Throughout October 2025, the Sri Lankan military further entrenched its militarization over the Tamil homeland through a dense calendar of activity that reached into classrooms, clinics, religious spaces, and everyday civilian life. From opening bank accounts for pre-schoolers and distributing school supplies to installing reverse osmosis plants in schools and running football camps for hundreds of children, the military worked to normalise its presence among Tamil youth and families, framing occupation as care and charity.
Branded as "World Children's Day" celebrations, public health initiatives, "civil–military cooperation," and development projects, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and police embedded themselves in Tamil schools, children's homes, hospitals, churches, and public institutions across the North-East. These initiatives work not only to project benevolence, but to entrench a permanent security presence in Tamil spaces and further the project of Sinhalisation under the guise of public outreach.
Influence in Tamil Schools
On 1 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army marked World Children's Day around the Tamil homeland. The events helped to normalize the military's presence in Tamil schools. The military attempted to reaffirm its dedication to the younger generation by providing gifts, all whilst in Jaffna, the Association of Relatives of the Forcibly Disappeared lit torches and held a vigil, calling for justice for Tamil children who were victims of genocide.
In Jaffna, the Sri Lankan Army marked World Children's Day by visiting children across the region at the Karunalayan Children's Home, Waleisiyaari Preschool, Championpaththu Senth Pilps Meris Preschool, Aroban Children's Home, and Manthi Preschool.
In Vanni, the Army marked World Children's Day on 1 October 2025 by having officers and students jointly clean the premises of Vidyatikumara Mixed School.
In Mannar, the Sri Lankan Army opened bank accounts for students at Alwadeen Preschool. Troops also organized a lunch programme in Mannar's Palakkuli Roman Catholic Tamil Mixed School.
On 6 October 2025, the Army established a Reverse Osmosis Plant at Kattakadukarankudierippu School. The Army framed its militarization of the Tamil homeland as a way to develop civil-military cooperation.
On 9 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army held an awareness program on drug prevention at St. Anne's College in Vankalai, Mannar. The Army claimed the event was in support of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative however, it works to normalize occupation in the Tamil homeland.
On 11 and 12 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army expanded its presence in the Tamil homeland by hosting a Football Coaching Camp at Kilinochchi Public Stadium, which 220 children attended.
On 23 October 2025, troops provided treats for pre-schoolers at Kalawani Preschool in Jaffna.
On 27 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy opened a Reverse Osmosis water plant at the Gamini National School in Vavuniya.
Public Health
On 2 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army furthered their reach in the Tamil homeland by conducting eye check-ups for 364 civilians in Vanni.
On 3 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy conducted a Basic Life Support training programme at Valaichenai Fisheries Harbour.
On 5 October 2025, troops distributed eyeglasses at Visuvamadu Maha Vidyalaya in Jaffna, marking yet another sphere of civilian life that the Sri Lankan army has penetrated in its effort to normalize the occupation.
On 5 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy conducted health programmes with a mobile medical and dental clinic in Mannar.
On 8 October 2025, troops organized a health event for pregnant mothers in Vavuniya. The event was organized in attempts by the Army to aid mothers, a show of "care" that starkly contrasts with the ongoing harassment of Tamil mothers of the disappeared, as documented by Human Rights Watch earlier this year.
On 9 October 2025, the Sri Lankan army conducted a blood donation campaign in Kilinochchi, with 96 troops taking part. Tamil residents and rights activists have condemned the military's ongoing attempts to entrench its control over the Tamil homeland through such events. In 2014, Major General Hathurusinghe, a senior army commander, justified such drives by boasting that "Our blood is in the majority of the Tamils that live here, therefore Tamils cannot call themselves pure Tamils anymore. Our Army's Sinhalese blood is in Tamils."
On 16 October, the Sri Lankan Navy conducted a Basic Life Support training for students of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka in Trincomalee.
Buddhist Ceremonies in the Tamil Homeland
On 11 and 12 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army held a two-day-long Buddhist ceremony in Jaffna. The event included a large gathering of military personnel. This event exemplifies the state's broader strategy of using Sinhala Buddhist religious activities, often supported or led by the military, to entrench cultural and demographic dominance in the North-East.
On 12 and 13 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army held a similar Buddhist ceremony in Mannar. The police and Sri Lankan Navy were also in attendance at the Buddhist event held in the Tamil homeland.
Military reach widens across the North-East
On 2 October 2025, the Navy convened a meeting of several government officials from various government agencies to lead a discussion on maritime collaboration across the Eastern Province in Trincomalee.
On 4 and 5 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy held a two-day lecture on littoral warfare in Trincomalee to broaden troops' knowledge, using the Tamil homeland as a backdrop.
On 6 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Army helped lay a foundation stone for a new home in Elalai, Jaffna. The event marked another sphere of civilian life in the Tamil homeland, which the Sri Lankan state has attempted to infiltrate.
On 10 October 2025, the Army ceremonially handed over a house in Jaffna to a family, with several troops in attendance.
From 11 to 13 October 2025, civil servants and their families were invited by the Sri Lankan Army to attend excursions in Jaffna. The civil servants visited Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna Public Library, and Jaffna Fort.
The Sri Lankan Navy assisted in the construction of three reverse osmosis water plants on 14, 17, and 18 October 2025. Plants were established in Trincomalee and Pesalei, Mannar.
From 18 to 20 October 2025, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo made an official visit to the Jaffna Peninsula. In the visit, he inspected the readiness of troops deployed in Jaffna. According to the Sri Lankan army, Rodrigo previously served as the Commanding Officer of the 18th Field Regiment, Sri Lanka Artillery, which took part in military campaigns in Thoppigala and Mannar under the 57th Division - a unit accused of some of the worst atrocities committed during the final stages of the armed conflict.
On 20 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Air Force organized an award ceremony for the Land-Based Air Defence Basic Course in Iranamadu, Kilinochchi.
On 22 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy concluded its Trincomalee Dialogue Maritime Symposium 2025, held in Trincomalee. The event drew a large crowd of troops and focused on naval strategies.
On 23 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy held a General Certificate Awarding Ceremony of the 37th Junior Naval Staff Course in Trincomalee. The event drew a large crowd of naval personnel to the Tamil homeland.
On 26 October 2025, troops planted trees in Kilinochchi with University of Kelaniya students and the Kilinochchi Forest Office.
On 27 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Air Force celebrated its anniversary with a Parade and cricket tournament in Vavuniya.
On 29 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Police established a Children's Bureau at the Murunkan Police Station in Mannar. The Government of Japan, the United Nations Population Fund, and the World Vision organization provided the funding for the building. The financing of this building was in efforts to protect women and children in the area, all whilst Tamil mothers of the disappeared in the same region have been protesting for intervention in the enforced disappearances of their children.
From 26 to 30 October 2025, the Sri Lankan Air Force held an Inter-Unit Practical Rifle Meet in Ampara. The event saw countless troops heavily militarized in the Tamil homeland.
