Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) parliamentarian S. Shritharan called for justice for the Tamil people during a speech in Parliament last week, highlighting the ongoing suffering of families searching for loved ones who were forcibly disappeared during the armed conflict.
Addressing lawmakers, Shritharan stressed the urgent need to secure justice for the relatives of those who remain missing.
சரண்டைந்தவர்கள் எங்கே? தமிழர்கள் மீது நடாத்தப்பட்ட இனப்படுகொலைக்கு நீதி எங்கே?#shritharan #shritharanmp #parliament pic.twitter.com/ShFbar7WPh
— Shritharan Sivagnanam (@ImShritharan) March 5, 2026
He noted that the families of thousands of forcibly disappeared individuals have been protesting for many years, continuing their struggle in the hope that their loved ones may one day return. Despite these sustained demonstrations, he said, the Sri Lankan state has still failed to inform the families about what truly happened to those who disappeared.
Shritharan further stated that the prolonged wait for answers has already claimed the lives of many parents who led the protests.
He noted that 240 mothers and fathers from among the families who were actively involved in these demonstrations have since passed away without learning the fate of their children.
Reflecting on the final stages of the armed conflict, Shritharan said history bears witness to the fact that many of the forcibly disappeared were individuals who had surrendered to Sri Lankan security forces.
He recalled that numerous husbands had been surrendered during the war by their wives, while many children had been handed over by their mothers.
He questioned what answer could be given to the sisters and relatives who had entrusted their family members to the authorities.
Shritharan also referred to the killing of schoolgirls by Sri Lanka in the 2006 Sencholai airstrike, noting that justice has yet to be delivered for those victims.
Calling on the government to address these longstanding grievances, he urged that serious attention be given to the plight of families of the disappeared and that justice be ensured for the Tamil people.
Across the Tamil homeland, relatives of the forcibly disappeared have been engaged in continuous protests since 2017, demanding information about the fate of thousands who went missing during the final stages of the 2009 genocide and its aftermath. Many families saw their loved ones surrendering to Sri Lankan security forces in 2009.
