The Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs will soon be appointing an expert committee to look into the issues that have arisen in connection with the acquisition of land by the Department of Archaeology, The Daily Morning learns.

In recent times, the Department has come under fire due to matters pertaining to the acquisition of land, particularly, in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

When contacted by The Daily Morning and queried as to whether the Government has taken any steps to address such issues, the Secretary to the Ministry Somaratne Vidanapathirana said that there are plans to appoint an expert committee to look into such matters. "A committee will be appointed soon, and it will look into the issues of this nature not only in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, but in all parts of the country." He said that the Ministry is currently carrying out relevant internal studies to identify the areas where there are related issues. "When the relevant areas are properly identified, we will select experts and appoint the committee."

The politicians representing the Tamil community living in the areas have been claiming that the Department has acquired land that was previously owned by the Tamil people, and insisting that such lands be released to the original owners as soon as possible. During a recent discussion, which was attended by several politicians representing the Tamil community and other relevant parties, President Ranil Wickremesinghe criticised the then Director General of Archaeology Prof. Anura Manatunga over the land that had been taken over for the Kurundi Viharaya in the Mullaitivu District, and the latter had resigned from the post that same evening.

Meanwhile, the Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Sect recently said that it is the responsibility of the Government to take measures to protect all Buddhist archaeological sites in the Northern and Eastern Provinces following an impartial investigation into the controversy associated with locations such as the Kurundi Rajamaha Viharaya and the Girihandu Seya in Thiriyai, Trincomalee.