Campaign for Democracy in Sri Lanka in Australia picketed the Sri Lankan Consulate in Sydney's Central Business District last Friday , January 13, to press for the release of Laltih and Kugan. These two political organisers for the Movement for People's Struggle are believed to have been abducted by military intelligence in the Jaffna region on December 9, 2011.
The protest was called by the Campaign for Democracy in Sri Lanka, Australia, whose National Convenor, gave a keynote speech. Other speeches were made by Mr Tim Ayres, the NSW Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, and Mr Peter Murphy, Coordinator of the SEARCH Foundation.
Other participants came from the Sri Lankan community in Sydney, from the Electrical Trades Union (CEPU) and from Unions NSW, the peak trade union body in the state.
They chanted slogans in Sinhala, Tamil and English, calling for freedom in Sri Lanka and freedom for Laltih and Kugan.
Few individuals, believed to be from the Consulate, tried to intimidate the protesters by taking photographs of their faces, but their provocation was ignored. The protest was attended by members of the NSW Police to ensure orderly traffic.
Monday, 16 January 2012
