A mass protest was held earlier today in Nedunkerny, Vavuniya, to demand the release of the eight devotees who were arrested on Shivarathri at the Vedukkunaari Athi Sivan temple last week. 

The rally began at Nedunkerny city junction and headed to the Vavuniya North's Divisional Secretariat where the protesters handed a letter to the Assistant Divisional Secretary in which the protestors called for the immediate release of the eight Tamil men who were unlawfully arrested.

The eight individuals who were arrested are: Kanthasamy Gowrikanthan (24), Thilakanathan Kinthuyan (28), Sivam Luxshan (28), Thurairasa Thamichelvan (28), Makenthiran Narenthiran (29), Rasaratnam Vinayagamoorthy (30), Subramaniyam Thavapalasingam (35), Thampirasa Mathimugarasa (45). 

As they marched, the protesters held placards that read "Our lands belong to us", "Ensure the right to worship" and "Don't destroy our historical heritage". 

The protesters also stopped at Nedunkerny police station to reiterate their calls and demand justice for the arrested devotees.  A tense situation arose when the police officers tried to ward off the protestors. 

The administration of the Vedukkunaari Adi Shiva Temple, members of parliament, civil society, family members, and the general public participated in the protests.

Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) MP Selvarajah Kajendren, who was assaulted by Sri Lankan police officers whilst observing Shivarathri at Vedukkunaari Hill temple, was also present at the protest.

Speaking to reporters at the protest, he said:

“The individual was asked to appear without his shirt in court, and was even brought out in front of other police officers and civilians in this manner."

He went on to add that family members had offered the eight detainees a change of clothes, however the police had denied their request to change their clothes.

Earlier this week, during a court hearing, Sri Lanka's archaeology department  claimed that the eight Tamil devotees at Vedukkunaari Hill Athi Sivan temple were arrested during the Shivarathri for damaging the temple's antiquities. 

"The director of the archaeology department falsified the claim in his report so that the detainees would not be granted bail," Kajendren added. 

Kajendren also stated that Vidrua Wickremanayake the minister of Buddhashasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs for being responsible for the violence unleashed during the Shivarathri observances at the temple. 

“He has committed acts of racism in the past and he is trying to do the same here by provoking tensions between Tamil and Sinhala communities," he went on to add. 

During the rally, the protesters also went to the Human Rights Commission's local office to question why the commission had not visited the detainees as five of the eight detainees had launched a hunger strike demanding their release.

Relatives of the detainees explained that the health of the detainees has deteriorated as they enter the fifth day of their hunger strike. After an hour of protesting outside the commission's office, an official came out and heard the protesters grievances before finally agreeing to visit the detainees at the prison tomorrow. 

In an act of solidarity, local businesses in Nedunkerny carried out a hartal to echo calls for the release of all eight individuals. 

Although Vedukkunaari Hill Athi Sivan temple has been a place of worship for Tamil people for generations, it has been declared as an ancient Buddhist site  by Sri Lanka's archaeology department. This forms part of Sri Lanka's ongoing efforts to colonise traditionally Tamil sites.