The Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha has formally requested the Jaffna Security Forces headquarters to immediately halt the construction of a military hospital in Vasavilan, in what is shaping up to be a fresh flashpoint between civilian authorities and the armed forces in the Northern Province.
Formal Objection Raised
The Pradeshiya Sabha, which is led by the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), has written directly to the military authorities raising serious concerns over the construction project. In the letter, the council alleges that the building work amounts to an illegal construction and has called for work to be suspended pending further review.
Tensions Over Land Use in the North
The move reflects longstanding grievances in the Northern Province over military land use, an issue that has persistently strained relations between Tamil political representatives and the Sri Lankan armed forces since the end of the civil war in 2009.
Elected representatives in Jaffna have repeatedly raised concerns about military presence on civilian and disputed land, and this latest development signals that such tensions remain unresolved.
Military Yet to Respond Publicly
The Jaffna Security Forces headquarters had not issued a public response to the Pradeshiya Sabha's letter at the time of reporting. It remains unclear whether the construction will be paused while the matter is reviewed by the relevant authorities.
The Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha has indicated it expects a formal acknowledgement and action from the military in response to its objections.
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Military building hospital sounds good no? Why they stopping it?