The President of the Organisation of Relatives of the Disappeared During Military Conflicts, Sivanathan Jenita, and a civil society activist were arrested this morning for orchestrating a protest against President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Vavuniya.
The Organisation of Relatives of the Disappeared displayed black flags and protested the President’s presence in Vavuniya for a program at the Vavuniya Cultural Hall. The arrest of the two organizers heightened tensions in the area.
Police said that the two suspects were arrested for organizing the protest, despite a court order from the Vavuniya magistrate prohibiting protests or obstruction of the President's route.
In response, the protestors informed the police that they aimed to meet the President to request an international-level investigation into disappearances. However, the police rejected this request and agreed to allow a representative of the organization to meet with a Presidential Coordinator.
The two suspects were scheduled to appear in court today.
