The Jaffna University Black Flag Protest: Student Activism, State Response, and the Struggle for Democratic Rights in Post-War Sri Lanka Introduction The events at the University of Jaffna in February and March 2026-where students hoisted a black flag on Sri Lanka’s Independence Day, subsequently faced police investigations, and called for a boycott and demonstration-have reignited debates about academic freedom, student activism, and the broader human rights context in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the protest, examining its origins, the responses of state and university authorities, the legal and political frameworks at play, and the implications for reconciliation and democratic rights in post-war Sri Lanka. Drawing on a wide array of sources, including news reports, official statements, academic analyses, and human rights documentation, the report situates the Jaffna University protest within the historical and contemporary land...