With the support of a group of residents of the area, a Vanni-based Tamil representative has managed to drive out a group of public officials who attempted to occupy hundreds of acres of coastal land for sand mining. The officials’ attempt would have dealt a heavy blow to the livelihoods of the Tamil fishermen living in the war-affected region.
Regional correspondents said that on 31 July, 2024, officials of several public institutions had arrived in the Alampil beach to carry out tests with the intention of mining mineral sand in the Maritimepattu area in the Mullaitivu district.
According to former Northern Provincial Council Member Thurairasa Raviharan, who managed to thwart the attempt, the officials had visited the area to make plans in order to mine sand in a 750-acre coastal land area which would have denied fishermen in the area their livelihoods.
“They came to carry out tests in order to mine mineral sand between Alampil and Theerthakarai. Their plan was to mine sand up to a distance of 300 meters from the beach.”
Video footage of the incident shows the former Provincial Council member telling one official that authorities cannot take any decision with regard to land since the land is owned by the general public. He made these remarks when one official claimed that they visited the area after obtaining permission from the District Secretary.
When the official said “we came to have a look,” Raviharan and residents unanimously responded “there is no need even to look at our land”.
When another official questioned “are we not allowed to come?,” he received the answer; “as a public representative, I say you cannot”. After this response, the officials retreated.
When one official tried to provide an explanation in Sinhala, the former Provincial Council member asked him to speak in Tamil.
“If you cannot speak in Tamil, bring officials who can,” Raviharan said.
According to the former Provincial Council member, although it was possible to stop mineral sand mining in a 44-acre area belonging to 16 persons when the Provincial Council functioned, with the expiration of the Provincial Council’s tenure, sand mining in the land has resumed.
“When the Provincial Council was active, we protected a 44-acre land in Kokilai. But, after the Provincial Council’s tenure ended, sand mining started after building a fence. The area includes private land belonging to 16 persons. The owners do not have land now.”
On 12 February, 2022, those who had lost land launched a protest march in front of the Tamil mixed-gender public school in Kokilai. They marched to the estuary where mineral sand had been mined after the government occupied the 44-acre area, and staged a protest.
Journalists who provided media coverage on that day had photographed a name board in the background which read “Industries Ministry-Lanka Mineral Sands Limited-Kokilai.”
Alleging that the government’s motive is to remove fishermen from the coastal area, the former Provincial Council member pointed out that public officials carry out these activities without any consultation with the residents of the area.
“The plan is to mine sand from Kokilai to Alampil and from Alampil to Theerthakarai. If this plan is implemented, where are the people supposed to go? The motive of the departments operating under the government and state is to remove the people from the coastal area. They and their representatives or union leaders should have been called to reach a decision. These officials arrive at decisions after holding talks with the Government Agent and Provincial Secretary.”
If the actions of department officials result in the loss of Vanni fishermen’s livelihood, the former Provincial Council member warned, protests will be launched with the participation of thousands of people.
“Some people work on the beach. The motive is to put an end to their occupations. If these departments try to interfere with our livelihood, we will not allow it. We will have to gather tens of thousands of people and protest.”
Regional reporters added that the officials of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Lanka Mineral Sands Limited, Wildlife Conservation Department, Central Environment Authority, Irrigation Department, Dam Safety and Water Resources Planning Project, and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, as well as the Maritimepattu Provincial Secretariat’s land officer and the Grama Niladhari, left the area in the face of public opposition.
Video footage of the incident shows the public officials, who visited the area to inspect land for sand mining, taking photographs of the beachfront before leaving.
