தவறவிடாதீர்கள்..!உடனே பதிவு செய்யுங்கள்

BY OUR JAFFNA CORRESPONDENT

Johnson Fridarow, the coordinator of the Organization for Socio-Economic Development, has demanded the immediate revocation of the 2013 Ministry of Defence gazette notification that facilitated the state acquisition of 6,000 acres of civilian land in Valikamam North.

Fridarow made these remarks during the 13th consecutive week of peaceful protests organized by displaced residents in Myliddy, Jaffna, demanding the return of their ancestral lands.

He criticized the current administration for failing to deliver on its campaign promises. Despite coming to power on a platform of returning civilian lands, the government has shown deep hesitation in doing so. He pointed out that the gazette issued over a decade ago to formally seize these lands has still not been annulled.

The coordinator highlighted that residents from Myliddy and Palaly have engaged in persistent protests, even taking their grievances directly to the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo a few months ago. Despite these efforts, the government continues to ignore their voices in favor of past military-centric agendas.

Fridarow alleged that while these fertile lands are kept under the guise of "national security," the military is actively farming them and selling the produce for commercial profit, leaving the rightful owners landless for over 35 years. He urged the government to prove its sincerity by immediately canceling the gazette and returning the lands to the displaced families.