Military to release lands in Trincomalee

By Shanika Sriyananda

The military, which has expedited releasing military-held lands in the Eastern Province, will hand over five plots of land in the Trincomalee District to the legitimate owners today.

The five plots – five acres in Kalampattu in Kuchchaveli DS division, two acres in Siththaru in Serunuwara DS division, two acres in Thopur and two acres in Paatalupura in the Muthur DS division – are to be handed over to the Governor of the Eastern Province Rohitha Bogollagama at a ceremony to be held at the Governor’s Office today.

The Eastern Province Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayatilake said that the military had expedited releasing land following the directives of President Maithripala Sirisena.

“With the establishing of the Presidential Task Force to look into the developments in the north and east, he has instructed the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Police to identify military-held lands that can be released to the owners. We have already identified those lands,” he said.

He noted that the lands belonging to people, schools, and farmers will be given priority when releasing land.

Maj. Gen. Jayatilake said that the lands that are to be released today are portions of land that had been earmarked to be handed over to the legitimate owners and the military would continue releasing lands in several phases.

“The main objective of releasing land in the Eastern Province, where the three communities live, is to strengthen peace and reconciliation,” he said.