The Centie foi Policy Alteinatives (CPA) is an inuepenuent, non-paitisan oiganization that focuses piimaiily on issues of goveinance anu conflict iesolution. Foimeu in 1996 in the fiim belief that the vital contiibution of civil society to the public policy uebate is in neeu of stiengthening, CPA is committeu to piogiammes of ieseaich anu auvocacy thiough which public policy is ciitiqueu, alteinatives iuentifieu anu uisseminateu.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S www.cpalanka.oig
/H?:<EG>PC>J>:D= The authois of the policy biief aie Bhavani Fonseka anu Bhaisha }egatheeswaian. Assistance with finalising the biief was pioviueu by Luwie uaneshathasan anu Thenmozhy Kugamouithy. Foimatting of the biief was uone by Shilpa Samaiatunge anu Sanjana Battotuwa. The authois woulu like to thank Niiak Raheem anu Bi. P. Saiavanamuttu foi commenting on pievious uiafts.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S www.cpalanka.oig ,/(#* "+ %"0,*0,- Acknowleugements .................................................................................................................................................................... S Executive Summaiy ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Intiouuction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Chaptei 1: Legal Analysis of Lanu Acquisition Piocesses ...................................................................................... 1S Relevant Constitutional anu Legal Piovisions ....................................................................................................... 1S Lanu Acquisition Act .................................................................................................................................................... 1S uaps in Existing Fiamewoik ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Impact Assessment Requiiements ........................................................................................................................ 18 }uuicial Pioceuuie of Review of 0bjections to Section 2 anu Section S8 Notices ............................ 18 0thei Legislations of Relevance ................................................................................................................................... 2u Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution ..................................................................................................... 2u 0thei Legislation that is of Relevance ....................................................................................................................... 2S Boaiu of Investment (B0I) Act ................................................................................................................................ 2S 0iban Bevelopment Authoiity Law ...................................................................................................................... 2S Town anu Countiy Planning 0iuinance .............................................................................................................. 26 Emeigency Regulations .............................................................................................................................................. 27 The Requisitioning of Lanu Act ............................................................................................................................... 28 Concepts to consiuei fiom othei Commonwealth juiisuictions ................................................................... 29 Inuia .................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 South Afiica ..................................................................................................................................................................... Su Canaua ................................................................................................................................................................................ Su Chaptei 2 Policy Fiamewoik .......................................................................................................................................... S2 Actois ....................................................................................................................................................................................... S2 Piesiuent ........................................................................................................................................................................... S2 Relevant Ninistiies ...................................................................................................................................................... SS Nahaweli Authoiity ..................................................................................................................................................... SS Piesiuential Task Foice (PTF) ................................................................................................................................. S4 Piovincial Councils ....................................................................................................................................................... S4 Nilitaiy .............................................................................................................................................................................. SS Bistiict anu Local Actois ............................................................................................................................................ SS Lanu Ciiculai 2u1Su1 .................................................................................................................................................... S6 National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy .............................................................................................................. S7 National Action Plan foi the Piotection anu Piomotion of Buman Rights (2u11-2u16) ................... S8 Lessons Leaint anu Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) & Action Plan ..................................................... S9 Chaptei S uiounu Realities in the Noith anu East ................................................................................................ 4S Case Stuuy: }affna ............................................................................................................................................................... 44 Compaiative Analysis of Nilitaiy Base Sizes .................................................................................................... 4S Case Stuuy: Sampui ........................................................................................................................................................... Su Case Stuuy: Weli 0ya......................................................................................................................................................... SS C0NCL0SI0N ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6u REC0NNENBATI0NS ............................................................................................................................................................ 61 Annex I Inteinational Policy Consiueiations ........................................................................................................... 6S Tieaties, Conventions anu Piotocols ......................................................................................................................... 6S uuiuing Piinciples .............................................................................................................................................................. 64 The uuiuing Piinciples on Inteinal Bisplacement.......................................................................................... 64 Pinheiio Piinciples ....................................................................................................................................................... 6S 0niveisal Peiiouic Reviews ........................................................................................................................................... 66 Sri Lankas Universal Period Review (2012) .................................................................................................... 66 Sri Lankas Universal Period Review (2008) .................................................................................................... 67 0N Resolutions (2u12 & 2u1S) .................................................................................................................................... 67 Repoit anu Statement by 0N Bigh Commissionei of Buman Rights .......................................................... 67
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
CPA Centie foi Policy Alteinatives BS Bivisional Secietaiy EPC Eastein Piovincial Council uA uoveinment Agent uS uiama Sevaka BSZ Bigh Secuiity Zone IBP Inteinally Bisplaceu Peison INu0 Inteinational oi National Non-uoveinmental 0iganisation LB0 Lanu Bevelopment 0iuinance LLRC Lessons Leaint anu Reconciliation Commission LTTE Libeiation Tigeis of Tamil Eelam NIRP National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy NLC National Lanu Commission NPC Noithein Piovincial Council NPLC Noithein Piovincial Lanu Commissionei PTF Piesiuential Task Foice RBS Ruial Bevelopment Society TNA Tamil National Alliance 0N 0niteu Nations 0NBCR 0niteu Nations Bigh Commissionei foi Refugees
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 7 www.cpalanka.oig *Q>HRD;9> -RJJ8AI Lanu has been anu continues to be a contentious issue in Sii Lanka. It foims an impoitant basis of inuiviuual anu community iuentity anu pioviues livelihoou suppoit anu secuiity foi many families. Since the enu of the wai, insteau of using lanu policies to fuithei ieconciliation, the uoveinment has abuseu piovisions within the Lanu Acquisition Act among othei pieces of legislation, anu taken laige swathes of lanu in a mannei that pieuominantly affects minoiity communities anu facilitates entiencheu militaiisation in the Noith anu East. In many ways, the lanu acquisitions themselves aie auministeieu by anu give fuithei contiol to militaiy actois. The uoveinment thiough lanu acquisitions has also shown cleai uisiegaiu foi the law, often acting outsiue the paiameteis of the Lanu Acquisition Act anu avoiuing the inheient iesponsibilities of the Act itself, which iequiies that lanu only be taken wheie it is foi a public purpose. This process of abusive land acquisitions is not confined solely to the North and East, but is pait of a laigei systemic pioblem thioughout Sii Lanka anu inuicative of the bieakuown of the iule of law.
This policy biief examines the legal anu policy fiamewoik anu cuiient giounu iealities peitaining to lanu acquisitions anu ielateu issues in the Noith anu East of Sii Lanka. The thiee cases uiscusseu in this biief highlight the pioblems ielateu to acquisitions anu how the piesent piactices iaises conceins of land grabs in the area.
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The main piece of legislation goveining lanu acquisitions of piivate lanu is the Lanu Acquisition Act, No. 5 of 1950. The Act allows for the Government to take land for a public purpose which has been uefineu in the case law to mean public utility and benefit of the community as a whole. Another important limitation on lanu acquisitions is the Public Trust Doctrine which serves to prevent the abuse of uiscietionaiy powei anu in its essence uictates that goveinment powei can only be useu to fuithei the inteiests of the public anu that the juuiciaiy has a iole in ensuiing that the public inteiest is uphelu. Section S8 of the Lanu Acquisition Act allows the goveinment to acquiie lanu in situations of uigency, but sets a veiy high thiesholu foi the goveinment to meet in pioving that the neeu foi the lanu is tiuly uigent. Ciitically missing fiom the Lanu Acquisition Act aie piovisions outlining manuatoiy impact assessment checks anu explicit ciiteiion foi the juuiciaiy to consiuei social, cultuial anu economic factois when ueteimining the valiuity of a lanu acquisition.
An impoitant piovision in the Constitution in the context of lanu is the Thiiteenth Amenument, which uevolves some lanu poweis to the Piovincial Councils. In the iecent juugment of SC Appeal No. 211S, the Supieme Couit of Sii Lanka seveiely limiteu the poweis of the Piovincial Councils ovei lanu. The couit essentially stateu that the Piovincial Councils woulu only have powei ovei lanus which weie given to them by the cential goveinment. This centialisation is pioblematic both because it iaises questions as Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 8 www.cpalanka.oig to whethei theie will be any ieal uevolution of poweis unuei the Thiiteenth Amenument, but also because it ieuuces the possibility of the involvement of local actois when uealing with lanu in the aiea. It is ciucial that the cential uoveinment uevolve poweis pioviueu in the Constitution anu woik with the Eastein Piovincial Council (EPC) anu the newly electeu Noithein Piovincial Council (NPC) on issues of lanu.
0thei ielevant pieces of legislation ielateu to lanu acquisitions examineu in fuithei uetail in this biief incluue: the Boaiu of Investment Act, the 0iban Bevelopment Authoiity Law, the Town anu Countiy Planning 0iuinance, the (now lapseu) Emeigency Regulations, anu the Requisitioning of Lanu Act. All of the afoiementioneu pieces of legislation contiibute to a legal fiamewoik that pioviues the cential goveinment with expansive poweis ovei lanu, but nonetheless lay the founuation foi ceitain limitations on the governments actions. Important to note is the recognition in the existing legal fiamewoik that acquisitions of piivate lanu neeu to be in accoiuance with the law. As is eviuent in the case stuuies examineu by the biief, the constitutional anu legal fiamewoik is continuously uisiegaiueu by the cential goveinment anu its agents.
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A uistuibing tienu with iespect to lanu highlighteu in this biief is the uominant iole of the cential goveinment anu militaiy actois in the auministiation of lanu. Foui yeais aftei the wai, the militaiy continues to play a majoi iole in the acquisition anu alienation of lanu in the Noith anu East. As is uemonstiateu by the case stuuies in this biief, the laige-scale acquisitions happening in the Noith anu East appeai to be uiiecteu by the cential goveinment anu the militaiy with limiteu infoimation available to local officials anu affecteu populations.
With iespect to policy, the goveinment has yet to take a fiim position iegaiuing lanu acquisitions, with uiffeient goveinment officials making contiauictoiy statements. Fuithei, iecent policies put foiwaiu by the goveinment have been woefully inauequate in auuiessing lanu issues. Foi example, the Lanu Ciiculai issueu in 2u1S while an impiovement on the one fiom 2u11, still fails to auuiess any issues concerning private land and is far too expansive in defining what it calls lost lands, which the goveinment can acquiie at will. Nonetheless, the goveinment has faileu to even auheie to the minimal stanuaius set out in its own policies conceining lanu. Recommenuations by the Lessons Leaint anu Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) anu the National Action Plan foi the Piotection anu Piomotion of Buman Rights have been eithei uisiegaiueu oi blatantly ignoieu. Foi example, uespite the LLRC having auuiesseu the issue of Bigh-Secuiity Zones (BSZs), the goveinment anu militaiy continue to contiol lanu foimeily uemaicateu as BSZs, as seen in the }affna anu Sampui case stuuies. The failuie of the goveinment to follows its own policies contiibutes to the lack of claiity conceining lanu issues anu leaus to confusion. This also gieatly impeues any meaningful piogiess towaius ieconciliation anu iebuiluing. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
The case stuuies in this biief weie chosen to ieflect thiee uistinct ways in which illegal lanu acquisitions anu aibitiaiy lanu alienations occuiiing in the Noith anu East amount to land grabs. In }affna, the uoveinment is attempting to acquiie 6S8u acies of laigely piivate lanu to builu a puipoiteu militaiy cantonment. It is abundantly clear that the stated purpose of a military cantonment is a guise for other commeicial enteipiises, anu in any event, theie is absolutely no justification foi iequiiing such a laige amount of lanu foi a militaiy cantonment puipoiteu to holu 1S, 2uu peisonnel, a figuie pioviueu by the uoveinment. In Sampui, the uoveinment is taking lanu with no iegaiu foi uue piocess unuei the guise of uevelopment. The aiea in question has hau a contentious histoiy shifting fiom a Special Economic Zone to a Bigh-Security Zone and finally in May 2012, to a Special Zone for Heavy Industries. Families uisplaceu fiom the aiea have ieceiveu mixeu messages fiom local officials anu have yet to see any foimal acquisition pioceuuies, with the exception of a small aiea of lanu allocateu to a Coal Powei Plant. Anu finally, the brief examines the Governments land alienation processes in Weli Oya. Information available publicly inuicates that this scheme has pioviueu lanus to Sinhalese settleis, with questions iaiseu as to whethei these aie people who weie pieviously in the aiea oi new settleis fiom othei aieas. Repoits also inuicate that minoiities who eailiei iesiueu anu cultivateu lanu in the aiea aie unable to ietuin to the aiea. Fuithei compounuing issues is the pioblem iegaiuing the status of the lanu in the aiea, questions being iaiseu as to whethei the lanu being given is state oi piivate lanu. All these issues contiibute to questions ovei whethei schemes intiouuceu by the Government result in land grabs with significant implications iegaiuing changes to ethnic uemogiaphics in the aieas.
%<:HGR=;<: This biief focuses on lanu acquisitions anu ielateu issues because they seive as an impoitant ieflection of goveinment policy anu attituues towaius meaningful ieconciliation. As the uoveinment continues to blatantly disregard legal standards and pursue initiatives that can constitute land grabs, they further alienate minoiity communities anu contiibute to peiceptions that the uoveinment only cateis to the majoiity community. The questions iaiseu in the policy biief have fai-ieaching implications foi uevolution anu goveinance in the Noith anu East. They iaise seiious conceins of whethei tienus of fuithei centialisation anu militaiisation iegaiuing lanu issues aie signs of things to come anu accoiuingly, key impeuiments to ieconciliation anu unity. Although the piesent policy biief is naiiow in its focus on uiffeient tienus in lanu acquisitions anu ielateu issues, the implications aie significant anu cannot be ignoieu. It is time to take stock of giounu iealities anu initiate iefoim. $:DA<PRHD;<: In Sii Lanka, the use, contiol anu owneiship of lanu have histoiically been contentious issues. uoveinance anu powei shaiing stiuctuies ielating to lanu anu the uisciimination faceu by the minoiities in teims of alienation, contiol anu owneiship of lanu weie some of the ieasons foi the thiee-uecaue long Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 1u www.cpalanka.oig ethnic conflict in Sii Lanka. Foui yeais aftei the enu of the wai many of these giievances iemain uniesolveu.
Since the enu of the wai, insteau of using lanu policies to fuithei ieconciliation anu ie-uevelopment, the uoveinment has abuseu its powei anu position. Some of the legislation intiouuceu post-wai such as the Bivineguma Act anu policy uecisions such as the Lanu Ciiculai of 2u11u4, confiimeu pieconceiveu feais iegaiuing goveinment positions on the ciitical issues of a political solution, uevolution anu ieconciliation. Auuing to these feais, the centialisation anu militaiisation eviuent on the giounu weie given legitimacy by way of new legal anu policy iefoims, fuithei unueimining the iights of minoiities anu any piospects foi meaningful uevolution.
A key issue ielating to lanu is that of alienation anu acquisition of lanu anu how it impacts on an individuals ability to own anu contiol lanu. An impoitant aspect of this issue is the uistinction between state anu piivate lanus. A iecuiiing pioblem in Sii Lanka is the confusion when attempting to uistinguish between what is state anu what is piivate lanu. This has been compounueu by the uestiuction of lanu uocuments, confusion iegaiuing the histoiy of the lanu anu fiauuulent uocuments piouuceu by vaiious actois, which iesult in competing claims of owneiship.
The Centie foi Policy Alteinatives (CPA) has uocumenteu anu ciitiqueu lanu issues in Sii Lanka foi ovei a uecaue uuiing the wai, post-tsunami anu post-wai. 1 In iecent times, a key issue with significant iepeicussions is the uiffeient foims by which the state anu its agents have attempted to control peoples lanu, uepiiving them of use anu access anu in some instances engaging in full-fleugeu uispossession. The existence of puipoiteu Bigh Secuiity Zones (BSZs), militaiy anu police occupation anu seconuaiy occupation aie just a few examples of ways in which control is exerted over individuals lands resulting in uispossession anu uisplacement, eviuent uuiing the wai anu continuing to the piesent.
The acquisition of piivate lanus, most iecently the initiative to acquiie thousanus of piivate lanus in the Noith anu East has iaiseu questions as to whethei attempts aie unueiway to contiol a significant aiea of lanu belonging to minoiities by way of a legal piocess. This uemonstiates uistuibing tienus of how the state anu its agents use the legal fiamewoik to legitimise piactices such as lanu giabs. Ciitically examining such motivations is especially impoitant in a context wheie numeious pleuges have been maue by senioi goveinment ministeis, officials anu the militaiy to ielease lanus to legal owneis. This is an issue highlighted by the governments own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
This policy biief is wiitten to question iecent piactices in the Noith anu East of Sii Lanka, which have significant implications foi contiol anu owneiship of lanu in the aiea. While this biief is focuseu on the North and East, it does not imply that important issues relating to the governments practices
1 visit www.cpalanka.oig foi moie infoimation on ieseaich, auvocacy anu public inteiest litigation initiateu anu suppoiteu by CPA on lanu anu ielateu issues. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 11 www.cpalanka.oig conceining lanu aie not piesent elsewheie in Sii Lanka. This biief meiely highlights some uistuibing tienus anu issues in the aiea most uiiectly affecteu by the wai anu an aiea that is haileu as a success stoiy by the goveinment with its massive iehabilitation anu uevelopments piojects post wai.
This policy biief ciitiques the legal anu policy fiamewoik existing in Sii Lanka with iespect to lanu acquisitions anu ielateu issues. It highlights the mechanism by which the piesent fiamewoik is useu to manipulate situations to take ovei lanu with complete uisiegaiu foi uue piocess. The case stuuies uemonstiate that the goveinment is often acting outsiue the paiameteis of the Lanu Acquisition Act anu avoiuing the inheient iesponsibilities of the Act itself, which iequiies that lanu only be taken wheie it is for a public purpose. This process of abusive lanu acquisitions is not confineu solely to the Noith anu East, but is pait of a laigei systemic pioblem thioughout Sii Lanka anu inuicative of the bieakuown of the iule of law. Lanu acquisitions also have to be consiueieu in the context of the cuiient juuiciaiy anu its inability to seive as a valiu check on goveinment actions uue to its politicisation anu paitiality.
This biief also examines anothei issue that is connecteu to owneiship anu contiol of lanu -that of alienation of state lanu. Alienation of state lanu by the goveinment is meant to pioviue lanu foi specific puiposes iuentifieu by the legal fiamewoik. Bespite its potential foi goou, it has also been useu by some goveinments to establish new settlements iesulting in ethno-uemogiaphic change. The geneial confusion ovei what is state lanu anu what is piivate lanu has also contiibuteu to feais of whethei alienation by the goveinment of what they iuentify as state lanu may also incluue piivate lanus. This in tuin iaises the question of whethei the piocess to alienate lanu is in fact uone to exploit the confusion iegaiuing the ieal status of lanu in ceitain aieas. The Weli 0ya case highlights the numeious questions ievolving aiounu alienation of lanu incluuing whethei the legal piocess is being useu to legitimise lanu giabs.
At the outset it must be noteu that the case stuuies examineu in this policy biief in no way encompass all uimensions of lanu acquisitions anu alienations occuiiing acioss Sii Lanka, but focus on ones that aie ongoing anu iepiesentative of goveinment actions in the Noith anu East. The case stuuies uiscusseu in this policy biief aie chosen to ieflect thiee uistinct ways in which the governments actions on land including acquisitions and alienation can amount to land grabs. In Jaffna, the government is in the piocess of acquiiing 6S8u acies of laigely piivate lanu to builu a puipoiteu militaiy cantonment in an aiea occupieu by the militaiy since the 199us. In Sampui, the goveinment is in the piocess of taking ovei lanu unuei the guise of uevelopment. Anu finally, the biief examines a case that while not stiictly lanu acquisition, examines the governments land alienation processes in Weli 0ya anu its implications foi lanu owneiship anu ethnic uemogiaphics in the aiea.
Lanu will unuoubteuly be the fiist majoi issue the newly electeu Noithein Piovincial Council (NPC) will have to auuiess this yeai. It iemains to be seen whethei the poweis pioviueu unuei the Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution will be uevolveu to the NPC. The tiack iecoiu with othei Piovincial Councils is uisappointing anu eaily signs iegaiuing uevolution anu goveinance in the Noith uo not holu Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 12 www.cpalanka.oig piomise foi a change in piactice. The issues of lanu acquisitions anu ielateu piactices anu its implications foi lanu owneiship in the aiea have wiue implications foi minoiity iights, goveinance, a political solution anu ieconciliation. It is theiefoie timely to acknowleuge giounu iealities anu intiouuce iefoim.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 1S www.cpalanka.oig %78TD>A NU #>C8G /:8GI=;= <F #8:P /HVR;=;D;<: !A<H>==>= This chaptei biiefly uiscusses the cuiient legal fiamewoik in Sii Lanka ielevant foi lanu acquisition anu highlights some of the pioblems with its application in the cuiient postwai context. While this chaptei is not compiehensive oi an extensive analysis, it uiaws attention to key aspects in legislation that iequiie fuithei attention anu iefoim.
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The legal basis foi acquisition of piivate lanu is in the !"#$ &'()*+*,*-# &',. No. S of 19Su. The Act states that land can be taken by the Government for a public purpose, provided that procedures set out in the Act aie followeu.
->HD;<: L of the Act pioviues foi notices of lanu acquisitions to be publicly available, i.e. uisplayeu in conspicuous places and also that the notice be displayed in the three official languages:
(1) Wheie the Ninistei ueciues that lanu in any aiea is neeueu foi any public puipose, he may uiiect the acquiiing officei of the uistiict in which that aiea lies to cause a notice in accoiuance with subsection (2) to be exhibiteu in some conspicuous places in that aiea.
(2) The notice iefeiieu to in subsection (1) shall be in the Sinhala, Tamil anu English languages anu shall state that lanu in the aiea specifieu in the notice is iequiieu foi a public puipose anu that all oi any of the acts authoiizeu by subsection (S) may be uone on any lanu in that aiea in oiuei to investigate the suitability of that lanu foi that public puipose.
