Tamils in Kalmunai continue protest calling for funds for development

Tamil residents of Kalmunai North held protests last week opposing a move by the Sri Lankan government to subjugate their division under the Kalmunai South Division, adding that Tamils in the region have been longing for a separate divisional secretary 40 years ago and were assured a fully-fledged secretariat to address their community-specific needs. 

A protest was held by locals in front of the Kalmunai North Division to express their opposition to the move by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, and Provincial Councils adding that it was racially motivated to annex their rights to a Tamil-dominated locality. Protestors also alleged that funds for the development of Kalmunai North have been ignored.

Civil society activist Damodaram Pradeepan, who participated in the protest, pointed out that the Kalmunai Sub-Division had not allocated funds for the development activities of the Kalmunai North. 

"While repression, violations and political interference against the administrative activities of the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat are continuously taking place, this time in the allocation for Amparai district, not a single cent has been allocated to our Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat. Although the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat was upgraded to a divisional secretariat in 1993 through a cabinet paper.”

Tamils living in Kalmunai North region report having to go to Kalmunai South Divisional Secretariat, which is located in a predominantly Muslim area, to fulfill their administrative needs. They report that the Kalmunai North Sub Divisional Secretariat has no financial or land powers and is unable to get funds for the development activities of the Tamil region.

Pradeepan told the media during the protest that despite sending more than 300 letters to the responsible authorities, there has been no response.

"Although we have written more than 300 letters to the Ambapara district secretary and the secretary of the Ministry in charge of the matter, we have not received any response. In this regard, the public directly met the Ampara district secretary and complained, but the district secretary said that he could not do anything in this matter. The minister in charge of the matter said he would talk to the secretary and find a solution, but six months have passed, and no solution has been offered.”

Tamil National People's Front President and Member of Parliament Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam had requested in Parliament to convert the Kalmunai North Sub-Divisional Secretariat into a full-fledged Divisional Secretariat on November 28, 2023, and to give priority to the appointment of accountants. 

Kalmunai North (Tamil Division) has 29 Gramasevaka divisions operating under it (Gramasevaka being the smallest administrative unit), catering to 39,000 individuals and 6 ancestral Tamil villages. 

According to a situation report by the Urban Development Authority, the Kalmunai Municipal limits primarily consist of two Divisional Secretariat divisions namely Kalmunai and Sainthamaruthu. For administrative purposes, Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat functions as two divisions called Kalmunai Muslim and Tamil Divisions. Kalmunai Municipal Council invariably covers the entire Kalmunai Electorate.