Peace for the World World ! Your War Our Lives
The Dalai Lama
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Monday, January 28, 2019
Soldiers intimidate Keppapulavu families demanding release of land
Over 100 displaced families from Keppapulavu, Mullaitivu today moved
their ongoing protest to outside the military camp sited on their
occupied lands.
26 January 2019
Security forces filmed and photographed the families from within the
site however, as security was increased with a heavy deployment of
police and military personnel.
The families had warned they would move the protest to this site if the
government's failed to release the land by today, and despite the
intimidation from the security forces the families remain
defiant, determined to continue their ongoing protest here.
Although almost ten years have passed since the end of the armed
conflict the Sri Lankan military continues to control and occupy vast
swathes of land in the Tamil homeland, forcing families to remain
displaced.
Keppapulavu families began their prolonged campaign for their homes in
March 2017. Today is the 697th day of their continued demonstration for
land. The campaign, which has seen widespread support among Tamils
across the North-East and diaspora worldwide, has reached out to several
international bodies, including the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
In October, the president, Maithripala Sirisena promised to ensure all
occupied land in the North-East would be released by December 31,
2018. Following this unfulfilled deadline, families attempted to enter
the army camp on their lands on January 1, however faced dozens of
police officers halting the entry.
Police told protestors that army officials would not come out to speak
with them, and instead called local government officials from the
district and divisional secretariats to attempt to pacify the
protestors. After lengthy discussions, protestors said they would return
to their protest spot outside the army camp until January 25, 2019,
following which they would restart attempts to forcibly enter their
land.
“Even if the army shoot us, we will take our land back,” one protest representative told the local government officials.
According the Jaffna based organisation, Adayaalam Center for Policy
Research (ACPR), 30,000 acres remain under occupation in Mullaitivu.