->HD;<: W of the Act impoitantly sets out that notice must be given to ownei(s) of lanu to be acquiieu AND in places on or nearby that land.
(1) Wheie the Ninistei consiueis that a paiticulai lanu is suitable foi a public puipose, oi that a paiticulai seivituue ovei a paiticulai lanu shoulu be acquiieu foi a public puipose, he shall uiiect the acquiiing officei of the uistiict in which that lanu is situateu to cause a notice in accoiuance with subsection (S) to be given to the ownei oi owneis of that lanu anu to be exhibiteu in some conspicuous places on oi neai that lanu:
(2) The Ninistei may issue a uiiection unuei the pieceuing piovisions of this section notwithstanuing that no notice has been exhibiteu as pioviueu by section 2, anu, wheie he issues such a uiiection to any acquiiing officei, the piovisions of subsection (S) of section 2 shall apply in iegaiu to the lanu to which that uiiection ielates in like mannei as those piovisions woulu have applieu if that acquiiing officei Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 14 www.cpalanka.oig hau causeu a notice unuei section 2 to be exhibiteu in the aiea in which that lanu is situateu.
(S) The notice iefeiieu to in subsection (1) shall-
(a) be in the Sinhala, Tamil anu English languages;
(b) contain a uesciiption of the lanu oi seivituue which is intenueu to be acquiieu;
(c) state that the uoveinment intenus to acquiie that lanu oi seivituue foi a public puipose, anu that wiitten objections to the intenueu acquisition may be maue to the Secietaiy to such Ninistiy as shall be specifieu in the notice (heieaftei in this section iefeiieu to as the " appiopiiate Secietaiy "); anu
(u) specify a peiiou within which such objections must be maue, such peiiou being not less than fouiteen uays fiom the uate on which such notice is given.
Sections OX anu OX/ of the Act set out procedures of acquiring land urgently:
Section S8 (a) wheie it becomes necessaiy to take immeuiate possession of any lanu on the giounu of any uigency, at any time aftei a notice unuei section 2 is exhibiteu foi the fiist time in the aiea in which that lanu is situateu oi at any time aftei a notice unuei section 4 is exhibiteu foi the fiist time on oi neai that lanu, anu
Section S8A.
(1) Wheie any lanu is being acquiieu foi the puiposes of a local authoiity anu the pieliminaiy valuation of that lanu maue by the Chief valuei of the uoveinment uoes not exceeu the specifieu sum, the immeuiate possession of such lanu on the giounu of uigency, within the meaning of the pioviso to section S8, shall be ueemeu to have become necessaiy, anu accoiuingly the Ninistei may make an 0iuei of possession unuei section S8 of this Act.
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The following sections outline how the couit has inteipieteu sections of the Lanu Acquisition Act anu how theii inteipietation play a iole in the cuiient lanu acquisitions, especially those taking place in the Noith anu East. Meaning of Public Purpose and Requirements for Section 2 Notice
Public Purpose while undefined in the Act, has been uefineu thiough Supieme Couit juiispiuuence in the Waters Edge case 2 . This case sets out explicitly that public purpose should not be read broadly to mean any puipose, anu insteau is a iequiiement imposeu by law on the goveinment when tiying to
2 /0#$*+ 0, "12 32 40505" 0, "12 |Supieme Couitj S.C. (FR) No. SS22uu7 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 1S www.cpalanka.oig acquire land, to show that the purpose of acquiring such land has as the primary object, public utility and benefit of the community as a whole. S The court further clarifies that the community to be directly benefiteu must incluue the local community to be affected, not just the community as a whole: Apart fiom the cieation of a hanuful of low-level jobs, what is notably lacking fiom this list, anu fiom any of the statements submitteu in eviuence by the 0BA in this iegaiu, howevei, is any significant benefit of a sufficiently direct nature to the community of People of the Battaramulla area. 4 Beie the couit makes it abundantly clear that the public purpose must benefit the local community directly in some way. Consequently, following this juugment, it is not sufficient foi the goveinment to meiely show that the puipose of the lanu acquisition benefits the countiy as a whole; they must also show uiiect benefit to the local community.
The iuea of a tiuthful public puipose was entiencheu in the juiispiuuence by Nanel Feinanuo v B.N.}ayaiatne, Ninistei of Agiicultuie anu Lanus anu otheis S . The juugment cleaily set out that a Section 2 notice must state the public puipose foi which the lanu is being acquiieu. 6 Boiana Plantations Ltu. v Ninistei of Agiicultuie anu otheis 7 fuithei claiifieu this point by ueciuing that wheie theie is a pioven collateial puipose, the iequiiement set out in Nanel Feinanuo is not met.
What remains to be seen is whether the interpretation of public purpose as in the Waters Edge Case, Nanel Feinanuo anu Boiana Plantations will be followeu by the cuiient Supieme Couit. This is in a context wheie the inuepenuence of the juuiciaiy is incieasingly questioneu with feais of unpieceuenteu levels of politicisation of the juuiciaiyY While this chaptei meiely examines the legal uimensions of lanu acquisitions in Sii Lanka, one cannot ignoie the laigei political context anu its implications foi the peoples iight to own lanu. Therefore, the interpretation of public purpose by the current judiciaiy is of consiueiable concein. It is of utmost impoitance that the juuiciaiy uses this oppoitunity to ieinfoice the piinciples establisheu by pievious case law, ensuiing legal piotection is pioviueu foi people to fully enjoy theii lanu anu if acquisition is to take place, that it is uone in auheience to the law anu in a tianspaient mannei.
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The Public Tiust Boctiine is a concept that has been incoipoiateu into Sii Lankan juiispiuuence piimaiily to pievent the abuse of uiscietionaiy powei. In 60 7*13" 3 &,)8-5"10 wheie the fiist iefeience in Sii Lankan juiispiuuence to the Public Tiust Boctiine is founu, Feinanuo }. citeu the following passage from H.W. Wade: Statutory power conferred for public purposes is confeiieu as it weie upon tiust, not absolutely that is to say, it can valiuly be useu only in the iight anu piopei way which Pailiament when
S 9:*$2 4 9:*$2 S /"#01 ;05#"#$- 3 62/2<"="5",#0. /*#*+,05 -> &?5*')1,)50 "#$ !"#$+ "#$ -,@05+. 2uuu (1) S.L.R. 112 6 /"#01 ;05#"#$- +)A5" note 2 7 B-5"#" 41"#,",*-#+ !,$2 C /*#*+,05 -> &?5*')1,)50 "#$ -,@05+. SC Appeal No. u62uu9 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 16 www.cpalanka.oig conferring it is presumed to have intended. 8 Feinanuo }. speaking about the poweis confeiieu on the goveinment by the Land Acquisition Act went on to say: It was a power conferred solely to be used for the public goou, anu not foi his peisonal benefit; it was helu in tiust foi the public; to be exeiciseu ieasonably anu in goou faith, anu upon lawful anu ielevant giounds of public interest. 9 In D)1"#8)1"E", Amaiasinghe }. appeais to finu a basis foi the Public Tiust Boctiine in Aiticle S of the Constitution. Binesha Samaiatne in hei papei, Public Tiust Boctiine: The Sii Lankan veision summaiizes this connection well: Amaiasinghe }., holus that Aiticle S is an expiession of uemociatic values, in that it affiims that the People aie the ultimate soveieigns anu that holueis of poweis of goveinment aie only tempoiaiy beaieis of those poweis. The logical conclusion theiefoie is that such poweis can only be exercised to further the interests of the People. 1u The Supieme Couit has also piomoteu the iuea that the Public Tiust Boctiine exists to piomote the Rule of Law. In the case of /)#$= "#$ F,@05+ 3 G0#,5"1 H#3*5-#E0#,"1 &),@-5*,= "#$ F,@05+ Feinanuo }. affiims the above appioaches to the Public Tiust Boctiine saying:
this Court itself has long recognized and applied the public trust doctrine: that powers vesteu in public authoiities aie not absolute oi unfetteieu but aie helu in tiust foi the public, to be exeiciseu foi the puiposes foi which they have been confeiieu, anu that theii exeicise is subject to judicial review by reference to those purposesBesides, executive power is also necessaiily subject to the funuamental iights in geneial, anu to Aiticle 12(1) in paiticulai which guarantees equality before the law and the equal protection of the law 11
/)#$= also states that the Public Tiust Boctiine is a valiu basis foi a sepaiate giounu of ieview: Administrative acts and decisions contrary to the public trust doctrine and violative of fundamental rights would be excess or abuse of power and therefore void or voidable. 12 This concept is ieaffiimeu in the Waters Edge judgment, where Thilakawardene J. holds that the Couit can ieview any exeicise of public power, even if an express provision of the law grants immunity to the exercise of that power. 1S
The concept of Public Tiust Boctiine is extiemely impoitant as a tool that ensuies on one hanu that the Governments legislative actions aie genuinely in the public inteiest, anu on the othei hanu, allows Couits to check that they aie. Wheie the uoveinment uoes not act in the public inteiest, the Public Tiust Boctiine as aiticulateu by the Supieme Couit gives couits the juiisuiction to voiu those actions. As will be seen in the thiee case stuuies highlighteu in this policy biief, the Public Tiust Boctiine appeais not to have been consiueieu by goveinment actois in iecent lanu acquisitions. Bowevei, it is essential that
8 60 +*13" 32 &,)8-5"10. /*#*+,05 -> !"#$+. 955*?",*-# "#$ /"@"I01* 60301-AE0#, "#$ Anothei, SC Appeal N0. 7692, paia 2962 9 9:*$ at paia 297. 1u Binesha, Bamaiatne, Public Tiust Boctiine: The Sii Lankan veision, Inteinational Centie foi Ethnic Stuuies (2u1u) 11 /)#$= 3+2 G0#,5"1 H#3*5-#E0#,"1 &),@-5*,= "#$ -,@05+, SC Appeal S82uuS 12 9:*$2 1S /0#$*+ 0, "12 32 40505" 0, "12 SC FR No. SS22uu7 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 17 www.cpalanka.oig Couits upholu the Public Tiust Boctiine in ielation to lanu acquisitions, specifically applying it when consiueiing the genuineness of purported public purposes.
What does Urgency under Section 38 mean?
Section S8 in the Lanu Acquisition Act pioviues the goveinment with a piocess of acquiiing lanu immeuiately when uigency uemanus it. Bowevei, the buiuen of pioving whethei theie is uigency lies with the goveinment as pei /"5*0 9#$*5" ;05#"#$-A)110 "#$ &#-,@05 3 H2!270#"#"="80, /*#*+,05 -> !"#$+. "#$ &?5*')1,)50 14 as citeu in B-5"#" 41"#,",*-#+ !,$ 1S . While the couit has not been entiiely cleai on what the thiesholu is foi meeting the buiuen of pioof conceining uigency, guiuance can be taken fiom the following passage in Boiana Plantations Ltu.:
In the Inuian Supieme Couit juugment in the case of Ram Bhaii }inual Nemoiial Tiust vs. 0nion of Inuia anu 0theis, C.A. No. S81S of 2uu7 it was helu that the uigency clause can be invokeu by the goveinment only in exceptional cases aftei "applying its minu". The apex couit in Inuia saiu the buiuen of justifying acquisition by invoking the uigency clause unuei Section 17(1)(4) of Lanu Acquisition Act solely iests on the goveinment as otheiwise it amounts to uepiiving a peison of his oi hei piopeity. 16
Bowevei, theie still remain ambiguities in the present law as to what urgency means anu what the thiesholu is foi the buiuen of pioof iequiieu of the goveinment.
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This policy biief highlights the gaps with the Lanu Acquisition Act but iecognises that it is a fiamewoik that can be useu with iefoim in specific aieas. The following aie highlighteu as iequiiing fuithei attention:
14 /"5*0 9#$*5" ;05#"#$-A)110 "#$ &#-,@05 3 H2!270#"#"="80. /*#*+,05 -> !"#$+. "#$ &?5*')1,)50 79 (II) N.L.R. 11S 1S B-5"#" 41"#,",*-#+ !,$2 C /*#*+,05 -> &?5*')1,)50 "#$ -,@05+. SC Appeal No. u62uu9 16 9:*$. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
0ne significant failuie of the Lanu Acquisition Act is its lack of iequiiement foi impact assessments to be conuucteu piioi to Section 2 oi Section 4 notices being issueu. While the Ninistei has uiscietion to allow foi investigations of lanu following issuance of a Section 2 oi Section 4 notice, theie is no iequiiement foi the Ninistei to unueitake impact assessments on the lanu to be acquiieu, piioi to its selection. This is crucial to ensuring that the public purpose is truly met without detriment to the immediate local community. It is one of the piinciples unuei the National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy (NIRP) 17 anu an aspect that shoulu be integiateu into legislation anu fully implementeu.
Anothei gap in the cuiient Lanu Acquisition Act is that it fails to set out a list of ciiteiia that couits coulu look to when ieviewing the valiuity of lanu acquisitions. Such ciiteiia aie valuable when they give couits the explicit juiisuiction to examine social, cultuial anu economic factois that may affect a lanu acquisition.
Foi example, the Austialian !"#$+ &'()*+*,*-# &',, 1989, No. 1S as amenueu, has the following section. which sets out factois foi ieview couits to consiuei in ueteimining the peimissibility of a lanu acquisition:
ON %<:=;P>A8D;<:= D< K> D8?>: ;:D< 8HH<R:D <: A>9;>E
(1) Subject to this section, the following matteis aie ielevant to the ieview by the Auministiative Appeals Tiibunal of a pie-acquisition ueclaiation: (a) the natuie of the public puipose iuentifieu in the ueclaiation; (b) except wheie the ielevant inteiest in lanu is a iestiiction on the use of lanu: (i) the natuie of the pioposeu use of the ielevant lanu; (ii) the extent to which the pioposeu use is connecteu with the public puipose; (iii) the extent to which the pioposeu use is in the public inteiest; anu (iv) the suitability of the lanu foi, oi foi uevelopment foi, the pioposeu use; (c) wheie the ielevant inteiest in lanu is a iestiiction on the use of lanu: (i) the natuie of the pioposeu iestiiction; (ii) the extent to which the pioposeu iestiiction is connecteu with the public puipose; (iii) the extent to which the pioposeu iestiiction is in the public inteiest; anu
17 National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy; Sourced from Annex I, Innovative Approaches for Involuntary Resettlement: Lunawa Environmental Improvement & Community Development Project, 0N Babitat (2uu9) Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 19 www.cpalanka.oig (iv) the appiopiiateness of the benefit of the pioposeu iestiiction being acquiieu by the acquiiing authoiity; (u) the effect of the acquisition of the inteiest in lanu to which the ueclaiation ielates upon peisons affecteu (within the meaning of subsection 22(1u)) by the ueclaiation; (e) the extent to which the enviionment in the aiea in which the ielevant lanu is situateu woulu be affecteu if the lanu weie useu oi uevelopeu, oi the use of the lanu weie iestiicteu, as the case may be, in the mannei pioposeu anu, in paiticulai, the extent to which that use oi uevelopment, oi that iestiiction, woulu benefit oi impaii: (i) an aiea of scenic beauty; (ii) a place of aichitectuial, histoiical, aichaeological, geological oi scientific inteiest; (iii) the conseivation of floia anu fauna that shoulu, in the public inteiest, be pieseiveu; (iv) the amenity of the neighbouihoou; oi (v) public utility seivices; (f) whether there is some other means of accommodating the relevant acquiring authoritys neeus; (g) matteis containeu in a statement given to the applicant unuei section 28 of the &$E*#*+,5",*30 &AA0"1+ J5*:)#"1 &', KLMN oi lougeu with the Tiibunal unuei section S7 oi S8 of that Act; (h) piacticable methous of avoiuing oi mitigating any injuiious factois; (j) any othei mattei that the Tiibunal ueteimines, on the application of the Ninistei oi the applicant, to be ielevant to the ieview.
It woulu be extiemely beneficial foi Sii Lankan couits to consiuei the factois in Sections S1(1)(b), (u), (e), (f) anu (h) of the Austialian Lanu Acquisition Act. An examination of these factois woulu ceitainly ensuie the genuineness of a puipoiteu public puipose anu minimise possible negative impacts to local communities to enjoy anu live on theii own lanu. Foi example, Sections S1(1)(f) anu (h) woulu pioviue a check by the juuiciaiy as to whethei the goveinment was acting in the Public Tiust. The concept of using a piopoitionality analysis to assess the valiuity of goveinment actions in teims of whethei they infiinge on peoples fundamental rights is a legal phenomenon that is quite common across the Commonwealth 18 . If theie is to be a ieview test similai to that of the Austialian !"#$+ &'()*+*,*-# &',, 1989, No. 1S as amenueu, it is possible that some of the lanu acquisitions cuiiently unueiway in the Noith anu East will be halteu, if the issue was consiueieu puiely on its legal meiits. In the absence of a legal anu policy fiamewoik similai to that of Austialia, it is still impeiative that the Sii Lankan couits consider the genuineness of the governments need for the specific land in question and whether that neeu constitutes a public puipose as establisheu by case law. It is also impoitant that economic, social
18 Foi example, in Canaua wheie a violation of iights unuei the Chaitei of Rights anu Fieeuoms is founu, that violation can only be alloweu if it is founu to meet a stiict test of piopoitionality unuei section 1 of the Chaitei. The fact that piopoitionality is a tiansnational concept in limiting the infiingement of constitutionally entrenched rights of countries is further explored in Oxford Constitutional Theory: The Global Model of Constitutional Rights by Kai Moller (October 2012; Oxford University Press) Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 2u www.cpalanka.oig anu cultuial factois aie consiueieu when ieviewing lanu acquisitions; as such factois infoim the genuineness anu valiuity of puipoiteu public puiposes. In the same vein, it is iecommenueu that legislatois consiuei legal iefoim: instituting a cleaiei test foi ieview of lanu acquisitions in oiuei to pievent abuse of poweis unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act anu pioviue tianspaiency to piocesses of acquisition.
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,7;AD>>:D7 /J>:PJ>:D D< D7> %<:=D;DRD;<: The Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution incluues a section on lanu, anu while it will not be extensively examineu heie, it is necessaiy to highlight key sections which have a ielevance to the subject mattei.
The Thiiteenth Amenument lays out in List 1 of the Ninth Scheuule (Piovincial Council List), matteis upon which Aiticle 1S4(u) of the Constitution gives Piovincial Councils the authoiity to legislate. Notable foi the puiposes of this biief, item 18 of the Piovincial Council List states: Land Lanu, that is to say, iights in oi ovei lanu, lanu tenuie, tiansfei anu alienation of lanu, land use, land settlement and land improvement, to the extent set out in Appendix II. 19
It woulu appeai that lanu acquisitions aie a mattei to be taken up with Piovincial Councils. Bowevei, Appenuix II states as follows unuei the sub-heauing, Lanu anu Lanu Settlement: State Lanu shall continue to vest in the Republic anu may be uisposeu of in accoiuance with Aiticle SS(u) anu wiitten law goveining the mattei. 2u
The Appendix then sets out special provisions which would limit the Provincial Councils authority over land, but nonetheless it states: Subject as aforesaid, land shall be a Provincial Council Subject, subject to the following provisions. 21
Recently the Supieme Couit of Sii Lanka in a thiee membei bench unuei the ue facto Chief }ustice, Nohan Peiiis, ienueieu a uecision on the question of whethei Piovincial Bigh Couits hau juiisuiction ovei issues conceining State Lanus as pei the Thiiteenth Amenument. 22 The thiee justices each wiote sepaiate juugments but all ueciueu that State Lanu is a mattei outsiue the juiisuiction of Piovincial Bigh Couits anu in the piocess also seveiely limiteu the poweis ovei State lanu helu by Piovincial Councils. This move by the juuiciaiy to take poweis ovei lanu away fiom the Piovincial Councils is paiticulaily tioubling given that one of the majoi issues iaiseu in the iecent Noithein Piovincial Council elections was the cential goveinments practices regarding land. Land is a crucial tool in the process of
19 Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution 2u Ibiu. 21 Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution 22 SC Appeal No. 211S, Becision by Nohan Peiiis, }. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 21 www.cpalanka.oig ieconciliation anu this uecision will likely cause minoiities to feel fuithei alienateu anu betiayeu. The uecision is fuithei colouieu by the cuiient politicisation of the juuiciaiy anu its appeaiance of uiminishing inuepenuence. It also begs the question whethei this is a sign of things to come by way of pioposeu constitutional iefoim anu the taking away of poweis pioviueu to the piovincial councils.
