Keppappilavu villagers demand return of land, protest army occupation
05 January 2016
05 January 2016
Mullaitivu villagers protested against militarization and demanded the return of their occupied lands on Monday.
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Keppappilavu residents demonstrated against the occupation of 475 acres of their land and called out slogans demanding the army get out.
Placards saying "we want our land" and "we need our land" were held by the protesters.
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The protest was led by TNPF's Mullaitivu co-ordinator Mrs Inthirani Vivekananthan.
Police were seen at the protest photographing demonstrators.
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Since 2012 Keppappilavu villagers have been living in a so-called model village developed by the Ministry for Resettlement, because according to the ministry they "could not be resettled in their land due to their land in the village being required for the Security Force Headquarters in Mullaitivu."
The model village was inaugurated by LTTE defector and former deputy resettlement minister Karuna in March 2013.
See our previous posts:
See also report by sundaytimes.lk: IDPs trapped in ‘model village’ fear permanent exile
