The treachery tentacles of the archaeological department in Sri Lanka are spreading far and wide in Sri Lanka in particular the traditional homeland of the Tamils-the North & East- war-affected Tamils allege.
After continuing brazen land grabbing in the North under the guise of an archaeological site and said to be findings of Buddhist relics, the modus operandi of encircling land areas with the help of the state and installing a Buddha Statue, and constructing a makeshift Vihara has extended to the East now.
Now attempts were made to fire upon unarmed Tamil speaking minorities by those who accompanied Buddhist monks attempting to grab lands belonging to the Tamil and Muslim people in the Pulmoddai Ponmalaikuda region under the Kuchaveli divisional secretariat area in Trincomalee district.
Locals have protested against the activities of Buddhist monks involved in the forced land-grabbing attempts in and around the Ponmalai hill area rounding up the lands belonging to the Tamils and Muslims and attempting to install Buddha statues and construct a Vihara there.
While the Tamils and Muslims were protesting against the attempts to grab their lands were intimidated by those who accompanied the monks by brandishing their pistols on the first of April.
Traditionally Tamils and Muslims have lived together and carried on their trade in Pulmoddai. Both communities have lands in the Ponmalaikuda highland which is surrounded by the villages of Kothaavaditivu, Ponmalaikuda, Arisi malai, and Shafa Nagar. They also have set up tents in the area for their business.
On the 30th of March, the Chief Prelate of North & East and the Thamankaduwa Direction, and Chief Incumbent of Arisimalai Aranya Ven. Panamure Thilakawansa thero went to that place along with the military and the officials of the archaeological department to usurp that place by installing a Buddha statue. The locals gathered and protested against such a move on the day and subsequently on 1st April.
The said monk’s brother Sampath who is also his driver trespassed into the private land of a Pulmoddai farmer by cutting the fence and driving the vehicles inside. The local public gathered in support of the land owing farmer and protested against this trespassing and highhandedness of the monk and his associates.
As the protests began to gain strength the armed personnel of the Ministerial Security Division providing security to Panamure Tilakavansa thero brandished their pistols pointing at the protesters threatening them to shoot dead.
More than 30 people along with 15 military persons in civil dress accompanied by other Buddhist Monks with the planned intention of installing a Buddha statue at that place. As usual officials of the archaeological department were also present.
Land-owning local farmers have alleged for long that the supporters of the said monk would damage their crops time and often during the night. Moreover, they express concern that constant attempts are being made to evict them by intimidation.
Pulmoddai public also says the said monk Panamure Tilakavansa thero is continuously targeting the Tamil areas in Trincomalee and grabbing them with the tacit support of the army and archaeology department. As such efforts are on to evict the land owners from thousands of land pieces there claiming and identify them as Buddhist heritage sites, without the production of any valid legal, historic documents to prove their claims-locals say.
