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<p>Officials at our high commission regularly raise with the Sri Lankan Government the issue of the military presence in the north of the country. Though military drawback is evident in some areas, we are concerned at military involvement in commercial and other civil activities, such as education, tourism, and agriculture, and the occupation of land in high security zones. We have raised this issue at both ministerial and official level with members of the Sri Lankan Government, and will continue to press .the need for the military not to partake in civil activities.</p><p>Land rights are challenging in most post conflict situations involving internally displaced people or refugees. In Sri Lanka, multiple displacements of different groups and individuals have occurred over many years resulting in competing claims on the same land. Our most recent</p><p>Human Rights Report update states that there are also increased reports of land takeovers in Tamil areas. However, we understand that the Sri Lankan Government have recently given assurances that the military would return some private land in the north within the next three months. Our high commission in Colombo has raised with the Government of Sri Lanka the need to resolve land disputes through a fair and accountable process.</p> |