Tamil families of the disappeared protested in Kilinochchi today as part of their ongoing campaign to know the fate of their forcibly disappeared relatives.
The families gathered outside Kandaswamy temple in Kilinochchi to demand an international mechanism to investigate the disappearances of their relatives, many of whom have been disappeared at the hands of Sri Lanka's security forces.
Speaking to the press, Yogeswary Selvaratnam said she has been looking for her forcibly disappeared son for years.
"I have travelled to Batticaloa, to Colombo - for my son I have been to so many places to search for justice," Yogeswary said.
"How many other mothers are wandering the streets like me looking for their children? We will continue to look for our children until we die," she added.
Tamil families of the disappeared have been protesting for seven years across the North-East with clear demands for the Sri Lankan government. The demands are:
1. Release a list of surrendees from the final phase of the armed conflict;
2. Release the yearly lists of detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) since 1978;
3. Investigate and release the list of all past and present secret detention centres.
Although the Tamil families have been continuously demanding for answers, successive Sri Lankan governments have failed to meaningfully engage with them and address their demands.
