Jaffna protesters tell the President: ‘We want our land back’

Communicating their message

Pic by Kithsiri De Mel

A protest was organised in front of the Presidential Secretariat at Galle Face on the 15th of July by the people of Jaffna claiming that they had lost their lands due to the interference of the Sri Lankan government.

Rajkumar Rajeevkan, an activist who helps these protesting landowners from Valikamam, Jaffna who say their land was illegally occupied by the army, told the Daily Mirror: 

“We are here to tell the president that these peoples’ lands were illegally occupied a long time ago under the name of high security zones,” Rajeevkan said, adding that though the war ended in 2009, thirty per cent of the occupied land still remains under occupation sixteen years later. 

“People in Jaffna have a right to live in peace,” Rajeevkan said further. Rajeevkan added that the right to land is a fundamental right of the people, though violated by the government. He added that those now in power have given hope and made promises to those dispossessed of their land in Jaffna during their electoral campaigns, but nothing concrete has been done so far.

Nine months have passed since the new government was elected. “These people have their own documents and want justice – they want their lands still occupied by the army given back to them,” Rajeevkan added. He says Buddhist temples and other buildings have been constructed in these lands.

Rajeevkan and other activists say that the government is supporting these constructions, which are occupied by the army. They point out that people are struggling to protect their basic rights, voicing their rights and asking for their lands and justice.

“We have been protesting in Jaffna for about two and a half years,” Rajeevkan said. “But there is no solution or response from the government.” According to him, this question has been raised in parliament, but without any response. 

“If this same issue was protested  by Sinhala people, the result would have been quite different,” he added.

Rajeevkan further said that though the Tamil people continue to protest, their voices are ignored. He puts this down to racism, and said that the government should respect Tamils’ rights and give these protesters a proper response.

He pointed out the Tamils had only limited political power in Sri Lanka; therefore, their grievances are not always heard.

As the protesters were saying, “We want our land back. The Sinhala people say that we (Sinhalese and Tamils) are one. In that case, come and help us  get our lands back.”

A Pallai resident who lost his land said to the Daily Mirror: “I was born in Pallai. We were displaced in 1992 because of the war. The army occupied our lands and up to now we haven’t got them back.”

He said some of the land was released back to their owners earlier, but others are kept waiting. “We are now living in other peoples’ lands, paying rent. But they promised us before the elections that our lands would be returned.”

He also said that some of the occupied land has been used to extend the airport. “They are using our agricultural land, destroying our trees and crops. People who protested are victimised, and have to fight for their rights.”

Will the government listen to their grievances and take necessary action?