Fresh concerns have been raised over a proposal to declare 10,000 acres of land in the Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat as a forest reserve, sparking fears of further displacement and land grabs by the Sri Lankan state.
The move was brought to light by Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) parliamentarian P. Sathyalingam during a high-level meeting convened at the Parliament complex on 23 May. The discussion, chaired by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, was held to address escalating land grabs by the state in the North-East, with the participation of Agriculture Minister Lal Kantha, senior officials from the Attorney General’s Department, and Tamil MPs.
Sathyalingam warned that the proposed forest designation includes lands that were home to Tamil civilians before their forced displacement during the armed conflict. “These are lands where people lived and which were in their use before the migration,” he said, calling for a thorough identification process before any gazette notification is issued. He voiced particular concern over reports that the official declaration could coincide with World Environment Day on 5 June.
Highlighting the broader consequences of state land acquisitions, Sathyalingam also referenced the Menik Farm area in the Vengalacheddikulam Divisional Secretariat. During the final stages of the conflict in 2009, Menik Farm hosted one the largest internment camps in the world, with 300,000 Tamil civilians detained there. Though resettlement began in 2010, Sathyalingam noted that the military has since fenced off large portions of land, preventing public access and allegedly using the area for its own agricultural ventures.
“These farms belong to the public,” he asserted. “They are lands that have been issued with various land permits. Therefore, steps should be taken to release the above lands and return them to the landowners.”
He went on to criticise the government’s handling of long-term leases in urban Vavuniya. Many residents had been granted land for residential use on 50-year lease terms. Now that those leases have expired, Sathyalingam said that bureaucratic hurdles are blocking rightful ownership. Applicants seeking to confirm land ownership are reportedly being told that only two acres can be recognised as residential, with the remainder reclassified for agricultural or commercial use.
“I request that steps be taken to provide a confirmation for the entire land provided for residential purposes,” he added.
Parliamentarians from across the North-East echoed these concerns, pointing to a pattern of fraudulent land acquisitions and the marginalisation of Tamil communities still grappling with the legacy of war and displacement. Many residents, they said, lack formal documentation as a result of conflict-related upheaval, leaving them particularly vulnerable under current land verification systems.
In response, Amarasuriya stated that the government had “no intention of acquiring land from residents of the North and East” and pledged that ownership would be restored through a “legal and verified mechanism.” She further instructed relevant officials to continue engagement with local communities to pursue fair and transparent solutions.
