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Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara, told Parliament that over 700 acres of land in the North and East have been “returned to the public”, as the government continues to station tens of thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers in the region.
Responding to a question from Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) parliamentarian Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, Jayasekara stated that as of 1 January 2025, a total of 672.24 acres of land in the North had been returned, including 86.24 acres of private land and 586 acres previously used by the military. He added that a further 34.58 acres of government land had been released in the East.
Jayasekara said the issues surrounding lands near the Vavuniya military airport would “be resolved soon”, and noted that the releases were approved after the submission of information to the National Security Council (NSC) and the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security.
Despite these claims, large areas across the Tamil homeland in the North-East remain under military occupation. Land release announcements have frequently been met with scepticism, as many Tamil civilians continue to be denied access to homes, farms, and coastal areas still controlled by the Sri Lankan security forces.
In Vavuniya, local representatives have repeatedly raised concerns about land around Eechankulam, where an LTTE cemetery stands, remaining under military control. Earlier, ITAK MP Sathiyalingam also questioned the government over the continued occupation of the Moondrumurippu–Thatchankulam road by the Sri Lankan Air Force, as well as the seizure of municipal and cooperative properties in the district.
The Sri Lankan military continues to occupy thousands of acres across the North-East, operating camps, farms, and tourist ventures, while local communities and elected representatives persistently call for the full return of their land.