… allegation of planned vacation of base denied

The Defence Ministry is studying a request to release part of the land coming under the SLAF, Vavuniya.Authoritative military sources said that the issue had been referred to the Defence Ministry after the Transport, Highways, Ports and Aviation Ministry received a missive from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Sources said so in response to The Island queries. Sources disclosed that one S. Gnana Sampanthan based in Vavuniya had requested that his land along the A9 road acquired way back in 1985 be released.

A senior military official denied allegations that the government was planning to vacate Vavuniya airbase. “There is absolutely no truth in such claims,” the official said.

However, the Defence Ministry was in the process of examining the request, he said, adding that this request was made last year too.

Nawa Janatha Peramuna leader Sugeeswara Bandara yesterday told The Island that the government was conspiring to withdraw the Air Force from Vavuniya air base established in 1985 to meet the separatist terrorist threat. According to Bandara, Sampanthan made his first move in March 2024 during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s presidency but following the presidential election switched allegiance to the National People’s Power (NPP) government.

Bandara said that the genuine Opposition in parliament should raise this issue. Pointing out that since the end of war land that had been held by the military were released in stages, Bandara pointed out that the government never challenged The Island‘s disclosure of releasing 91% of all land under military control in 2009.

by Shamindra Ferdinando