More than 40 years and still not home - Displaced Tamils in Mullaitivu still await resettlement

Vanni District Member of Parliament (MP) Durairasa Ravikaran reaffirmed his commitment to securing the resettlement of the displaced Tamil people from the villages of Thannimurippu and Andankulam in Mullaitivu, as residents have chalked up more than 40 years of displacement from their homes.

These villages, which are historically and culturally significant, were forcibly displaced in 1984 due to Sri Lankan military operations. However, despite the passage of 40 years since the iniital displacement and more than 15 years since the end of the armed conflict, no significant efforts have been made by any government to ensure the return of the displaced Tamils to their ancestral lands.

The MP made his remarks during a visit to Thannimurippu Kurundurmalai, an important site of Tamil worship in Mullaitivu, where he engaged with local people who had once lived in the now-deserted villages. Ravikaran stressed that the resettlement of the people of Thannimurippu and Andankulam is not only a matter of addressing their historical and cultural rights but also a crucial issue of social justice.

The displacement of the Tamil people from these villages in 1984 was part of a broader strategy by the Sri Lankan government and military to control the Tamil regions during the height of the armed conflict. These areas, which were rich in both natural resources and cultural heritage, became the focal points of intense militarisation.

Over the years, this militarisation has taken various forms, including the establishment of military bases and the heavy presence of armed forces in the region. The military’s dominance has severely restricted the freedom of movement and livelihood of the Tamil population. Not only were these areas heavily fortified, but there are also consistent reports of land grabs, where military and government-backed entities seized Tamil-owned land for strategic, economic, and military purposes.

This ongoing militarisation has left the people of Thannimurippu and Andankulam, as well as other areas in the North-East, in a constant state of uncertainty. The slow process of resettling displaced communities is compounded by the persistent land grab efforts, often disguised as development initiatives. In the case of Thannimurippu, for instance, development work on the Kurundurkulam site has been stalled due to the intervention of the Archaeological Department, which has raised concerns about the cultural significance of the area. These bureaucratic delays have only furthered the frustration of the displaced people, who are left without a clear pathway to return.

Ravikaran, a vocal advocate for the rights of Tamils in the North-East, has consistently raised concerns about the lack of progress in resettling displaced communities. During his visit to Thannimurippu Kurundurmalai, he emphasised that his office would apply political and social pressure on the relevant authorities to take immediate action for the resettlement of the people of Thannimurippu and Andankulam.