In Sri Lanka, land has been a critical factor in the ethnic conflict that intensified and resulted in the outbreak of a war that spanned over two decades. Most individuals in Sri Lanka will identify land as a fundamental element that defines their life. Ownership and control of land, including the location of and the extent of land owned indicate a person's wealth and social status
Although discussions on land and related issues and attempts to resolve disputes at a community level did run concurrent to the conflict and heightened during the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) and post-tsunami period, there were no concrete steps taken by the State or any other to fully address the root causes of grievances, provide sustainable alternatives and some of the underlying problems and disputes that could have been decreased. As we trudge through the land in Jaffna, we come across many of the difficulties that the civilians of the region are facing due to the lack of resources and care available to them. 

Some of these issues include: Burial rights, boundary lines, farming and agriculture property, High Security Zones, Resettlement of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, Abandoned Lines and Internally Displaced Personnel. 

written by: Ayuni Munasinghe