Sri Lankan Government Allegedly Infringes on Tamil Land Rights

Judit Kolbe 

Sri Lanka and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence 

On 22 October 2021, several Tamil Parliamentarians [1] wrote a joint letter to the Internal Security Minister of Sri Lanka, Chamal Rajapaksa, expressing their concerns about the ‘artificial alteration of the demographic pattern’ of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, primarily home to Tamils (Tamil Guardian, 2021a). They accused the government of attempting to redraw district borders in order to alter the political borders, motivated by changing ‘the demographic pattern and systematically [weakening the] Tamils political strength’ (Tamil Guardian, 2021a). 

This incident highlights the alleged ‘colonization’ of historical Tamil homeland in the North-East of the country, by the growing numbers of Sinhalese settlements there (Tamil Guardian, 2021a). CV Wigneswaran, leader of a Tamil political party, urged the government on 25 October 2021, to respect the Tamils right to self-determination (Tamil Guardian, 2021b). He specifically accused the state of undermining the concept of a ‘Tamil homeland’ in the North and North-East of Sri Lanka, since the army still occupies land in that area (Tamil Guardian, 2021b). The latest incident of the state encroaching on Tamil land concerns the cutting down and planting of coconut trees by the army on private Tamil property, allegedly in an attempt to ‘permanently seize the land’ (Tamil Guardian, 2021c).

Notes:

[1] The Tamil Parliamentarians who co-wrote the letter are members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) and the Tamil People’s National Alliance (TMTK) (Tamil Guardian, 2021a).

Sources and further reading: 

Tamil Guardian (2021a, October 25). Tamil MPs call for an end to ‘artificial alteration of Northern Province demography’. Tamil Guardian. https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/tamil-mps-call-end-artificial-alteration-northern-province-demography

Tamil Guardian (2021b, October 25). ‘The only way to secure the rights of Tamils is to give them the freedom they deserve’ - CV Wigneswaran warns against new constitution. Tamil Guardian. https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/only-way-secure-rights-tamils-give-them-freedom-they-deserve-cv-wigneswaran-warns-against 

Tamil Guardian (2021c, October 26). Sri Lankan Army plants coconut trees on occupied Tamil land. Tamil Guardian. https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/sri-lankan-army-plants-coconut-trees-occupied-tamil-land