Be ieaches the conclusion that since the lanu stateu in the Piovincial Council List only oiiginates out of List II, Piovincial Councils can only have powei ovei state lanu that is given to them by the Cential uoveinment. 24 Be then tieats the special piovisions in Appenuix II as fuithei limitations on the Provincial Councils power over state land. 2S
Especially of concein in the juugment is how he inteipiets Special Piovisions 1.1 anu 1:2 of Appenuix II. These piovisions state: 1:1 State lanu iequiieu foi the puiposes of the uoveinment in a Piovince, in iespect of a ieseiveu oi concuiient subject may be utilizeu by the uoveinment in accoiuance with the laws goveining the mattei. The uoveinment shall consult the ielevant Piovincial Council with iegaiu to the utilization of such lanu in iespect of such subject. 1:S Alienation oi uisposition of the State lanu within a Piovince to any citizen oi to any oiganization shall be by Piesiuent, on the auvice of the ielevant Piovincial Council, in accoiuance with the laws goveining the mattei. 26
These piovisions aie ielevant given the tienu of laige lanu acquisitions being conuucteu by the cential goveinment. Iueally the consultative piocess with the Piovincial Councils woulu ensuie a check on cential uoveinment actions anu voice the conceins of the geneial public in affecteu aieas. Bowevei, Peiris states in his decision in relation to 1:1: The consultation specified in this special provision would not mean that the uoveinment has to obtain the concuiience of the ielevant Piovincial Council, and regarding 1:3 he dismissed two major precedential cases and also states that the advice of the
2S 9:*$2 24 9:*$2 2S 9:*$2 26 Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 22 www.cpalanka.oig Provincial Council is non binding. 27 This is extiemely pioblematic as it opens the uooi foi the State to continue engaging in lanu acquisition anu iesettlement piocesses that uisiegaiu the inteiests of local anu iegional communities, which woulu noimally be iepiesenteu by the Piovincial Councils. The fact that these inteiests aie not being taken into account by the cential goveinment cuiiently is cleaily inuicateu thiough the case stuuies in this biief. }ustice Siipavan ieaches essentially the same conclusions in his uecision with the main exception that he would interpret the consultation process in Special Provision 1:1 to mean the following: In terms of 1:1 above, the Government of Sri Lanka can utilize State Land in respect of a reserved or concurrent subject. However, this could only be done in compliance with the laws passeu by Pailiament anu in consultation with the ielevant Piovincial Council, so that the Government and the Provincial Council reach consensus with regard to the use of such State Land. 28
Justice Wanasunderas decision adds nothing new to the above two judgments but simply reiterates the fact that the juuiciaiy sees the State as having ultimate powei ovei all State lanu, anu the Piovincial Councils being only able to exeicise the poweis in the Piovincial Council List on lanu which the State chooses to allocate to them. 29
The Thiiteenth Amenument in anu of itself, even befoie this uecision was ienueieu, anu as was highlighteu in these uecisions, seveiely hanuicaps any poweis the Piovincial Council woulu have ovei lanu thiough Special Piovision S:4 which states: In the exercise of the powers devolved on them, the powers shall be exeiciseu by the Piovincial Councils having uue iegaiu to the national policy foimulate by the National Lanu Commission. Su
While the National Lanu Commission is iequiieu to have iepiesentatives fiom the Piovincial Councils S1 , it woulu cleaily be an agency uominateu by the State, but inteiestingly has yet to be establisheu. Peiiis confiims this in his juugment on SC Appeal No.211S when he states in iefeience to Paiagiaph S of Appendix II: It is apparent that Provincial Councils will have to be guideu by the uiiections issueu by the National Lanu Commission anu this too ieinfoices the contention that State Lanus lie with the Centie and not with Provincial Councils.
In iefeience to State lanu, the Thiiteenth Amenument also sets out that uistiibution schemes of State lanu shoulu be conuucteu on the basis of national ethnic iatios. S2 Bowevei, impoitantly as a safeguaiu foi aieas pieuominantly anu histoiically populateu by minoiities, it specifies that in allocating State
27 SC Appeal No. 211S, Becision by Nohan Peiiis, }. 28 SC Appeal No. 211S, Becision by Siipavan }. 29 SC Appeal No. 211S, Becision by Wanasunueia }. Su Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution S1 Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution S2 Appenuix II Lanu anu Lanu Settlement, Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 2S www.cpalanka.oig lanu, uistiibution schemes shoulu not seek to change uemogiaphic patteins oi communal cohesiveness. SS This is impoitant to the Noith anu East. In light of the iecent Supieme Couit juugment this aspect is ciitical, pioviuing a check ovei cential goveinment poweis ovei state lanu. The case of Weli 0ya uiscusseu in this biief highlights ielevant questions in this iegaiu, iaising the question of whethei lanu alienation in the aiea to Sinhala communities is aimeu at shifting uemogiaphics of the aiea.
The political uimensions of the uevolution of lanu poweis cannot be ignoieu. The iecent Supieme Couit uecision anu the NPC elections biing the issues back to the foie. The Supieme Couit uecision iaises seiious conceins about whethei the goveinment plans to iecognise any ieal foim of uevolution. Recently the goveinment also establisheu a Pailiamentaiy Select Committee (PSC) to look at the national issue of powei uevolution. The main opposition paity, the 0niteu National Paity (0NP) anu the alliance with the most numbei of seats iepiesenting the Noith anu East, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) uiu not paiticipate in this piocess, theieby making it a stiuctuie with only actois fiom the goveinment anu its allies. Suspicion has been cast on this piocess as anothei tactic by the goveinment to uelay fully uevolving poweis pioviueu unuei the Thiiteenth Amenument anu in foimulating a political solution. The lack of piogiess with the PSC highlights seiious flaws with it anu its inability to pioviue ieal answeis to seiious issues.
The Supieme Couit uecision in combination with the lack of genuineness in goveinment piocesses suiiounuing uevolution of lanu poweis unfoitunately leau to the piobability that the newly electeu NPC will be unable to exeicise any legitimate action on matteis of lanu in the aiea. Sampui anu othei cases in the East uemonstiate the inability of the Eastein Piovincial Council to play a significant iole in ueciuing lanu issues in the aiea, a possible inuicatoi of things in stoie foi the Noith. The lanusliue victoiy by the TNA in the Noith, winning Su out of the S8 seats in the NPC, is a cleai message that people want change anu aie not swayeu by the goveinment ihetoiic of uevelopment. The victoiy anu moie so the inteiest shown by the people in the aiea in ensuiing an oveiwhelming victoiy foi the TNA is also a cleai message that full implementation of the Thiiteenth Amenument is a basic minimum. 0nfoitunately, iecent events in Colombo, by the Executive anu the }uuiciaiy, inuicate a uiffeient minuset.
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(<8AP <F $:9>=DJ>:D [("$\ /HD The Boaiu of Investment Act establishes the poweis anu iole of the Boaiu of Investment. As pei the Ministry of Economic Development, The BOI is the investment promotion agency of the Government of Sii Lanka. Its main piioiities aie to attiact Foieign anu uomestic investment into the economy with the
SS 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 24 www.cpalanka.oig objective of biinging in capital, cieating job oppoitunities anu encouiaging the uevelopment of new skills. S4
->HD;<: LL/ of the Act enables the Piesiuent to ueclaieu a licenseu zone outsiue of the Aiea of Authoiity which is set out in Scheuule A of this Act in oiuei to facilitate the functioning of the B0I.
s. 22A (1) Wheie the Piesiuent is of the opinion that in any aiea, not incluueu in the Aiea of Authoiity, it woulu be necessaiy to pioviue facilities oi impiovements foi the establishment of unueitakings by licenseu enteipiises anu foi such puipose to enable the Boaiu to exeicise ceitain poweis unuei this Law, he may, by 0iuei publisheu in the uazette, ueclaie such aiea to be a licenseu zone, anu specify the bounuaiies of such zone.
(2) Wheie a licenseu zone is ueclaieu unuei subsection (1), no peison, bouy oi authoiity othei than the Boaiu shall exeicise, peifoim anu uischaige any poweis, uuties anu functions ielating to the appioval of builuing plans oi the planning, uevelopment oi impiovement unuei any wiitten law, within such zone.
The iole of the Piesiuent in such a piocess is notable, especially since it is the Ninistei who plays a iole pioviueu unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act (uiscusseu above). This has been seen in the case of Sampui wheie a gazette notice was issueu in 2u1S unuei Section 22A by the Piesiuent. The immunity enjoyeu by the Piesiuent while in office makes it haiuei to challenge acts by the Piesiuent anu begs the question whethei such poweis pioviueu by the B0I Act is to pievent affecteu communities fiom challenging acts unuei Section 22A. Although this may be the case, the piocess foi acquisition of lanu is via the Lanu Acquisition Act as noteu below-
Section. 28 (1) Wheie any lanu oi any inteiest any lanu is iequiieu by the Boaiu foi any of its puiposes, that lanu oi inteiest theiein may be acquiieu unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act by the uoveinment foi the Boaiu anu the piovisions of that Act shall, save as otheiwise pioviueu in subsection (2) of this section, apply foi the puiposes of the acquisition of that lanu, oi inteiest theiein. Such lanu oi such inteiest theiein shall, foi the puiposes of the Lanu Acquisition Act, be ueemeu to be iequiieu foi a public puipose.
(2) In the case of any such acquisition wheie the public notice of the intention to acquiie that lanu oi inteiest theiein is publisheu as iequiieu by the Lanu Acquisition Act at any time within the peiiou of thiee yeais commencing fiom the uate of coming into opeiation of section 4 of this Law,
S4 Boaiu of Investment of Sii Lanka, Ninistiy of Economic Bevelopment: http:meu.gov.lkenglish.page_iu=89#sthash.SmuuhZBj.upuf Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 2S www.cpalanka.oig notwithstanuing anything to the contiaiy in the Lanu Acquisition Act, the maiket value of the lanu oi the inteiest theiein shall be ueemeu to be the maiket value which the lanu oi the inteiest theiein woulu have hau on }uly 22, 1977, incieaseu by a ieasonable amount on account of impiovements, if any, effecteu to such lanu, aftei that uate.
In combination, Section 22A anu Section 28 make it veiy cleai that any zone uemaicateu by the B0I cannot be consiueieu acquiieu lanu unless foimal acquisition pioceuuies as pei the Lanu Acquisition Act have been followeu. Consequently, any zones cieateu by the B0I cannot in any way on theii own piecluue lanu owneis fiom accessing anu using theii lanu in such zones. This is an impoitant point to iecall in the context of the Sampui case stuuy uiscusseu in this biief.
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The 0iban Bevelopment Authoiity Law No 6u2 of 1981 as amenueu (0BA Law) was establisheu to piomote economic, social anu physical uevelopment in key aieas uesignateu by the Ninistei.
->HD;<: O of the UDA Law permits the Minister in charge of the subject to designate areas as Urban Development Areas which initiates economic and physical development of said area. S. S (1) Wheie the Ninistei is of opinion that any aiea is suitable foi uevelopment, the Ninistei may, by 0iuei publisheu in the uazette, ueclaie such aiea to be an 0iban Bevelopment Aiea (heieinaftei iefeiieu to as a " uevelopment aiea "). (2) An 0iuei unuei subsection (1) ueclaiing an aiea as a uevelopment aiea shall uefine that aiea by setting out the metes anu bounus of such aiea. (S) The Authoiity shall uevelop eveiy uevelopment aiea foi the bettei physical anu economic utilization of such aiea.
->HD;<: N] of the 0BA Law sets out that the only way the 0BA can acquiie lanu is thiough following piopei pioceuuies of the Lanu Acquisition Act, ensuiing that the establisheu piocess of acquisition is to be useu if lanu is to be acquiieu unuei the 0BA Law. S. 16 (1) Wheie any lanu oi any inteiest in lanu in any aiea ueclaieu as a uevelopment aiea unuei subsection (1) of section S is iequiieu by the Authoiity foi any of its puiposes, that lanu oi inteiest theiein may be acquiieu unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act by the uoveinment foi the Authoiity anu the piovisions of that Act shall, save as otheiwise pioviueu in subsection (2) of this section, apply foi the puiposes of the acquisition of that lanu oi the inteiest theiein. Such lanu oi inteiest theiein shall foi the puiposes of the Lanu Acquisition Act be ueemeu to be iequiieu foi a public puipose. SS
SS The iemainuei of S. 16 ieaus: (2) In the case of any such acquisition wheie the public notice of the intention to acquiie that lanu oi inteiest theiein is publisheu as iequiieu by the Lanu Acquisition Act at any time within a peiiou of five Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
Cuiiently the 0iban Bevelopment Authoiity falls unuei the Ninistiy of Befence anu 0iban Bevelopment, a poitfolio unuei the Piesiuent anu his youngei biothei, uotabaya Rajapaksa, the Secietaiy of Befense. S6
The linkage of the subjects of uefence with uiban uevelopment in the post wai context iaises many questions incluuing why two veiy uiffeient poitfolios- secuiity anu uiban planning- have been to be meigeu. It also iaises the question as to why a foimei militaiy official shoulu be the key civil auministiatoi in this ministiy, anothei inuicatoi of the incieaseu militaiisation in goveinance in post wai Sii Lanka. Nilitaiisation is a key factoi that iequiies uigent attention anu questions iemain as to why such a tienu peisists moie than foui yeais aftei the enu of the wai. This has been noteu by domestic processes such as the Governments own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the Resolution passeu by the 0niteu Nations Buman Rights Council anu most iecently by the 0niteu Nations Bigh Commissionei foi Buman Rights. CPA has pieviously noteu that this is a key impeuiment to a political solution anu ieconciliation anu ieiteiates the call foi immeuiate uemilitaiisation incluuing ensuiing goveinance anu auministiation iemaining with the civilian auministiation.
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The Town anu Countiy Planning 0iuinance of 1946 as amenueu is applicable only to piivate lanus anu is an ordinance to authoiise the foimulation anu implementation of a national physical planning policy; the making anu implementation of a national physical plan with the object of piomoting anu iegulating integiateu planning of economic, social, physical anu enviionmental aspects of land in Sri Lanka. S7
Under this Ordinance, the Minister is able to gazette lands as urban development areas, trunk road development areas or regional development areas, following which Section 47 of the Ordinance lays out the following seveie iestiictions on use of that lanu S8 , saying that no peison without peimission can: (a) eiect, ie-eiect, uemolish, altei oi iepaii any stiuctuie in that aiea; oi
yeais commencing fiom the uate of publication in the uazette of the 0iuei unuei subsection (1) of section S ueclaiing an aiea as a uevelopment aiea, notwithstanuing anything to the contiaiy in the Lanu Acquisition Act, the maiket value of the lanu oi the inteiest theiein foi the puipose of ueteimining the amount of compensation to be paiu in iespect of that lanu oi the inteiest theiein shall be ueemeu to be the maiket value which that lanu oi the inteiest theiein woulu have hau on the uate of publication in the uazette of the 0iuei unuei subsection (1) of section S ueclaiing such aiea as a uevelopment aiea unuei this Law, incieaseu by fifty pei centum of the uiffeience between that maiket value anu (a) in the case of any lanu oi inteiest theiein, in iespect of which no 0iuei unuei the pioviso to section S8 of the Lanu Acquisition Act has been maue, the maiket value of the lanu oi inteiest theiein on the uate of publication in the uazette of the notice unuei section 7 of that Act; oi (b) in the case of any lanu oi inteiest theiein, in iespect of which an 0iuei unuei the pioviso to- section S8 of the Lanu Acquisition Act has been maue, the maiket value of the lanu oi inteiest theiein on the uate of publication of such 0iuei. S6 http:www.uua.lk last visiteu on S1 August 2u1S S7 Town anu Countiy Planning 0iuinance 1946 S8 Centre for Policy Alternatives, Brief Note: Legal Framework Governing Places of Religious Worship Apiil 2u12; accesseu heie: http:www.cpalanka.oigbiief-note-legal-fiamewoik-goveining-places-of- ieligious-woiship-in-sii-lanka Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 27 www.cpalanka.oig (b) lay out, constiuct, wiuen, extenu oi close, oi attempt to lay out, constiuct, wiuen, extenu, oi close, any ioau, in that aiea; oi (c) uevelop any lanu in that aiea, oi subuiviue, convey, assign oi otheiwise uispose of oi ueal with any such lanu, in such mannei as to constitute any pait of the lanu into a sepaiate holuing. S9
0nce lanu is gazetteu, a National Physical Plan is foimulateu foi the aiea, anu if the plan iequiies, the Ninistei may acquiie the lanu unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act, as pei Section S8 of the 0iuinance. 4u It is impoitant to note that theie have been iecent instances wheie lanu is zoneu unuei the 0iuinance as an Urban Development Area but then referred to as a sacred area, with the true intent being a religious puipose. 41 Bemonstiating this intention to use the 0iuinance foi ieligious puiposes, an Amenument bill was intiouuced in 2011 that would allow private land areas to be zoned as sacred areas by the 0iuinance. 42 Foitunately, it was withuiawn in Pailiament following a case wheie CPA challengeu the bill on the giounus it was not submitteu fiist to the Piovincial Councils. 4S Bowevei, the amenument speaks to the natuie of the 0iuinance anu the oppoitunity within the 0iuinance foi vague zoning teims to be misuseu by the uoveinment. It is impeiative that the 0iuinance be ie-visiteu anu amenueu to claiify teiminology anu cieate a bettei system of iegulation of its use.
These laws anu seveial otheis 44 ensuie that the piocess pioviueu in the Lanu Acquisition Act aie to be auheieu to foi any acquisition that is to take place by the uoveinment anu its agents. Any uiveision fiom this foimal piocess is illegal. This biief challenges seveial of the cuiient initiatives by the goveinment anu its agents on the basis of legality, with questions iaiseu as to whethei the acquisitions in question aie in effect auheiing to the piocess anu stanuaiu pioviueu in the establisheu legislation. The numeious questions anu uisciepancies of such piocesses begs the question of whethei the inability to auheie to the establisheu legal fiamewoik is not meiely ignoiance of the legal fiamewoik anu systems in place but a much moie funuamental question of uisiegaiuing the iule of law in Sii Lanka.
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It is impoitant to note the iole of Emeigency Regulations anu similai legislation in facilitating the abuse of establisheu lanu acquisition piocesses. Since 1971, with few exceptions, Sii Lanka has constantly been in a state of emeigency, facilitateu by the Public Secuiity 0iuinance of 1947, anu moie iecently, the Pievention of Teiioiism Act of 1979. In this State of Emeigency, the Sii Lankan goveinment has hau bioau poweis to enact emeigency iegulations notwithstanuing othei laws. These emeigency iegulations
S9 Town anu Countiy Planning 0iuinance 1946 4u Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Brief Note: Legal Framework Governing Places of Religious Worship Apiil 2u12 41 9:*$2 42 9:*$2 4S 9:*$2 44 Roau Bevelopment Authoiity Act No 7S of 1981 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 28 www.cpalanka.oig have leu to an incieaseu militaiisation of the countiy, seen foi example, with the establishment of seveial Bigh-Secuiity Zones, paiticulaily in the East, Colombo anu Kanuy. As will be uiscusseu fuithei in the }affna case stuuy, this militaiisation in tuin has leu to lanu acquisitions with a highly questionable public puipose.
0n S1 August 2u11, the Sii Lankan goveinment finally lifteu the state of emeigency ueclaieu unuei the Public Secuiity 0iuinance by allowing the emeigency iegulations to expiie. 4S Bowevei, at the same time, the goveinment bioaueneu poweis unuei the PTA anu enacteu tough iegulations that in many ways continueu the existence of a state of emeigency without the legal checks anu balances that come along with a ueclaiation unuei the Public Secuiity 0iuinance. 46
Nonetheless, the iepeal of emeigency iegulations in August 2u11 teiminateu the legal basis foi the existence of Bigh-Secuiity Zones acioss Sii Lanka. This howevei has not been tiue in piactice anu the military continues to control wide swathes of land that were formerly HSZs, denying access to the lands tiue owneis. In seveial cases CPA has noteu the use of BSZs in aieas of the Noith, although theie is no legal basis foi the existence of such zones. Emeiging out of this is also the alaiming pattein of lanu acquisitions by the goveinment to establish a peimanent militaiy piesence in such aieas, with purported public purposes ranging from building a military base to developing a military-iun hotel. 47
This incieasing militaiisation aftei the wai by the Sii Lankan goveinment in spite of expiieu emeigency iegulations, casts seiious uoubt on whethei the goveinment is tiuly acting with public puipose oi in the public tiust. In oiuei to move towaius an effective anu sustainable uemociacy, it is ciucial that the goveinment iepeals the PTA anu iefiains fiom enacting any fuithei emeigency-type legislation. 48
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An antiquateu Act that is no longei useu but functionally still legal is the Requisitioning of Lanu Act. This Act gives the President the power to approve possession of any lands by competent authorities for a time uesignateu by the Piesiuent that can be extenueu inuefinitely. 49 While theie aie no known cases wheie the Act is useu, its meie piesence iaises conceins whethei it can be useu at any given time. Fuithei, it violates funuamental piinciples of justice as unlike the Lanu Acquisition Act theie is not even a limitation of requiring the competent authority to be acting in the public purpose. In fact, the Act lists
4S CPA Statement on the Teimination of the State of Emeigency, 28 August 2u11 46 Centre for Policy Alternatives, The Need to Repeal and Replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), 9 May 201S; accesseu heie: http:www.cpalanka.oigthe-neeu-to-iepeal-anu-ieplace-the- pievention-of-teiioiism-act-pta 47 Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 48 This was moie iecently ieiteiateu by the 0N Bigh Commissionei foi Buman Rights- http:www.ohchi.oigENNewsEventsPagesNeuia.aspx.IsNeuiaPage=tiue&LangIB=E, last visiteu on S1 August 2u1S 49 Requisitioning of Lanu Act, Section 2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 29 www.cpalanka.oig very broad and disconnected purposes for which the President can authorise a competent authority to possess saiu lanu. Su It is iecommenueu that this Act be immeuiately iepealeu.
This section pioviues a biief examination of ceitain concepts conceining lanu acquisitions that aie applieu in othei Commonwealth countiies, aspects that shoulu be consiueieu in the Sii Lankan context. This is by no means an exhaustive analysis of the legal systems in all Commonwealth countiies but highlights a few piinciples fiom select countiies. In paiticulai, this biief commenus Inuia on theii iecent passage of a ievolutionaiy law conceining lanu acquisitions that will hopefully spaik a seiious uiscussion of lanu policy iefoim in Sii Lanka.
