Sri Lankan police block student protest over unemployment in Jaffna
A peaceful protest organised by students of the Allied Health Sciences Faculty at the University of Jaffna was forcefully halted by Sri Lankan police on Wednesday, sparking brief unrest in the area.
The students had planned a rally to demand solutions to the rising issue of graduate unemployment, particularly among Allied Health Sciences students, who have been left without job placements despite completing their degrees. The demonstration began at the University’s Faculty of Medicine and was expected to proceed through Jaffna town.
However, shortly after the protest commenced, a large contingent of Sri Lankan police officers was deployed in front of the Faculty of Medicine, physically blocking the students from continuing their march.
Police officials claimed their intervention was based on election regulations, stating that demonstrations and public processions were prohibited during the local government election period. The students, however, made clear that their protest was not politically motivated, but focused on urgent employment issues affecting graduates across the North-East.
Despite their clarification, the police refused to grant permission, effectively shutting down the rally. A brief standoff ensued, with tensions rising as students attempted to negotiate with the officers. Ultimately, the students were forced to abandon the march and returned to university grounds.
This latest disruption of peaceful protest adds to a growing list of incidents where Sri Lankan authorities have suppressed demonstrations in the Tamil homeland, particularly in Jaffna. Students, civil society actors, and families of the disappeared have frequently been obstructed or intimidated by security forces during public gatherings.
The heavy-handed response reflects the ongoing militarised surveillance and control exerted over Tamil civic spaces. Despite promises of democratic reform by the current government, including those under the National People's Power (NPP), actions on the ground continue to mirror the repressive practices of previous regimes.
The Allied Health Sciences students' protest highlights the deepening economic crisis and the lack of state response to youth unemployment, especially in the North-East. Tamil students already face systemic discrimination and limited access to state resources.