Hundreds of Tamils were blocked from
delivering a petition in Vavuniya on Saturday, marking the
International Day of the Disappeared.
Relatives of disappeared from across
the Northeast attended an event at Vavuniya Urban Council, before a
protest march towards the Government Agent offices at Vavuniya Kachcheri
but police stopped the protestors from proceeding, saying that they did
not have permission, sources at the scene told the Tamil Guardian.
The protestors,
many of whom were holding pictures of their relatives, sat in the road,
shouting slogans against President Rajapaksa and the Sri Lankan
government.
Organisers
decided to hand the petition to TNA MP Maavai Senathirajah and disperse
the crowds, due to concerns for the safety of the people.
The protest was
attended by TNA MPs Sivasakthi Ananthan, Vino Noharathalingam, Maavai
Senathirajah, MA Sumanthiran, and S Saravanabhavan. NPC
officials I Inthirarajah, M Thiyagarajah, Ananthy Sasitharan, T
Ravikaran and C Sivamohan were also in attendance.
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