Protest Held in Kilinochchi Demanding Return of Ancestral Lands

A protest demanding the immediate return of ancestral lands was held in Kilinochchi today (21 August 2026), with demonstrators urging the government to hand back lands acquired during the war.

The protest was held from around 9:30 a.m. along the A9 road in front of the former Kilinochchi District Secretariat.

Organised by the Mannar Social and Economic Development Organisation, the protest was attended by civil society representatives, landowners and members of the public.

The demonstration was held in solidarity with the ongoing land rights struggles of people who have lost their lands in Valikamam North in Jaffna, Keppapulavu in Mullaitivu, Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai in Batticaloa, as well as Iyakkachchi and Iranaitivu/Kiranji areas.

The protesters called on the government to take immediate action to restore the affected communities’ ancestral lands and ensure their land rights.

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PICS by Siva