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0n 27 Septembei 2u1S, the Piesiuent of Inuia gave his appioval to the J@0 Q*?@, ,- ;"*5 G-EA0#+",*-# "#$ J5"#+A"50#'= *# !"#$ &'()*+*,*-#. Q0@":*1*,",*-# "#$ Q0+0,,10E0#, D*11, UVKO, tuining the histoiic bill into law. S1 The giounubieaking natuie of the legislation is most cleai in its pieamble: An Act to ensuie, in consultation with institutions of local self-goveinment anu uiam Sabhas establisheu unuei the Constitution, a humane, paiticipative, infoimeu anu tianspaient piocess foi lanu acquisition foi inuustiialization, uevelopment of essential infiastiuctuie facilities anu uibanization with the least uistuibance to the owneis of the lanu anu othei affecteu families anu pioviue just anu faii compensation to the affecteu families whose lanu has been acquiieu oi pioposeu to be acquiieu oi aie affecteu by such acquisition anu make auequate piovisions foi such affecteu peisons foi theii iehabilitation anu iesettlement anu foi ensuiing that the cumulative outcome of compulsoiy acquisition shoulu be that affecteu peisons become paitneis in uevelopment leauing to an impiovement in theii post acquisition social anu economic status anu foi matteis connecteu theiewith oi inciuental theieto. S2
The law seives as an example to many othei countiies aiounu the woilu, incluuing Sii Lanka, of how to align lanu acquisitions coiiectly with public puipose. While this iepoit cannot examine in full uetail all of the innovative anu piogiessive aspects of this law, the biief woulu like to uiaw attention in paiticulai to Chaptei II: Beteimination of Social Impact anu Public Puipose. Section 4(1) of Chaptei II of the law sets out:
Su 9:*$2 S1 President gives no to Land Acquisition Bill, 27 September 2013, The Hindu, accessed here: http:www.thehinuu.comnewsnationalpiesiuent-gives-nou-to-lanu-acquisition- billaiticleS17S768.ece S2 J@0 Q*?@, ,- ;"*5 G-EA0#+",*-# "#$ J5"#+A"50#'= *# !"#$ &'()*+*,*-#. Q0@":*1*,",*-# "#$ Q0+0,,10E0#, &',. UVKO W-2OV -> UVKO. uazette of Inuia Extiaoiuinaiy, 2u1SAsvina S, No. 4u, 27 Septembei 2u1S, accesseu heie: http:www.pisinuia.oiguploausmeuiaRecent%2uActsLARR%2uAct,%2u2u1S.puf Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S Su www.cpalanka.oig 4. (1) Whenevei the appiopiiate uoveinment intenus to acquiie lanu foi a public puipose, it shall consult the conceineu Panchayat, Nunicipality oi Nunicipal Coipoiation, as the case may be, at village level oi waiu level, in the affecteu aiea anu caiiy out a Social Impact Assessment stuuy in consultation with them, in such mannei anu fiom such uate as may be specifieu by such uoveinment by notification. SS
The Chaptei goes on to set out ciiteiia that must be assesseu in the Social Impact Assessment anu impoitantly these incluue: an analysis of whethei the acquisition will actually seive a public puipose; an estimate of the affecteu families anu possible uisplacement; whethei the acquisition is as minimally impaiiing as possible; anu whethei theie is a possible alteinate location foi the acquisition. S4 It shoulu also be noteu that this assessment applies to almost all foims of lanu acquisition incluuing those acquiieu foi puiposes of national secuiity (naval, militaiy, etc.), infiastiuctuie, anu public-piivate paitneiships. SS Fuithei, the law states that consent is iequiieu fiom 8u% of uisplaceu people in cases of public-piivate paitneiships. S6 This component woulu be paiticulaily ielevant to uevelopment piojects in Sii Lanka. This biief woulu submit that the Sii Lankan goveinment in iefoims of the Lanu Acquisition Act shoulu auopt this manuatoiy Social Impact Assessment.
-<RD7 /FA;H8
The South Afiican goveinment consiueieu auvancing ieconciliation when uiafting laws post-apaitheiu anu this is ieflecteu in the South Afiican HSA5-A5*",*-# D*11. UVVX which is one piece of legislation featured in South Africas ongoing debate concerning land acquisitions. S7 Section 1u of the Act sets out the ciiteiia that the goveinment must consiuei when ueteimining whethei to expiopiiate lanu. In auuition to the benefit of setting out cleai ciiteiia, Section 1u also impoitantly foices the goveinment to consider, the need for land, water and related reform in order to redress the results of past racial discrimination. S8
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In Canada, every province has its own Expropriation Act in addition to the Federal Expropriation Act but this analysis will look solely at the Federal Expropriation Act. Similai to Sii Lanka, the Feueial Expropriation Act sets out that lanu may be acquired whether it is required for a public purpose but also where it may be required for a public works. S9 Nost expiopiiation cases in Canaua iefei to situations wheie the goveinment is attempting to acquiie Aboiiginal lanus anu uo not challenge
SS 9:*$2 S4 9:*$2 SS 9:*$2 S6 9:*$2 S7 Expiopiiation Bill, B16 2uu8, Republic of South Afiica, accesseu heie: http:www.pmg.oig.zafilesbillsu8u416b16-u8.puf S8 9:*$2 S9 Expiopiiation Act, RSC, 198S, c. E-21, s 4(1). Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S1 www.cpalanka.oig whether the land is truly being acquired for a public purpose but rather focus on the fiduciary duty oweu by the goveinment to Aboiiginal peoples. In F-+-=-+ 9#$*"# D"#$ 3 F1*305 PUVVKR. the Canauian Supreme Court decided, once it has been determined that an expiopiiation of Inuian lanus is in the public inteiest, a fiuuciaiy uuty aiises on the pait of the Ciown to expiopiiate oi giant only the minimum inteiest iequiieu in oiuei to fulfill that public puipose, thus ensuiing a minimal impaiiment of the use and enjoyment of Indian lands by the band. 6u This fiuuciaiy uuty in Canauian law is analogous to the idea of a public trust doctrine in Sri Lankan law. Ultimately, the Sri Lankan government should incoipoiate the iuea of a fiuuciaiy uuty in theii piactice of lanu acquisitions uue to the paiticulai vulneiability of the gioup of people affecteu anu the inheient natuie of expiopiiation. Applying this fiuuciaiy uuty, the goveinment shoulu consiuei the best inteiests of the inuiviuuals affecteu, anu only take the minimum amount of lanu iequiieu to seive the public puipose anu not any moie. The best inteiests of the inuiviuuals can be ueteimineu by viewing the guiuing piinciples of the Sii Lankan constitution founu in Section 27, anu paiticulaily ielevant to this case, Section 27 (2) (c) which sets out the iight to auequate housing. 61
6u F+-=--+ 9#$*"# D"#$ 3 F1*305 PJ-I#R. 2uu1 SCC 8S at paia S2. 61 The Constitution of the Bemociatic Socialist Republic of Sii Lanka. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S2 www.cpalanka.oig %78TD>A L !<G;HI +A8J>E<A? As uiscusseu in the pievious chaptei, the goveining legal fiamewoik on lanu acquisitions in Sii Lanka is the Lanu Acquisition Act. Seveial othei laws have ielevance iegaiuing lanu acquisitions. which also neeu to be factoieu in when uiscussing acquisitions in Sii Lanka. In auuition to the legal fiamewoik howevei, it is also impoitant to examine the policy uimension anu how it influences the implementation of the law anu uevelopments on the giounu. This is paiticulaily impoitant given the appaient confusion in goveinment policy on lanu acquisitions.
In a document posted to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Resettlements website in July of 2u1S entitleu the Draft Resettlement Policy, the confusion is appaient. Section 9 of the uocument states Lanu owneu by IBPs anu ietuinee iefugees iuentifieu as iequiieu foi public puiposes will only be acquiieu thiough uue legal process. 62 This pioviues no reference to what the government considers due legal process and as will be highlighteu in this policy biief, theie cleaily appeais to be a uisconnect between the governments understanding of due legal process with respect to land acquisitions and the case law.
This Chaptei will theiefoie biiefly ieview the ielevant policy options peitaining to lanu acquisition in Sii Lanka, anu the impact of theii implementation oi lack theieof. Foi an analysis of inteinational policy ielevant to the issue of lanu acquisitions in Sii Lanka, please iefei to Annex I.
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Befoie uelving into the actual policy it is necessaiy to highlight the vaiious actois involveu in Lanu Acquisition piocesses. A key tienu to note is the centialisation of powei anu the consequent impoitance of cential goveinment actois in lanu auministiation, policy, uecision-making anu contiol. In paiticulai, the cential goveinment plays a significant iole with iegaiu to iesettlement, acquisition anu uevelopment of lanu in the Noithein anu Eastein piovinces. Also notewoithy is the militaiisation of uecision making anu the involvement of the uefence establishment on issues ielateu to lanu in the Noith anu East.
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As demonstrated by the Presidents ministerial portfolio, wide powers remain with him incluuing those that have a ielevance ovei lanu. Notably. aftei the Eighteenth Amenument. the Piesiuent is also in
62 The policy can be accesseu heie: http:www.google.cauil.sa=t&ict=j&q=&esic=s&souice=web&cu=2&veu=uCBEQFjAB&uil=http%SA %2F%2Fwww.iesettlementmin.gov.lk%2Fuownloau%2FEnglish%2S2u- A%2S2uFRANEW0RK%2S2uF0R%2S2uRESETTLENENT%2S2uP0LICY%2S2uupuateu%2S2uon%2S 2u29-u7-2u1S.uocx&ei=}et- 0szSuaemyguwk4uIAw&usg=AFQjCNu_6IN9y8}R9BAB}lh_BBeQfBhwSw&sig2=Y49E28lKuc62zW4IFx PwlQ&bvm=bv.S61468S4,u.aWc Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S SS www.cpalanka.oig chaige of all juuicial appointmentsY This uiiectly affects the outcome of seveial of the ongoing cases challenging lanu acquisitions. 6S
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A biief look at positions in key ministiies highlights that powei is heavily centializeu in a few key inuiviuuals, none moie impoitant than the Piesiuent himself who peisonally has contiol ovei seveial ministeiial poitfolios that uiiectly affect lanu issues.
^;:;=D>A F<A #8:P= 8:P #8:P 1>9>G<TJ>:D: This Ninistei has the poweis of the Lanu Commissionei ueneial, Bepaitment of Lanu Settlement anu Bepaitment of Lanu 0se Policy Planning among othei poweis. 64
^;:;=D>A <F 1>F>:H> 8:P 5AK8: 1>9>G<TJ>:D: The Ninistiy of Befence anu 0iban Bevelopment is aiguably the most poweiful ministiy in Sii Lanka. Cuiiently the Piesiuent is the Ninistei of Befence anu 0iban Bevelopment, while his biothei, uotabaya Rajapaksha, is the Secietaiy to the Ninistiy of Befence. Togethei they holu contiol ovei the Sii Lankan Aimy, Navy, Aii Foice, Bepaitment of Registiation of Peisons, Bepaitment of Police, 0iban Bevelopment Authoiity anu Bepaitment of Coast Conseivation. 6S
The giouping of 0iban Bevelopment with Befence iaises seveial questions about the militaiisation of uevelopment in the countiyY
^;:;=D>A <F +;:8:H>: The Piesiuent also holus the position of Ninistei of Finance anu thus contiol= seveial key financial institutions anu the finances of the countiy, theieby exeicising contiol ovei othei line ministiies incluuing lanu. 66
^;:;=D>A <F *H<:<J;H 1>9>G<TJ>:D: The Ninistei of Economic Bevelopment is anothei biothei of the Piesiuent, Basil Rajapaksa, who has poweis ovei economic uevelopment anu conseivation which impact lanu. 67
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As will be seen in the Weli 0ya case stuuy, the Nahaweli Authoiity is an impoitant actoi in lanu uevelopment thioughout Sii Lanka. The Nahaweli Authoiity gives the Ninistei in chaige expansive poweis to uevelop aieas connecteu to the Nahaweli watei system anu iivei basins. 68 Paiticulaily
6S 9:*$2 64 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 6S 9:*$2 66 9:*$2 67 9:*$2 68 Nahaweli Authoiity of Sii Lanka, http:www.mahaweli.gov.lk Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S4 www.cpalanka.oig ielevant to this iepoit, is its System L. which incluues Weli 0ya anu coveis an aiea of 16S.S9S hectaies. System L was officially given to the Nahaweli Authoiity in 1988, but as the Weli 0ya case stuuy highlights, much of the iesettlement in the aiea began befoie the official uesignation of the lanu as a special area under the Mahaweli Authority. 69 The Nahaweli Authoiity has bioau poweis incluuing alienation of state lanu, holuing lanu kachcheiis anu issuing uocuments. It is theiefoie impoitant to ciitically examine the piactices of the Nahaweli Authoiity. 7u As will be uiscusseu in the Weli 0ya case stuuy, it is cleai that ceitain aspects of the Nahaweli Bevelopment Scheme aie being useu to piomote ieuistiibution of ethnic gioups within the scheme.
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The PTF is the piime example of the centialisation of powei ovei activities in the Noith. The bouy was cieateu in 2uu9 by the Piesiuent anu incluues the Ninistei foi Economic Bevelopment, the Secietaiy of Befense, the Aimy Commanuei anu the Noithein Piovince uoveinoi among its 19 membeis. Appioval from the PTF is required for all activities in the North and it is mandated to prepare the strategic plans, piogiammes foi iesettlement of inteinally uisplaceu peisons, economic uevelopment anu social infrastructure of the Northern Province. 71 It shoulu be noteu that given its bioau poweis, the PTF shoulu be gazetteu oi enacteu by the legislatuie, but it is uncleai whethei eithei has occuiieu, anu thus whethei it has a valiu legal basis. 72 The PTF has hau a significant impact on the activities of Nu0s, humanitaiian agencies anu othei civil society actois who have to apply to the PTF foi peimission to conuuct activities. 7S With the election of the NPC, it is to be seen whethei the PTF will play an active iole in the Noith.
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Thiiteenth Amenument, Piovincial Councils weie allocateu ceitain poweis ovei lanu, as uiscusseu in the pievious chaptei. In a iecent uecision howevei, the Supieme Couit of Sii Lanka in SC Appeal No. 211S, stiictly limiteu those poweis, essentially saying that the Piovincial Councils will only have poweis ovei lanu, which the cential goveinment allocates to them. 74 The uecision follows the iecently helu NPC elections wheie the TNA achieveu a iesounuing victoiy, with lanu being a ciucial issue. 7S In an inteiview, the newly electeu Chief Ninistei of the NPC, C.v Wigneswaian, stateu unequivocally in iesponse to the question of lanu:
69 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 7u 9:*$2 71 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 72 9:*$2 7S 9:*$2 74 SC Appeal No. 211S, Becision by Nohan Peiiis, } 7S http:www.uailymiiioi.lknewsinfogiaphicsS6u78-piovincial-council-elections-2u1S--iesults- anu-piefeiential-votes-noithein-piovince.html Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S SS www.cpalanka.oig Police and land powers should be granted to the local people firstTheir lands have been taken ovei by the aimy, they aie unable to get back to theii oiiginal positions, they live in makeshift houses, theie is cultuial uegiauation. Bow can law anu oiuei be in the hanus of people not indigenous to an area? 76
The uevolution of poweis ovei lanu to the Piovincial Councils is an extiemely impoitant issue that iaises serious questions about the legitimacy of the Provincial Councils poweis anu the intentions of the cential goveinment.
^;G;D8AI Foui yeais aftei the wai has enueu, the militaiy continues to have a laige piesence in the Noith anu East uespite continueu calls foi uemilitaiisation by the local anu inteinational community. The militarys piesence is not simply limiteu to secuiity activities eitheiY Incieasingly the militaiy appeais to be expanuing its contiol ovei auministiative activities. In the context of lanu, many instances of lanu acquisitions ovei the last two yeais have centred on land being taken for a military purpose with militaiy peisonnel contiolling access to the lanu. This is uiscusseu in uetail latei in this biief. Fuithei, the militaiy exeits its powei at the highest level thiough the involvement of the Secietaiy of Befence in key uecision-making bouies in Sii Lanka. The militaiy is not peiceiveu as a neutial actoi anu theii piesence in auministiative ioles fuithei antagonises anu maiginalises minoiity communities.
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Theie aie many actois at the uistiict anu local level that play key ioles in lanu auministiation howevei; the powei ovei lanu acquisitions iemains stiongly centializeu.
1;=DA;HD ->HA>D8AIU The Bistiict Secietaiy (also iefeiieu to as the uoveinment Agent) is in chaige of all auministiative seivices foi theii uistiict, anu plays an impoitant iole cooiuinating activities. 77
1;9;=;<:8G ->HA>D8AI: The Bivisional Secietaiy is a position that has significant contiol ovei lanu auministiation in the piovinces without being accountable to the Piovincial Councils, anu in many ways seiving as an extension of Piesiuential powei. 78
#<H8G /RD7<A;D;>= [^R:;H;T8G %<R:H;G=. 5AK8: %<R:H;G= 8:P !A8P>=7;I8 -8K78=\U These authoiities have limiteu powei ovei lanu, as the cential goveinment continues to holu tight iein ovei any issues peitaining to lanu. 79
76 http:www.hinuustantimes.comcommentinteiviewsnewssii-lankan-issue-being-useu-by-tn-foi- political-gains-says-justice-cv-wigneswaianaiticle1-1u9S241.aspx 77 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 78 9:*$2 79 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
Before delving into the issues of land acquisition specifically, it is necessary to examine the governments geneial lanu policy issues with iespect to the Noith anu East. While the goveinment ieleaseu a Lanu Ciiculai in 2u11, aftei much ciiticism anu a challenge in Couit, it was withuiawn anu a new Lanu Circular was release in January 2013 entitled Accelerated Programme on Solving Post Conflict State Lanus Issues in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. 8u While the new Ciiculai is an impiovement of the 2u11 Ciiculai, theie aie seveial pioblems with the Ciiculai that iequiie attention. A key concein with the Circular is the notion of lost lands under 2.2.1.2. The Circular sets out a number of scenarios through which land can be lost such as lands being vacated or the occupants chased away during the conflict; being used for development activities under government institutions and armed forces and where other people have peimanently settleu on those lands. 81
! It is of especial concern that the Circular fails to define what constitutes development activities clearly and that it attributes such activities as capable of being conducted by goveinment institutions anu "5E0$ >-5'0+. This points once again to the incieasing militaiisation of uevelopment activities, which aie tiauitionally ioles fulfilleu by civil auministiatois. The ambiguity also appeais to leave ioom foi the goveinment to maneuvei aiounu the iequiiements of the Lanu Acquisition Act anu the 0iban Development Authority law when taking land for purported development projects, as there is no mention of public purpose here. Fuithei, this vague mention of development may be expansive enough to include what woulu noimally be seen as commeicial enteipiises such as the inuustiial zone cuiiently being uevelopeu in Sampui. The Circular also implies that if land is lost in one of the methods mentioned, then an acquisition piocess is to commence. This iaises seiious conceins. as it appeais to imply that land being lost in one of the ways mentioned provides sufficient public purpose under the Lanu Acquisition Act. 82
The Ciiculai also appeais in section 2.2.1.2 to piioiitize uevelopment piojects ovei the issue of landlessness. This again raises concerns about the true intent of the public purpose and whethei acquisition can occui in such scenaiios. 8S
Finally, with iespect to the issues outlineu in this iepoit, the Ciiculai fails to pioviue a mechanism foi appeals of inuiviuuals who ieceive unsatisfactoiy oi pioblematic outcomes through the Circulars policies. 84
8u Foi full commentaiy by CPA on 2u1S Ciiculai see: Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Commentaiy on Acceleiateu Piogiamme on Solving Post Conflict State Lanu Issues in the Noithein anu Eastein Piovinces, Naich 2u1S. Access heie: http:www.cpalanka.oigcommentaiy-on-acceleiateu- piogiamme-on-solving-post-conflict-state-lanus-issues-in-the-noithein-anu-eastein-piovinces 81 9:*$2 82 9:*$2 8S 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S7 www.cpalanka.oig These conceins have been iaiseu by CPA anu shaieu with key goveinment actois. 8S Repoits fiom aieas in the Noith inuicate that the Ciiculai is being implementeu but theie is limiteu infoimation as to piogiess maue anu as to whethei the Ciiculai is able to auuiess some conceins on the giounu. While conceins with some aspects of the Ciiculai have been iaiseu anu highlighteu heie, the salient aspects of it incluuing holuing lanu kachcheiis anu that initiatives aie to be leau by the civilian auministiation anu not militaiy neeu to be noteu.
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The National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy (NIRP) is a goveinment policy that has specific ielevance to lanu acquisition. The NIRP was auopteu in 2uu1 but has not been auheieu to since, with the exception of the Lunawa Pioject wheie it was successfully useu. 86 NIRP when it was auopteu was oveiwhelmingly welcomeu as a piogiessive way foiwaiu to ensuiing that uevelopment uiu not compiomise the integiity anu well-being of the communities affecteu by uevelopment piojects. 87 NIRP, while piimaiily uealing with iesettlement anu compensation foi those inuiviuuals affecteu by uevelopment piojects, also in its piinciples auvocates impact assessments to be conuucteu befoie the lanu acquisition piocess, to ensuie minimal impact. The fiist two piinciples of NIRP state: Involuntary resettlement should be avoided or reduced as much as possible by ieviewing alternatives to the project as well as alternatives within the project. Where involuntary resettlement is unavoidable, affected people should be assisted to re- establish themselves and improve their quality of life. 88
These piinciples aim to avoiu oi ieuuce involuntaiy iesettlement by ieviewing alteinate pioject sites. Inteiestingly NIRP also pioviues compensation foi those who uo not have title to lanu, anu impoitantly, auvocates local paiticipation in the iesettlement anu ielocation piocess. 89 NIRP also pioviues that wheie inuiviuuals choose to take compensation as opposeu to ieplacement lanu, compensation shoulu be pioviueu befoie the uevelopment pioject begins. 9u NIRP theiefoie is an impoitant policy that if implementeu woulu gieatly mitigate the uetiiments to local populations affecteu by uevelopment piojects anu coinciuing lanu acquisitions. The goveinment has faileu to implement the policy in its lanu acquisition piocesses. This is seen in the case of Sampui wheie theie has been no iegaiu foi inuiviuuals that face involuntaiy iesettlement as a iesult of the pioposeu uevelopment piojects. The goveinment shoulu intiouuce legislation that ensuies the NIRP is fully enfoiceu.
