A tense situation was reported last evening (04) following the arrival of Buddhist monks, officers of Archaeological Department and several other individuals at an archaeological site in the Kurundumalai area in Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu.

They had arrived at the location to clean up the archaeological site, however a number of Tamil villagers including residents in the area had gathered at the location causing an unrest, according to Mullaitivu security forces.

Tamil people in Mullaitivu had protested claiming that they would not allow the establishment of Buddhist shrines and settling Sinhalese people in the lands of Tamils.

Northern Provincial Councilor T. Raviharan and Kandiah Sivanesan, Northern Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Service, Animal husbandry, Irrigation, fisheries, Water Supply and Environment have also joined the protest.

The government is initiating measures to establish Sinhalese settlements and Buddhist temples in Mullaitivu under the guise of developing Mullaitivu area, claims NPC member T. Raviharan.

He added that they strongly disapprove the settlement of Sinhalese people in Mullaitivu, which is the land of Tamils.

The government should immediately intervene to halt this initiative, and if not Tamil people will assemble against the government, NPC member T. Raviharan said.

Residents in the area also expressed strong objection to the establishment of Sinhalese settlements in Mullaitivu district.

Responding to an enquiry regarding the incident, the Oddusuddan police stated that a misunderstanding had occurred when a group of individuals including two monks arrived at the archaeological site to clean up the premise, and the residents of the area had protested, thinking that plans are underway to build a new Buddhist temple there.

However, the situation had been reconciled by the Oddusuddan police.