State Aided Sinhalese Colonisation in Muslim Areas in Ampara District

Land policies covering subjects such as land Use, Land development, Land settlement and allied matters are of utmost importance. Land use and settlement have come to be acknowledged in Sri Lanka as "Colonisation" in effect "State aided Colonisation". Colonisation has been accepted as one of the main grievances affecting the minorities – Tamil and Muslims in Sri Lanka.

1,400 acres were given to the Muslims under LDO (Land development Ordinance) permit to open out the jungle and cultivate paddy. This area about 5 miles from the predominant Muslim village of Akkaraipattu. The Muslims developed this area at great expenses even at the loss of life and limbs. They became some of the finest paddy fields in this area. Muslims cultivating these lands on LDO permits for more than 30 years were not given ownership title deed by the Government. 

 

Ampara District

Acquisition of land owned and developed by Muslims

Norachcholai Kandam                       1,400 acres

Digawapi – Periya Visarai – I               585 acres

Digawapi – I                                        275 acres

Digawapi – III                                      997acres

Vakkal Madu                                       400 acres

VeleMarethu Veli                                200 acres

SiyathreWaddai                                   200 acres

Ambaltharu – Senai Kandam               300 acres

Vellakkal Thottam                               320 acres

Kondawattuwan                                  400 acres

Mahakandia $ Kandiya Kattu           1,400 acres

Arugambay – Ullai                               520 acres

 

The River Valley Development Board the successor to the Gal Oya Board, without any notice or compensation to these Muslim cultivators with LDO permits, handed over the whole area to the Sugar Corporation. They sent the bull – dozers to destroy the paddy fields and took over the land for sugar cultivation. Hundreds of Muslims were thrown out on the road.

The land taken over chasing the Muslims proved a dismal failure for sugar cultivation. One thousand four hundred acres of fertile paddy fields were reduced to shrub jungle. The government had settled Sinhalese brought from outside instead of giving the land back to the Muslims who developed these lands on LDO permits or to their dependants.

Similarly Muslims who developed the state land with LDO permits have been chased out from Velamarethaveli Kandam, Chenai Kandam. Total land from which Muslims have been chased away with their LDO permits (and given to Sinhalese brought from outside) amounts to more than 7,000 acres.

The Sri Lankan sugar corporation at Ingurana, Gal Oya Tile Factory under Ministry of industries at Irrakkamam. The River Valley Development Board – the Successor to the Gal Oya development board, took over the fertile paddy fields of the Muslims without due regard to the provisions of the law relating to acquisition of land. This has resulted in the Muslims not getting alternate land or compensation.