Army returns 120.89 acres of civilian land in the North

The Sri Lanka Army, making inroads into the reconciliation and development process has once again returned over 120 acres of private land used by troops in Thelippalai, Karachchi and Maritimepattu areas in the Northern Province, the Army Media Unit said today.

Documents related to the land patches in Thelippalai, Jaffna (62.95 acres), Karachchi, Kilinochchi(5.94 acres) and Maritimepattu, Mullaittivu (52.0 acres) that make up a total of 120.89 acres in the North were delivered to the President who in turn handed them back to the District Secretaries of Jaffna, Mullaittivu and Kilinochchi for onward release formalities.

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, instrumental in releasing private and state lands as much as possible in the North and East for legitimate owners,hitherto being used by the Army without compromising national security concerns, maintains that the Army should fully cooperate with state authorities in their attempts to foster ethnic harmony and co-existence in the country, the Army media unit said.