The establishment of a military task force to “protect archaeological sites” in the eastern province is a formalization of what has been occurring for decades, in what Tamils call the traditional Tamil homeland, in the North-East of the island tamilguardian.com/content/sri-la…
The Tamil homeland’s northern and eastern regions are linked through a narrow strip of land on the Mullaithivu-Trincomalee border. While the North was largely inhabitated by Tamils, the East was mainly Tamil and Muslim, until Sinhala colonization started in earnest. 
Much of the colonization has been targeted at border regions between the North and East and most of the districts bordering Sinhala districts, including Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaithivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, particularly through the Mahaweli Development Authority
Pulmoaddai for example is a Muslim town on the N/E border, which is heavily militarised and has seen Sinhala settlements and Buddhisization in recent years. Between 2016-19 PEARL researchers visited Pulmoaddai several times and worked closely with local Muslims in to gather info
Pulmoaddai is being surrounded on three sides by Sinhala settlements, military camps and Buddhist sites, with monks claiming “archaeological” evidence in order to build Buddhist temples and statues. Within 30km2 there are now 7 military installations and 10 Buddhist structures
Arisimalai is one of those areas, just south of Pulmoaddai, which has been completely taken over by the Navy and Buddhist monks, lead by Thilakawansa Nayake. Access to the famed beach is controlled by the navy while an entire temple complex has been constructed.
West of Pulmoaddai, illegal Sinhala settlements continue to be built since the end of the war, including on land traditionally cultivated by local Muslims, such as this one near Maalanoor.
Sinhala Settlements across the region often start with the construction of a small statue, often on the site of a military camp, which is then expanded into a full shrine or temple. Sinhala settlers are then moved into the area, with the support of the state.
Verugal, on the border between Trinco and Batti, is another area that has been targeted for Sinhalization. Neighbouring Seruwila was Sinhalized effectively, since the Allai Irrigation Scheme in 1951. Many traditional Tamil and Muslim villages were officially renamed in Sinhala.
Verugal remains Tamil, but some of its sites have been targeted for Sinhalization. The military and the archaeological department destroyed a Hindu temple at Ilankithurai Muhaththuvaram and replaced it with a Buddhist temple. The town is now officially called Lanka Patuna
In Kallady, another nearby location, a Hindu temple was destroyed and replaced with a Buddhist temple. The monk in charge of this region, Ratnapura Devananda, is notorious for his hardline views and frequent threats to the Tamil population.
Pulmoaddai and Verugal are just two of many examples in the North-East that show the already close cooperation between the military and the archaeological department in furthering Sinhalisation.
It is clear that the targeting of the east in particular is also due to a desired demographic change which has already seen significant shifts in the ethnic Make-up of these districts. This is rooted in Buddhist supremacist ideology that remains the dominant force in Sri Lanka
Tamil claims to a “homeland” are thus undermined by the “discovery” and expansion of ancient Buddhist sites. The settlements, particularly in Trincomalee, are strategically placed at geographic chokepoints, which bifurcate the North-Eastern region.
While the creation of the task force is not surprising, it is a serious development in the continuation of the Sinhala Buddhist state building project. For more on Sinhalization in the NE see our work here: pearlaction.org/2019/03/11/sin… pearlaction.org/2019/09/21/sin… pearlaction.org/2020/03/01/ver…
