The Ongoing Struggle for Land Rights in the North
Photo by Oneli Nonis
Although Sri Lanka’s civil war ended over 16 years ago, large tracts of land taken over for security and economic purposes in the North and East remain in the hands of the military and state institutions, depriving legitimate owners of access to their homes, livelihoods and cultural identity. Over the decades, several initiatives have been taken to dispossess people of their lands such as the creation of high security zones and special economic zones to more recently the use of national heritage.
“Laws and policies have been used in the attempts of appropriating lands, oftentimes done with scant regard for transparency, due process and the rights of citizens…Land has been used to create an asymmetry of power in the Northern and Eastern regions for over three decades, and there is a growing trend of intrusive methods being employed in these regions, triggering fear amongst local communities,” noted a report by the Centre for Policy Alternatives on land conflicts.
Hostilities were further intensified by non-state actors, particularly by the growing involvement of Buddhist clergy. The clergy has entered lands belonging to minority religious communities and have uprooted renamed and re-claimed land as sacred areas or Buddhist sites, the report said, also noting the use and abuse of legislation that has altered the ethnic and religious composition in areas historically dominated by minorities.
In order to draw national attention to their grievances, over 200 Tamil civilians from the Valikamam North region of Jaffna including farmers, fishermen and their families gathered for a peaceful protest in Colombo demanding the return of their ancestral lands that were seized during the war.
Their demand was simple: the revocation of Gazette No. 1812/10 issued in 2013 and the restitution of lands taken under the justification of public purpose. As part of a broader call for reconciliation and democratic accountability, the protest highlighted the enduring consequences of war, militarisation and state sanctioned land grabs. Their story, although rooted in local struggle, echoes broader themes of post-war justice, human rights and dignity that resonate across borders.
The protest was not a spur of the moment demonstration; it was an organized effort spurred on by years of activism and frustration, and facilitated by civil society leaders such as Yardsan Figueredo, Director of the Mannar Social and Economic Development Organization (MSEDO). The protesters came from various areas in the Thellipalai Divisional Secretariat including Palali, Vasavilan, Kankesanthurai and Myliddy, which have long been affected by the establishment of High Security Zones (HSZs) and land seizures under emergency regulations. Despite repeated promises of reconciliation and development, thousands of acres remain under the control of the military or state institutions.
A memorandum drafted by the people of Valikamam North was handed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, detailing their grievances and calling for immediate action. It urged the government to repeal the 2013 Gazette that permanently acquired over 6,300 acres of private land without consultation. The letter highlighted that these lands include homes, places of worship, schools, farms and fisheries spaces essential not only for survival but for cultural and spiritual identity.
Among the protesters were elders who had lived through the war and younger generations born into displacement. “I was displaced 35 years ago on May 15, 1990 and since then, my family and I have been struggling to make ends meet, facing immense hardships with our school going children, often forced to flee the city just to survive,” an elderly woman who did not want to be identified, said.
Her testimony is not isolated. Several others echoed similar experiences of livelihoods lost, of fishing ports and farming lands now occupied or cultivated by people outside their community and of broken promises by successive governments. “Release our ancestral lands back to us” is a phrase that has become a rallying cry for those still awaiting a just post-war future.
For the people of the North, the issue was not merely about land ownership. It is about reclaiming identity, restoring dignity and ensuring that the next generation had a future free from the burdens of statelessness and economic marginalisation. Some spoke of the emotional toll children growing up without roots, families divided and the trauma of living in refugee camps or temporary shelters for decades.
“This is not just about Valikamam. It is about Sri Lanka’s commitment to democracy, human rights and post-war healing,” said Mr. Figueredo. He said that the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence had guaranteed that the matter would be taken up for review. While this brought cautious optimism, the protesters remained vigilant, well aware that promises without action have long been the norm.
The people of Valikamam North are not asking for charity; they are demanding justice. They seek the return of lands that were once their homes, their livelihoods and their heritage. As one protester declared, “Our lands, our life please do not plunder our livelihoods.” Their appeal speaks to the broader moral responsibility of a nation that has yet to fully reckon with its past.
For Sri Lanka to move forward as a united, democratic republic, it must first address the legitimate grievances of those displaced by conflict. Returning land to its rightful owners is not only a legal imperative but a step toward reconciliation, peace and sustainable development.
