<p>The Sri Lankan army has said it occupies only 1300 acres of private land in the North-East, contradicting even conservative estimates of land occupation from other sources.</p>
<p>In October, the Mullaitivu district secretariat said that almost 5000 acres of privately-owned land was under military occupation, although this figure referred to the ‘tri-forces’ i.e. the air force and the navy, as well as the army.</p>
<p>Similarly, Tamil and Muslim land activists in Amparai said in September that 3000 acres of private land remained occupied in the district.</p>
<p>As well as pointing out continued occupation by the ‘tri-forces’, particularly high profile cases of land-grabs by the Sri Lankan navy over the past year, Tamil groups in the North-East have criticised the government’s failure to acknowledge calls for demilitarisation which includes the release of public lands.</p>
<p>Local groups in the North-East have also pointed to land-grabs by other state agencies such as the Forest Department and Archaeology Department.</p>
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