New year, same struggle for Tamil families of disappeared

Tamil families of the disappeared ushered in the New Year with another protest last week, renewing their call for justice for their loved ones.

The protest, organised by the Vavuniya District Families of the Disappeared organization, took place on 30 December in front of the old bus station in Vavuniya.

The demonstrators, many of whom have been searching for answers for nearly two decades, carried photographs of their disappeared relatives and raised poignant slogans - "Where are our disappeared children?" and "What happened to those handed over to the army?"

2025 will mark 16 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, but for thousands of Tamil families, the passage of time has done little to heal wounds or bring closure, with scores of Tamils still disappeared. Thousands were disappeared during and after the war, many of them abducted by state forces. More than 160,000 remain unaccounted for in acts that are being increasingly recognised as genocide.

Despite successive governments pledging to address the issue, meaningful investigations have been absent, leaving families trapped in a cycle of grief and protest.

Protesters at the Vavuniya demonstration expressed frustration over the lack of progress, particularly given the recent change in government. “We have been fighting for 15 years,” one protester said. “Are we not relieved? The UN must ensure justice at its upcoming session in March. We cannot wait any longer.”

The protesters emphasised the role of the United Nations, urging it to push for accountability. For years, international human rights organisations and Tamil groups have called on the UN to take stronger action, citing Sri Lanka’s persistent failures to deliver justice through domestic mechanisms.

Previous UN reports have highlighted credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances. However, Sri Lanka has often resisted international calls for accountability, maintaining that such issues should be resolved domestically.

The struggle for answers began almost immediately after the conflict's end in 2009, when Tamil families began demanding information about loved ones who disappeared during the final stages of the conflict. Many had surrendered to the Sri Lankan army, never to be seen again.

Over the years, protests have become a heartbreaking fixture across the Tamil homeland. Demonstrators have faced harassment and intimidation, but their resolve remains unbroken.