The Sri Lankan navy announced that it is in the process of building a new complex at its SLNS Barana in Mullikulam this week, a region which remains heavily occupied by the armed forces.
An official Sri Lankan navy website declared that it had held a ceremony earlier this month to build a “junior sailors’ married quarters complex” at the navy base.
The announcement comes after years of controversy at Mulikulam, where Tamil villagers have been protesting for the return of their land.
Just last month, following days of protests over the Sri Lankan navy's occupation of their land, a group of villagers were allowed to return to their original lands which were almost completely destroyed. Despite the navy announcing the release 100 acres of land in May 2017, residents were still prohibited from accessing them.
Despite the Sri Lankan government pledging to demilitarise the North-East, the latest construction comes amidst several similar projects by the military across the region, where it looks to consolidate its presence.
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