The Sri Lankan army announced that it had launched a football workshop with Tamil schoolchildren in Mulllaitivu, despite calls for the armed forces to withdraw from civilian activities in the heavily militarised region.

The military said that around 100 young footballers, including several Tamil schoolchildren, attended the four day workshop that it had hosted earlier this month at the Iranapalai Public Grounds.

Army trainers of the Army Football Federation were amongst those present teaching the children.

The latest activity by the military comes though there has been sustained opposition to the military’s involvement in civil life in the region. Mullaitivu, where a study found there is as many as 1 soldier for every two civilians in the district, is particularly heavily militarised and sees soldiers involved in several civilian activities.

Though the Sri Lankan government has repeatedly made pledges to the international community that it will demilitarise the region, political and military leaders have repeatedly stated that no such demilitarisation will take place.