Farmers from Muthunagar and Kinniya in Trincomalee staged a demonstration this weekend, coinciding with Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to the district for an event at the occupying air force base.
The protest, organised jointly by the People’s Struggle Alliance and the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation, called for an immediate end to ongoing land grabs and demanded that Dissanayake meet with affected farmers to hear their grievances directly.
The Muthunagar farmers, who have been engaged in a continuous satyagraha protest for 32 days in front of the Trincomalee District Secretariat, marched through the streets as part of the demonstration. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, they urged the government to resolve long-standing disputes over agricultural lands that have been seized for corporate projects.
Farmers in Trincomalee have repeatedly accused state authorities and private companies of illegally occupying farmland under the guise of development and energy initiatives, particularly solar power projects. Many have lost access to their fields and grazing areas, threatening their livelihoods and food security.
Despite multiple appeals to local and national authorities, including petitions to the District Secretariat and the Presidential Secretariat, no meaningful action has been taken.
The demonstration marks an escalation in the farmers’ campaign, as protesters vowed to continue their satyagraha until their lands are restored and the government halts further encroachments in the region.
