Tamil families of the disappeared staged a protest in Mullaitivu today to mark the 1696th day of their roadside protest while Sri Lankan security forces watched over the demonstration.
In an act of intimidation, Sri Lankan security force officers took photographs and monitored the families as they demonstrated outside the hut where they began their protest on March 18, 2017.
Tamil families of the disappeared have been demanding to know the fate of their loved ones who were forcibly disappeared or surrendered to Sri Lanka's security forces in the final phase of the armed conflict.
Although Tamil families' calls for justice have preceded their roadside protests, various Sri Lankan governments have failed to provide answers and protected perpetrators from accountability. The families have often faced threats and intimidation by the state's forces for demanding for justice and accountability.
The families have continuously demanded for an international investigation into the disappearances as domestic mechanisms have repeatedly failed to provide tangible results.
Tamil families of the disappeared have no trust in the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) which was established in 2017 as it has made limited progress and does not have the capacity to lead to meaningful prosecutions.
Yesterday, Vavuniya families of the disappeared marked the 1714th day of their roadside protest as they continue their calls to know the whereabouts of their forcibly disappeared loved ones.
To date, over 80 parents have died without knowing the fate of their loved ones.
