An international intervention has been requested to ensure justice for 176 eastern Tamil youths abducted and murdered 33 years ago.
Carrying placards with their demands, families of the victims and religious leaders held a silent protest in front of the Eastern University in Batticaloa on 05 September.
Following a remembrance event, Fr. Kandiah Jegadas of Batticaloa interfaith society told the media that a commission of inquiry has found the war-displaced youths sheltered at the university premises had been taken away by the Army and killed.
The mother of one of the victims said they seriously doubted if the Ranil Wickremesinghe government would punish those responsible.
Later come to be known as the Vandaramoolai mass murders, its victims were hauled away in two buses by soldiers from Kommathurai camp on 05 September 1990.
On the same day, soldiers stormed three more villages in Batticaloa and taken away many people by force.
None had returned.
A commission headed by retired judge Krishnapillai Palakidner named the military officers responsible.
However, a secretary to the commission M.C.M. Iqba has said that they had been ordered by the political hierarchy not to pursue any further legal action.
