Buddhist monks, SL military step up Sinhalicisation of Kuchchave’li in Trincomalee

Large tracts of lands adjoining in vicinity of an ancient stupa site in Thiriyaay and newly installed Buddist monks in at least three places in Kuchchave’li Divisional Secretariat division of Trincomalee district are behind grabbing lands of Tamils and blocking Tamils from re-settlement, civil officials in Kuchchave’li division said.
A systematic programme of Sinhalicisation has been taking place, begun after the area was captured by the SL military from the LTTE, is now being accelerated by the Colombo establishment, according to Tamil civil officials in the division.

A Buddhist monk at Thiriyaay in Kuchchave’li Divsional Secretariat of Trincomalee district has been pressurizing the civil administrative authorities to grab 3,000 acres of land to an ancient stupa called Girihandu Saya.

The name of the stupa is now being used to the entire village and the Tamil name Thiriyaay is being erased in the name boards.

Meanwhile, another Tamil village, Ilanthaik-ku’lam, in the same division has been changed to “Mahanga wewa” in Sinhala and 320 acres of lands have been appropriated by a Buddist monk, who has been behind blocking Tamils from resettling there, the sources further said.

The occupying SL military has been backing the Buddhist monks in the Sinhalicisation project, which has been stepped up in the ancient villages in the East of the Tamil country.
TN