Farmers in Muthu Nagar, Trincomalee, have called for the immediate release of agricultural lands seized for a solar power project, accusing the Sri Lankan state of destroying livelihoods in the name of development.
The lands, falling under the Trincomalee Pattinen and Surrounding Divisional Secretariat Division, were acquired by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and handed over to two private companies for solar energy generation.
Local residents say they have cultivated these fields for more than half a century, producing paddy and other crops that sustain their families and feed the local economy. Now, they allege, over 100 acres have already been fenced off, with work underway, and warn that as much as 800 acres may have been appropriated.
One farmer said they had farmed that land for over 53 years.
Tensions have escalated as farmers accuse the authorities of responding to peaceful protests with violence. During the Trincomalee District Coordinating Committee meeting on 29 July 2025, residents highlighted that police assaulted demonstrators who had gathered in front of the District Secretariat to oppose the project.
Community leaders say the loss of farmland will devastate local livelihoods, increase food insecurity, and accelerate displacement a region already grappling with militarisation and state-backed land grabs.
The farmers are appealing for justice, demanding the return of the seized lands and an immediate halt to construction, warning that they will intensify their protests if the government does not act.
