Selvarani Thambirasa says that the international community failed to see the problem from the perspective of the victims from the ground situation. She points out that the governments of Sri Lanka as well as the international community have failed to provide justice to the families of those who have been forcibly disappeared.
The International Day of Enforced Disappeared was held in in Mannaar and in Ampara last Thursday. The families of those who have been forcibly disappeared who were protesting continuously for more than 500 days in the North-East were present. Selvarani Thambirasa is led the protest in Thirukkovil area against the enforced disappearances.
The coordinators of the five northern districts said that they decided to hold the protest in Mannar this time to draw international attention to the digging of mass graves. It was also revealed that 17 members of the families of the forcibly disappeared who participated in the protest in the five districts of the north have died during the continuous protest that has lasted for more than 500 days.
The coordinators of the five northern districts said that there should be an international investigation into what happened to their relatives who were forcibly taken away.
The coordinators of the five northern districts questioned how the unitary state of Sri Lanka, which is guilty of killings and disappearances, can investigate itself. He also alleged that the so-called Office of Missing Persons has been clearly established as another hoax.
Family members of those who were forcibly disappeared in Mannar area carried large banners with photographs of Rev. Fr. Jim Brown and Rev. Fr. Francis Joseph who were forcibly disappeared when both fathers helping the people during the war.
