The Acting Director of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, C. Jamunanantha, has issued a renewed appeal for the release of 1.4 acres of land under Sri Lankan military occupation in the Kottady–Meenatchipuram area, stressing the urgent need for the land to support the hospital’s expansion and development.
The land, which had been allocated for the future needs of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, has remained under military control for over a decade, despite repeated requests for its return since 2010. The continued occupation has prevented the hospital from utilising the site for critical infrastructure improvements and to meet the growing healthcare demands of the region.
Jamunanantha emphasised that immediate intervention is required, calling on the Governor of the Northern Province to take swift action to facilitate the land’s release. He highlighted that the hospital, one of the largest and most vital medical institutions in the North-East, faces mounting pressure to expand its facilities to adequately serve the Tamil population in the region.
The issue of military-occupied land has been a persistent grievance across the Tamil homeland where thousands of acres remain under the control of the Sri Lankan security forces. Despite the end of the armed conflict in 2009, the military continues to maintain a vast footprint across Tamil areas, hindering development and displacing communities.
The Jaffna Teaching Hospital’s call comes amidst broader demands for demilitarisation and the restoration of civilian land.
