaries in the peninsula.
“It is the government’s intension to give back each and every inch possible to their original owners withdrawing as many Army installations as possible to government lands. But we find disparity between statistics being maintained at Divisional Secretaries and the ground commanders in relevant areas,” SF Commander told the gathering.
He added, “On instructions of the Secretary Defence, the marine border between Thondamanaru and the Mathagal so far remained a restricted zone was also released for the fishing purpose recently. However, Security Forces have to keep a bare minimum stretch of lands in keeping with national security requirement and all other areas will be released soon. However, finding real owners is becoming a difficult task due to activities of unscrupulous elements.”
“There is a considerable number of families arrived from Vanni. They insist on settling in Jaffna. All these families are drawing financial and material aid from the government and other foreign agencies impersonating as IDPs,” said Sukumar. GA instructed the DSs to delist them immediately. In response to questions raised by some DSs, Sukumar said that during the past few years preparing of fake deeds has taken place and GA’s office is now taking actions to ensure authenticity of the deeds submitted by people.
SF Commander instructed that immediate steps be taken to stroke their names off the registers since there is a discrepancy between the actual figures and figures given by different organizations to the government and international media.
It was revealed that the actual number of families waiting to recover their original lands is 6008 however the number shown by different agencies is extensively exaggerated.
“This disparity of figures is capitalized by Tamil Diaspora and many opportunists at different forums inconveniencing the government. It is our duty as government servants to adhere to instructions of higher authorities and get the correct data so that we could expedite the handing back of lands to proper owners,” Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe reminded to all participants before dispersal.