14 May 2010 09:21 am
Residents of Slave Island whose houses were removed by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) recently, staged a protest along the streets to vent their anger over their eviction. The residents staged the protest amidst tight security despite the heavy rain.
Speaking at a protest held at the Lipton Circus SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem said that the Defence Secretary, who heads the UDA, did not have the right to forcibly evict people as he was not elected by the people but using the power that has been bestowed on him by his brother, President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He also said that they will take legal action against what has happened. “It is disgraceful the way they have been evicted. they should have atleast have been given one month instead of two hours,” he said
Western Provincial Councilor, Mujeebur Rahman who was present at the protest said that when the LTTE leader Prabhakaran asked the Muslims in the North to move out he had atleast given them 24 hours but the Defence Secretary has given them only two hours to move out..
Attorney at law Sghiraz Nurdeen who was at the protest said that a Fundamental Rights Case will be filed in the Supreme Court as well as another will be filed in the District Court over the eviction.
“The government has agreed to give these people Rs. 8,000 a month for a year and a further Rs. 5,000 to move their belongings,” he said. The Attorney also said that shops and houses were to be given within the year.
Pics by Varuna Wanniarchchi