The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Batticaloa, S Yogeswaran condemned what he described as Sinhala colonisation taking place in the Eastern province with the assistance of Buddhist clergy and the Sri Lankan army.
In a letter to District Government Agent for Batticaloa, M Uthayakumar, Mr Yogeswaran condemned plans to build a Buddhist centre in Punaanai, Batticaloa for newly settled Sinhala families.
"Under the guise of resettlement, Sinhala colonisation has happened," he wrote in his letter.
"In 1985 there were only five Sinhala families living in the Punaanai area, who were displaced during the conflict. However recently, the Sri Lankan army and Thimbulakalai Buddhist monks have helped to settle 25 Sinhala families near to Punaanai railway station where a Buddhist temple was recently build by a Ganesha temple. Now they are trying to build a Buddhist centre with the assistance of the Central Education Ministry and Ministry of Buddhist Affairs," the letter noted.
"This cannot be accepted. This a calculated attempt towards Sinhalisation," he further said.
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