Land System in the North

by Easwaran Rutnam, News Now, Colombo, February 19, 2011

The government is considering a land ‘kachcheri system’ for the north where the Government Agent of the District, after a due and fair inquiry, plays a central role in assigning ownership of land to people from the area who lost their property as a result of the war.

According to the government information department the government recognizes the complexity of land related grievances and its impact on the lives of civilians as arising from the protracted conflict but some of these issues need solutions which cannot be offered through existing legal remedies, due to the devastation of administrative infrastructure and private and public documentation as a result of the conflict.

In view of the hardship and pain of mind caused to civilians from land related issues the government will expedite necessary administrative measures and as part of this process a land kachcheri system is being considered while awaiting the final recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) on the issue.

“Demining has been accelerated so that more land can be made available for resettlement. The State wherever it occupies lands of those who have been identified as owners, pays rents for occupation of such lands. Complex issues arise in regard to lands that were expropriated by the LTTE for allocation thereafter outside the law of the land. Steps are afoot to allot lands to the original owners, who have thus had to face expropriation,” the government information department said.

It is a constitutionally recognized fundamental right of every citizen to choose his residence anywhere within Sri Lanka and the government categorically states that there is no policy of forced and there is also no policy of expansion of High Security Zones (HSZ), as alleged by some. On the contrary, the policy is to shrink such Zones, as rapidly and as significantly as possible, the government added.