Tamils No Freedom To Express Their Concern for Human Rights

14.12.2011

The Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA) wishes to draw the attention of the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, the media and the human rights organisations to the way the Tamils in Sri Lanka are kept under subjugation by the Sri Lankan government using its occupying forces in the north of the country.

On the World Human Rights day (WHRD), the parents and relatives of those reported missing since the end of the war in 2009 tried to stage a protest to seek the attention of the world on the plight of their missing loved ones. These peaceful protesters were harassed by the occupying soldiers and riot police. This led to the protesters having to stage the protest along the roadside at the Jaffna Bus Terminal. Every commuter on the main Point-Pedro Jaffna Road leading into the city of Jaffna was stopped and harassed at eight check posts by the Sri Lankan military in an attempt to prevent them from joining the protest. When people started gathering at the bus terminal in the morning they were dispersed first by the police saying they had no permission to protest. This harassment ended only when some Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians entered the scene. This is the first time in Jaffna in the past several years, the parents and relatives of the missing persons braved barriers and harassment by the occupying Sri Lankan soldiers and riot police to stage a protest.

ENDS

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