“Our Land Must Be Returned”: Displaced Residents Continue Protest in Vayavilan

Residents of Valikamam North continued their protest on Sunday, demanding the release of their ancestral lands, with the demonstration at Vayavilan Junction entering its fourth consecutive week.

The protesters said successive governments had failed to fulfil their promises regarding the release of lands in the Valikamam North area.

According to the protesters, their ancestral lands have remained under the control of the military even after the end of the war, with some areas being used for agricultural purposes.

They said many displaced families continue to live in rented houses or cultivate land obtained on lease, while their own ancestral properties remain inaccessible.

“We will not stop our protest. We will continue until our ancestral lands are released to us,” the protesters said.

Palaly Land Protest Enters 4th Week

Meanwhile, a separate protest demanding the release of lands in Palaly also continued for the 4th consecutive week on Sunday.

Participants accused the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of failing to fulfil its commitments on the return of privately owned lands in the North.

The protesters said they had been displaced from their lands for decades and were still living in rented houses, while parts of their fertile ancestral lands remained under military control.

They recalled that President Dissanayake had pledged during the presidential election campaign that lands held by the security forces would be returned to their rightful owners.

However, the protesters claimed that the promise had not been fully implemented.

They also referred to recent comments by Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera during a visit to Valikamam North, where, according to the protesters, he indicated that steps would be taken to release privately owned lands.

The protesters questioned the government’s position on the issue, citing parliamentary statements concerning land requirements for military purposes and the expansion of Palaly Airport.

They said the differing positions had raised concerns among affected residents about the government’s commitment to releasing their lands.

Official parliamentary records show that the government has stated that its policy is to resettle displaced persons on their original lands. In September 2025, the government reported that 57.39 acres had been released to rightful owners, while further releases would be considered in consultation with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Defence.

The government has also continued to discuss the release of lands in the Northern and Eastern provinces. In January 2026, President Dissanayake instructed officials to seek solutions to outstanding land-release issues.

The protesters called on the government to expedite the release of the remaining privately owned lands and allow displaced families to return to their ancestral homes.