The Jaffna land release plan was reviewed as ministers and security officials discussed returning lands, compensation and resettlement efforts.
The Jaffna land release process moved forward this week as the government reviewed progress on a work plan concerning government and private lands currently occupied by security forces in the Jaffna and Palali areas, with a renewed focus on resettlement, compensation and infrastructure development.
A review meeting on the implementation of the ongoing work plan was held at the Parliament Complex on June 24 to assess progress regarding government and privately owned lands presently being used by the security forces in the Jaffna Peninsula and Palali.
The meeting, which continued a series of previous discussions on land-related issues, was jointly chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retired), Ports and Civil Aviation Minister and Energy Minister Anura Karunathilake, Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, and Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Ruwan Kodithuwakku.
During the discussions, officials reviewed the current progress of the programme while focusing on accelerating government efforts to resolve long-standing land ownership issues, support social and economic development, and streamline infrastructure projects in coordination with regional administrative mechanisms.
The initiatives were also identified as an important component of the national reconciliation process, particularly in supporting the resettlement of affected communities in the Northern Province.
Participants also paid special attention to several priority matters, including completing boundary realignments, expediting compensation procedures, and giving priority to the return of identified land parcels to their lawful owners.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retired) explained the observations made during a field inspection conducted last month at several key locations across the Jaffna Peninsula, where attention was focused on lands currently occupied by the security forces.
The meeting also enabled representatives of relevant state institutions to discuss existing challenges and identify practical measures to further accelerate the process while ensuring effective coordination among all agencies involved.
It was also agreed that the formal release of the identified lands to their legal owners would be finalized through the National Security Council (NSC).
The meeting was attended by the Defence Secretary, the Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Air Force, the Jaffna District Secretary, senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, senior Army and Air Force officers, together with representatives of other relevant state institutions involved in the programme.
