The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has alleged that a project is underway to bring in outsiders from the South to the Mullaitivu District. The TNA took up the issue at a meeting, chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat, on Monday (27).

The following is the text of the statement issued by the TNA at the conclusion of the meeting: "The Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on the Development of the North and East took place yesterday (27.08.2018) at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting was presided over by the President. Several ministers and government members of Parliament and Government Officials participated at the meeting. All the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Members of Parliament headed by R Sampanthan the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance, including Mavai Senathirajah Leader of the ITAK, Selvam Adaikkalanathan Leader of the TELO and Tharmaligham Siddarthan Leader of the PLOTE and all other district Parliamentarians other than M.A. Sumanthiran Jaffna District, and Sivashakthi Ananthan Vanni District were present. Sumanthiran is out of the country.

Sampanthan thanked the President for inviting the TNA to the meeting and stated that he would raise some fundamental issues. He stated, that 16 out of the 18 Tamil members of Parliament from the North and East are from the TNA and the TNA has more members from the North and East in Parliament than all other political parties put together. The democratic verdict of the people of the North and East should be respected. He further stated, the Tamil people were very badly affected by the devastation and the destructions that occurred during the war. The President stated that 88% of land held by the army when his Government assumed office had been released.

But the fact remains even 9 years after the conclusion of the war both agricultural land and residential lands yet continue to be in the possession of the armed forces. One glaring instance was Keppapilavu in Mullaitivu district. Where 75 acres of private land owned and possessed by local people for generations and centuries was yet held by the army. This mater has been discussed with both the President and army high-ups several times. For there to be reconciliation and national integration all land belonging to the people which are now in the possession of the armed forces should be released without any further delay.

The people are also being greatly harassed by the actions of the Forest Department, Wildlife Department and the Archeological Department. People had been displaced from their land as a result of the war for several decades and the land is now grown with jungle. The Forest Department and the Wildlife Department are planting boundary stones and taking possession of these lands. Actions of the Archeological department are also causing harassment to the Tamil People.

Tamil people have not been issued permits for lands possessed by them for several decades. A meeting should be convened attended by the heads of the above three departments, the Land Commissioner, and the Government Agents of the districts in the North and East to address this issue and resolve the aforesaid problems of the people. People were unable to receive various benefits for development of their lands because they are not yet been issued with permits for the lands possessed by them. This issue must be addressed at the earliest.

A serious situation pertaining to land prevails in the Mullaitivu District. A new system described as system "L" was proclaimed under the Mahaweli Act in the 1980s, even before any water from the mahaweli came to that area. This was where a settlement known as "Welioya" or "Manalaaru" was created in that area comprising of persons from other districts of the country. Consequent to protests the programme was in suspension for some time. During the term of the previous government some further settlement of persons from outside took place in this area. There are numerous complains that the programme is thought to be renewed now and that there is a proposal to settle persons from outside of Mullaitivu in these lands.

Mr. Sampanthan stated that this should not be allowed. If water was brought to Mullaitivu from outside land in Mullaitivu without irrigation facilities should receive irrigation facilities and the people who own and cultivate the lands should be the beneficiaries. Landless people in Mullaitivu entitled to receive state lands must be also made beneficiaries under such a program. The President immediately contacted some authority by telephone and gave the assurance that no such program would be implemented and that he himself would visit the area with the TNA members of Parliament and ascertain the correct position.

Mr Sampanthan also referred to the discrimination against Tamil youth in employment in the public sector. He said that Sinhalese ministers were looking after the Sinhalese youth and Muslim ministers were looking after Muslim youth only negligible number of Tamil youth receive employment through some ministries and a grave injustice is being perpetrated on Tamil youth both males and females. Such action will not lead to reconciliation or national integration. It is necessary to address this issue as an urgent issue.

Mr. Sampanthan also emphasized that the political resolution to the national question through the enactment of a New Constitution is fundamental to national integration and reconciliation. There could be no reconciliation or national integration until there is a political resolution to the national question.

Mr Sampanthan stated that since the enactment of the 13th amendment to the Constitution much work has been done by successive Governments and precedents to formulate an acceptable solution. During President Premadasa

Sri Lanka tourism witnessed a drop in momentum in April with the number of international visitors falling below the 200,000 mark for the first time this year.

Uncertainty looms over the relaunch of the Japan -financed light rail project (LRT) even after the country’s debt restructuring process is concluded since Japan has decided not to discuss it , according to an official of the Japanese government.

Around 15 Opposition MPs are ready to support a Bill that would include legislation related to rapid development of the country and the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Bill is to be presented to Parliament by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 08.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (May 06) compared to last week. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar have dropped from Rs. 290.90 to Rs. 290.75 and from Rs. 301.40 to Rs. 301.25, respectively.

Action will be taken against the person who caused a disturbance at the visa issuing section at the Katunayake Airport, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said today. He told a news conference that steps will also be taken against the officers who recorded the incident.

Around 22 persons, including 11 females, have been arrested following a tense situation at a protest in Anuradhapura. The tense situation was reported after a group of unemployed graduates surrounded the North Central Provincial Council building in protest, seeking solutions to their demands.

The Japanese government has finalized a plan to provide Sri Lanka with a vessel equipped with underwater sonar for detecting the location of other vessels in order to improve the country’s oceanographic survey capabilities, according to Japanese Deputy Press Secretary Kaneko Mariko.

The Government of India has decided to bear the cost towards applicable taxes and other charges to the tune of over LKR 25 million per month for a period of one year for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai (KKS).

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is set to make a final decision on its presidential candidate in June, according to Party sources. The SLPP will decide whether to nominate a candidate from within the Party or to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe for re-election. The Party has scheduled a series of electoral summits starting next week to seek public opinion on the presidential candidate.

apanese Foreign Minister Yōko Kamikawa called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday. The Japanese Government’s intention to resume the Yen-denominated loans and the stalled Japanese investment initiatives, including the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) expansion project and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, were among the topics taken up for discussion. Discussions were also held on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pertaining to debt restructuring in Sri Lanka.

Nearly 10,000 soldiers who deserted the Sri Lanka Army have received legal discharge as of May 4 during an amnesty period declared by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence.

The Examinations Department issued the rescrutiny results of the 2022 (2023) General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination yesterday. They said a total of 49,312 applicants had applied for rescrutiny and 250,311 answers were rescrutinised.

Tourism Industry veterans cautioned that heightened confusion over the new visa system, along with the abrupt increase in visa fees, could derail 2.3 million tourist arrival target set for the year. This could potentially reduce arrivals below 2 million, while service providers stand to gain $50 million in fees.

The Supreme Court granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights petition filed by former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara challenging the National Police Commission’s decision to interdict him from police service following the Presidential Election 2019.

China assured its fullest support and cooperation to conclude the debt restructuring process in Sri Lanka, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department in order to record a statement yesterday (3). Accordingly, Sirisena recorded a statement for two hours at the CID, regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, in response to allegations about the tender process, said there is no such requirement to call for tenders because these are the only companies involved in e-visa processing in different countries.

The Sri Lankan rupee has now become one of the fastest-growing currencies in the world, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong had called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo yesterday (May 02) to discuss ways and means of early implementation of the agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) reached between the two countries during the Prime Minister’s official visit to China in March 2024.

In a significant development aimed at revitalising maritime infrastructure, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to obtain a proposed financial grant from India for the renovation of the Karainagar Boat Yard.