At least two former cadres of the LTTE are receiving treatment at a local hospital in Killinochchi after being brutally attacked and their houses badly damaged by forest officials, eyewitnesses say.
They were badly assaulted by the forest department officials when they tried to resettle in the housing project created for them.
A housing project was created in the year 2000 for about 45 former LTTE cadres in the Kaiveli area. However, due to the brutal war situation during the decade 2000-09, those families were forced to relocate to other areas.
Their efforts to resettle back in the area was not possible since the forest department has occupied the land and had placed marking posts. Local journalists say even the lands allotted under the housing project has been lost.
Many of the 45 families who were beneficiaries of the housing project have either died or settled in other places. About 20 families who were originally allotted the housing scheme tried to resettle back in the area the forest department officials stopped them from erecting makeshift accommodations there.
“On 12th July, the forest department officials came to our areas in the afternoon with guns, machetes, and poles and pulled down our houses,” the former LTTE cadres allege. They also said the forest protection officials came with Kerosene with a view to burning their huts.
A voice can be heard in a video at the scene repeatedly asking the forest officials “Why did you bring kerosene?”
Following the attack on them, the same day evening Puthukudiyiruppu (PTK) police in charge reached the spot and discussed the issue with the divisional secretary over the telephone. The police official also assured that he get a solution to the land issue duly discussing it with the local government official – Grama Niladhari.
The two individuals-former LTTE cadres- who were injured in the attack by the forest officials are receiving treatment at the PTK hospital.
