'This is Anura's rule!' - Tamil families of the disappeared face threats at protest

An individual claiming to be a supporter of the National People's Power (NPP) disrupted a protest organized by the Families of the Disappeared in Vavuniya, harassing and intimidating the demonstrators while threatening them with arrest. The protest grew tense as the man shouted insults at the families from a distance, calling them "dogs" and attempting to provoke them.

Bystanders watched as the man yelled, "This is Anura's rule. You are getting money. I will hand you over to the police." He then made a phone call, telling the women that he would have them arrested. In response, the women asserted their right to protest and questioned his authority, asking, "Who are you to give us orders? Go tell the police what you want to. If you can, shut us down and we will see."

At one point, the man shouted, "We will check your accounts," to which the women demanded to know what authority he had to disrupt their protest and make such threats. He responded disrespectfully, accusing them of receiving money from the Tigers, and shouted back, "Why are you screaming? You must be getting money in your bank accounts from the Tigers."

The man continued pacing the area, demanding that the women tear down their banners. "I am with AKD," he declared, referring to Anura Kumara Dissanayake. "You all are dogs. I will crush you all," he threatened, even targeting an elderly family member. The women reiterated their right to protest on their own land, to which he responded, "The government has changed. It's Malimawa now. I stand with Anura Kumara. I will have the police round you all up now. What is Sumanthiran doing for you? Anura Kumara is the one who told me."

He also shouted, "Why didn't you ask this from Sampanthan? Didn't you see he went up? Why didn't you ask him? I will have the CID come and round you all up."

The protest, organized by the Families of the Disappeared, was held to mark Children's Day as a day of mourning. These families continue their relentless search for loved ones who have been missing for years. During the final stages of the armed conflict, tens of thousands of Tamils were massacred, and hundreds more disappeared after being handed over to Sri Lanka's security forces. For years, these families have been demanding an international mechanism to provide answers about the fate of their missing relatives.