Iranaitheevu has been in the news this month after residents steadfastly opposed a government decision to use the island to bury COVID-19 dead bodies.
On April 23, 2018, Iranaitheevu residents re-claimed their land, which had been denied to them for more than 25 years by the Navy. The withholding of basic infrastructure development by the previous government as well as the Rajapaksa government has posed serious challenges for meaningful resettlement and enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.
Below are glimpses of the prevailing situation during a brief visit to the island on March 9.
