Amidst ongoing struggles, Mariyasuresh Eswari highlights threats to Tamils' lives and the departure of Judge T. Saravanarajah.
In a statement following a protest in Mullaitivu, Mariyasuresh Eswari, the president of the Mullaitivu Association of Families of Disappeared, asserted that the departure of Judge T. Saravanarajah exemplifies the unsettling reality that Tamils are being buried in their own land.
Speaking to the media after the protest held on International Children's Day, Eswari expressed the frustration and anguish of families who have been searching for their disappeared children for 14 consecutive years. She questioned the fate of their children on a day when children around the world celebrate with their mothers and fathers.
"We have not been heard," Eswari emphasised. "Who did you send our children to? Or did you bury our children? We are continuously asking."
Eswari condemned the pressure exerted by the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) on the families, urging them to accept compensation and death certificates instead of the truth and justice they seek. The defiant stance of the families rejects the OMP's approach, with Eswari calling on the countries of the world to open their eyes and secure justice for the affected families.
The departure of Judge T. Saravanarajah, who played a crucial role in providing justice in Mullaitivu district, was framed by Eswari as a chilling example of the threats faced by those seeking justice. She argued that this case stands as evidence that neither the families nor the broader Tamil community struggling for justice will find resolution within the country.
"This is an example to the international community that we and the Tamil people who are struggling will not get any justice," Eswari asserted. "We are asking the international community because there is no justice in this country."
Eswari declared, "Tamils are being buried in Tamil land," referring to the threats faced by the community and the exodus of the judge. She also raised concerns about social activists being targeted, highlighting the challenges faced by those fighting for justice.
Concluding her statement, Eswari pointed out the religious oppression faced by the Tamil community, accusing authorities of imposing Buddhism and spreading it as a means of control.
