In January 2013 the Government issued a new circular titled Accelerated Programme on Solving Post Conflict State Lands Issues in the Northern and Eastern Provinces- Land Circular 2013/01 (herein referred to as the Circular), which is the most recent effort by the Government to address land problems in the North and East. The Circular sets out a process to be implemented over two years in order to identify and address problems relating to State land in these two provinces.  The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has published a report to highlight key issues and concerns relating to this Circular and its implications if implemented.

Nearly four years after the end of the war, there is an urgent need to address the root causes of the war and the grievances of the affected communities. Land is a key issue requiring attention through a variety of measures which should pay due attention to individual’s land rights and claims, and the history of the land. CPA has engaged in research and advocacy on land rights and related issues for over a decade, documenting developments and providing recommendations on land and related issues both in terms of the war and the tsunami.1 A key focus area of CPA‟s work has been on land issues in the North and East, as the war resulted in and exacerbated a variety of problems including access to land and displacement, occupation by state and non-state actors, competing claims, loss of documents and land records, which in turn has impacted individuals, families and communities in multiple ways.

CPA Report: Land_Circular_Brief_Commentary_March_12_2013_Final