President chairs discussion on releasing lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a meeting at the Parliamentary Complex on Thursday to deliberate on the release of lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. These lands were seized from private owners and the local communities during the country's long-standing conflict and are no longer needed for security.

The President underscored the importance of securing the nation, while also emphasizing the necessity of determining which lands should remain under military control and which should be returned to their rightful owners.

He instructed the security forces to expedite the release and return of these lands, as well as any private lands that were initially designated for the establishment of military camps. Senior officials from the police and other relevant security authorities were present to discuss how best to implement these instructions.

President Dissanayake stressed the need for a people-centred approach to the land release process. He encouraged officials to consider the livelihood of the people who have lost their land and to release as much land as possible to them. To this end, he directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to introduce modern agricultural projects that can boost productivity and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for affected individuals.

Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara, and people's representatives from the Northern and Eastern Provinces attended the meeting. Senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the security forces, including the Commanders of the Tri-Forces and the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, also participated in the discussion to ensure the effective execution of the President's directives.