Muslims in Pottuvil protested on Wednesday demanding Sri Lankan wild life officials stop occupying over 650 acres of land in Pulipiditchachenai in Mathurankuli.
The march was organised by the Farmers Association of Pulipidichasenai who said the officials came in 2007 and stoped them from entering their homes.
"We made a written complaint on 18.09.2015 to the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, Hafiz Naseer Ahamed, Deputy Ministers Faizal Cassim and H.M.M. Harees, Members of Parliament M.I.M. Munsoor, District Government Agent Thushitha P.Wanigasinghe and Divisional Secretary Muzarraf," Secretary of the Association J.N Sultan was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying.
"We explained our difficulties and pleaded of them to grant us relief. In the meantime we also filed a case in Pottuvil Courts and the verdict was given in our favour. Thereafter 50 of our villagers went into occupation there and even after the possession of valid permits, the wild life officials are harassing us and trying to eject us from our traditional lands."
"At this juncture, some Wild Life Officials entered our land and started blocking us by placing logs with the intention of stopping us from entering our properties. We started this protest campaign seeking a permanent solution. We intend continuing this struggle until a permanent solution is found."
"During the ethnic war in 1990 we were forced to leave this land as a result the lands were overgrown with grass and shrubs and had turned into a small forest. Meanwhile, a group of people returned to this land in 1994 and lived there in spite of the fact that there were no basic facilities, while a few others lived with their relatives. During the year 2004 this area was affected by Tsunami and various INGOs came forward to assist the villagers and a road was also constructed and the Divisional Secretary of the area issued us Permits. However, the Wild Life Officials in 2007 forcefully entered our lands and obstructed us entering our lands."