A Tamil youth activist has been arrested and remanded following a false complaint by a Sinhala Buddhist monk involved in the construction of a controversial vihara in Periyakulam, Trincomalee District.
The youth, identified as Sivakumar Kirupan, also known as Sindhujan, hails from Sambaltheevu in Trincomalee. He was reportedly filming the construction site of the Buddhist temple at Periyakulam junction when a monk approached him. According to local sources, the encounter escalated into a heated exchange during which the monk allegedly attempted to assault the youth.
Subsequently, the monk filed a complaint with the occupying Sri Lankan police in Nilaveli, alleging that Kirupan had attempted to assault him. Based on this complaint, the youth was arrested and produced before a magistrate, who ordered his remand.
Kirupan is known for his activism against land encroachments in Tamil areas. The construction of the Buddhist vihara at Periyakulam has been a point of contention, with local Tamil residents opposing it since its inception in 2023. They argue that the temple is being built illegally in a predominantly Tamil area with no significant Sinhalese Buddhist population.
In September 2023, protests erupted in Iluppaikulam, Trincomalee, condemning the construction of new Buddhist temples in Tamil areas. Protesters questioned the necessity of building Buddhist temples in localities devoid of Sinhalese residents.
Human rights organisations have documented the expansion of Buddhist viharas in the Eastern Province, often in areas with little to no Buddhist population. These developments are seen as part of broader state-led efforts to assert Sinhalese-Buddhist dominance in historically Tamil regions.