84 9:*$2 8S 9:*$2 86 National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy; Souiceu fiom Annex I, Innovative Approaches for Involuntary Resettlement: Lunawa Environmental Improvement & Community Development Project, 0N Babitat (2uu9) 87 9:*$2 88 9:*$2 89 9:*$2 9u 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
Anothei policy auopteu by the goveinment is the National Action Plan foi the Piotection anu Piomotion of Buman Rights. It was auopteu by the Cabinet of Ninisteis in 2u11 to fulfill the pleuge Sii Lanka maue at its 2uu8 0niveisal Peiiou Review at the 0niteu Nations Buman Rights Council (0NBRC). 91 The plan sets out goals in eight key aieas anu the accompanying ministiies iesponsible foi achieving those goals ovei a S-yeai timeline. 92 The Buman Rights Action Plan has since been neglecteu by the veiy same goveinment that intiouuceu it. The following section biiefly examines the section of the plan that ielates to lanu issues 9S :
This goal was agieeu to aftei seveial months of uelibeiation anu eventual euiting by the goveinment, inuicating on the face of it that this is a basic stanuaiu the goveinment has agieeu to thiough a national process. It is important to keep in mind that the government has insisted on home grown solutions, using this to countei any foim of inteinational involvement. In this context, it is impoitant to give uue piioiity to the Buman Rights Action Plan anu othei national uocuments anu initiatives incluuing the LLRC (discussed below). It is also to be assumed that the governments passionate defence of national initiatives and frameworks imply the governments confidence in a functioning national structure and system. This is fai fiom the tiuth. A case in point is Sampui It is ciitical that the goveinment ieconsiuei the cuiient policy of uisiegaiu foi people uisplaceu fiom the afoiementioneu uevelopment zones. This is also impoitant in the cuiient climate of incieasing militaiy-leu uevelopment leauing to piolongeu uisplacement of communities. In 2u12, the militaiy launcheu its own iesoit-bianu, Laya, anu has alieauy
91 Sri Lanka unveils 5-year action plan to protect human rights, October 2u11, }ohn Paul Putney, accesseu at: http:juiist.oigpapeichase2u111usii-lanka-unveils-S-yeai-action-plan-to-piotect- human-iights-in-iesponse-to-inteinational-piessuie--.php 92 9:*$2 9S Ninistiy of Plantation Inuustiies anu 0ffice of Special Envoy on Buman Rights, National Plan foi the Piotection anu Piomotion of Buman Rights; accesseu heie: http:www.hiactionplan.gov.lkList_of_goal-S-8-1uS.html#A168 uoal S.2: Ensuie the iight to lanu anu housing foi all uisplaceu peisons ! Issue S.2a: Bisplacement uue to setting up of economic anu uevelopment zones ! Activities: Pioviue inteiim housing anu lanu foi those uispossesseu of lanu Timefiame: immeuiate Agencies iesponsible: Ninistiy of Constiuction, Engineeiing Seivices, Bousing & Common Amenities; Ninistiy of Lanus anu Lanu Bevelopment; Ninistei of Resettlement In cases wheie oiiginal cannot be ietuineu the piovision of alteinate lanu of equal woith anu value anuoi compensation Timefiame: +S months Agencies iesponsible: Ninistiy of Lanus Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S9 www.cpalanka.oig pioceeueu to open one iesoit in the foimei BSZ of Kankesanthuiai. 94 These uevelopments iaise seiious questions about whethei uue piocess unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act is being followeu, especially conceining the definition of public purpose. That the goveinment shoulu auheie to the above NBRAP goal iegaiuing uisplaceu peisons must also be highlighteu.
In auuition to policies intiouuceu by the goveinment, theie aie iecommenuations in the LLRC anu the subsequent National Plan of Action to Implement the Recommenuations of the LLRC that set out cleai piinciples in ielation to lanu acquisition.
The LLRC hau an entiie chaptei ueuicateu to lanu issues, emphasising the impoitance of lanu issues in ieconciliation in post-wai Sii Lanka. This biief uiaws attention in paiticulai to the following two iecommenuations in the LLRC Repoit, Paiagiaph 6.1u4 9S :
94 Soldiers at Your Service (August 2013), Brendan Brady, accessed at: http:www.slate.comaiticlesnews_anu_politicsioaus2u1Su8sii_lankan_aimy_goes_into_touiism_ business_aftei_ciushing_the_tamil_tigeis.html.utm_souice=tw&utm_meuium=sm&utm_campaign=butto n_chunky 9S Repoit of the Commission of Inquiiy on Lessons Leaint anu Reconciliation, Novembei 2u11; accesseu heie: http:www.piiu.gov.lknews_upuateCuiient_Affaiisca2u1112FINAL%2uLLRC%2uREP0RT.puf
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
The fiist iecommenuation if implementeu woulu cleaily pievent the iecent colonisations of Weli 0ya anu incoipoiation of Weli 0ya unuei the Nullaitivu auministiation. 96 The seconu iecommenuation has also not been enfoiceu by the goveinment in ielation to eithei the Palaly oi Tiincomalee-Sampui zones. While legally no BSZs can exist aftei the lapse of the emeigency iegulations, both aieas aie still being tieateu as BSZs with iestiiction on entiance anu auministiation entiusteu to militaiy actois. Auuing to the inconsistency between policy anu action, the National Plan of Action to Implement the Recommenuations of the LLRC states that the goveinment hau alieauy complieu with the iecommenuation ielating to the BSZs in the LLRC, specifically that lanu has been ieleaseu wheie possible anu steps weie being taken to ie-locate oi to pay compensation to the affecteu paities unuei the applicable statutes. Bespite this statement, many inuiviuuals in Sampui continue to be uisplaceu uespite theie being no notices to acquiie theii lanu, anu little oi no effoits maue by the goveinment to offei ie-location options oi compensation. Similaily, in the Palaly BSZ, theie has been no eviuence to suggest that 6S81 acies aie #0'0++"5= foi a militaiy cantonment. Theiefoie, theie appeai to be inheient
96 Foi moie infoimation see: Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post- Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11
(1) Any citizen of Sii Lanka has the inalienable iight to acquiie lanu in any pait of the countiy, in accoiuance with its laws anu iegulations, anu iesiue in any aiea of hishei choice without any iestiictions oi limitations imposeu in any mannei whatsoevei. The lanu policy of the uoveinment shoulu not be an instiument to effect unnatuial changes in the uemogiaphic pattein of a given Piovince. In the case of intei piovincial iiiigation oi lanu settlement schemes, uistiibution of State lanu shoulu continue to be as pioviueu foi in the Constitution of Sii Lanka.
(S) The Commission appieciates the fact that the two BSZs in Palaly anu Tiincomalee- Sampooi iespectively have been ieuuceu anu that an estimateu 21, 491 peisons have been ietuineu to theii own lanu. Bowevei, in the two ieuuceu BSZ aieas an estimateu 26, 7SS peisons aie still uisplaceu. The Commission iecommenus that the two existing BSZs in Palaly anu Tiincomalee-Sampooi, as well as small extents of piivate lanu cuiiently utilizeu foi secuiity puiposes in the uistiicts be subject to ieview with a view to ieleasing moie lanu while keeping national secuiity neeus in peispective. The Commission also iecommenus that all families who have lost lanus anu oi houses uue to foimal BSZs oi to othei infoimal oi au hoc secuiity ielateu neeus be given alteinate lanus anu oi compensation be paiu accoiuing to applicable laws. The Commission fuithei iecommenus that piovision of alteinate lanus anu oi payment of compensation be completeu within a specific time fiame. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 41 www.cpalanka.oig contiauictions between the policy put foiwaiu anu accepteu by the goveinment anu its actions on the giounu.
The confusion cieateu by this is fuitheieu by the contiauictions in statements maue by vaiious politicians.
In May 2011, Minister for Economic Development, Basil Rajapaksa said, Y0 $- #-, I"#, B7Z[+*'\ *# ,@0 '-)#,5= "#= >)5,@05 "+ I0 @"30 #- 0#0E*0+ "E-#? -)5+0130+2 J@0 0#,*50 '-)#,5= *+ #-I )#$05 " +*#?10 A0"'0 ]-#0.. 97
An even cleaiei inuicatoi was given by, Commanuei Secuiity Foices }affna Najoi ueneial Nahinua Bathuiusinghe at a meeting with the technical mission of 0ffice of Bigh Commissionei for Human Rights (OHCHR) in September 2012 when he stated that I0 P,@0 &5E=R @"30 #- A1"# -> "'()*5*#? '*3*1*"#+^ 1"#$+ ,- 0+,":1*+@ E*1*,"5= '"EA+ *# <">>#"2 &5E= @"+ "150"$= 0"5E"580$ ?-305#E0#, 1"#$+ >-5 ,@", A)5A-+02 B-I0305. ?-305#E0#, I*11 "'()*50 +-E0 1"#$+ #0'0++*,",0$ >-5 ,@0 0SA"#+*-# -> ,@0 4"1"1= "*5A-5, "#$ ,@0 _"#80+"#,@)5"* @"5:-)5 ">,05 A"=*#? '-EA0#+",*-# ,- 10?*,*E",0 -I#05+".
Even moie iecently, in Naich 2u1S, Secietaiy of the Piesiuential Task Foice foi Resettlement, Bevelopment anu Secuiity, S.B. Bivaiathne, maue a statement to jouinalists that theie existeu no BSZs in }affna. 98
0n the inteinational stage, Ambassauoi Ravinatha Aiyasinha, Sri Lankas peimanent iepiesentative to the 0N in ueneva uuiing his national statement to the 0NBRC on 27 Nay 2013, stated, Y@*10 +-E0 1"#$+ @"30 :00# 0"5E"580$ >-5 )+0 *# ,@0 0SA"#+*-# -> ,@0 4"1"1= "*5A-5, __7 @"5:-)5 '-EA10S "+ A"5, -> ,@0 50$0301-AE0#, -> ,@0 "50" ">,05 "1E-+, O $0'"$0+ -> '-#>1*',. -I#05+ -> A5*3",0 1"#$+ "'()*50$ I-)1$ :0 ?*30# '-EA0#+",*-# ", E"580, 5",0+. "#$ "$$*,*-#"11= "1,05#",0 1"#$+ *# "$T"'0#, "50"+. 99
Inteiestingly, none of the acquisition notices in ielation to the lanu of the foimei Kankesanthuiai BSZ mention any puipose conceining the aiipoit oi the haiboui. This confusion in policy anu the lack of clarity and transparency as to the governments intentions with respect to land. fuithei existing
97 Resettling civilians in HSZs begins, Daily Mirror, 12 May 2011 98 No HSZs in Jaffna, March 2013, Ceylon Today; accessed here: http:www.ceylontouay.lkS1-261SS- news-uetail-no-hszs-in-jaffna.html 99 Full Text: Sri Lankas Statement Today at the 23 iu Session of the Human Rights Council, Colombo Telegiaph, Nay 2u1S; accesseu heie:https:www.colombotelegiaph.cominuex.phpfull-text-sii- lankas-statement-touay-at-the-2Siu-session-of-the-human-iights-council Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 42 www.cpalanka.oig assumptions that lanu is being taken aibitiaiily anu without a ieal public puipose. Noieovei, confusion aiises as it appeais that many of the uecisions being taken on the giounu in the }affna lanu acquisition foi example seem to be uiiecteu by the militaiy. 1uu In the case of }affna, civil auministiatois even uefeiieu to the militaiy when it came to allowing access to the lanu. 1u1
Accepteu anu stateu policy objectives ianging fiom NIRP to the National Plan of Action to Implement the Recommenuations of the LLRC all seem to iecommenu a focuseu methou of lanu acquisitions with minimal piejuuice to the public inteiest. Bowevei, it is appaient examining the thiee case stuuies highlighteu in this biief that the goveinment is acting in many ways contiaiy to these policies. As opposeu to auopting an appioach that entienches the iights of local communities to be affecteu by uisplacement, the goveinment appeais to be piioiitising uevelopment piojects anu puipoiteu militaiy activities, with no cleai explanation as to the necessity of eithei.
1uu Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 1u1 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 4S www.cpalanka.oig %78TD>A O SA<R:P )>8G;D;>= ;: D7> 0<AD7 8:P *8=D The pievious chapteis uiscusseu the legal anu policy fiamewoik in Sii Lanka ielevant to lanu acquisition, highlighting established structures that can be used when land is needed for a public purpose. The due process provided in current legislation is meant to avoiu unjust anu aibitiaiy seizuies of lanu. which can leau to uisplacement anu uepiive people of theii lanus. While this policy biief ciitiques the piesent fiamewoik, it also iecognizes that this fiamewoik is a staiting point. which iequiies iefoim anu full implementation. What in ieality has occuiieu is the acquisition of laige tiacts of lanu by the goveinment anu its agents foi vaiious puiposes. iaising questions of the legality of such piactices anu as to whethei they meet the stanuaius pioviueu in the piesent fiamewoik. The natuie of such acquisitions also iaise conceins ovei whethei the piesent fiamewoik is being useu anu in some instances abuseu, to suppoit puiposes outsiue of the public neeu anu inteiest, leauing to asseitions of ongoing lanu giabs.
The eviuence collecteu by CPA in the last few yeais, with a specific focus on uevelopments in the post wai peiiou, uemonstiates that lanu acquisitions uo not in most instances meet the ciiteiia pioviueu by law. Theie aie instances wheie the law has been useu to take ovei lanu. which is justifieu by the government and its agents as a public purpose but critiqued on the basis of information publicly available as being used for something other than a public purpose. The cases examined in the North and East also uemonstiate specific tienus incluuing the pie-eminent iole anu involvement of the cential goveinment anu militaiy, acquisitions of lanus pieuominantly belonging to minoiities anu a lack of uue piocess. The centialisation anu militaiisation in lanu issues is not new to Sii Lanka but what is uiffeient is the uegiee of involvement of such actois anu the natuie of theii involvement.
The cases uiscusseu in this chaptei highlight the issues causeu by the giowing iole of these tienus in lanu acquisitions anu ielateu matteis. What is also notable is the ethnic uimension to these piactices, with minoiities being uispiopoitionately affecteu. Inciuents in aieas outsiue of the Noith anu East incluuing in Kalpitiya anu Bambulla uemonstiate that all ethnic communities can be affecteu by illegal anu aibitiaiy lanu acquisitions, howevei most of the cases uocumenteu in the Noith anu East inuicate that it is piimaiily Tamil anu Nuslim communities who aie being affecteu. A tienu iepoiteu in the post wai context, is the uistiibution of lanus, pieviously occupieu by minoiities to Sinhalese communities, with questions being iaiseu as to whethei the Sinhalese communities aie new to the aiea oi uisplaceu as a iesult of the wai. The Weli 0ya case is one wheie available infoimation points to Sinhala communities ieceiving lanu fiom the goveinment as opposeu to Tamils who pieviously iesiueu in the aiea anu aie yet to ietuin to the aiea. The piefeience given to the majoiity community in lanu alienation has iaiseu concerns of Sinhalisation in the area. Accoiuingly, it has implications foi the use anu contiol of state lanu anu impacts on changing ethnic uemogiaphics.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 44 www.cpalanka.oig This chaptei uiscusses thiee specific cases involving lanus belonging to, contiolleu anu useu by minoiities. CPA notes the giievances of all ethnic gioups in teims of lanu owneiship anu contiol anu the cases uocumenteu heie uo not imply that these cases iequiie moie attention than otheis. This policy biief attempts to highlight the incieasing obstacles faceu by minoiities in contiolling anu owning theii lanu. The cases selecteu in the biief aie chosen on the basis of the uiffeient issues anu complexities in each of the cases anu to uemonstiate the cuiient tienus in teims of alienation of state lanu anu acquisition of piivate lanus anu the confusion at times iegaiuing both these issues.
The focus of the biief is on lanu acquisitions unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act. It looks piimaiily at piivate lanus. In auuition, the policy biief also examines the case of lanu alienation in Weli 0ya, which seems to inuicate that in auuition to state lanu, piivate lanus may also been incluueu in the alienation schemes. The policy biief makes the case that although lanu acquisitions aie meant to peitain to piivate lanu, the case of Weli 0ya uemonstiates the complexities anu confusion iegaiuing the actual status of lanu. As a iesult, questions aiise as to whethei the goveinment is able to alienate such lanus anu as to whethei such questionable alienation amounts to lanu giabs. Fuithei, questions aie iaiseu on the ethnicisation of lanu alienation anu as to whethei state lanu is being useu foi specific puiposes incluuing the establishment of new settlements to change the uemogiaphics of an aiea.
The cases that highlight the governments egiegious lanu acquisition piactices incluue }affna anu Sampui. Weli 0ya, as alieauy inuicateu, iaises questions of as to whethei some lanus involveu aie in effect piivate lanus. The thiee cases illustiate thiee uiffeient ways in which the goveinment is contiolling lanu. In }affna, the goveinment is uoing so by taking piivate lanus foi puipoiteu militaiy ieasons. In Sampui, the goveinment is attempting to take lanus foi commeicial puiposes unuei the guise of uevelopment without auheiing to the uue piocess pioviueu by the Lanu Acquisition Act. Anu finally, in Weli 0ya, the issues iuentifieu above iemain. The pioblems on the giounu incluuing lack of uocumentation compounu the issue. The fact that the alienation is piimaiily foi the benefit of the majoiity community iaises questions of ethnicisation of lanu issues in the aiea anu leauing changes to ethnic uemogiaphics via the use of lanu settlement schemes. The Weli 0ya case is also of inteiest as it falls within the Nahaweli L scheme, a pioject that falls within the puiview of the cential goveinment.
This policy biief attempts to use the thiee cases uiscusseu below to illustiate the tools anu stiategies useu by the goveinment to contiol lanu in the Noith anu East - a piactice of lanu acquisition tantamount to lanu giabbing.
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In Apiil 2u1S, the goveinment issueu a Section 2 notice unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act that stateu that 6381 Ac 38.97 P of land was to be acquired for the following purpose: to formally vest the land where Befence Battalion Beauquaiteis (}affna) High Security area (Palali and Kankasanthurai) is located. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 4S www.cpalanka.oig The lanu taken was fiom the following uN uivisions of valikamam Noith, valikamam East, Kopay, Telipellai, Kankasanthuiai West, Kankasanthuiai Cential, Wimannamum South, Theiyyauui South, Palali South, 0ttampulam anu Walallai. 1u2 This acquisition is being challengeu both politically anu legally, with ovei 2uuu petitioneis having fileu a wiit application at the Couit of Appeal 1uS , anu some otheis having fileu a funuamental iights case at the Supieme Couit. 1u4 Theie aie many conceins suiiounuing this paiticulai lanu acquisition incluuing: (1) The laige peicentage of this lanu that is piivate; (2) The necessity of this laige an acquisition foi militaiy puiposes; (S) The genuineness of the public purpose; (4) The legal eiiois in the acquisition notices; anu (S) The contiauiction that aiises fiom this lanu giab with the public statements politicians anu militaiy officials.
The histoiical context of this lanu is of cential significance. While a small poition of the lanu being acquiieu may have been state lanu, the vast majoiity of the lanu is piivate lanu anu has been in families foi geneiations. As was uemonstiateu by piotests in Apiil 2u1S along with the seveial thousanu petitioneis in the couit cases mentioneu above, theie aie many inuiviuuals with claims ovei the lanu in question. 1uS Further, the leader of the TNA, Sampanthan, claimed in a statement that, Many Northern families aie unable to ietuin to theii lanu anu iesettle because of this involvement by the Government. 1u6 Inteiviews with lanu owneis who have lanu in aieas of valikamam also suppoit the aigument that the majoiity of lanu that is piesently being occupieu by the militaiy is piivate lanu anu has been piivate lanu foi geneiations. 1u7 0ne oluei gentleman who was uisplaceu fiom his lanu in the early 1990s, stated, My grandfather built the house I grew up in, and there were many of my family members who lived around me in their own land. 1u8 A significant numbei continue to be uisplaceu within }affna anu aie unable to finu uuiable solutions as a iesult of lanu not being ieleaseu anu lack of aiu fiom the goveinment.
%<JT8A8D;9> /:8GI=;= <F ^;G;D8AI (8=> -;a>= Setting asiue foi a moment, the issue of whethei a militaiy cantonment in the cuiient context is a public purpose, the question iemains as to whethei 6S81 acies of lanu is iequiieu foi a militaiy cantonment.
1u2 uazette No 18u72S of the Bemociatic Socialist Republic of Sii Lanka, 26 Apiil 2u1S, available at http:uocuments.gov.lkExtgzt2u1SPBFApi18u7_2S18u7_2S(E).puf 1uS Appeal Court issues Notice on Respondents in cases by 2176 Jaffna Tamils seeking relief against land grab by Rajapaksa regime, 30 May 2013, Colombo Telegraph; accessed here: https:www.colombotelegiaph.cominuex.phpappeal-couit-issues-notice-on-iesponuents-in-cases- by-2176-jaffna-tamils-seeking-ielief-against-lanu-giab-by-iajapaksa-iegime 1u4 Jaffna Tamils Land Grab FR Cases: Justice Sripavan Advises DSG how to grab lands correctly, 12 }une 2u1S, Colombo Telegiaph; accesseu heie: https:www.colombotelegiaph.cominuex.phpjaffna- tamils-lanu-giab-fi-cases-justice-siipavan-auvises-usg-how-to-giab-lanus-coiiectly 1uS http:www.theiepublicsquaie.compolitics2u1Su429goveinments-uecision-to-acquiie-6uuu- acies-of-lanu-in-jaffna-iesults-in-piotest 1u6 http:www.eyesiilanka.com2u1Su8u9tna-uses-kauiigamai-lanu-case-to-auuiess-noithein- lanu-acquisition 1u7 Inteiviews conuucteu with lanu owneis in }affna, Colombo anu in Toionto, Canaua, Apiil 0ctobei 2u1S 1u8 Inteiview with Tamil Sii Lankan gentleman in Toionto 2S 0ctobei 2u1S; Tianslation fiom Tamil to English Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 46 www.cpalanka.oig This amount of lanu is essentially two-thiius of Colombo City aiea. veiy few statistics aie publicly available on the size anu population of militaiy basescantonments in Sii Lanka, anu theiefoie the analysis is limiteu. It is theiefoie necessaiy to tuin to a compaiative analysis of militaiy basescantonments in othei countiies.
