Sri Lankan troops in Tamil Eelam. File photograph.
Tamil parliamentarian Sivagnanam Shritharan revealed that more than a third of land designated for urban planning in Kilinochchi district remains under Sri Lankan military control, despite more than 15 years since the end of the armed conflict.
Speaking at a meeting held at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat on 26th December 2024, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) parliamentarian laid out a series of proposals, including the release of lands under military control, the allocation of special funds for incomplete housing projects, the revocation of licenses for liquor establishments, the return of the Vattakachchi government agricultural farm from military occupation.
During the discussion, he described how several urban plots, including those housing the Kilinochchi District Secretariat complex, the cultural hall, and the Chandran Park site for Kilinochchi Central College, remain under military control. He also mentioned the various efforts that have been made to release the path to the ground of the Kilinochchi Maha Vidyalayam, one of the city's main schools.
Furthermore, 410 acres of the 441-acre Vattakachchi government agricultural farm remain under occupation. If this land be transferred to the Department of Agriculture, it has the potential to generate employment opportunities for hundreds of individuals within the district, he said.
A total of 36% of land designated for urban planning in the district remains under Sri Lankan occupation said the MP.
Shritharan also underscored the necessity of closing liquor establishments that have been situated in a manner that disrupts the public and are in proximity to public institutions. He called for the immediate enforcement of a decision to shut down these establishments.
Tens of thousands of Sri Lankan troops remain stationed across the Tamil North-East, which remains one of the most militarised places in the world, per capita.
