As the roadside protest demanding the return of military held land in Keppapilavu, Mullaitivu, perhaps the longest ever in Sri Lankan history reached its 700-day mark, around 30 residents from the area commenced yet another protest in front of the Security Force Headquarters - Mullaitivu (SFHQ-MLT) yesterday.
The group were demanding their lands currently being occupied by the Army, be officially handed over to them. According to activists, following a number of land releases, the Army continues to hold control over 350 acres of civilian-owned land in the area.
Earlier in the week residents claimed they would forcefully enter and occupy their land on January 26 (Saturday) after numerous failed attempts to regain their land through official means since the end of the war in 2009.
Calling a press conference early last week, several residents of the village made the dramatic announcement that they would forcefully enter and occupy the lands once owned by them.
However, despite the threats, the protestors were unable to enter their lands yesterday located within the barricaded SFHQ-MLT and proceeded to protest before the main entrance of the Army camp instead. Heavy Police presence was also seen in the area while the Army did not engage with the protestors.
The protest remained largely peaceful. However, according to reports from the area, a tense situation arose when the Police attempted to move protestors attempting to cook a meal on the roadside but was later controlled through intervention.
According to a resident of Keppapilavu, Selvi Sivapragasam who has lived in the area since birth, the residents have simply had enough. The constant struggle for nearly a decade has taken its toll on her. “I am mentally and physically exhausted now,” she told the media in Colombo.
As those whose lands were returned have begun to build their lives, Sivapragasam said she only hopes for the same for her family. “We plead with the President to hand over our ancestral lands back to us as promised,” she said.
“This is not an agitation against the government nor the Army,” she clarified adding that, “they merely want back what is rightfully theirs.”
According to human rights activist Ruki Fernando who also attended the protest, the residents will protest overnight and continue their agitation till their demands are met. “An official from the District Secretariat also visited the site and said she would convey their demands to the District Secretary,” he said.
Following the protests and constant agitation, the Army on numerous occasions has, however, released several plots of land in the area. The Security Force Headquarters - Mullaitivu released 189 acres of civilian-owned land on July 2017 and another 131 acres in December. It also released another 243 acres of land on January 25 the same year.
Considering the demands of the people on January 1, 2018, the Army decided to open the road that runs across the perimeters of the SFHQ-MLT connecting both Puthukkudiyiruppu and Vattappalai. According to residents who are demanding the return of land, another 350 scres remain under the control of the Army.
However, despite the recent demands according to Military Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, the Army has now released the maximum possible amount of land plots in Keppapilavu, Mullaitivu.
“This is the maximum the Army can release without compromising security in the area,” he said.
According to Atapattu, previously an agreement had been reached with the remaining landowners where a majority of them had agreed to accept compensation from the government to allow the Army to remain in their lands in return. “However they seem to have changed their minds and therefor,e we may now have to renegotiate,” he said.
Meeting with several Keppapilavu residents on Tuesday in Colombo, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had promised to call for a report on the land issues from the Army and provide an answer in one week.
Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM) data, noted that 46,322.50 acres of military-occupied land has been released to the people since January 2015.