This biief examineu the size anu population of vaiious militaiy cantonments aiounu the woilu anu determined each bases rate of persons per acre (see Table I). A calculation was then done to see by each of these iates, how many acies woulu be iequiieu to suppoit a militaiy cantonment of 1S,2uu peisonnel, the numbei of peisonnel in the Noith given most iecently by Ambassauoi Ravinatha Aiiyasinha, Sii Lankas permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, in his national statement address to the UNHRC on 27 Nay 2u1S. 1u9 Conveisely, it was also calculateu baseu on each iate, how laige of a population of peisonnel woulu justify a base of appioximately 6Suu acies. ,8KG> N %<R:DAI -;a> <F %<R:DAI [?J L \ 08J> <F (8=> -;a> <F (8=> [/HA>=\ !<TRG 8D;<: !><TG >_8HA> )8D> b <F 8HA>= :>>P>P F<A T<TRG8D;<: <F NO.LMM -;a> <F T<TRG8D;<: :>>P>P F<A ].OMM 8HA>= 0niteu States (}apan) 9,147, 42u 11u
0kinawa 1,186 111
18,uuu maiine s 112
1S.2 868.4 9S, 76u 0niteu States 9, 147, 42u 11S
Foit Boou 1S, 874 (218,82 S) 114
79,Su1 11S
S.u 264u S1, Suu Inuia 2,97S,19u 116
Belhi Cantonment 1u,S21 117
116,SS 2 118
11.1 1189.2 69, 9Su Inuia 2,97S,19u 119
Pune Cantonment S,2uu 12u
79,4S4 121
2S S28 1S7, Suu
1u9 http:www.colombotelegiaph.cominuex.phpfull-text-sii-lankas-statement-touay-at-the-2Siu- session-of-the-human-iights-council 11u World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres, The World Bank (2011), accessed on 1S Nov 2u1S at: http:uata.woilubank.oiginuicatoiAu.LNB.T0TL.K2 111 http:www.commonuieams.oigviewsu4u11S-u8.htm 112 http:www.bbc.co.uknewswoilu-asia-22uS9186 11S World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 114 http:www.iecentei.tamu.euumuatapufFoit_Boou_Fact_Sheet.puf 11S 9:*$2 116 World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 117 http:www.cbuelhi.inhistoiy.aspx 118 9:*$2 119 World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 12u http:blog.mapsofinuia.com2u12uS26pune-cantonment-home-to-the-national-wai-memoiial- southein-commanu 121 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
At one enu of the spectium, we have Foit Boou, the laigest 0S uomestic militaiy base at a iate of S peopleacie. Even at that iate, to suppoit a population of 1S,2uu peisonnel as estimateu by the goveinment, a militaiy base woulu only have to consist of 264u acies. Bowevei, given the size of the 0niteu States of Ameiica anu the size of theii aimy, it is a iate that woulu not be ieasonable to apply to Sii Lanka. which is in geogiaphical size almost 1Su times smallei.
Theiefoie, it is necessaiy to examine militaiy bases in a countiy that is much moie compaiable in geogiaphical anu militaiy size, Banglauesh. The laigest base in Banglauesh, which also contains the Aimy Beauquaiteis is the Bhaka Cantonment which measuies at 212S acies with a population of 1S1,864 peisonnel. At theii iate of 62.1 peopleacie, a militaiy base in Sii Lanka of 1S,2uu peisonnel shoulu iequiie only 212.6 acies. Even if one weie to set asiue the Banglauesh base as an example of an unuei-funueu aimy, which it is not, one coulu simply look to Inuia, anu see that even the laigest base in Belhi has a iate of 11.1 peopleacie, which woulu suggest a iequiiement of only 1189.2 acies foi a population of 1S,2uu peisonnel in Sii Lanka. The afoiementioneu numbeis aie on the basis that the figuie of 1S,2uu given by Ravinatha Aiyasinha is accuiate, howevei even if it is not, calculations available in the table uemonstiate that the numbei of peisonnel iequiieu to justify the size of 6Suu acies is unieasonable.
The Bhaka figuie iequiies a population of S96,198 peisonnel; the Belhi figuie a population of 7u,829 peisonnel. Even applying the incompaiable 0S Foit Boou figuie, a population of S1,9uS peisonnel is iequiieu. What this compaiative analysis theiefoie highlights, is the absence of a ieasonable explanation foi the acquisition of ovei 6uuu acies to establish a Befence Battalion Beauquaiteis in compliance with the public puipose iequiiement unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act.
!RKG;H !RAT<=>: Theie aie seiious conceins ielating to how public purpose is being uefineu by the uoveinment as stateu in the Section 2 notice iefeiieu to pieviously. The uata fiom compaiative cases
122 World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 12S http:cbmeeiut.oig.in 124 9:*$2 12S World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 126 http:www.cbp.gov.pkpage.php.Plu=41&Slu=2u 127 9:*$2 128 World Development Indicators: Land area in square kilometres +)A5" note 99 129 http:www.citypopulation.uephpbanglauesh-uhaka.php 1Su 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 48 www.cpalanka.oig highlighteu in the box uemonstiate the weakness of the justification foi 6S81 acies to house a militaiy cantonment of appioximately 1S,2uu militaiy peisonnel. Fuithei, theie have alieauy been iepoiteu instances of militaiy peisonnel using the occupieu lanu to giow agiicultuial piouuce, iaising questions as to whethei this fits in with what is termed public purpose. 1S1 Theie also seveial iumouis about othei puipoiteu uses of the lanu incluuing seveial meuia iepoits of a pioposeu yoguit factoiy. 1S2 The armys own website 1SS auveitises a hotel iun by the aimy anu iecent iepoits also inuicate new constiuction taking place insiue the aiea that is yet to be acquiieu. 1S4
All of this lenus cieuibility to the belief that the lanu is not being acquiieu foi militaiy puiposes only, but iathei that theie aie unueilying commeicial puiposes foi which the militaiy wishes to use the lanu. If this is the case, the Section 2 notice publisheu foi the aiea is in cleai violation of the law foi not stating the tiue puipose foi which the lanu is being acquiieu. 1SS Noieovei, it is haiu to see how militaiy-iun commeicial enteipiises coulu in any way benefit eithei the local population oi the geneial population as a whole. In fact, they woulu moie likely be uetiimental, taking maiket shaie away fiom local civilians anu coipoiations engageu in the same commeicial piactices. It has been iepoiteu that some of the lanu that is to be acquiieu may go to enteipiises that weie in existence piioi to the wai such as the KKS haiboi anu Palaly aiipoit. While a case can be maue foi these two entities iequiiing lanu to function, a Section 2 notice to acquiie lanu foi such puiposes shoulu cleaily state this. Fuitheimoie, even if lanu was to be acquiieu foi such puiposes, it still uoes not account foi the magnituue of lanu that is being acquiieu.
Anothei ieason to be conceineu about this piesent lanu acquisition aie the many legal eiiois piesent in the Section 2 notice. First, paragraph 3 of the notice (P1) refers to regularizing handover of area on which High Security Zone [Palaly and Kankesanthurai] is established, despite theie being no BSZ establisheu in the aieas specifieu by the notice foi acquisition. 1S6 By law, all pieviously existing BSZs establisheu by Emeigency Regulations lapseu with the enu of the state of emeigency in 2u11. 1S7 With theie being no BSZ to speak of, paiagiaph S of the acquisition notice must be consiueieu an incoiiect statement. In auuition, theie is cleaily inconsistency within the notice itself. While paiagiaph S iefeis to land on which High Security Zone[Palaly and Kankesanthurai] is established, paragraph 1 refers to a land in the area as indicated in the Schedule being required, and paragraph 2 refers to all of the land
1S1 Fielu inteiviews in }affna, Apiil 2u1S 1S2 Fielu inteiviews in }affna, Nay 2u1S 1SS Laya Botels website; accesseu heie: http:www.layahotels.lk 1S4 This ongoing construction was cited recently in a case filed by Lakshman Kadirgarmars son in the Couit of Appeal: https:www.colombotelegiaph.cominuex.phpgovt-giabs-lakshman-kauiis-lanu-in- jaffna 1SS /"#01 ;05#"#$- 3 62/2<"="5",#0. /*#*+,05 -> &?5*')1,)50 "#$ !"#$+ "#$ -,@05+ UVVV PKR 72!2Q2 KKU; See Chaptei 1 foi uiscussion of case 1S6 Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 1S7 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 49 www.cpalanka.oig indicated in the schedule as a land. 1S8 While these contiauictions may seem minute upon fiist glance, they amount to huge vaiiances in the aiea of lanu that is to be taken, uepenuing on which phiase is inteipieteu. While this may be uue to not having exact infoimation of the aiea, which is a iequiiement foi when issuing a Section 2 notice, this also iaises a funuamental question as to whethei the confusion anu vaiiances aie uelibeiate. The lack of exact uata can leau to moie lanu being taken than oiiginally planneu at the cost of moie people being uisplaceu anu uepiiveu of theii lanu.
Theie has also been non-compliance with section 2(2) of the Lanu Acquisition Act, which specifies that Section 2 notices shoulu be maue available in all thiee languages. CPA visiteu anu was iefuseu entiy to the lanu that was to be acquiieu by the militaiy on 24 Apiil 2u1S. CPA was uiiecteu to a Section 2 notice in Tamil, which was hanging fiom a tiee neai the entiy to the so calleu BSZ. Latei a notice in Tamil anu English foi the same lanu with a uiffeient uate was seen on the notice boaiu of the Tellipallai Bivisional Secietaiiat. 1S9 No public notices weie seen in Sinhala. 14u
Fuitheimoie, theie is possibly a case of non-compliance with Section 4 of the Lanu Acquisition Act, which iequiies the Ninistei to uiiect uistiict officeis to give notice to ownei(s) of the lanu in question. Paiagiaph 4 of the notice states Person claiming ownership over the land: cannot be identified. 141 It is highly unlikely that this is coiiect as iecoius of those uisplaceu anu living in goveinment iun welfaie camps aie with the goveinment. Some lanu owneis may now be iesiuing outsiue of }affna anu oveiseas. Seveial inteivieweu by CPA who live outsiue of }affna weie only awaie of the lanu acquisition notices fiom meuia iepoits anu aftei the cases weie fileu in the Couit of Appeal. 142
In auuition to legal eiiois in the Section 2 notice, theie aie also issues with a puipoiteu oiuei unuei Section S8 Pioviso A of the Lanu Acquisition Act that was subsequently publisheu on 24 Apiil 2u1S anu gazetteu on 26 Apiil 2u1S. 14S Fiist, the puipoiteu oiuei was not pieceueu by a valiu oi piopei notice unuei Section 2 oi 4 of the Lanu Acquisition Act. 144 Fuitheimoie, theie is a question of the necessity of such an oiuei given that the lanu has been in the possession of the State foi ovei a uecaue in most cases, anu it is consequently implausible that theie woulu be any uigency with iegaiu to the State having to immeuiately possess the lanu. Theiefoie, the legal eiiois piesent in the Section 2 notice anu the Section S8a pioviso, also make the lanu acquisition in }affna unlawful. These legal eiiois must be given uue attention as they illustiate the governments disregard for due process and the law. It is also worth noting that the Section S8a notices weie only maue public aftei thousanus of litigants fileu a case in the Couit of Appeal, iaising the question of whethei it was huiiieuly intiouuceu to pievent any legal action being taken to stop the acquisition.
1S8 Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 1S9 9:*$2 14u 9:*$2 141 9:*$2 142 Fielu Inteiviews, Apiil Nay 2u1S 14S Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 144 Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S Su www.cpalanka.oig
In a uistuibing move, the militaiy has pioceeueu with uemolitions of homes in valikamam Noith uespite the ongoing couit cases conceining the lanu. The TNA Piovincial Councilloi Bhaimalingam Sithuhaithan tolu the Baily FT on 29 0ctobei 29 2u1S that paitially uamageu homes (uamageu by shelling uuiing the wai) weie being upiooteu by the militaiy. 14S In iesponse, the Baily FT iepoiteu that Nilitaiy Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya stated, The land was legally acquired by the Lands Ninistiy anu hanueu ovei to the militaiy. We aie within oui iights to caiiy out uevelopment woik in the area. 146 Repoiteuly, TNA leauei R. Sampanthan ieceiveu assuiances fiom the Piesiuent on Novembei 1 st following the iepoits of uemolitions that the activity woulu stop 147 , but othei iepoits suggest that on conflicting instiuctions fiom othei membeis of the cential goveinment the militaiy has incieaseu the pace of uemolitions. 148 This once again inuicates the cential iole of the militaiy in the }affna lanu acquisition, uespite the piesence of a civilian auministiative stiuctuie.
This laige acquisition of lanu in }affna in auuition to being illegal, only peipetuates feais among the local Tamil community that the goveinment is not conceineu with theii inteiests, anu that militaiy contiol anu occupation ovei }affna will iemain inuefinitely. The piesent uiive to acquiie such laige tiacts of piivate lanu also highlights the tienus of centialisation, militaiisation anu ethnicisation. These tienus ieinfoice community suspicions of ethno- uemogiaphic change anu seiiously impeue meaningful ieconciliation anu national unity.
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Sampui has been subjecteu to an ongoing piocess of uevelopment anu acquisition iesulting in piotiacteu uisplacement since 2uu6. 149 A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was gazetteu in 2uu6 that coveieu a laige aiea aiounu Tiincomalee Bay, stietching fiom Nilaveli thiough Tiincomalee Town anu uiavets, past Kinniya anu Nuttui into Sampui. 1Su In Nay 2uu7, a BSZ was establisheu unuei Emeigency Regulations in Tiincomalee that coveieu 11 uiama Nilauhaii (uN) uivisions. 1S1 Following a legal challenge by some iesiuents anu CPA anu an unueitaking by the Attoiney ueneials department in the Supieme Couit to allow people to ietuin to theii lanu, the BSZ was ie-gazetteu anu ieuuceu to 4 uN
14S Military demolishes homes in former HSZ in Valikamam, Su 0ctobei 2u1S, Baily FT; accesseu at: http:www.ft.lk2u1S1uSumilitaiy-uemolishes-homes-in-foimei-hsz-in-valikamam 146 9:*$2 147 President Nahinua Rajapaksa oiueieu }affna commanuei to stop uestiuction houses in valigamam North, 1 Novembei 2u1S, Lanka Sii News; accesseu at: http:www.lankasiinews.comview.php.24SAluuaaTnY0u42SANeS22cAmZSeueZBAIcu2eWAA2euI0 SnacuSu0A42 148 SL military steps up demolition of houses in Valikamam North, Jaffna, Sunday S Novembei 2u1S, TamilNet; accesseu at:http:www.tamilnet.comait.html.catiu=1S&aitiu=S679u 149 Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Tiincomalee Bigh Secuiity Zone anu Special Economic Zone, Septembei 2uu9; accesseu heie: http:cpalanka.oigwp- contentuploaus2uu911Tiincomalee%2uBigh%2uSecuiity%2uZone%2uanu%2uSpecial%2uEcono mic%2uZone.puf 1Su 9:*$2 1S1 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S1 www.cpalanka.oig uivisions in 0ctobei 2uu8. 1S2 Theie weie seiious questions then as to what the consequences of the oveilapping SEZ anu BSZ woulu be. Lanu owneis fiom the aiea anu CPA challengeu the BSZ, as it stoou on the giounus that Aiticle 12 anu Aiticle 14 of the Constitution weie being violateu, anu iaiseu the important point that there is no military necessity or security concern provided to justify pieventing oi hampering civilians accessing their land and property. 1SS While the Supieme Couit iefuseu leave to proceed on the basis of national security, they stated that resettlement and development should be carried out on a planned basis. 1S4 Nonetheless, when the Emeigency Regulations weie lifteu in 2u11, the BSZ became legally inopeiative, anu with its iemoval, technically all iestiictions on movement into the foimei BSZ shoulu also have lapseu. 1SS
Bowevei, following the lapse of emeigency in 2u11 lanu owneis who hau lanu in the foimei BSZ weie still iestiicteu fiom enteiing the lanu by the militaiy. 1S6 While the SEZ was still valiu, theie was no legal basis to iestiict lanu owneis fiom accessing anu occupying theii lanu anu theiefoie theie was in fact a violation of theii constitutional iight to fieely move anu iesiue in theii own iesiuence (Aiticle 14).
It has been iepoiteu that acquisition piocesses have commenceu foi lanu in the SEZ that is being set asiue foi constiuction of a Coal Powei Plant 1S7 ; yet, the iemaining lanu fiom the foimei BSZ was not incluueu in this acquisition piocess. In Nay 2u12, affiiming speculation, a uazette Extiaoiuinaiy cieate a Special Zone for Heavy Industries purportedly within the provisions of Section 22A of the Board of Investment of Sii Lanka Law, No.4 of 1978, encompassing the iemaining aieas of the foimei BSZ. 1S8
However, Section 22A only provides for the establishment of licensed zones and thus the use of the term Special Zone for Heavy Industries raises a legal technicality question about the valiuity of the gazette. 1S9 Further, while the law does not provide any basis for restricting access to ones own property in such a licensed zone, property owners in the area have still not been allowed access. 16u Seven lanu owneis fiom the aiea fileu a funuamental iights application in the Supieme Couit challenging the gazette of the Special Zone foi Beavy Inuustiies. 161
Theie aie many issues suiiounuing the legality of actions in iespect of the Sampui lanu. As stateu above, with the lapse of Emeigency Regulations in 2u11 theie is no legal basis foi iefusing entiy to lanu
1S2 9:*$2 1SS 9:*$2 1S4 9:*$2 1SS Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 1S6 Displaced Sampur residents file fundamental rights petition against uemaication of heavy inuustiies zone in their lands, June 2012; accessed here: http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/7328 1S7 Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Tiincomalee Bigh Secuiity Zone anu Special Economic Zone, Septembei 2uu9 1S8 SC FR No. Su92u12 1S9 Section 22A, Boaiu of Investment of Sii Lanka Law, No.4 of 1978 16u SC FR No. Su92u12 161 Displaced Sampur residents file fundamental rights petition against demarcation of heavy industries zone in their lands, June 2012; accessed here: http://dbsjeyaraj.com/ubsjaichives7S28 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S2 www.cpalanka.oig owners. It is important to note that establishing a licensed zone under Section 22A of the BOI Act does not pioviue the basis foi non-entiy, anu in fact, Section 28 of the B0I Act makes veiy cleai that lanu can only be acquiieu foi B0I piojects thiough piopei pioceuuies in the Lanu Acquisition Act. 162 Bowevei, this iefusal of entiy by the militaiy continues to be the case, anu as mentioneu, these lanuowneis have suffeieu majoi livelihoou challenges as a iesult. Noieovei, the Ceylon Electiicity Boaiu has built a fence enclosing the lanu with cement anu baibeu wiie that tiaveises agiicultuial anu pauuy lanu belonging to the IBPs, making the Agiaiian Bevelopment Act No 46 of 2uuu applicable. 16S
Section 32 of the Act makes it an offence where a person uses any extent of paddy land for a purpose other than an agricultural purpose or does any other act for such purpose or constructs any structure within any extent of paddy land or does any act in furtherance of such purpose without obtaining wiitten peimission fiom the Commissionei-ueneial. 164 Section 34(1) of the Act states: No person shall use an extent of pauuy lanu foi any puipose othei than foi agiicultuial cultivation except with the wiitten peimission of the Commissionei-General. 16S Finally Section 82(1) of the Act states: Where any goveinment uepaitment, public coipoiation, peison oi bouy of peisons pioposeu to constiuct a tank, uam canal wateicouise oi commence any development project, within the area of authority of Farmers 0iganisation, it shall be the uuty of the heau of such uepaitment oi coipoiation oi such peison oi such body of persons to inform the Farmers Organisation of the proposed construction or pioject anu invite its comments thereon. 166 As fai as the pauuy anu agiicultuial lanu in Sampui is conceineu, none of the above mentioneu sections of the Agiaiian Bevelopment Act No 46 of 2uuu have been complieu with in iegaiu to the Ceylon Electiicity Boaiu fence anu any othei uevelopments in the aiea. 167
The establishment of a Special Zone foi Beavy Inuustiies appeais to infiinge on Aiticle 12 anu Aiticle 14 in the Constitution. While the piocess of lanu acquisition has commenceu foi lanu in the aiea that is being allocateu foi a puipoiteu Coal Factoiy, the iemainuei of the lanu has not been uealt with thiough the piopei channels of the Lanu Acquisition Act uespite iepoits that uevelopment plans foi the lanu have commenceu. 0n 16 }une 2u1S the Sunuay Times reported that more than 819 acres has been given on a 99-yeai lease as a B0I ventuie to Sii Lanka uateway Inuustiies (Pvt) Ltu., a company iegisteieu in Singapore. 168 0n 2u }une 2u1S, the goveinment itself iepoiteu that the uevelopment of the heavy inuustiy zone will occui in S phases at a cost of 0S$ 4 billion incluuing the constiuction of: a ueep watei jetty, a stockpile yaiu, an iion oie anu coke piouuction plant, a ship-builuing anu iepaii facility, plant anu machineiy manufactuiing, an automobile assembly plant anu othei smallei suppoit inuustiies. 169
The article stated: Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told the cabinet last
162 Boaiu of Investment of Sii Lanka Law, No.4 of 1978 16S SC FR No. Su92u12 164 Agiaiian Bevelopment Act No 46 of 2uuu 16S 9:*$2 166 9:*$2 167 SC FR No. Su92u12 168 US $4b heavy industry zone in Sampur, Sunday Times Sri Lanka, 16 }une 2u1S 169 Special Zone for Heavy Industries at Sampur to proceed, 2u }une 2u1S, News Line Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S SS www.cpalanka.oig week that the pioposeu zone woulu iesult in the cieation of ovei 1u,uuu employment oppoitunities, township uevelopment and enhancement of social infrastructure in the area. 17u
It is haiu to compiehenu howevei, how such piojects will suppoit social infiastiuctuie anu uevelopment in the aiea, when even those whose lanu the piojects aie being built on aie not ieceiving any kinu of suppoit fiom the goveinment oi the companies paitneiing with the goveinment in this ventuie. Noieovei, it is abunuantly cleai that the goveinment has not legally acquiieu the lanu foi its pioposeu uevelopment piojects. As mentioneu above, demarcating a licensed zone under Section 22A of the Boaiu of Investment of Sii Lanka Law, uoes not automatically confei on the goveinment the ability to acquiie lanu. Lanu must still be acquiieu via uue piocess unuei the Lanu Acquisition Act as pei Section 28 of the B0I Act. To uate, theie have been no Section 2 noi Section 4 notices posteu with iegaiu to acquiiing lanu in the 4 uNs in Sampui, asiue fiom the lanu on which the Coal Powei Plant is being built. Theie have also been no attempts to compensate those uisplaceu fiom Sampui asiue fiom the lanu of the Coal Powei Plant, anu officials continue to senu mixeu messages to the IBPs. Foi example, Ninistei of Economic Bevelopment, Basil Rajapaksa, in pailiamentaiy uebates on 21 October 2011 stated, &#= 1"#$ I@*'@ *+ #-, #0'0++"5= "#$ I@*'@ I*11 #-, :0 "'()*50$ >-5 ,@0 '-#+,5)',*-# -> ,@0 A-I05 A1"#, I*11 :0 ?*30# :"'8 ,- ,@0+0 A0-A10 "#$ ,@0= I*11 :0 50+0,,10$ and, any land which will not be required for the Indian` 75* !"#8" A-I05 A1"#, I*11 :0 @"#$0$ -305 ,- ,@0 A0-A10, and finally, I0 I*11 #0305 )##0'0++"5*1= 800A "#=:-$= -), -> ,@0*5 -I# 1"#$+. 171
In auuition to the legal issues with Sampui, theie aie seiious conceins with iespect to the uisiegaiu the goveinment, militaiy, navy anu inuustiial actois have shown foi the uisplaceu fiom Sampui (note heie that the following section when iefeiiing to the uisplaceu fiom Sampui is iefeiiing specifically to the uisplaceu fiom the 4 uNs which weie pait of the BSZ anu now pait of the SEZ anu Special Zone foi Beavy Inuustiies). Since 2uu6, a laige majoiity of the 4uuu uisplaceu peisons fiom the 4uNs have been living in piotiacteu uisplacement, with only a small poition accepting ielocation. 172 uiven the abysmal conuitions of the welfaie centies, especially consiueiing the lack of aiu, camp maintenance anu geneial social inuignities in such enviionments, many of the uisplaceu have shifteu to tiansitional shelteis with the help of humanitaiian agencies oi aie living with host families. 17S In paiticulai, the petitioneis challenging the Special Zone foi Beavy Inuustiies aie cuiiently iesiuing in tiansitional shelteis in Kattapaiichchan. 174 The conuitions in these tiansitional shelteis howevei aie not bettei anu many of the owneis of the lanu on which these shelteis aie built aie uemanuing back theii lanu.
