Armed Forces Engaging in Various Forms of Land Grabbing – Selvam Adaikalanathan

11-Jul-2025

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Although the President has stated that land in the Northern and Eastern Provinces will be released, the armed forces continue engaging in various forms of land acquisition. 

While the government operates under one policy, the military and police act under a different policy in the North and East. This divergence erodes public confidence in the government, said Vanni District MP Selvam Adaikalanathan of the Democratic Tamil National Alliance.

Speaking in Parliament on July 8 during the debate under the Import and Export (Control) Act regulations, he added: We are continuously engaged in struggles to protect our people’s right to remain on their land. In the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the military is involved in multiple forms of land grabbing.

For example, in these regions, if a Tamil cuts a branch from public land, he is arrested and jailed. But in the North, a person from the majority community has illegally cleared 600 acres of land under the Mahaweli project.

Near the Omanthai Police Station in Vavuniya, police have cleared a private land plot. Even though the President promised land release, police and military continue these acquisitions.

Responding during the debate, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said he had learned about the Omanthai issue that morning and instructed the Acting Inspector General of Police to halt the clearing.

Selvam Adaikalanathan continued that thank you for that. But while the government claims to follow one policy, in the North and East, the forces act by another. This inconsistency destroys public trust.
Forests under the Mahaweli zone have been destroyed. A person from the majority community is behind this action.

At this point, Chief Government Whip Bimal Ratnayake intervened:

It was not 600 acres—it was 46 acres. A member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna illegally cleared land belonging to the Mahaweli Development Authority. A case has already been filed, and the hearing took place Tuesday (8). We have no connection to this incident.

Selvam Adaikalanathan further said that in Mannar District, too, land is being encroached upon in various ways. Recently, public lands were excavated in Mannar under the pretext of inspections. Such actions instill fear among the affected people.

Bimal Ratnayake concluded that we are aware of this issue, and a court case was taken up Tuesday (8). It concerns 40 acres, not 600. Our members personally inspected the area 6 km inside the forest. We will take appropriate action.