A section of residents of Keppapilavu, in Mullaitivu, on May Day protested. demanding the release of lands still occupied by the military, 17 years after the end of the armed conflict.
They reiterated their longstanding demand for the return of lands seized by the military, in 2009, to establish a camp, sources in the North said. For over 17 years, Keppapilavu residents have sustained a continuous campaign of protests, petitions and advocacy efforts, calling for the right to resettle on their original lands, they said.
Despite limited releases under successive governments, protesters stressed that substantial areas remain under military control. They highlighted that 171 acres were yet to be returned, including 59.5 acres of residential land and 111 acres of agricultural land. The residential areas once supported over 55 families and included homes, schools, places of worship and shared community spaces.
Holding placards and chanting slogans, demonstrators said that their struggle extends beyond land ownership, framing it as a fight for dignity, livelihood and the restoration of a community life disrupted since 2009.
Residents declared that since the current government assumed office, multiple appeals have been made through formal channels, including submissions to the Presidential Secretariat and the Mullaitivu District Secretariat. However, they stated that these efforts have yielded no meaningful progress toward the release of the remaining lands.
Protesters called on Sri Lankan and the local authorities to take immediate and concrete steps to return the entirety of the occupied land, enabling displaced families to resettle and rebuild their lives without further delay.