By Roy Denish.
Kilinochchi Press Club remains under military occupation after authorities rejected its latest request for the property’s return.
Press freedom concerns have deepened after the Kilinochchi Press Club remained under military occupation more than 17 years after journalists first lost access to the property.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration has rejected the latest request to return the premises, citing unspecified “security reasons.” The decision follows repeated unsuccessful appeals made to successive governments since 2009.
The Kilinochchi Media Forum (KMF) formally appealed to President Dissanayake in May 2026, seeking the return of the quarter-acre property.
“Although surrounding properties, such as the Yogar Swamigal Nilayam and the elementary school section of Kilinochchi Maha Vidyalayam, have been returned to their respective owners, the land belonging to the Kilinochchi Press Club [has] yet to be released,” said a letter signed by the KMF president and secretary.
Kilinochchi Press Club Request Rejected
A month later, the Presidential Secretariat rejected the request after receiving what it described as an information report from the Department of Defense.
“Accordingly, I kindly inform you that the Department of Defense has reported that due to security reasons it is not possible to release the said land and building,” wrote W.M.S.P. Weerasinghe, Senior Assistant Secretary to the President.
However, the two-paragraph response provided no explanation of the specific security concerns cited by the Defense Department.
Kilinochchi-based journalists, most of whom are Tamil speakers, worked from the facility until 2008, when the area remained under Tamil Tiger control.
They became displaced during the final stages of the war and returned to Kilinochchi in 2009. On their return, they found their workplace at the “Kakka Kadai” Intersection along the Kilinochchi A9 highway under military occupation.
Journalists Say Appeals Have Failed Since 2009
“We have submitted written requests to successive administrations in the past pleading for the return of our property, but no positive outcome has been achieved so far,” the KMF said.
The group also pointed out that media associations elsewhere in the Northern Province operate from their own land and facilities.
“We would also like to bring to the attention of your excellency that media associations in all other districts of the Northern Province are currently operating from their own land and facilities. We are the only journalists’ association left without a proper workspace,” the appeal stated.
Despite repeated requests spanning successive administrations, the journalists have yet to regain the Kilinochchi Press Club premises or receive a detailed public explanation for the continuing occupation.
