The Sri Lankan navy launched a new cashew plant project in Jaffna, defying repeated calls to cease intrusion into civilian life.
While the navy has claimed that the project has been established to protect and preserve the biodiversity in Jaffna, their involvement in civilian affairs threatens the livelihoods of Tamils in the North-East.
Since the end of the armed conflict, Sri Lankan troops have taken over numerous civilian roles in the North-East, tightening their control over day to day life. The occupation of Jaffna continues to this day, with thousands of acres occupied by the Sri Lankan military. The intrusion of the military into civil life in the region has been cited by locals as contributing to issues such as unemployment, alcoholism and drug use.
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