Tamils in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna, have raised strong opposition to plans to acquire an additional eight acres of land for the expansion of the Tissa Vihara, a Buddhist shrine that was illegally constructed on six acres of private land.
The move has been condemned by Tamil MPs, who accuse the Sri Lankan military and Sinhala Buddhist organisations of furthering Sinhalisation in the Tamil homeland.
Speaking in Parliament, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam exposed the planned land acquisition in Thaiyiddy, citing a letter sent by the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) to government authorities advocating for the shrine’s expansion. Ponnambalam highlighted that the ACBC’s president, Chandra Nirmal Wakishta, a former Director of the National Intelligence Bureau and a retired senior police officer, was directly involved in pushing for the land grab.
"The Army is still in counter-insurgency mode even after the end of the war and has turned into a racist army towards Tamil people. They are still in the same mindset," Ponnambalam stated, accusing the Sri Lankan military of facilitating the illegal construction and continued occupation of Tamil land.
The Tissa Vihara was built by military personnel after the foundation stone was laid by former Northern Governor Reginald Cooray on 22 August 2018. Despite local opposition and official records confirming that the shrine was erected on private land without government approval, it remains intact.
The issue of the Tissa Vihara was also raised at a District Development Committee (DDC) meeting on 13 December 2024, chaired by Fisheries Minister R. Chandrasekar. It was brought up again on 31 January 2025 during a meeting presided over by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, where it was confirmed that the temple had no legal authorisation and was built within what was previously designated as a high-security zone.
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), MP S. Shritharan also condemned the government’s failure to act, warning that local landowners, with the backing of the Jaffna public, will take action if the shrine is not removed. Addressing the Jaffna Press Club, Shritharan criticised the double standards of the current Sri Lankan government.
Shritharan announced that a protest would take place on 11 February, with the support of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), and the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF).
Previously, Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayakan has acknowledged the landowners’ claims, confirming that they have submitted documentation proving private ownership. He revealed that the official land allocated for Tissa Vihara is located elsewhere, and that the shrine had encroached on additional land without consent. The governor has held discussions with the head priests of both Tissa Vihara and Nainathivu Vihara and has raised the issue with the Ministry of Buddhasasana.
This latest controversy follows repeated Tamil demands for the return of occupied lands across the North-East. Despite previous government assurances, over 2,500 acres of private Tamil land in Jaffna alone remain under military occupation.
TNPF leader Ponnambalam challenged the government to prove its commitment to addressing institutional racism and Sinhala Buddhist hegemony. “The original vihara has a particular plot of land—that land, nobody disputes,” he stated. “But instead, the military, under the guise of a high-security zone, illegally took over six acres of privately owned land and built this temple.”
Ponnambalam submitted a 2023 report from the Divisional Secretariat confirming that the temple was illegally constructed on private land without any authorisation from local authorities. Despite official recognition of the illegality, the military proceeded with its construction, further entrenching Sinhalisation in the Tamil homeland.
With Tamil landowners, political parties, and civil society groups uniting against the continued encroachment of Tamil lands, the government faces growing pressure to halt its support for illegal land acquisitions and to dismantle structures built on stolen land.
