23 March 2026 – 01 April 2026 | Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

The Eastern Province Land Recovery Network conducted “Land Week 2026” from 23 March to 01 April 2026, focusing on strengthening public awareness, community engagement, and advocacy on land rights and land-related challenges faced by communities across the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

The initiative was undertaken by the network, which works through democratic engagement to support the recovery and restitution of land belonging to affected communities. As part of the initiative, awareness and advocacy activities were carried out across Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts, with the aim of improving communities’ understanding of their land rights and supporting them to engage with relevant authorities and processes.

Land Rights and Challenges Faced by Communities

Land remains a significant concern for many communities in the Eastern Province. According to the Land Week initiative, communities have experienced the loss of their ancestral lands due to actions involving state and other actors. These land-related challenges have had wider consequences for people’s lives, livelihoods, cultural identity, and social wellbeing.

The loss or takeover of residential and livelihood lands has affected families' ability to live and sustain themselves on their traditional lands. It has also affected the cultural and social identity of communities and, in some situations, limited people's ability to freely access and use their own lands.

Land-related difficulties have also contributed to situations where people have had to move to other areas in search of employment and livelihood opportunities. At the same time, a lack of awareness among communities regarding land documentation, land laws, procedures, and land rights continues to create additional challenges when attempting to resolve land-related issues.

Objectives of Land Week 2026

Land Week 2026 was designed as a community-centred initiative to address some of these challenges through awareness raising, dialogue, support, and advocacy.

The initiative focused on:

• Raising awareness among communities about land rights and related issues.
• Strengthening the understanding of land laws among public service providers.
• Creating opportunities for dialogue and discussion on community land grievances and possible solutions.
• Supporting communities in accessing land documentation and relevant government services.
• Developing and promoting recommendations for changes to land policies at national and international levels.

Through these activities, the initiative sought to strengthen the ability of affected communities to understand their rights, engage with relevant institutions, and pursue appropriate avenues for addressing land-related concerns.

Official Launch Across the Eastern Province

Land Week 2026 was officially launched on 23 March 2026 in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts, in the presence of members of the media.

Following the launch, community-focused awareness and engagement activities continued throughout the Land Week period. The initiative placed particular emphasis on bringing information and discussions directly to communities and creating greater public understanding of land-related rights and procedures.

The campaign highlighted the broader understanding that land is not simply a physical asset, but is closely connected to people's lives, rights, livelihoods, culture, and identity.

Community Awareness Activities

As part of the Land Week activities, the AHRC team conducted land-related awareness programmes during the week across Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts.

One of the key activities was the distribution of awareness leaflets on land rights among members of the public. The leaflets were used as a means of providing accessible information to communities and explaining the importance of understanding and protecting land rights.

The awareness activities also provided opportunities for direct engagement with members of the public, allowing land-related information and concerns to be discussed at the community level.

Technical Guidance on Land Rights and Mediation

An important component of the awareness activities was the participation of Mr. Kathirkamaththambi Kurunathan, Chairperson of the Special Land Mediation Board.

Mr. Kurunathan provided information and clarification concerning land rights and related procedures, contributing to the community-level understanding of mechanisms available for addressing land-related concerns.

His participation added an important practical dimension to the awareness programme by linking general information on land rights with explanations regarding relevant procedures and avenues through which communities can seek assistance in resolving land-related issues.

Strengthening Community Engagement and Advocacy

Land Week 2026 provided an opportunity to bring together awareness raising, community engagement, and advocacy around the continuing land-related challenges experienced in the Eastern Province.

The activities across the three districts sought to ensure that communities had greater access to information about their rights and the importance of maintaining and obtaining appropriate land documentation. At the same time, the initiative emphasised the importance of dialogue with public service providers and relevant institutions in addressing grievances and identifying possible solutions.

The initiative also recognised that sustainable solutions to land-related problems require continued engagement beyond individual cases. For this reason, policy advocacy at national and international levels formed part of the broader objectives of Land Week 2026.

Conclusion

Land Week 2026, conducted from 23 March to 01 April 2026, represented a coordinated effort to strengthen awareness and advocacy concerning land rights in the Eastern Province.

Through activities in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara, the initiative brought land rights information closer to communities, distributed awareness materials, facilitated discussions on land rights and procedures, and highlighted the continuing need for greater access to land documentation, services, and effective mechanisms for addressing land grievances.

The initiative reinforced the message:

“Land is life, a right, and an identity.”

By strengthening community knowledge, encouraging dialogue, and supporting advocacy for policy improvements, Land Week 2026 contributed to ongoing efforts to promote the protection, recovery, and recognition of land rights among affected communities in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province.

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