PM assures no land acquisition in North and East, vows to restore ownership

Colombo, May 24 (Daily Mirror) - Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya affirmed today that the government has no intention of acquiring lands owned by residents of the Northern and Eastern provinces and is fully committed to restoring land ownership to rightful owners without delay.

She made these remarks during a discussion held in Committee Room No. 1 of Parliament, focused on addressing ongoing land ownership issues faced by people in the two provinces.

Parliamentarians representing the North and East raised concerns over longstanding public distrust stemming from past government practices in land matters. They noted that many rightful landowners lack proper documentation and highlighted the need for a transparent and trustworthy process to resolve these issues.

They also pointed out cases of fraudulent land acquisition and expressed confidence in the current government’s ability to provide fair solutions.

Reiterating the government’s position, Prime Minister Amarasuriya stressed that land ownership will only be granted through a legal and verified mechanism that removes public doubt. She firmly stated that the government has no plans to acquire land from the people under any circumstances.

The Prime Minister directed officials to engage in further discussions with affected communities and relevant stakeholders to identify a viable path forward and assured that necessary steps will be taken to address the issue.