Land Reform Commission
The Land Reform Commission (LRC) is a statutory body in Sri Lanka established under the Land Reform Law No. 1 of 1972, and amended by Law No. 39 of 1975. It was created by the United Front government led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike to implement land redistribution policies aimed at correcting historical inequalities in land ownership.[1] The Commission was tasked with acquiring land holdings above a legislated ceiling and redistributing them to landless peasants and smallholders.
Background
[edit]Sri Lanka’s system of land tenure had been significantly altered during the British colonial era, when large areas of highland and wet zone land were alienated to foreign and local companies for plantation agriculture. This process displaced traditional landowners such as the Kandyan peasantry and led to a concentration of land among elites and corporations.[2][3]
Establishment
[edit]The 1972 Land Reform Law imposed a ceiling of 50 acres of agricultural land per individual or corporate entity. Any landholdings above this limit were to be vested in the Land Reform Commission for redistribution.[4] In 1975, the law was amended to include the takeover of plantations owned by foreign companies, leading to a significant nationalisation of the plantation sector.[5]
Implementation
[edit]By the early 1980s, the LRC had acquired approximately one million acres of land, around half of which was from foreign-owned estates.[6] However, the implementation of the reforms was hampered by bureaucratic inefficiencies, political interference, and inadequate follow-through. Much of the land remained under state management instead of being distributed directly to beneficiaries.[7]
In addition to land redistribution, the LRC also oversaw settlement schemes in the Dry Zone. These programs were controversial, especially in the North and East, where Tamil and Muslim communities viewed them as state-sponsored colonisation efforts that altered regional ethnic balances.[8]
Legacy
[edit]The Land Reform Commission is seen as a significant post-independence attempt to reduce rural inequality and dismantle the colonial-era landholding system. However, its legacy is debated. Proponents credit it with challenging elite control of land, while critics argue that it failed to substantially alleviate rural poverty or empower landless communities due to flawed implementation.[2] The LRC continues to function in a limited capacity under Sri Lankan law, though its prominence declined following economic liberalisation in the late 1970s.
References
[edit]- ^ Peiris, G.H. "Land Reform and Agrarian Change in Sri Lanka." In: Hettige, S.T., & Mayer, M. (Eds.), Sri Lanka at the Crossroads of History. Colombo: University of Colombo, 1996.
- ^ a b Moore, M. The State and Peasant Politics in Sri Lanka. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
- ^ Bastian, S. The Politics of Land Reform in Sri Lanka. Colombo: Social Scientists’ Association, 1993.
- ^ Government of Ceylon. Land Reform Law No. 1 of 1972. Ceylon Government Gazette, 1972.
- ^ Shastri, A. "The Material Basis for Separatism: The Tamil Eelam Movement in Sri Lanka." The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 56, No. 1 (1997): 66–95.
- ^ Snodgrass, D.R. Economic Development of Sri Lanka. Washington, D.C.: USAID, 1996.
- ^ Gunasinghe, N. "The Open Economy and Its Impact on Ethnic Relations in Sri Lanka." In: Ethnicity and Social Change in Sri Lanka. Colombo: SSA, 1990.
- ^ Shanmugaratnam, N. “Ethnic Relations and the Gal Oya Settlement Scheme.” South Asia Bulletin, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1985): 33–47.