Families of the disappeared protested outside the Jaffna office of the paramilitary organisation EPDP on Thursday, calling for the arrest of its leader, current Sri Lankan cabinet minister Douglas Devananda.
Protesters decried a recent assault on one of their representatives by the paramilitary members and also held placards and chanted slogans highlighting Devananda’s role in abductions and disappearances during and after the armed conflict.
Families reported that EPDP members had tried to snatch banners off the protesters. Failing to intimidate them into abandoning the protest, the EPDP blasted loud music from within the office in order to disrupt the demonstration.
The paramilitary member’s recent assault of a civil society representative in Vavuniya during a protest has caused outrage across the North-East and drawn condemnation from Tamil politicians.
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