Widespread protests were held across the North-East this weekend as Tamil families of the disappeared, civil society organisations, and human rights defenders rallied to demand an international, independent investigative mechanism into the genocide committed against the Tamil people.
The coordinated demonstrations, led by the North East Social Movement (NESM), spanned Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, and Amparai, with a parallel protest also held in Colombo. Protesters denounced Sri Lanka’s repeated failure to deliver justice through domestic mechanisms and called for international criminal accountability.
Jaffna – Protest at Chemmani mass grave site
In Jaffna, demonstrators gathered near the Chemmani mass grave site – a site where exhumations continue to uncover the remains of Tamil civilians believed to have been killed by the Sri Lankan military. Protesters held placards calling for justice and the deployment of international forensic experts to investigate the mass graves.
They also demanded recognition of the Tamil genocide and the establishment of an international criminal justice mechanism.
Batticaloa – Gathering at Gandhi Park
At Gandhi Park in Batticaloa, families of the disappeared, women’s organisations, and human rights defenders gathered to demand international justice for the systematic genocide against the Tamil people. Participants condemned Sri Lanka’s consistent failures to ensure accountability and stressed that only an international mechanism would be trusted by victims.
Amparai – Protest in Thirukkovil
In Thirukkovil, Amparai District, demonstrators took to the streets to demand an international inquiry into the genocide of Tamils. Civil society groups and local residents held placards rejecting Sri Lanka’s domestic justice efforts and urging the international community to act.
Trincomalee – Protest near Sivan Temple
In Trincomalee, protesters assembled near the historic Sivan Temple, denouncing the ongoing impunity for crimes committed during and after the armed conflict. They warned against attempts to whitewash the past and demanded immediate steps to secure justice through international legal mechanisms.
Kilinochchi – Protest at Kandhasamy Temple
At the Kandhasamy Temple premises in Kilinochchi, families of the disappeared and local civil society groups held a protest demanding accountability for the decades of atrocities committed against Tamils. Protesters reiterated that only an international process, free from Sri Lankan state interference, could deliver truth and justice.
Vavuniya – Rally at new bus stand
In Vavuniya, a protest was held in front of the new bus stand. Organised by the North-East Civil Movement, the demonstration aimed to build momentum ahead of the September United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session. Protesters called for international investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the immediate release of Tamil political prisoners. A signature campaign was also conducted to mobilise wider support.
