Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar was chased away from the Chemmani protest site in Jaffna on Wednesday (25), as demonstrators vehemently rejected his presence at the ongoing vigil marking the discovery of mass graves in the area.
Chandrasekar, who arrived with a delegation that included parliamentarian Rajeevan Jayachandramurthy and Jaffna Municipal Councillor S. Kabilan, was swiftly confronted by protestors, including families of the disappeared, who chanted slogans demanding his immediate departure.
The group exited the site in haste, with at least three members, including the minister, reportedly leaving without their footwear.
The confrontation took place as the Chemmani vigil entered its third consecutive day and the protest drew participation from families of the disappeared, human rights activists, and local youth, all calling for international oversight and justice.
Emotions have intensified following the discovery earlier this month of 19 human skeletal remains, including those of three infants, during excavations at the site.
Tamil families and rights groups have long accused successive Sri Lankan governments of delaying justice and obstructing accountability processes. They point out that the Chemmani site stands as a painful symbol of the state’s systemic failures to address wartime atrocities and enforced disappearances.
Meanwhile, the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) government has rejected international mechanisms for accountability related to alleged war crimes and mass atrocities committed during and after the civil conflict.
Protestors at Chemmani say the minister’s presence was not only inappropriate but offensive, given what they describe as the government’s consistent failure to deliver justice.
“We don’t need photo opportunities. We need truth, justice, and accountability,” said one activist at the site.
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