Tamils in the North-East have protested on Sri Lanka's 69th Independence Day, as a large security forces parade was held in Jaffna.
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| STF personnel film Tamil protestors on Sri Lanka's Independence Day |
Jaffna Magistrate's Court had banned protests obstructing the road, but despite demonstrators confining themselves to the sides, police obstructed the civilians from moving.
Family members of the disappeared and of political detainees attended the protests and chanted slogans, demanding the release of detainees, answers for the disappeared and for the removal of the military from Tamil land.
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Members of the military and the police filmed protestors. Special Task Force personell were also rushed to the scene.
The protest came as an unprecedented large military parade was held in Jaffna, causing deep anxiety to locals, still traumatised from decades of military violence.
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| Magistrate's court order restricting protests |
Sri Lanka's military is thought to have committed mass atrocities on a large scale and maintains a heavy presence in the Tamil-dominated North-East of the island. Impunity prevails 8 years after the end of the armed conflict and suspected war criminals remain amongst the forces in the Tamil region.
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