SL Forest Department schemes seizure of lands released by occupying military in Champoor

The Forest Department of genocidal Sri Lanka is pushing ahead its plan of grabbing 50 acres of agricultural lands used by resettled Eezham Tamils in Champoor in Moothoor East. The SL Forest Department targets more than 50 acres of upper-lying agricultural lands that are located 2 km east of Kaa’li-amman temple. The resettled people, who have cleared the lands for cultivating cassava, peanuts, maize, chili pepper and tomato and made arrangements to channel water from a small tank in the area, complain that the SL Forest Department officials visited the area claiming that the area comes under their domain.

The latest move comes as the occupying SL Navy is busily engaged with creating a Sinhala Military Zone in Champoor through settling Sinhala families of occupying SL Navy officials.

The land, which was earlier a High Security Zone under SLNS Vidura training base, was released by the SL Navy after a prolonged time of occupation.

At least 25 houses and a Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society building were located in the upper lands, which was accompanied by agricultural lands for Tsunami affected people in the area.

The SL Forest Department was visiting the area 8 months ago to inspect it. The officials were visiting the area again last week, Tamil villagers said.