Several groups including families of the missing and disappeared persons in the Northern Province have hoisted black flags and taken part in a protest across several areas yesterday (4), Sri Lanka’s 77th Independence Day.

Accordingly, the protest was organised by hoisting black flags, with protestors alleging that they have no freedom without their missing relatives and the lands taken from them in the North. 

Relatives of the missing who joined the protest declared that even though 16 years have passed since the conflict ended, there is still no information about their missing relatives. They also alleged that the current Government is not providing proper answers to the issues of the disappeared and is deceiving the public.

Politicians from various parties, including All Ceylon Tamil Congress Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi Parliamentarian  Sivagnanam Shritharan also joined the protests.

Similarly, students at the University of Jaffna have also staged a protest, raising black flags and wearing black bands.