Tamils in Jaffna demand justice for loved ones disappeared by
Sri Lankan state21 February 2015
"Why does justice fail us..." reads poster.
Tamils protested in Jaffna on Saturday calling on the international
community to find those disappeared by the Sri Lankan state and
ensure those in custody are released.
"God of Justice open your eyes" reads poster. Photograph
Mayurapriyan
"World! Don't you have eyes...?" reads poster
"Military, leave!" reads poster.
Photograph Mayurapriyan
Starting at 9.45am am local time by Jaffna central bus stand,
relatives of the missing, together with politicians from the Tamil
National Alliance (TNA) and the Tamil National People's Front
(TNPF) marched via Hospital Street and Saththira Junction before
heading towards the site of the massacre at the World Tamil
Research Conference in 1974.
Photograph Mayurapriyan
Holding photographs of their missing children and loved ones,
Tamils carried banners reading: "We want international
investigation into mass graves", "Are Tamils lifeless things to
disappear?", "Zeid ask OISL to investigate Tamil genocide!",
"World! Do you not have eyes?".
In a statement of visceral resentment, one poster satirised two
Southern detention facilities notorious for the endemic use of
sexual violence and torture against Tamil detainees: "Are Boosa and
Welikada Tamils' sacred sites?"
Photographs Mayurapriyan
The TNA MP Suresh Premachandran, the TNPF politician, S Kajendran,
the TNA Northern Provincial Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan were
among those who joined the demonstrators.
The protest is the latest in a wave of demonstrations across the
North-East against the enforced disappearances and ongoing
detention of Tamils.
Batticaloa mothers demand Sri Lanka govt releases detained
children(16 Feb 2015)
Tamil protesters sign petition demanding release of political
prisoners and disappeared(15 Feb 2015)
Tamils across North-East Sri Lanka demand release of disappeared in
new wave of protests(09 Feb 2015)
Tamils in Mullaitivu demand new Sri Lanka govt returns disappeared
loved ones(08 Feb 2015)
Protesters across North-East call on government to return detained
relatives(03 Feb 2015)
Tamil mothers demand new Sri Lanka govt returns missing children(02
Feb 2015)
Relatives of disappeared protest in Batticaloa(30 Jan 2015)
Tamils in Mannar urge international community to investigate war
crimes in Sri Lanka(26 Jan 2015)