17u 9:*$2 171 Development Ousts Tamil Families from Sampoor, July 2012, Sunday Leader; accessed here: http:www.thesunuayleauei.lk2u12u722uevelopment-ousts-tamil-families-fiom-sampooi 172 Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alternatives commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 17S 9:*$2 174 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S4 www.cpalanka.oig In auuition to housing issues, the uisplaceu also face immense livelihoou challenges as uemonstiateu by uisplaceu fisheiman anu faimeis who aie living in tiansitional shelteis in Kattapaiichchan. 17S While theie aie 181 IBP families who eaineu a livelihoou thiough fishing piioi to uisplacement, only 2S of these families aie cuiiently able to fish in theii uisplaceu aiea. 176 Fuithei, these 2S families shaie one ienteu motoiboat anu S ienteu canoes, anu must woik in shifts as the iesiuents of Kattapaiichchan have piimaiy fishing iights. 177 With iegaiu to faiming it is impoitant to note the extent of pauuy fielus piesent anu available in Sampui with uisplaceu iesiuents saying theie weie appioximately 4uuu acies of agiicultuial lanu anu 4S tanks. 178 The goveinment offeieu seasonal passes to uisplaceu faimeis foi Suu acies; the cultivation of which enableu suppoit foi a laige poition of IBPs in Kattapaiichchan. 179
Bowevei, following the challenge of the Nay 2u12 uazette uemaicating a Special Zone foi Beavy Industries, the passes were revoked for the following Maha cultivation season. 18u The lack of faiming anu fishing oppoitunities means that many of the most vulneiable incluuing the elueily anu wiuows, have hau to tiavel to othei aieas in seaich of woik. 181 Theie has also been no assistance fiom the goveinment with iespect to pioviuing a substitute foi foou, as uiy iations weie stoppeu in Becembei 2u11. The IBPs theiefoie continue to live in poveity, anu without ieal livelihoou oppoitunities anu oiganiseu goveinment suppoit, aie foiceu to uepenu on assistance fiom otheis. 182 Theie have also been iepoits of intimiuation anu haiassment of IBPs who have voiceu theii neeu to ietuin incluuing those who have piotesteu anu litigateu, a funuamental iight of all citizens. 18S It is impeiative that all actois uesist fiom such acts anu that uue piocess is useu to ensuie lanu owneis aie alloweu to ietuin to theii lanu anu in the event lanu is acquiieu, the establisheu piocess is followeu.
While uevelopment and industry are necessary to grow Sri Lankas economy, it is imperative that such projects not be undertaken illegally without due process. The idea of public purpose is that land acquisitions occui with the public inteiest in minu, anu pioviue some benefit to the community uiiectly affecteu. In the case of Sampui, theie has been no consiueiation of the inteiest of the iesiuents who continue to insist on ietuin. As of now, if the intention of the goveinment is to iefuse ietuin to the iesiuents of Sampui, no iesettlement plans have been put to them. This of couise contiavenes the National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy, uiscusseu above. The IBPs fiom Sampui have been living in unceitainty since 2uu6, plagueu by poveity, a lack of peimanent housing anu livelihoou anu unable to ietuin to theii ancestial lanus. The goveinment must give piioiity to theii inteiests anu conceins when
17S 9:*$2 176 9:*$2 177 9:*$2 178 Sampurs displaced population yet await Nagenahira Navodaya, 27 March 2013, Vimarsanam vimansa; accesseu heie: http:vimaisanam-vimansa.oigiepoitsampuis-uisplaceu-population-yet- await-nagenahiia-navouaya 179 Mirak Raheem, Protiacteu Bisplacement, 0igent Solutions: Piospects foi Buiable Solutions foi Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alternatives commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 18u 9:*$2 181 9:*$2 182 9:*$2 18S 9:*$2 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S SS www.cpalanka.oig moving foiwaiu with piojects in the Special Zones foi Beavy Inuustiies, anu companies anu foieign goveinments must ask foi accountability on these issues befoie ueciuing to invest in these piojects.
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Befoie an analysis of cuiient lanu issues in Weli 0ya. it is necessaiy to fiist have an unueistanuing of the contextual histoiy. Since 1984, Nanal AiuWeli 0ya has been a place of seiious contention with iespect to goveinment-oichestiateu uemogiaphic shifts. Befoie 1984, almost all agiicultuial lanus in the then Manal Aru area were occupied by either Tamil villages or were held under long term lease by Tamil inuividuals and business concerns. 184 Staiting in 1984 howevei, most of these Tamil settleis weie uiiven out by militaiy officials in the aiea anu Sinhalese settleis weie ieciuiteu by the militaiy to settle in these villages. 18S It has been noteu that these activities appeaieu to have been conuucteu by the militaiy, sepaiate fiom any civil auministiation in the aiea. 186 uiven the stiategic impoitance of Weli 0ya as a boiuei town between the Noith anu East it is piesumeu that the militaiy chose to establish a Sinhalese settlement theie as a buffei to militant activities. 187
This all happeneu unuei the guise of the Nahaweli Bevelopment Authoiities, who incluueu Nanal Aiu in what was calleu the Nahaweli System L. 188 Significantly though, Nahaweli System L uiu not actually come into opeiation until Apiil 1988, anu uiffeieu fiom the pievious Nahaweli schemes which while piomoting Sinhalese settlement, still benefiteu the local Tamil anu Nuslim civilians. 189 In this case, by 198S almost all Tamil civilians in the Nanal Aiu aiea hau been uiiven out uue to violence anu militaiy piessuie. 19u In 1988, a iepoiteu S,S64 families weie given lanu in System L, with a laige majoiity of the families being Sinhalese. 191 The Sinhalese settleis who weie biought in to live in Weli 0ya then faceu continuous attacks by the LTTE, anu expeiienceu multiple waves of uisplacement. 192 Fuithei, the uevelopment pioposeu by the Nahaweli System L to biing watei to the aiea, was not followeu thiough,
184 0niveisity Teacheis foi Buman Rights (}affna), From Manal Aaru to Weli Oya and the Spirit of July 1983 September 15 1993 18S 9:*$2 186 9:*$2 187 University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna),From Manal Aaru to Weli Oya and the Spirit of July 1983 September 15 1993 188 Nahaweli Authoiity of Sii Lanka: http:www.mahaweli.gov.lk 189 University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna),From Manal Aaru to Weli Oya and the Spirit of July 1983 September 15 1993; Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka: http://www.mahaweli.gov.lk 19u 0niveisity Teacheis for Human Rights (Jaffna),From Manal Aaru to Weli Oya and the Spirit of July 1983 September 15 1993 191 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 192 0niversity Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna),From Manal Aaru to Weli Oya and the Spirit of July 1983 September 15 1993; Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alteinatives commissioneu by the Noiwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S6 www.cpalanka.oig anu the settleis enuuieu many haiuships as a iesult. 19S Foi example, settleis fiom the villages of Nonaiaweewa anu uajabapuia in Weli 0ya weie uisplaceu in 1999 as a consequence of the continueu violence anu many went to live in a tempoiaiy IBP welfaie centie in Boialukanua while otheis went to live with family in othei aieas. 194 As of }une 2uu7, theie weie 124 families (4S8 peisons) living in the Boialukanua welfaie centie, anu cuiiently theie aie 1S2 families still living in what is now the Boialukanua colony. 19S The colony aiose out of a uecision maue by the then Piesiuent Chanuiika Kumaiayunge when she visiteu the Boialukanua Welfaie Centie in 2uuS anu oiueieu that all of the tempoiaiy shelteis be conveiteu to peimanent housing. 196 Theie weie many issues that aiose out of this spontaneous conveision, anu the lack of planning has iesulteu in seveial pioblems foi the uisplaceu peisons. Foiemost, was the lack of livelihoou oppoitunities, with the absence of an iiiigation scheme, anu pievention fiom access to the local tank foi fishing, given the competition fiom the host community who saw them as outsiders. 197
In Septembei 2u11, the Sinhalese families who weie uisplaceu fiom Nonaiaweewa anu uajabapuia in Weli 0ya ietuineu to the aiea. 198 The lanu they ietuineu to howevei was quite uiffeient fiom that which they hau left, with almost all of the infiastiuctuie having been wipeu out by the wai. 199 The Nahaweli Bevelopment Authoiity hau given an unueitaking to these families that they woulu be pioviueu with 1.S acies of lanu, but in ieality they weie only pioviueu with an aiea that was 4um by Sum. 2uu Fuithei, these aieas appeai to have veiy little livelihoou oppoitunities, anu the same iiiigation-ielateu issues that faceu settleis in the 8us anu 9us iemain.
Bespite the challenges facing ietuinees anu the majoi absence of uevelopment oi infiastiuctuie, the goveinment seems intent on biinging in as many new Sinhalese settleis as possible to the aiea. As of Apiil 2u1S, it was iepoiteu that appioximately 48uu Sinhala families hau been biought to Weli 0ya anu that Piesiuent Nahinua Rajapaksha on a visit to the aiea on Apiil 2u th , instiucteu goveinment officeis to speeu up the settlement piocess. 2u1 It was iepoiteu in 0ctobei 2u1S that the Nahaweli Authoiity was
19S CPA Field Research, December 2012; Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alteinatives commissioneu by the Noiwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 194 9:*$2 19S 9:*$2 196 Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alternatives commissioneu by the Noiwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 197 CPA Field Research, December 2012; Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alternatives commissioneu by the Noiwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 198 9:*$2 199 9:*$2 2uu 9:*$2 2u1 ;"', >*#$*#? 50A-5, -# ,@0 50'0#, ,0#+*-#+ :0,I00# /)+1*E+ "#$ J"E*1+ *# /)11*="I"1"*. Womens Action Netwoik, 28 Apiil 2u1S Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S7 www.cpalanka.oig even attempting to cleai piotecteu foiest ieseives in Weli 0ya to piocuie lanu foi moie settlements. 2u2
Bowevei, by the same token, Tamils who weie uisplaceu fiom the aiea befoie 1984, have not been given the same benefits. 2uS Ceitain iepoits have even allegeu that Tamil faimeis who weie uisplaceu piioi to 1984 anu who iecently tiieu to iesettle in the aiea, have been foibiuuen by the local officials fiom cultivating theii pauuy fielus anu have been chaseu out by othei Sinhalese settleis. Theie aie also questions as to what foim of lanu uocumentation was given to the Sinhala settleis who weie biought to the aiea.
It is impoitant to place these actions in context. In 0ctobei 2u11, the goveinment placeu the Weli 0ya Division Secretariat for administrative purposes under the Mullaitivu District Secreteriat 2u4 , sepaiating it fiom the Anuiauhapuia Bistiict uespite much of the population piefeiiing to be auministeieu by the Anuiauhapuia Bistiict. 2uS This action maue Nullaitivu the aiea with the seconu-highest peicentage of Sinhalese peisons in the Noith (18.1%), accoiuing to the 2u11 census when theie weie S,966 people in Weli 0ya. 2u6 uiven that iecent iepoits suggest the population of Weli 0ya has giown to 48uu families, with an ambitious plan of settling many moie, questions must be askeu about the intention of the goveinment to inciease the Sinhala population in the aiea. 2u7
Theie weie conceins as to whethei such new settlements woulu impact elections, paiticulaily the NPC elections iecently helu in Septembei 2u1S. uiven that in 2u11, the total numbei of voteis in Nullaitivu was SS,771, incluuing Weli 0ya, the incoipoiation of Weli 0ya into the uistiict uiu have an impact on the Septembei elections. 2u8 Nullaitivu has an allocation of S seats out of a total of S8 seats foi the NPC 2u9 , anu thus it appeaieu befoie the election that the incoipoiation of Weli 0ya into Nullaitivu woulu ensuie that the paity in goveinment at the centie the 0niteu Peoples Fieeuom Alliance (0PFA) -woulu win at least one seat. As it tianspiieu, the 0PFA won 1 out of the S seats in the Nullaitivu Bistiict, miiioiing the uemogiaphic change causeu by the incoipoiation of Weli 0ya into the Nullaitivu Bistiict. 21u
Anothei impoitant issue that must be iaiseu with iespect to Weli 0ya is the iole of the militaiy anu government actors. According to a report by the Womens Action Network in April 2013: Sinhala
2u2 http:www.nation.lkeuitionnews-onlineitem22u99-mahaweli-authoiity-tiying-to-cleai-foiest- ieseives.html 2uS ;"', >*#$*#? 50A-5, -# ,@0 50'0#, ,0#+*-#+ :0,I00# /)+1*E+ "#$ J"E*1+ *# /)11*="I"1"*. Womens Action Netwoik, 28 Apiil 2u1S 2u4 Welioya goes to Mullaitivu, 18 0ctobei 2u11, Baily Niiioi 2uS CPA Field Research, December 2012; Mirak Raheem, Protracted Displacement, Urgent Solutions: Prospects for Durable Solutions for Protracted IDPs in Sri Lanka, Centre for Policy Alternatives commissioneu by the Noiwegian Refugee Council, Septembei 2u1S 2u6 Bi. Rajasigham Naienuian, Post-wai Noithein Piovince: Some facts anu fallacies, http:ubsjeyaiaj.comubsjaichivesS1u1 2u7 ;"', >*#$*#? 50A-5, -# ,@0 50'0#, ,0#+*-#+ :0,I00# /)+1*E+ "#$ J"E*1+ *# /)11*="I"1"*. Womens Action Netwoik, 28 Apiil 2u1S 2u8 Bepaitment of Elections: http:www.slelections.gov.lkep.html 2u9 Fielu Repoit: }affna anu Kilinochchi Bistiicts, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Apiil 2u1S 21u http:www.uailymiiioi.lknewsinfogiaphicsS6u78-piovincial-council-elections-2u1S--iesults- anu-piefeiential-votes-noithein-piovince.html Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S8 www.cpalanka.oig settlement is taking place unuei the tight fist of the goveinoi, specially appointeu militaiy officeis anu Sinhala government officers in these two areas. Even NGOs cant have access to Weli Oya and Thalapogaswewa without the piioi peimission from respective District Secretariats. 211 With the enu of the wai, theie is no ieason why the militaiy shoulu continue to iemain involveu in civilian affaiis, anu theii piesence can only uistoit, iesettlement effoits.
Fuithei, theie appeais to be no ieason why the goveinment shoulu not consiuei the giievances of Tamil civilians who weie foicibly evicteu fiom the aiea piioi to 1984, especially noting that the goveinment is bringing in busloads of new settlers. Perceptions of government action are just as impoitant as the tiue intentions behinu those actions, anu in oiuei to finu sustainable peace anu ieconciliation, the goveinment must be peiceiveu by all citizens as acting in theii best inteiest. By puisuing aggiessive colonisation effoits that favoui one ethnicity anu uisiegaiu anothei, the goveinment is giving weight to feais that they aie tiying to shift uemogiaphics of a iegion. as occuiieu in the 198us when the Nahaweli System L pioject commenceu. 212 This feai was aiticulateu by the leauei of the TNA, R.Sampanathan in an auuiess on S Septembei 2uu7 where he stated: You want to create a Sinhalese district between Tiincomalee anu Nullaitivu bieaking the Tamil linguistic continuity in such a way that you think you aie going to finu peace. This is what happeneu when you cieateu Nanal Aiu (Weli 0ya) which you aie still fighting over. 21S
The Weli 0ya case iaises questions as to how the Cential uoveinment is using state lanu to change uemogiaphics in the aiea. While it is not cleai whethei piivate lanu is in question, infoimation gatheieu by CPA inuicates that peimit lanu pieviously given to Tamil faimeis is now being given to Sinhala faimeis. While this is not a cleai cut case of lanu acquisition oi lanu giab as seen in the two pievious cases, the uiffeient methous useu to change lanu contiol neeu to be noteu. The Weli 0ya case is unique in that a cential goveinment actoi is the key actoi with no iole foi local actois on lanu alienation. It is also notewoithy that ethnicisation is eviuent as piefeience is given to the Sinhala community, olu anu new gioups, with little attention given to the Tamil community.
This pattein is also noteu in neaiby vavuniya Noith wheie Tamil villageis ietuining to theii lanu following uisplacement have founu Sinhalese faimeis cultivating theii lanu with peimission fiom the Nahaweli Authoiity who they claim have given them the lanu on lease. 214 The Tamil villageis iepoiteu that subsequently Sinhalese officials visiting the aiea in 2u1u instiucteu them to cleai jungle aiea in Nullaitivu Bistiict anu begin faiming theie uespite that lanu being quite fai anu not piefeiable to the
211 ;"', >*#$*#? 50A-5, -# ,@0 50'0#, ,0#+*-#+ :0,I00# /)+1*E+ "#$ J"E*1+ *# /)11*="I"1"*. Womens Action Netwoik, 28 Apiil 2u1S 212 S.I Keethaponcalan, Social Cubism: A Compiehensive Look at the Causes of Conflict in Sii Lanka. 8 ILSA }. Int'l & Comp. L. 921 (2uu1-2uu2) 21S By }.S. Tissainayagam ,Ramifications of lanu alienation in the East, The Sunuay Times 0nline Telescope Column, 16 Septembei 2uu7, quoting an auuiess on S Septembei 2uu7 by TNA leauei, R. Sampanathan 214 Bhavani Fonseka & Niiak Raheem, Lanu in the Noithein Piovince: Post-Wai Politics, Policy anu Piactices, Centie foi Policy Alteinatives, Becembei 2u11 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S S9 www.cpalanka.oig villagers own lands. 21S While some of these faimeis weie latei tolu by goveinment officials they coulu ieclaim theii lanu, it is uncleai whethei that piocess has in fact happeneu oi whethei they continue to face obstacles. 216
The evidence of Sinhalisation in Weli Oya is a pattern that must be noteu with concein. It is being iepoiteu in othei uistiicts in the countiy as well. Repoits fiom the aiea highlight anothei situation of accelerated settlement of new Sinhalese families into othei aieas of the Noithein piovince incluuing the aiea of Kalabogaswewa, cuiiently auministeieu by the vavuniya South BS Bivision. 217 This aiea until the end of the war was known as Kokkunchaankulam, a Tamil area that was administered by the vavuniya Noith BS. Fiom 2u12 to 2u1S, 2,484 families weie settleu in the aiea, anu inteiviews inuicate that they weie all lanuless Sinhalese families fiom the Cential anu Southein piovinces. 218
A fuithei concein iaiseu with these new settlements is the involvement of the militaiy. CPA has been infoimeu of an inciuent wheie lanus hau been iecently given to 8u Sinhala families in Agbopuia village anu 1u6 Tamil families in Kaiuppanichchankulam village in the vavuniya BS uivision. 219 In these two cases, lanu hau been given to the people by the militaiy anu the civil auministiation hau not been involveu in the lanu alienation. It must be set out that the militaiy has no foimal iole in lanu alienation in accoiuance with existing legislation. This piocess is stiictly within the puiview of the civil auministiation as pioviueu in the piesent legal fiamewoik. Whilst this is the law of the lanu, this example is yet anothei that highlights the giounu iealities in the Noith anu East.
