Tamils demand return of land, international investigation of disappearances

September 10, 2018
Issue 
The relatives of the disappeared rally in Mannaar on August 30.

About 4000 Tamils rallied in Mullaitheevu on the northeast coast of the island of Sri Lanka on August 28, Tamilnet reported.

They demanded the return of land previously confiscated from its Tamil owners and given to settlers from Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese ethnic majority, as well as the abandonment of irrigation projects that will result in further Sinhalese settlements in Tamil areas.

Other demands included an end to “nature reserves” that prevent Tamil fisherpeople from fishing in lagoons.

On August 30, the relatives of people who disappeared during the war rallied in Mannaar and Ampaarai. They demanded international investigation of the disappearances, rejecting the Sri Lankan government's Office of Missing Persons.

Protesters said the Sri Lankan government, which was responsible for the disappearances, could not be trusted to investigate itself.

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