Tamil MPs demand an end to land encroachment in the North-East

by Ephraim
Nov 8, 2023

Tamil lawmakers from the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) led a protest in Vavuniya on Sunday, demanding an end to Sri Lanka’s land encroachment across the Tamil homeland in the North-East.

ITAK MPs joined protestors and demanded an immediate end to illegal settlements and land encroachment in Mayilathamadu. Their protest echoed that by livestock farmers who are demonstrating against the encroachment of grazing land that they’ve used for generations by the Mahaweli Authority, which has settled Sinhalese farmers in the area.

The settlers have committed multiple acts of violence, including setting fire to the grazing, destroying shelters, and feeding explosives to cattle owned by Tamil farmers.

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Another key demand of the ITAK protest was to cease the occupation of Tamil religious and cultural places of worship, curbing the construction of temples on these sacred grounds and preventing settlements near these sites.

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Concerns were raised over the settlements initiated under the Cheddikulam Keezhmalvathoya development project, emphasizing the need to address this issue promptly.

The protesters also insisted on providing solutions for the Tamil families of the disappeared, acknowledging the anguish they endure and urging authorities to take tangible steps in resolving these longstanding cases. The families of the disappeared have been continuously protesting the disappearances of their loved ones for over 2400 days.

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