Families demand answers as 19 years pass since Sri Lanka disappeared Tamil journalist

A protest was held in Point Pedro on Saturday, marking nineteen years since the enforced disappearance of Tamil journalist and teacher Subramaniam Ramachandran, who was arrested by Sri Lankan military personnel and has not been seen since.

Demonstrators gathered in front of the Point Pedro central bus stand, calling on the authorities to disclose the truth about his fate and ensure justice for him and other journalists who were disappeared or killed in the Tamil homeland. The protest was organised by the Vadamarachchi Media House and drew journalists, civil representatives, relatives of the forcibly disappeared, religious leaders, political representatives and members of the public.

Ramachandran, a native of Karaveddy in Vadamarachchi, was 37 years old when he was arrested on 15 February 2007 at the Thunnalai Kalikai junction military checkpoint while returning home after his journalistic work. According to accounts, he was detained by Sri Lankan military personnel and later handed over to operatives of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), which functioned as a paramilitary group aligned with the state at the time. He has not been seen since.

Despite eyewitness testimony and other evidence, no credible investigation has been conducted into his disappearance. Nearly two decades later, his fate remains unknown.

Saturday’s demonstration highlighted the prolonged anguish faced by his family. Following his disappearance, Ramachandran’s parents pursued justice for more than a decade, lodging complaints with state authorities including the Paranagama Commission of Inquiry, before passing away in 2018 without receiving answers. His sister, now the sole surviving immediate family member and a first-hand witness to key events surrounding his arrest, continues to seek justice amid years of institutional silence and the absence of meaningful investigative outcomes.

Participants at the protest carried placards and raised demands for accountability, reiterating calls for independent investigations into Ramachandran’s disappearance and all cases involving the abduction, disappearance and killing of journalists. Speakers stressed that repeated claims by successive Sri Lankan governments of commitment to reconciliation and justice remain hollow so long as emblematic cases such as Ramachandran’s remain unresolved.

Among those present were Point Pedro Urban Council Chairman Douglas, Valvettithurai Urban Council Chairman M. K. Sivajilingam, representatives of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) including former parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran, members of local Pradeshiya Sabhas, Hindu activist Velan Swamigal, and relatives of the forcibly disappeared along with associated organisations.

In a symbolic act during the protest, Mathivanan, an active member of the Vadamarachchi Media Club, chained himself and walked through parts of Point Pedro town. Organisers said the act was intended to reflect how enforced disappearances are deliberately allowed to fade into silence through time and institutional neglect.

Protesters warned that as witnesses age and memories fade, the erosion of first-hand testimony deepens state irresponsibility, effectively rewarding delay and inaction.

The demonstration also coincided with a broader mobilisation led by Velan Swamigal, who has been conducting a signature campaign across the North-East calling for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PTSB). Organisers stated that these emergency-style laws have historically enabled arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and prolonged impunity, particularly in Tamil areas.