The Commissioners of LLRC

and collecting information. The indication at the
bottom of the form is that authentication of Title
will be ultimately decided on observation and
certification from the Grama Niladharis which
arrangement is unsatisfactory.
He requested the Parliament to direct the
Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Land
Development to cancel the announced system of
registering lands as there are thousands without
deeds. In addition some owners of the property in
Jaffna live outside Jaffna and in foreign countries.
“What is the arrangement that the Secretary to
the Ministry of Lands and Land Development has
made for these types of persons to apply and get
a new deed? This can be made applicable only
to those people who are living and having deeds
in the Northern Province. There is another type of
people in Jaffna who own lands but they do not
have deeds. When a person dies intestate, his
properties devolve around his children. They need
not have deeds unless, of course, they make a
deed of declaration.” (34)
In their Interim Report the LLRC stated that “In
order to address certain apprehensions among the
people in the affected districts on land issues, the
commission recommends that a clear statement
of policy be issued by the government that private
lands would not be utilized for settlements by any
government agency.”
Commenting on the progress made the IAAC
states that the solutions to some of these issues
cannot be addressed by existing legal remedies
as most of the documents have been destroyed by
the war. However it states that the government is
pondering whether to implement a land kachcheri
system to address the land issues.
The final decision on the matter, however, will be
taken after the LLRC’s final report which means
that if the process will be implemented, it will be
towards the middle of 2012.
“As highlighted in the LLRC process, the
Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) recognizes
the complexity of land related grievances and
its impact on the lives of civilians as arising from
the protracted conflict. Some of these issues
need solution which cannot be offered through
existing legal remedies due to the devastation of
administrative infrastructure and private and public
documentation as a result of 3 decades of conflict.
In view of the hardship and pain of mind caused
to civilians from land related issues. GoSL will
expedite necessary administrative measures. A
land Kachcheri system is being considered by the
GoSL, while awaiting the final recommendation
of the LLC on this complex issue. Demining has
been accelerated so that more land can be made
available for resettlement. Complex issues arise
in regard to lands that were expropriated by the
LTTE for allocation thereafter outside the law of the
land. Steps are afoot to allot lands to the original
owners, who have thus had to face expropriation.
Land Kachcheris-a mechanism of state land
allocation where the Government Agent of the
District after due and fair inquiry plays a central
role in assigning ownership and tenurial rights,
will soon be held with ever greater regularity. It is
a constitutionally recognized fundamental right of
every citizen to choose his residence anywhere
within Sri Lanka and the GoSL categorically states
that there is no policy of forced settlement by the
GoSL. Furthermore, it is categorically stated that
any citizen of Sri Lanka is free to purchase land or
own land anywhere in the country. “
On the other hand with the repealing of the
Emergency Regulations by the government from
August 30 the security forces claimed that they
will withdraw from some locations. However
with government planning to implement a new
set of regulations based on the US’s Homeland
Security Act it is not very clear what the future
holds for those whose lands have been taken
over by the security forces. (35)
However the IAAC reiterates the government’s
official line in their progress report. “There is
no policy of expansion of High Security Zones
(HSZ), as alleged by some. On the contrary, the
policy is to shrink such Zones, as rapidly and as
significantly as possible. The GoSL expects that
with the implementation of the two projects in
the North to develop 100,000 housing units, the
housing issue could be greatly eased. The GoSL
will encourage the process where, except when
essential for security reasons. High Security
Zone (HSZ) lands are being progressively
released. This has already commenced in
the areas surrounding the Palaly HSZ. The
GoSL notes the progress already underway as
initiated by the Special Committee under the
Chairmanship of the High Court Judge Jaffna.
THE WAIT FOR JUSTICE 27