‘Our children’s lives are worth more’ – Tamil families of the disappeared reject OMP’s US$660 payment

by admin
Jul 29, 2024

Tamil Families of the Disappeared staged a protest in Mannar rejecting payments from the Sri Lankan government-run Office of Missing Persons (OMP), stating that the lives of their children were worth more than the US$660 on offer.

The women who were protesting said that the OMP had assured them a sum of Rs. 200,000 as a form of reparation, as they continued to demand justice for their abducted loved ones. Tamil families have been protesting since at least 2017, continuously sat on the roadsides of the North-East, demanding the government reveal what happened to their family members.

Tamil Families of the Disappeared staged a protest in Mannar rejecting payments from the Sri Lankan government-run Office of Missing Persons (OMP), stating that the lives of their children were worth more than the US$660 on offer.

The women who were protesting said that the OMP had assured them a sum of Rs. 200,000 as a form of reparation, as they continued to demand justice for their abducted loved ones. Tamil families have been protesting since at least 2017, continuously sat on the roadsides of the North-East, demanding the government reveal what happened to their family members.

"Even though an office has been set up to locate the missing or at least the truth, they have not done so,” said one protestor. “Instead they are coming to give us compensation so they can force us to stay home.”

“Our children's live are worth more than Rs. 200,000. If the government can return our children, we can give this government triple the money back.”

The families chanted slogans calling on the government to reveal the whereabouts of their loved ones, and called for formal international involvement.

Manuwal Udayachandra, President of the Association for the Mannar District said that they will continue to protest every month until the government and international community take notice.

“No one seems to be looking at us,” she said. “But we will keep fighting with the hope that one day we may receive justice. The mothers who are engaged in this struggle are also sick and dying but they continue to turn up and fight nonetheless.” 

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