Approximately 275 farming families in Batticaloa are still waiting for land deeds to be issued, despite having legally owned land and settled in the region since at least 1967.
The families had settled in Kaddumurivu in the Vaharai Division of Batticaloa under an agricultural expansion scheme and were given 3 acres of land each.
However, despite more than 50 years having passed since, the families have still not been issued land deeds. The issue has plagued the Tamil farmers for decades, rendering them unable to transfer land ownership to their children, or even apply for fertiliser subsidies and agricultural loans.
The villagers have raised the issue with the local Sri Lankan Government Agent, who responded by stating the land commissioner will work to resolve this issue.
The issue comes as else in the North-East, the Mahaweli Authority issued land permits to 8 Sinhalese settlers that have been squatting on Tamil-owned land in Mullaitivu, defying a court order to return the lands to their original owners.