- MP alleges authorities failed to honour court assurances
Batticaloa District Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has filed an application before the Court of Appeal (CA) seeking to reopen proceedings over the longstanding Mayilathamadu–Mathavanai grazing land dispute, alleging that State authorities have failed to honour assurances given to the Court to remove illegal encroachers and protect traditional grazing lands.
The original proceedings began during former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s administration and concluded during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Presidency after the Mahaweli Authority assured the Court that it would take steps to evict encroachers. However, the dispute has continued under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with cattle farmers reporting further encroachments, unauthorised cultivation and the destruction of pastureland.
The application names six senior Government and Provincial officials as respondents, including the Batticaloa Government Agent, the Eravur Pattu Divisional Secretary, the Eastern Province Governor, the Director General of the Mahaweli Authority, the Batticaloa Divisional Forest Conservation Officer and the Eastern Province Provincial Director of Animal Production and Health.
President’s Counsel M A Sumanthiran, who represented Rasamanickam in the original proceedings, will continue to represent him.
Rasamanickam said three successive Presidents had given repeated assurances on the issue without delivering a lasting solution. Although President Dissanayake reportedly issued directions to resolve the dispute, and Minister Sunil Handunnetti recently announced that Presidential approval had been obtained to gazette the area as designated grazing land, farmers continue to raise concerns over implementation.
The affected grazing lands have traditionally supported cattle farmers from Kiran, Chenkalady, Porathivu and Paddipalai. Farmers have alleged that portions of the land have been cleared, burned and ploughed for cultivation, reducing the available pasture. They have also reported cattle killings, intimidation, property damage and difficulties accessing their traditional grazing areas.
The prolonged dispute has affected the livelihoods of families dependent on cattle rearing and dairy production, despite years of protests, complaints to authorities, and political and administrative interventions.
The renewed application seeks judicial consideration of the continuing encroachments and the responsibilities of State institutions to protect the grazing lands. The matter is expected to be taken up next week, subject to the Court’s directions, with notices to be issued to the respondents.