A public protest was held today, Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in Verugal, Trincomalee, organized by the Verugal Civil Network. The protest aimed to oppose land appropriation by the Department of Archaeology and present several demands.
On Monday, January 6, 2025, the Department of Archaeology erected a signboard near the Verugal-Vattavan area along the Trincomalee-Batticaloa main road, marking the site as the “1 KM Vattavan Archaeological Zone.” The local community strongly opposed this, expressing concerns that such actions under the guise of archaeology could lead to Buddhistization of the area.
During the protest, the community voiced various slogans and submitted a memorandum of demands to the Divisional Secretary. Steps are also being taken to forward the memorandum to the District Secretary, the Eastern Province Governor, and Members of Parliament representing the Trincomalee District.
Key Concerns Raised in the Memorandum:
1. Historical and Cultural Displacement:
The memorandum highlights that several locations in the Northern and Eastern Provinces identified as archaeological sites by the Department of Archaeology have been turned into Buddhist temples. This has led to unauthorized Sinhala settlements in surrounding areas.
Examples include the Kurunthur Malai Sivan Temple and Neeraviyadi Vinayagar Temple in Mullaitivu,Trincomalee Kanniya Hot Wells, Thiriyai, Kuchchaveli Karadimale Pillaiyar Temple, Sembimalai Temple, Muttur 64th Mile Post area, and the Verugal Kalladi Malai Neeliamman Temple premises in the Trincomalee District.
2. Fear of Future Buddhistization:
The establishment of the “1 KM Vattavan Archaeological Zone” raises concerns that similar actions could lead to the construction of Buddhist temples in Verugal under state endorsement.
Demands:
1.The Gazette Notification related to this archaeological site should be made visible to the people in the area.
2.No permission should be granted for the construction of Buddha statues or Buddhist temples in the identified archaeological site and its surrounding areas.
3.Agricultural lands near the identified areas should not be seized by any government authority, either legally or illegally.
4.This issue should be discussed at the monthly meeting of the Verugal Divisional Development Committee, and a firm commitment should be given regarding our demands.
Participants:
The protest saw participation from residents of Verugal, civil society organizations, and human rights activists, all united in their call for justice and preservation of their cultural heritage.
K. Lavanusarasa
Coordinator,
Aham Humanitarian Resource Center
The letter submitted to:
The Divisional Secretary
Divisional Secretariat
Verugal.
Dear Sir,
Request to safeguard the rights and well-being of the people of Verugal Vattavan
The general public, women-headed households, farmers, fishermen, civil society
organizations, and human rights activists from the Verugal area in the Trincomalee District,
have been affected in many ways. On this day, Wednesday, 08.01.2025, we are submitting
our collective demands to you through a democratic protest in front of the Verugal Divisional Secretariat.
We would like to inform you that the people of the Verugal division have been impacted by
both natural and man-made disasters, including the past war, tsunami, floods, economic
crises, loss of life, disappearance of loved ones, loss of property, destruction of social
structures, and displacement both within the country and internationally.
We also wish to inform you that we continue to face challenges under the governance of Sri
Lanka's authorities. Specifically, despite 15 years having passed since the conclusion of the war, the agricultural lands, fishing areas, residential lands, lands for public use, and places of worship in the Northern and Eastern provinces are still being legally and illegally seized and taken over by various state authorities.
We also want to highlight that in Verugal ds division, multiple lands and places of worship
have been confiscated by these government authorities and etc. On Monday, 06.01.2025, a
signboard was placed by the Archaeological Department in the Vattavan area of the
Trincomalee–Batticaloa Main Road, identifying the area as the "1 KM Vattavan
Archaeological Site;
This area, which is about 1 km from the main road, has been marked as an archaeological
site. This has caused fear and anxiety among the people of the Verugal division, particularly since many areas identified as archaeological sites in the Northern and Eastern provinces are now home to Buddhist temples and new Sinhala settlements.
For instance, the Kurundoor Mountain Sivan Temple in Mullaitivu District, the Niraaviadi
Vinayagar Temple, the Kanniya Hot Springs in Trincomalee, the Thiriyai area, the
Kutchaveli Karadimala Pillaiyar Temple, the Sembimalei Temple, the Muthur 64th Post, and
the premises of the Verugal Kalladi Malaniliamman Temple are some of the locations where
such changes have occurred.
Not only have Tamil people been displaced from lands marked as archaeological sites, but
places of worship have also been interrupted, with Buddhist temples being constructed in those areas, promoting Buddhism, and the agricultural and residential lands being taken
over by Buddhist monks.
Therefore, we are concerned that the identified "1 KM Vattavan Archaeological Site may eventually see the construction of Buddhist temples and other Buddhist activities as part of the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to promote Buddhism in the area.
We request the Sri Lankan government and the relevant authorities to provide the following
assurances:
Demands:
1. The Gazette Notification related to this archaeological site should be made visible to
the people in the area.
2. No permission should be granted for the construction of Buddha statues or Buddhist
temples in the identified archaeological site and its surrounding areas.
3. Agricultural lands near the identified areas should not be seized by any government
authority, either legally or illegally.
4. This issue should be discussed at the monthly meeting of the Verugal Divisional
Development Committee, and a firm commitment should be given regarding our
demands.
Thank you.
Verugal Civil Society Organizations
Verugal, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
08 th January 2025.
Copies to:
1. District Secretary, District Secretariat, Trincomalee.
2. Hon. Governor, Eastern Province, Trincomalee.
3. Hon. Parliamentarian of the Trincomalee District.