The Sri Lankan military in Jaffna has evicted more than 279 families from their homes and occupied their land, reports TamilNet. Civil society sources in the north report that military personnel are silently evicting people from their homes in Maathakal, an area that is outside the former ‘High Security Zone’.
The southern capital Colombo has also declared Thiruvadi-nilai and a surrounding perimeter around the coastal spot as a ‘Holy Zone’. Furthermore, the Sri Lankan Navy have refused entry to local people of the area to lands that are not even situated in the ‘Holy Zone’ perimeter. Eelam Tamils are not allowed to visit Thiruvadi-nilai, where a Buddhist stupa was erected at the end of the war. Currently, only Sinhala visitors are allowed to visit the ‘holy zone’.
The SL navy has also occupied vast areas of land, commencing the construction of hundreds of houses along the strip for the families of the military personnel. The region has also been converted to a military cantonment, with the presence of a newly established naval base.
Despite the clearing of land mines, civilians remain unable to return home do the presence of the navy. According to TamilNet, civilians have witnessed the navy planting new landmines in the area.
The events take place amidst the repeated protests of the Maathakal residents against the military land grab.
