Jaffna missing youths' parents protest again

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 December 2001, 10:46 GMT]
The parents of more than 600 youth who went missing in Jaffna after being arrested by the Sri Lanka Army in 1996-97 marched in silence through the northern town Monday to protest against "government apathy". The protestors carried lamps and their mouths were covered with black bands. The march was organised by the Jaffna Mothersí Front and the Missing Persons' Guardian Association.

Speakers, who addressed a meeting after handing over a memorandum to the government Agent of Jaffna, urged the new government to bring to light the fate of their children. ''Our children were murdered by the Chandrika regime'', said one of the parents who addressed the meeting.

The march started from the Nallur temple grounds around 9 a.m. Monday morning and went up to the Human Rights Commission office in Jaffna town. A token fast was also held. Ms. Selvarasa Kamalambikai, of the Jaffna Mothersí Front, chaired the meeting.