Lands under the Tellippalai Divisional Secretariat area which hitherto had been occupied by the armed forces in Jaffna were handed over to legal owners in line with the government’s policy of releasing civilians’ land.

Around 683 acres of land were handed over to 964 owners at an event headed by the Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake and Jaffna District Secretary, Nagalingam Vethanayaham.

The land in Thellippalei, Palaly occupied by the forces for the last several months under security purposes were released without compromising national security interests .

This was organized under the guidance of Security Forces Commander, Hettiarachchi as a gift for 2018 Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Beneficiaries, state officials and many others attended this event organized by the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation, Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, Jaffna District Secretariat and the Jaffna Security Forces Head Quarters.

The release of 683 more acres of the Palaly Army camp area, the biggest chunk of land released to the Jaffna public on a single day, adds a historic chapter to the government’s ongoing projects of reconciliation and ethnic harmony, SLA said.