Jaffna landowners to file more than 1000 cases against military ‘land grab’

Sunday, May 05, 2013

More than 1000 Jaffna landowners are to file petitions in courts against an alleged land grab by the military in Valligamam north that local MPs claim is causing severe concern among civilians.

Landowners hold a demonstration in front of the Pradeshiya Sabha Tellipalai. Pic by T. Premananth

Landowners held a public demonstration last Sunday in front of the Pradeshiya Sabha Tellipalai demanding the return of their lands.

Nearly 10,000 acres was acquired by the military in the early 1990s and declared a high-security zone. This resulted in the displacement of 90,000 people from the Valigamam north and south-west divisional secretariats. TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that in 2006 the Court ordered the Ministry of Defence to explore the possibility of releasing the lands in Valigamam north to the owners given the current situation, and a committee was appointed to look into this without causing any hindrance to national security.
The committee included the Jaffna High Court Judge, District Secretary and Jaffna Security Forces Commander.

Up until November 2011, nearly 50,000 persons were able to return to their lands following recommendations by the committee.
After the establishment of a Lands Secretariat in Jaffna Kachcheri in 2012, the military acquired 6000 acres to expand the Palaly garrison and push forward the defence line.

Mr Sumanthiran said that under the Land Acquisition Act no private property could be acquired for any reason other than the benefit of the local people.

“We are going to challenge this as 35,000 people are still displaced,” he said.�Mr Sumanthiran said more than 5000 cases would be filed in courts. �“We do not (seek) to find justice to Tamils by going to the courts – yet the cases will have an impact and give a message to the government as well as the international community,” he said.

“Contradictory to expectations, all of a sudden land acquisition notices have been expedited not only in Jaffna but also in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar,” Mr Sumanthiran said.�Landowners say that Minister Douglas Devananda had previously given assurances that once the war ended, people would be given back their land.

The Minister of Lands, Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, said the Lands Office had been opened in Jaffna according to the recommendations of the LLRC in order to solve land issues. �“We have acquired land according to the law of this country,” he said.

Jaffna Press Club expresses concern regarding fake social media account

 07 May 2013

The Jaffna Press Club expressed concern on Tuesday, regarding copycat social media accounts after it emerged a copycat Twitter account had been created asserting itself as the Jaffna Press Club.

In a statement the consortium of journalists said:

"We believe these to be yet again another pattern of distraction, intimidation and hindrance of press freedom in Jaffna."

JPC has confirmed @JaffnaPressClub as its official Twitter account. 

‘YELLOW CARD’ FROM EU TO BE WITHDRAWN IN JUNE - RAJITHA

May 8, 2013 
Sri Lanka’s government is confident that a European Union warning on illegal fishing in the island will be retracted soon paving the way for German and Chinese investors to double fish export income to around half a billion U. S. dollars, an official said today.

Extensive lobbying has been done since the warning was issued in November 2012 with the EU officials indicating that it will withdraw its “yellow card” in June, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne told media.

The warning was issued to Sri Lanka and seven other countries over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The minister said the EU had complained about 11 cases during the past year where Sri Lankan fishermen had intruded into territorial waters of other countries.

However, Senaratne was upbeat of the progress insisting that he had worked hard to ban illegal fishing methods including bottom trawling nets that deplete fish habitats and had imposed stronger penalties for fishermen that illegally fish in seas belonging to other countries.

Legal amendments that impose heavy fines of around 200,000 U.S. dollars and prison sentences are to be presented before parliament to be passed into law shortly, he added.

“I have had extensive discussions with European Commissioner Maria Damanaki, who is in charge of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and she has indicated that the EU is satisfied with our progress,” he said.

Currently Sri Lanka earns around 250 million U.S. dollars annually from fish exports, out of which 48 percent are earnings from tuna.

Europe usually purchases around 38 percent of Sri Lanka’s fish exports but this amount has fallen to 33 percent last year with Japan and the U.S. increasing its stake to 47 percent and 17 percent respectively.

Senaratne remarked that agreements have been finalised with two companies from China and Japan to increase deep sea fishing, which has seen slow growth due to lack of equipment.

“Two deep sea fishing boats from Sri Lanka are expected in Sri Lanka within the next two weeks. Eventually we hope the number will increase to around 20 and we are having discussions with other Chinese companies to enter the market as well.”

Japan’s leading fish producer, known as “Tuna King”, Kiyomura Corporation Chairman Kiyoshi Kimura, will also start a company in Sri Lanka soon, the Minister assured.

Both companies will be registered in Sri Lanka and will operate under the Sri Lankan flag. Once they are in operation, the Sri Lankan government expects fishing revenue to double hitting 500 million U.S. dollars, Xinhua reports.