Farmers’ Protest in Siththandi by Mayilathamadu Cattle Farmers

16-Sep-2025

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On September 15, in Siththandi, a large-scale protest was held at the site of the ongoing farmers’ struggle in Mayilathamadu, Batticaloa, demanding a permanent solution to the grazing land problem faced by cattle farmers. This marked the second anniversary of their continuous struggle.

The demonstration began with a march from Siththandi Muthsandi Pillaiyar Temple, demanding that their grazing lands be gazetted and that illegal cultivators be removed. The rally proceeded to the protest site, where an attention-drawing protest was held.

The non-violent struggle against injustices committed against cattle and farmers in the Mayilathamadu Mathavanai grazing lands has continued for over two years – reaching its 730th day today.

Protesters carried slogans such as:

“Expel the illegal cultivators from Mayilathamadu”

“Is the delay in granting solutions because the farmers are Tamils?”

“Fulfil the demands of the cattle farmers”

“Provide grazing land to improve the livelihoods of farmers”

“Why no solution even after 730 days?”

They also raised chants demanding that the government take action to fulfil their just demands.

Traditionally used by cattle farmers for grazing, the Mayilathamadu Mathavanai lands have been subjected to continuous encroachment, deforestation, illegal cultivation by outsiders from neighbouring districts, killing of grazing cattle, and intimidation of farmers. 

In protest, cattle farmers launched this continuous attention-drawing struggle on this same day in 2023, demanding the eviction of encroachers and the gazetting of the lands as official grazing fields.

Despite changes of government, no administration has taken a decisive resolution on the grazing lands issue, nor offered a permanent solution. Therefore, on the second anniversary, today’s protest was held to remind the current government of their demands.

The protest was attended by Batticaloa district parliamentarians of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi – R. Sanakiyan and E. Sirinath, along with divisional council chairpersons, members, representatives of the Association for the Forcibly Disappeared, civil society activists, ITAK members, political party representatives, university students, livestock farmers, and the public.

During the event, the association’s president Nimalan handed over a memorandum of the Mayilathamadu cattle farmers to the parliamentarians for submission to the government.