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Sinhala settlements continue in North says TNA MP

The Sri Lankan government is attempting to build Sinhala settlements in land that was appropriated supposedly for army camps, forcing Tamils into refugee camps, the TNA's General Secretary, MP Maavai Senathirajah was quoted by the Uthayan as saying, when speaking at an ITAK event.

"People who did fishing and farming for generations are facing unfortunate lives as homeless refugees, as their native lands are being grabbed by the military," he said.

"Those who are seizing those lands are planning to build Sinhala settlements in Tamil regions. Today, Sri Lankan government acts to reduce the proportion of Tamils. It is focused on creating restlessness in North and the East and to banish [Tamil] people from there," he added, stating that almost 2 lakhs of Eelam Tamils were currently in refugees camps in India.

"The crackdown on Tamil people lasting for the last 60 years has strengthened. Namely, their [Sri Lankan government's ] long term plan has been the destruction of cultural values to destroy an ethnicity," Mr Senathirajah said.

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