The lanu giabs, along the lines uiscusseu in the pievious two cases may not be eviuent in Weli 0ya. The iole of the cential goveinment anu its agents in manipulating anu contiolling lanu anu the eviuence of Sinhalisation raises serious conceins as to what is planneu foi the aiea. CPA notes with concein the issues iaiseu in the Weli 0ya case anu the iole of the state. Weli 0ya ieinfoices feais of the minoiity community, both Tamil anu Nuslim, that lanu eithei belonging to oi contiolleu by them foi uecaues can be taken away via state policy. Such piactices can happen without any public knowleuge oi uebate, with no infoimation available publicly to sheu light on the natuie of lanu alienation, the histoiy of lanu contiol in the aiea anu the plight of those affecteu.
21S 9:*$2 216 9:*$2 217 Infoimation shaieu by an oiganisation woiking in the Noith, Novembei 2u1S 218 9:*$2 219 Infoimation ieceiveu fiom paitneis in the Noith, Novembei 2u1S. Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
The piesent policy biief highlights some tienus anu piactices in the Noith anu East. The uistuibing tienus emeiging fiom the aiea ieveal a system in place that uses uiffeient tactics anu stiategies to uispossess anu uisplace people fiom theii lanus anu intiouuce new settlements. This will have long teim implications foi lanu owneiship patteins in the aiea anu theieby impact uemogiaphics in an aiea that was pieviously uominateu by the minoiities.
The involvement of the state anu its agents to acquiie anu alienate lanu in the Noith anu East anu the natuie anu pace at which it is piesently occuiiing iaises funuamental questions about the status of lanu, whethei a lanu is state oi piivate anu its implications foi owneiship tienus. These questions also have fai-ieaching implications foi uevolution anu goveinance in the aiea, begging the question of whethei tienus of fuithei centialisation anu militaiisation iegaiuing lanu issues aie signs of things to come anu accoiuingly key impeuiments to ieconciliation anu unity. Although the piesent policy biief is naiiow in its focus on uiffeient tienus on lanu acquisitions anu ielateu issues, the implications aie significant anu cannot be ignoieu. It is time to take stock of giounu iealities anu initiate iefoim.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 61 www.cpalanka.oig )*%"^^*01/,$"0- The Thiiteenth Amenument to the Constitution shoulu be fully implementeu; ensuiing lanu is uevolveu to the Piovincial Councils. The National Lanu Commission shoulu be establisheu immeuiately. Legal anu policy iefoim ielateu to lanu shoulu be uone in confoimity with the Thiiteenth Amenument anu in a tianspaient anu paiticipatoiy mannei. The Ninistiy of Lanus shoulu make public the piogiess maue with the Lanu Ciiculai (2u1S1) incluuing the status of lanu alienations in the Noith anu East. Lanu alienation anu othei auministiative functions shoulu be the sole iesponsibility of the civil auministiation anu in accoiuance with the legal fiamewoik. Nake public the legal basis foi the cieation of the PTF, pioviuing claiity on its functions anu iole in the post wai context, anu explain the neeu foi such an entity in the piesent context. The uoveinment shoulu make public anu wiuely publicise all policies, ciiculais, gazettes anu othei uocuments foimulateu in ielation to lanu in the Noith anu East as well as the iest of the countiy. Existing policies such as the NIRP shoulu be full implementeu anu incoipoiateu into goveinment anu uonoi piojects. The uoveinment shoulu publicly pioviue infoimation conceining uevelopment anu othei plans that iequiie lanus in the Noith anu East. This shoulu incluue special piojects such as the Nahaweli Bevelopment Scheme, touiist piojects anu any piojects wheie lanu is iequiieu foi a militaiy piesence. A compiehensive suivey shoulu be conuucteu to map the status of lanus in the Noith anu East which is complementeu by an initiative by the Ninistiy of Lanus to iuentify what is state lanu veisus piivate lanu. Such a suivey shoulu involve local officials anu be conuucteu tianspaiently. Finuings fiom the suivey shoulu be maue public foi comments by affecteu communities anu othei inteiesteu paities. Lanu uocuments that aie lost, uestioyeu oi uamageu shoulu be ieplaceu. This entails a compiehensive ieview of lanu uocumentation foi both state anu piivate lanu anu investigations of whethei lanu is state oi piivately owneu. Bemilitaiisation in the Noith anu East shoulu commence immeuiately. This incluues halting the involvement of the militaiy in civil auministiation. An assessment shoulu be uone by the civil auministiation on the militaiy occupation in Sii Lanka in Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 62 www.cpalanka.oig oiuei to iuentify a stiategy foi ietuining lanu to its iightful owneis. This assessment shoulu examine uamage causeu to aieas that have been occupieu by the militaiy anu iecommenu a scheme foi compensation. Theie shoulu be a infoimation campaign which infoims the public on the ieasons foi occupation of the aieas still unuei militaiy occupation. Aieas to be acquiieu by the goveinment shoulu be acquiieu in accoiuance with the Lanu Acquisition Act. Aieas that aie not yet legally acquiieu shoulu be accessible to legal owneis. Retuin initiatives shoulu suppoit all communities who aie uisplaceu anu not uiffei by ethnicity oi any othei ieasons. Attention shoulu be placeu on ietuin piogiammes anu lanu alienation; contextualizeu by sensitivities aiounu claims of attempts at colonization anu Sinhalisation. Retuin initiatives shoulu be the sole iesponsibility of the civil auministiation anu not be influenceu by political anu militaiy aspects. Relocation shoulu be a last option anu the authoiities shoulu pioviue infoimation on all options available to affecteu communities.
Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 6S www.cpalanka.oig /::>Q $ $:D>A:8D;<:8G !<G;HI %<:=;P>A8D;<:= While this biief focuses piimaiily on an analysis of uomestic law anu policy, it is necessaiy to consiuei inteinational policy. which has a ielevance on lanu iights in Sii Lanka. The Annex biiefly examines key inteinational conventions anu ueclaiations that aie ielevant to the focus of this policy biief, setting out the obligations of the goveinment pioviueu by the inteinational fiamewoik. It also examines iecent statements maue by the inteinational community in ielation to Sii Lanka wheie theie is a focus on lanu iights. As set out in this section, the inteinational policy fiamewoik anu the governments own obligations anu piomises to the inteinational community pioviue a compiehensive fiamewoik foi the iespect of lanu iights. ,A>8D;>=. %<:9>:D;<:= 8:P !A<D<H<G=
Sii Lanka has been a membei of the 0niteu Nations since 19SS anu is cuiiently a signatoiy to the following tieaties anu conventions that impact on its lanu piactises 22u : Inteinational Covenant on Civil anu Political Rights (ICCPR) Inteinational Convention on the Elimination of all foims of iacial uisciimination Inteinational Covenant on Economic, Social anu Cultuial Rights (ICESCR) Theie aie seveial aiticles in the afoiementioneu tieaties anu conventions that impact uiiectly upon Sii Lankas current land acquisition practices anu cieate obligations that Sii Lanka is cuiiently not fulfilling.
In the context of lanu acquisitions, Aiticle 12 of the ICCPR is paiticulaily notewoithy: 3)+&'%/ 45 1. Eveiyone lawfully within the teiiitoiy of a State shall, within that teiiitoiy, have the iight to libeity of movement anu fieeuom to choose his iesiuence. 2. Eveiyone shall be fiee to leave any countiy, incluuing his own. S. The above-mentioneu iights shall not be subject to any iestiictions except those which aie pioviueu by law, aie necessaiy to piotect national secuiity, public oiuei (oiuie public), public health oi moials oi the iights anu fieeuoms of otheis, anu aie consistent with the othei iights iecognizeu in the piesent Covenant. 4. No one shall be aibitiaiily uepiiveu of the iight to entei his own countiy.
Also ielevant, is Aiticle 1 in both the ICCPR anu ICESCR:
22u http:www.unhchi.chtbsuoc.nsfNewhvvAllSPRByCountiy.0penview&Stait=1&Count=2Su&Exp anu=164#164 Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 64 www.cpalanka.oig 3)+&'%/ 4 2. All peoples may, foi theii own enus, fieely uispose of theii natuial wealth anu iesouices without piejuuice to any obligations aiising out of inteinational economic co-opeiation, baseu upon the piinciple of mutual benefit, anu inteinational law. In no case may a people be uepiiveu of its own means of subsistence. Anu finally with significant impoitance in the context of claims of lanu ieuistiibution schemes along ethnic lines is Aiticle S (u) (v) of the Inteinational Convention on the Elimination of All Foims of Racial Bisciimination: 3)+&'%/ 6 In compliance with the funuamental obligations laiu uown in aiticle 2 of this Convention, State Paities unueitake to piohibit anu to eliminate iacial uisciimination in all its foims anu to guaiantee the iight of eveiyone, without uistinction as to iace, coloui, oi national oi ethnic oiigin, to equality befoie the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following iights. (d) Other civil rights, in particular: (v) The right to own property alone as well as in association with others;
By failing to auheie to these aiticles the uoveinment is ieneging on its obligations as a signatoiy to these tieaties. This has consequences at the iespective tieaty-monitoiing bouies. It is impeiative that Sii Lanka honoui its commitment to the piinciples laiu out in these tieaties, anu ie-foimulate its lanu acquisition piocesses in confoimity with the piinciples of justice anu inteinational law.
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In auuition to the above tieaties anu conventions, an impoitant fiamewoik that sets out stanuaius to be followeu by goveinments in hanuling situations of inteinal uisplacement is The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. 221 These piinciples weie placeu befoie the 0N Buman Rights Commission in 1998 anu since then have been continuously iefeienceu in iesolutions unanimously auopteu by the ueneial Assembly. 222 In 2uuS at the Woilu Summit they weie foimally iecognizeu as "an impoitant inteinational fiamewoik foi the piotection of inteinally uisplaceu peisons." 22S
The piinciples notably set out that peisons shoulu be piotecteu against aibitiaiy uisplacement fiom theii homes anu uefines aibitiaiy uisplacement to incluue policies aimeu at shifting uemogiaphic compositions of a population and cases of large-scale uevelopment piojects, which aie not justifieu by
221 http:www.iupguiuingpiinciples.oig 222 http:www.iupguiuingpiinciples.oig 22S http:www.iupguiuingpiinciples.oig Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 6S www.cpalanka.oig compelling and overriding public interests. 224 Fuithei anu in line with the National Involuntaiy Resettlement Policy auopteu by Sii Lanka anu uesciibeu above, Piinciple 7 sets out that: Prior to any decision requiring the displacement of persons, the authorities concerned shall ensuie that all feasible alteinatives aie exploieu in oiuei to avoiu uisplacement altogethei. Wheie no alteinatives exist, all measuies shall be taken to minimize uisplacement anu its adverse effects.
These piinciples impoitantly establish that the iesponsibility foi pioviuing foi the iights anu piotection of inteinally uisplaceu peisons iests with the goveinment anu that this iesponsibility must be caiiieu out even thiough times of aimeu conflict anu emeigency. Especially, since Sii Lanka is no longei in a situation of active aimeu conflict oi emeigency, it is necessaiy that the goveinment ie-evaluate its lanu policies to auheie to the uuiuing Piinciples anu its fiamewoik. As was seen in the chaptei on case stuuies, it is abunuantly cleai that the governments current land acquisition practices pay little attention to the effects on uisplaceu peisons anu in ceitain instances. even leau to fuithei uisplacement.
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Anothei inteinational fiamewoik that is both impoitant anu ielevant to lanu acquisitions in Sii Lanka aie what aie known as the Pineheiio Piinciples, nameu aftei the Special Rappoiteui who leau theii uevelopment. The Pinheiio piinciples aie uesigneu to pioviue guiuance to goveinments, 0N agencies, Nu0s anu otheis in hanuling issues on piopeity, lanu anu iestitution to uisplaceu peisons anu iefugees post-conflict. The piinciples weie foimally enuoiseu by the Sub-Commission on the Piomotion anu Piotection of Buman Rights -an auvisoiy bouy to the 0N Commission on Buman Rights that existeu at the time- in August of 2uuS. The piinciples aie centieu in inteinational human iights anu humanitaiian law, anu pioviue a compiehensive look at one of the majoi issues conceining uisplacement.
This brief would especially like to draw attention to principle 5, The right to be protecteu fiom displacement, set out below: S.1 Eveiyone has the iight to be piotecteu against being aibitiaiily uisplaceu fiom his oi hei home, lanu oi place of habitual iesiuence. S.2 States shoulu incoipoiate piotections against uisplacement into uomestic legislation, consistent with inteinational human iights anu humanitaiian law anu ielateu stanuaius, anu shoulu extenu those piotections to eveiyone within theii legal juiisuiction oi effective contiol. S.S States shall piohibit foiceu eviction, uemolition of houses anu uestiuction of agiicultuial aieas anu the aibitiaiy confiscation of expiopiiation of lanu as a punitive measuie oi as a means oi methou of wai.
224 Piinciple 6 of the uuiuing Piinciples on Inteinal Bisplacement; http:www.iupguiuingpiinciples.oig Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 66 www.cpalanka.oig S.4 States shall take steps to ensuie that no one is subjecteu to uisplacement by eithei State oi non-State actois. States shall also ensuie that inuiviuuals, coipoiations, anu othei entities within theii legal juiisuiction oi effective contiol iefiain fiom caiiying out oi otheiwise paiticipation in uisplacement.
In the Sii Lankan context, the goveinment must consiuei the Pinheiio piinciples when foimulating lanu anu lanu acquisition policies.
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The 0niveisal Peiiou Review (0PR) is a tool that was cieateu thiough the 0N Secuiity Council in 2uu6 anu involves a piocess of ieviewing the human iights iecoiu of all 0N membei states. The 0PR is conuucteu by a woiking gioup of membei states but allows foi any membei states to paiticipate in the piocess if they wish. The woiking gioup ultimately publishes a iepoit with iecommenuations to the State in question anu the iepoit is auopteu, theieaftei, by the Buman Rights Council. The State is then expected to follow through on the recommendations. The UPR is currently in its second cycle of reviews anu Sii Lanka has been ievieweu twice, in 2uu8 anu again in 2u12. 22S
The iecommenuations set out in the 0PR outline ciitical aieas in human iights that Sii Lanka must auuiess in oiuei to comply with inteinational law anu human iights noims. The section below highlights the iecommenuations `both those enuoiseu anu not enuoiseu by Sii Lanka` that peitain to lanu anu uisplacement issues. Sri Lankas Universal Period Review (201L\ LL]
0PR (2u12) Recommenuations: NLc [A>H<JJ>:P8D;<:= -A; #8:?8 8HH>TD=\U 127. 94 Ensure the protection of IDPs rights to voluntaiy anu safe ietuin to auequate iestitution by, intei alia, putting in place anu implementing long-teim housing anu piopeity iestitution policies that comply with inteinational stanuaius (Finlanu); 127.9S. Ensuie legal owneiship anu ietuin oi iestitution of houses anu lanus to inteinally uisplaceu peisons, accoiuing to inteinational stanuaius (Boly See); 127.99 Continue measuies unueiway to auuiess lanu issues, incluuing amenuing the Piesciiption 0iuinance, wheieby uisplaceu lanuowneis will be able to uefeat the auveise claims baseu on the iunning of time (Bhutan);
22S The 0niveisal Peiiouic Reviews incluue the following uocuments: National Repoit, Compilation of 0N information, Summary of stakeholders information, questions submitteu in auvance, Auuenuums, 0utcome of the Review anu Repoit of the Woiking uioup. 226 http:www.ohchi.oigENBRBouies0PRPagesLKSession14.aspx Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 67 www.cpalanka.oig NLX [A>H<JJ>:P8D;<:= -A; #8:?8 A>Z>HD>P\U 128.SS. Implement the constiuctive iecommenuations of the LLRC, incluuing the iemoval of the militaiy fiom civilian functions, cieation of mechanisms to auuiess cases of the missing anu uetaineu, issuance of ueath ceitificates, lanu iefoim; uevolution of powei; anu uisaiming paiamilitaiies (0niteu States of Ameiica) Sri Lankas Universal Period Review (2008) LLc
XL [)>H<JJ>:P8D;<:= -A; #8:?8 >:P<A=>P\ S2. Take the measuies necessaiy to ensuie the ietuin anu iestitution of housing anu lanus in confoimity with inteinational stanuaius foi inteinally uisplaceu peisons (Belgium);
SS. Take measuies to piotect the iights of IBPs, incluuing long-teim housing anu piopeity iestitution policies that meet inteinational stanuaius, anu piotecting the iights to a voluntaiy, safe ietuin anu auequate iestitution (Finlanu);
S4. (a) Auopt necessaiy measuies to safeguaiu the human iights of IBPs in accoiuance with applicable inteinational stanuaius anu that paiticulai emphasis be given *#,05 "1*" to inciease infoimation shaiing as well as consultation effoits to ieuuce any sense of insecuiity of the IBPs; (b) facilitate ieintegiation of IBPs in aieas of ietuin anu (c) take measuies to ensuie the piovision of assistance to IBPs anu the piotection of human iights of those pioviuing such assistance (Austiia);
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In Naich of 2u12 anu 2u1S 228 two iesolutions on Sii Lanka was auopteu the 0N Buman Rights Council. By all counts these iesolutions weie wateieu uown in teims of human iights piotection anu accountability. Nonetheless, the iesolutions calleu on Sii Lanka to implement the iecommenuations of the LLRC anu affiim its commitment to inteinational law by upholuing inteinational human iights piinciples. )>T<AD 8:P -D8D>J>:D KI 50 3;C7 %<JJ;==;<:>A <F 3RJ8: );C7D=
In Febiuaiy of 2u1S the 0ffice of the 0N Bigh Commissionei on Buman Rights ieleaseu a iepoit in the twenty-seconu session of the 0N Buman Rights Council as pait of auvice on the iesolution to be passeu on Sii Lanka, which cleaily outlines many of the ongoing contiauictions in Sii Lankan policy ielating to
227 http:www.ohchi.oigENBRBouies0PRPagesLKSession2.aspx 228 Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council in Nineteenth Session on S
Apiil 2u12, accesseu heie: http:uaccess-uus- ny.un.oiguocRES0L0TI0NuENu1212671PBFu1212671.puf.0penElement; Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council in Twenty-Seconu session on 9 Apiil 2u1S, accesseu heie: http:uaccess-uus- ny.un.oiguoc0NB0CuENu1S127SSPBFu1S127SS.puf.0penElement Politics, Policies Anu Piactices With Lanu Acquisitions Anu Relateu Issues In The Noith Anu East 0f Sii Lanka
%>:DA> F<A !<G;HI /GD>A:8D;9>= | Novembei 2u1S 68 www.cpalanka.oig human iights. Notably, the Commissionei highlighteu the failuie of the uoveinment to follow thiough in action on iecommenuations set out in the National Action Plan foi the Piotection anu Piomotion of Buman Rights anu the LLRC iecommenuations. Fuithei, the Commissionei specifically highlighteu land grabs as one of the main issues in the context of lanu-ielateu challenges. The Commissionei also uiew attention to the issues of militaiisation in Sii Lanka anu noteu that a seiious issues is that of militaiy occupation wheie it is uncleai whethei uue piocess foi acquisition is being followeu. The High Commissioners statement at the end of her trip to Sii Lanka in August 2u1S sets the tone on the piesent human iights situation in Sii Lanka. Bei comments on lanu anu militaiisation iecho the finuings of this iepoit anu shoulu be consiueieu by all ielevant actois: I was conceineu to heai about the uegiee to which the militaiy appeais to be putting uown ioots anu becoming involveu in what shoulu be civilian activities, foi instance euucation, agiicultuie anu even touiism. I also heaiu complaints about the acquisition of piivate lanu to builu militaiy camps anu installations, incluuing a holiuay iesoit. This is only going to make the complex lanu issues with which the uoveinment has been giappling even moie complicateu anu uifficult to iesolve. Cleaily, the aimy neeus some camps, but the pievalence anu level of involvement of soluieis in the community seem much gieatei than is neeueu foi stiictly militaiy oi ieconstiuction puiposes foui yeais aftei the enu of the wai. I unueistanu the Secietaiy of Befences point that the demobilisation of a significant piopoition of such a laige aimy cannot be uone oveinight, but uige the goveinment to speeu up its effoits to uemilitaiise these two wai-affecteu piovinces, as the continueu laige-scale piesence of the militaiy anu othei secuiity foices is seen by many as oppiessive anu intiusive, with the continuing high level of suiveillance of foimei combatants anu ietuinees at times veiging on haiassment. 229
The 0niteu Nations Buman Rights Council shoulu caiefully examine the High Commissioners statements anu iepoits on Sii Lanka anu piessuie the Sii Lankan goveinment to follow thiough on all of its iecommenuations, incluuing those peitaining to lanu. This section pioviues a glimpse into the inteinational fiamewoik that can be useu to pioviue piotection of land rights including an individuals right to own and access their land and not be forcibly displaced. The finuings of key inteinational actois confiim the finuings in the policy biief, highlighting the giave situation faced at the individual level of owning, accessing and occupying ones land and the larger issues of a political solution anu ieconciliation.