School students show solidarity with Keppapulau residents

School students from several districts in the Northern Province held protests this week in support of residents of Keppapulau and Puthukkudiyiruppu who are demanding lands allegedly belonging to them that have been occupied by the military. 

Students from schools in Mullaitivu protested in front of the Keppapulau village and military camps where the alleged occupied lands are located. School students in Vavuniya and Kilinochchi also held protests in front of their schools in solidarity with the Mullaitivu student protestors. 

Students who participated at the protest did so wearing their school uniforms and education activities at the schools were disrupted owing to the protests. 

When queried as to how students were allowed to engage in protests during school hours and in uniform, Northern Province Education Minister T. Kurukularasa stated that officials of provincial education offices had been notified about the student protests beforehand. 

Story and Pix by Romesh Madushanka

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