Local Buddhist monks have been supporting the Veddas' protest: "This is a terrible crime. That's why I take part in this protest"

Suda Vannilaeththo is the leader of the Vedddha community in Rathugala, Ampara district.

"We have nowhere to live; nothing to eat. Now we are deprived of this cemetery," he told journalist Wasantha ChandrApala.

He urged President Rajapaksa and the authorities to release the land where they have been burying for generations back to the community.

Head of Mullegama Buddhist temple, Ven Gnanarathana thero told BBC Sandeshaya that it is sad to see the Veddha community was deprived of their traditional land for burying the dead.

Veddas say a wealthy businessman is trying to build a tourist hotel in their traditional burial ground

"A wealthy man has bought this land and trying to destroy the cemetery using bulldozers," the thero said.

"This is a terrible crime. That's why I take part in this protest."

Human rights activists in the area pledged to support the claim by Sri Lanka's first ever inhabitants.

Meanwhile the owner of the land has brought building material to build new structures in the land where the Veddhas have been burying their loved ones for decades.

There have been protest in many parts of eastern Sri Lanka over authorities attempts to grab land to pave the way for booming tourism industry after the end of the war.

Residents in Paanama earlier accused the security forces of being behind an attack on the villagers and the Buddhist temple in an attempt to grab their ancestral land to build a luxury hotel.