President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Cabinet of Ministers yesterday (28) officially revoked the Gazette Notification issued on 28 March 2025, under Section 4 of the Land Settlement Ordinance, which had triggered widespread fear and resistance across Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) Spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran welcomed the decision, stating, “We extend our sincere thanks to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Cabinet of Ministers for revoking the Gazette, which had caused deep concern among the people of the North.”
The Gazette had required residents in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, and Mullaitivu districts to submit land ownership documents within three months. Failure to do so would have resulted in the land being declared State property—an alarming prospect for many war-affected and displaced communities still struggling to reclaim their ancestral lands.
This move by the Government follows growing public outrage, legal concerns, and a significant political setback in the North, where Tamil voters overwhelmingly rejected the ruling NPP during the recent Local Government Elections, citing the Gazette as a key reason for their protest vote. During the LG Polls campaign, Sumanthiran warned the Government, demanding an immediate halt to land acquisition. He said it was contradictory to the NPP’s promises to the Tamils.
At a regional meeting in Kilinochchi, community leaders and civil society representatives called the Gazette “unclear and unjust,” pointing out that many residents were unaware of the circular or lacked access to proper documentation after decades of displacement.
ITAK Spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran emphasised that under Section 5(1) of the Land Settlement Ordinance, any land not claimed within the stipulated timeframe would automatically be declared State land. He criticised the Land Ministry’s letter dated 18 May, which referred only to a “temporary suspension,” arguing that this provided no legal protection for affected communities.
The revocation was formally requested in a letter sent yesterday (28) to the President and Cabinet, who have now acted on that demand, easing tensions in the region. However, activists caution that revoking this Gazette alone is not enough—calling for transparent, community-based processes for land settlement and the immediate restoration of land rights to rightful owners.
The land circular had reignited long-standing concerns about land grabbing, militarisation, and the need for fair resettlement policies in Sri Lanka’s post-war Northern and Eastern provinces.