Religious places, schools , post offices etc. declared as reserve zone ! - protestors demand withdrawal of Wilpattu gazette notification

(Lanka-e-News -01.April.2017, 11.30PM) A large group of Muslim residents of Mannar went on a protest march  along the main road from the Marichchakattu Mosque on 31st March (noon) .

Their woe was , because the forest  land of the Wilpattu sanctuary belonging to the Northern province  was declared as reserve  zone by the president , the residents are being deprived of their lands. 

The homes where they lived, religious places , schools,  post offices and many other Institutions are within the area which has been declared  as reserve zone . Hence , the demonstrators urged that the gazette notification issued by the president shall be withdrawn .

The Muslims who were displaced owing to the war in 1990,  left for  Puttalam , and returned in 2011 for re settlement . But now because of the latest gazette notification about 100, 000 acres of land belonging to the Muslim residents are being taken away, the protestors pointed out .

Meanwhile, the protests commenced four days ago  by the residents in front of the Marichchakattu mosque , Mannar against the gazette notification issued by the president is continuing uninterrupted.  

Photos and report by Dinasena Rathugamage
Translated by Jeff 

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by     (2017-04-02 00:15:23)