'Udayan trying to create conflict between ethnicities'

Ridma Dissanayake and Rakshana Sriyantha

The Udayan newspaper has alleged that two officers appointed by the government to acquire lands in the Kilinochchi District have resigned from their positions. It adds that acquiring lands belonging to civilians in the Kilinochchi District and distributing them among security forces is unfair which is the reason for the resignation.

Commenting on the Udayan news report, Northern Province Governor Major General (Rtd) G A Chandrasiri said that he had not heard of such officers who have resigned or appointed to acquire lands in the Kilinochchi District. He said Udayan is publishing various statements from time to time to support parties trying to criticize the government to fulfill their narrow aims.

"Sri Lanka is a democratic country. No person is barred from resigning from his career. The government is acquiring lands according to a special legal procedure. Also, the government has not acquired any land for the security forces after the end of terrorism," he said.

"Udayan is trying to create conflict between ethnicities saying that the government and the security forces are acquiring civilians' lands in war affected areas," the governor said.

Udayan is working according to the instructions of the Tamil Diaspora, he said. The government has paid compensation for land owners when lands were acquired. In such a situation Udayan cannot criticize the government, he said. "Persons displaced during the terrorism period have already been resettled in their lands and now they have recommenced their livelihoods in a peaceful environment. There is no conflict among civilians in the Northern Province who are living in harmony," Major General Chandrasiri said.

"Udayan is trying to create another Eelam in the country and their attempts should be condemned," he added.