This Chapter has been prepared by using the reports of the regional offices submitted by each Coordinating officer for the purpose of preparing the Annual Report 2013. 5.1 Regional Office, Ampara Introduction This regional office covers the District of Ampara. There are eight employees of the Commission serving at the regional office. Ampara is the main district of the Easter Province. It stretches up to 4431 square Kilometers and the total population is 651,515. In the Ampara district all three ethnic groups, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims live. There are 20 Divisional Secretariats and 505 Grama Niladari Divisions within the district. Further, the district is comprised of 825 villages and the main livelihood of the people is agriculture. Under the 2013 Deyata Kirula Exhibition a number of development programmes were carried out within the district. Out of them, water project and road development projects and owner ship of lands were main projects. Under the Rambaken Oya project lands of Mahaweli in Maha Oya area were developed. People of the area were given paddy lands under that project. A Navy camp has been established in Panama and due to that people living in Raygamwela area have lost their traditional agricultural lands. In the year there is a decrease in complaints relating to torture, illegal arrest & detention. 52