Tamils blocked officials from Sri Lanka's land survey department from attempting to seize 29 acres of land in Jaffna for the purpose of urban development.
As the land survey officials arrived, Tamils gathered at the site to protest against the attempted land grab. The land survey department were trying to acquire 29 acres of land in Alwanmalaiyadi, Velarkadu, Punnanputhukadu, Patirayan, Pudukadu, Cholaisenathirayan in Naguleshwaram and Kankesanthurai, all of which fall under Thellipalai Divisional Secretariat.
The officials were forced to abandon their attempt to acquire the land after a letter from the land owners stated that they would measure the lands on their own and called on the officials to suspend their surveying work.
The letter reads:
"With regards to letter KT/YA/TLL/282/C/01 sent on the above land matter, we were ordered to attend and be shown the boundaries of our land. But we will measure our lands ourselves and confirm those boundaries. Therefore we humbly urge you to suspend this action."
The land they were trying to acquire, includes a 'presidential palace' that was built in 2012 by the Sri Lankan military on land that it had seized from local Tamils.
The palace was built when Mahinda Rajapaksa was serving as Sri Lanka's president. It was built on 12 hectares of land, owned by at least 17 private owners. The building itself spans 9.95 hectares and boasts 20 rooms, 2 swimming pools
The officials were forced to abandon their attempt to acquire the land after a letter from the land owners stated that they would measure the lands on their own and called on the officials to suspend their surveying work. The 'palace' was built when Mahinda Rajapaksa was serving as president of Sri Lanka.
Tamils across the homeland have resisted numerous attempts by Sri Lanka to acquire land which forms part of the state's efforts to alter the demography of the North-East.
