Locals allege interference by Kalmunai South and discrimination over development, land, and financial matters
By Wasantha Chandrapala and S. Rubatheesan
The scorching sun and intermittent rains have not deterred the women and men protesting outside the Divisional Secretary office in Kalmunai North, a Tamil populated area in Ampara, since Monday.
Their longstanding demand has been that the Divisional Secretariat area be given its due recognition, and function similar to other Divisional Secretariats across the country.
Former Assistant Director of Agriculture, Kandasamy Sivalingam (70), alleged that funds coming from the decentralised budget have been stopped and local communities are discriminated against when it comes to rural development, land, and financial matters.
That is very unfair to us. Even today, there are people coming from the Kalmunai South Division and filling up land illegally. All funds have to come through the Kalmunai South Division,” he told the Sunday Times.
“The Divisional Secretary South claiming to have rights over the land is distributing lands at his own will. Some of the ancient tank areas are being filled up. There seems to be no law, and Urban Development Authority (UDA) and coast conservation laws are not applied in these areas,” he charged.
The dispute dates back to 1989, when former Home Affairs Minister K.W. Dewanayagam created the Assistant Government Agents division.
A proposal was submitted to the Cabinet in March 1993 to create AGA divisions and Assistant Divisional Secretary offices. Kalmunai (North) was one such division. A Cabinet Subcommittee was set up, and their report was submitted in July 1993.
Accordingly, approval was granted to upgrade 28 divisions as Divisional Secretary areas, and that included Kalmunai North as well. Even though all other Divisional Secretaries are vested with land and financial powers, this Divisional Secretariat is barred from exercising those powers due to political decisions.
According to data (2022) from the DS division, which consists of multi-ethnic communities, it serves 36, 346 persons from 10,361 families in the region from six villages, namely Kalmunai, Pandiruppu, Periyaneelavanai, Natpiddimunai, Chenaikudiyiruppu, and Manalchenai.
Protesters alleged that the Divisional Secretary, Kalmunai South, who was appointed by the Public Service Commission, has been exercising his powers over the Kalmunai North DS division unlawfully with backing from authorities.
Even though a cadre position for the post of accountant was created for DS North recently, no steps have been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs yet to fill the vacancy due to political pressure, protesters alleged.
Athisayaraj Jacob, Divisional Secretary of Kalmunai North, told the Sunday Times that failure to exercise the full powers of the council resulted in significant challenges in the day-to-day affairs of the administrative system of the council when it comes to serving the local community.
“Since we are unable to exercise powers with regard to land, finance, budgetary allocations, etc., we have been writing referral letters to other DS South and District Secretariats to perform our basic operations,” Mr. Jacob told the Sunday Times.
Following a similar protest in 2019, steps were taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to upgrade the DS division, but locals questioned why the respective division needed to be upgraded when it had been functioning as a Divisional Secretariat for over 30 years based on a cabinet approval granted on July 28, 1993.
Those powers are exercised by the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretary area, which is located in a predominantly Muslim area. Protesters allege that the Kalmunai South Division is blocking the full fledged operations of the Kalmunai North Division due to political reasons.
Currently, around 320 state employees are attached to the Kalmunai North office, even though the office cannot exercise its powers fully and serve those residing within its limits.
Protesters allege that lands located in the Kalmunai North area are being distributed at the will of the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretary.
A visit to the area revealed that some of the of the area reserved for the water to flow into the sea is being used to construct houses, some of them multi-storey buildings. In some locations, walls have been built, blocking the flow of water as well, locals allege.
Divisional Secretary Kalmunai South J. Liyakath Ali said even though there is a Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat, the land powers are with the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretariat . “Those powers have not been gazetted,”
In response to a question by the Sunday Times about illegal constructions in marshy lands that have been filled up, he said, “Those involved have obtained permits for the lands from the Kalmunai Municipal Council, and the Divisional Secretary cannot take responsibility.”
Pon Selvanayagam, a former municipal member, said that many of those who settled there claimed they had deeds, but those were illegally forged deeds. “We are taking to the streets due to the injustice that is taking place here,”
“There are other Divisional Secretary areas that have not been gazetted, but they have been given financial and land powers. Among the areas are Nawadanveli, Aliyadiwembu, and Lahugala. So the question is why Kalmunani North is being treated differently,” he asked.
“There cannot be two laws in one country,” he added.
Ampara District Secretary Chinthaka Abeywickrema said since the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat has not been vested with land powers, the Secretariat has appointed an Acting Accountant . “Therefore, we don’t see a problem there.”.
In response to the question about illegal lands, he said he has not got any reports so far on the matter. “If any information is provided, I will stop them right now.”.
Ms. V. Dushitha, an officer attached to the suboffice of the UDA in Kalmunai, said that approvals for construction are given by a planning committee, and so far approvals have been given only for two constructions, and the Kalmunai South divisional secretary said they were private lands. Filling in two other lands has been stopped.