The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) has issued a stern warning to the government over the aggressive and unjust land acquisition campaign in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.
Addressing a large crowd at ITAK’s May Day rally, General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran accused the administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of reneging on its promises and initiating a fresh wave of land takeovers.
Sumanthiran condemned the recent issuance of Gazette No. 2430, dated March 28, 2025, under Section 4 of the Land Settlement Ordinance. The gazette declares that 5,940 acres of land in the Northern Province may be claimed as state property unless ownership claims are filed within three months. Much of this land remains under military occupation since the end of the civil conflict, he said.
“They gave us promises before the elections. Now, instead of returning our land, they are acquiring more. If this continues, government ministers will not be able to set foot in Jaffna,” Sumanthiran said to resounding applause.
The veteran parliamentarian also criticized the gazette’s publication in only Sinhala and English, excluding Tamil, the primary language of the region. He called the omission “a deliberate act of marginalization” that effectively denies Tamil-speaking landowners the opportunity to respond.
“How do you expect someone to assert their legal rights when the notice is in a language they don’t understand?” Sumanthiran asked, calling the move discriminatory and unacceptable.
In response, ITAK has mobilized legal assistance for those affected. Sumanthiran announced that from May 2, a dedicated legal team will be available to help landowners submit claims and challenge the acquisitions through appropriate legal channels.
He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the gazette and a halt to all land acquisition efforts in the north, warning that continued pressure on Tamil communities would provoke political, legal, and public resistance.
Neither the Ministry of Lands nor the central government has responded to the accusations, but the issue is likely to intensify political friction between the government and Tamil representatives in the coming weeks.
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