Land Grabbing

8 years after the war ended, the North is still heavily-militarized, and its residents live under the shadow of the forces. Cultivated land belonging to citizens for generations are taken over by military, in an effort to hold more control over the people. These are the hallmarks of tragedy; dispossession of fundamental rights and a citizen’s own land by the State.

The Army Helmet Captured above was taken in July 2017 in Kankasanthurei in a released land by SL Army to Civilians. This is a very symbolic representation of hidden presence of the military in people’s lives even after these lands are being released to them.

අපි යුද්ධයෙන් වසර 8ක් ගත වුවත් මානසිකවම තවමත් යුදකාමී මිලිටරියක හා අධිපතිමය බලයක් සතු බර අඩි සහිත  බුට් සපත්තු වලින් බැටකමින් සිටිනවා. තවතවත් නීති්‍යානුකූල ලෙසම ගොවිබිම්, හමුදාබිම් බවට පෙරලමින් ගෝත්‍රික ජාතියක් බවට ද ඒ අනුවම ලංකා දිවයින පත්වෙමින් තිබෙනවා. ජිවිතයේ අවම අයිතිය හා තම භුමිය ස්වකිය රාජ්‍ය විසින්ම කොල්ලකෑමේ ඛේදය දරුණු බවට මේ සාක්ෂීන් ය.

පානම කියන්නේ යුද්ධය පැවති කාලයේ සියලු පාර්ශවයෙන්ම බැට කෑ ගමක්. බහුතරයක් සිංහල වුනත් දෙමළ හා මුස්ලිම් ජනයාත් මෙහි ජිවත් වෙනවා, ඇත්තටම මෙය සහජීවනයේ නගරයක්. එහෙත්   යුද්ධය අවසන් වීමෙන් පසුවත් තවදුරටත් තමන් ජිවත් වෙච්ච භුමිය අමතක කර දමා සිටින්නට මේ ගොවි ජනයාට මෙරට මිලිටරිය බල කරමින් සිටින්නේ භුමියේ අයිතිය වෙනුවෙන් නොනවතින අරගල කරමින් පාරට බසින්නට ද සිදු කරමින්. බඩගිනි නිවා ගැනීමේ අරගලයද, ජිවිතය ගැටගසා ගැනීමේ අරගලයට ද දශක ගණනාවක් මහපොළොව සමඟ ඔට්ටු වුනු   මේ මිනිසුන් තවමත් පාලකයාට ඇති ඔවුනට නැති සාමය වෙනුවෙන් සටන් වදිමින් දාඩිය වගුරනවා.

 

May 2016, Two children staring at an Armored car which was used during the war now kept as a showcase in the name of victory by Military, In Front Kepapilav Security Force Headquarters, Mulativu

 

21st June 2016 Panama , A protest for the rights of land by people. Paanama was one of the villages that suffered at the hands of several armed groups during the time of the war. Although the majority population is Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils also call it home – it is a model village of unity and solidarity. They continue to suffer after the war, as their lands have been grabbed by the military. These people fight for their own lands which are now being enjoyed by those who rule, and not the rightful citizens owners.

 

March 2016 After the huge devastation caused by Uma Oya Development Project
Several Families had to pay off from their wealth earned during the whole life since thousands of houses got damaged totally while some were cracked and at alarm notice. Fertile agricultural lands, All the huge water sources of this upcountry wetlands have got dried pathetically.

 

March 2016 After the huge devastation caused by Uma Oya Development Project
Several Families had to pay off from their wealth earned during the whole life since thousands of houses got damaged totally while some were cracked and at alarm notice. Fertile agricultural lands, All the huge water sources of this upcountry wetlands have got dried pathetically.

 

April 2016 Mullikulam People pray to god asking to help them to get released their lands at a day and night protest called “Last Will”. On the day the photo captured it was 11 years for their refugee life, and they asked the government to give back their lands of traditional fishing industry and their homes. Yet their last will is not being given by the government or heard by any kind of god.

 

April 2016 Mullikulam People pray to god asking to help them to get released their lands at a day and night protest called “Last Will”. On the day the photo captured it was 11 years for their refugee life, and they asked the government to give back their lands of traditional fishing industry and their homes. Yet their last will is not being given by the government or heard by any kind of god.

 

21st June 2016 Panama, A protest for the rights of land by people. A lorry filled with women protesters. Throughout the struggle called “Justice for Paanama” village women played a significant and major role in demanding justice.

 

24 November 2017 This house is owned by an old mother called “sellamma” After a continues protest done in 2015 by “sellamma” she was able to get released her huge house at Pudukudiirippu, which was taken away by SL Army during the time of war and was not released later. The house was used by army troops of “Gajaba Regiment” as the remains in her wall provide the evidence. All electric plugs, Toilet comodes, sink basins of the house has been taken away by Army when they were leaving the house. The holes made by the bullets of war are still visible at her wall.

 

24 November 2017 photograph taken from the protesters hut at Kepapilav, of the Giant Entrance Gate of the Kepapilav Security Force Headquarters, at Mulativu. Inside the Headquarters are acres of land acquired from civilians, and are not yet being released.