The Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha has unanimously rejected a request by the Sri Lankan Navy to acquire a two-acre plot of land in Keerimalai, Jaffna, for the installation of a radar system.
The decision was made at the council’s monthly meeting last week, chaired by S. Sughirthan, where members voted in favour of a resolution refusing to release the land. During the session, a National People’s Power (NPP) representative claimed the land was required for a radar installation to help combat narcotics trafficking and suggested that affected landowners would receive compensation. The member further urged colleagues not to “politicise” the issue.
The statement drew immediate and firm opposition from other council members, including the chairman, who questioned the Navy’s justification and the need to seize private land.
Council members rejected the claim that the radar installation was connected to anti-narcotics operations, stating that there was “no link between drug control and land acquisition.” They also criticised the request as an unnecessary expansion of military infrastructure in the Tamil homeland.
“The people’s lands belong to the people,” one member declared, with others insisting that no private property should be handed over to the military. The council also pointed out that a two-acre plot was excessive for such an installation.
It was resolved that the council’s objections, along with those of the local residents, would be formally communicated in writing to the Divisional Secretary.
The move comes amid ongoing anger in the North-East over ongoing military land occupation. For decades, the Sri Lankan armed forces have maintained vast tracts of land under their control, particularly in Valikamam North, one of the most heavily militarised areas in Jaffna. Despite repeated demands for demilitarisation, residents continue to face displacement, surveillance, and land grabs.
Local activists have warned that the latest attempt by the Navy represents a continuation of state-backed land appropriation under new guises, further entrenching militarisation in the Tamil homeland.
