13.5 acres of land in eastern, northern provinces to be released to rightful owners today

About 13.5 acres of land that had been acquired by the army in the northern and eastern provinces will be released to their rightful owners today at the Gover nor's office in Trincomalee.

According to the Army Directorate of Media, five plots of land in Kuchchave l i , Serunuwara, Muttur and Kantale are to be released.

"After a month-long process of consultation with the military, police, government agents and political groups, a report on the land's occupied by the military was submitted to the Presidential Task Force with my recommendations," eastern province governor Rohitha Bogollagama said.

Mr Bogollagama explained that the President had authorised the respective governors to coordinate with the military and other stakeholders and speed up the process.

Mr Bogollagama claimed that national security was the foremost concern and would not be compromised by the release of the land. The military is looking at some alternative land, he said