10 November 2023 12:38 am Views - 172
By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe
A group of journalists were obstructed from reporting the cattle farmers crisis in Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai at the recently setup Mayilathamadu checkpoint. Police officers and Sri Lanka Army personnel deployed at the checkpoint said that they were unable to allow anybody to visit the grazing lands situated bordering the Maduru Oya National Park as per the orders issued by Senior DIG Eastern Province Ajith Rohana.
The media team believes that this is a violation of their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression and publication (Article 14-1-a), freedom to engage in a lawful occupation (Article 14-1-g) and freedom of movement (Article 14-1-h), equal protection of the law (Article 12-1) and non-discrimination (article 12-2). This is also an offence against Article 332 of penal code (wrongful restraint)
Since 2013 cattle farmers in the Batticaloa district have been facing challenges over grazing lands following resettlement programmes. The matter aggravated after 2019 when people from Dehiattakandiya, Aralaganwila, Polonnaruwa and Ampara District were resettled on these lands. Over 25,000 hectares of government land are being used as grazing lands and dairy farming is a main livelihood in the Batticaloa district.
However over the recent few months, at least 5000 cows have been allegedly killed by these new settlers who claim that the cows are destroying their paddy and maize cultivations. One of the claims made is that these grazing lands come under the Divulapathana Divisional Secretariat but that is incorrect. For over 55 days, dairy farmers in Batticaloa have staged a protest and are demanding a viable solution for the matter. One of the suggestions made by farmers and civil society organisations is that divisional secretaries of Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa should come to a consensus on gazetting these lands.
At least 18 complaints have been filed at the Eravur Police in relation to this matter. 12 men and two women were arrested when they attempted to speak to President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a recent visit to Batticaloa. Six university students were arrested for supporting the farmers’ protest. However they were arrested while they were on their way back from the protest site.
The Mahaweli Authority too has filed a case against the new settlers in Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai. Many settlers claim that they had left their lands in Mayilathamadu during the height of the war. The Eravur magistrate court has therefore requested them to present evidence to support their claims. The case will be heard in courts today (November 10). The cases regarding the arrest of farmers during the President’s visit and the arrest of six university students will be heard on November 17.