Sri Lanka politicians, civil and religious leaders join 500-km protest march

COLOMBO: Hundreds of ethnic Tamils began a four-day protest march from eastern to northern Sri Lanka to demand justice for civilians killed and forcibly disappeared during the country’s civil war, allegedly at the hands of the government’s military, according to The Associated Press.

Politicians, civil and religious leaders on foot and in cars joined the march, which is also protesting alleged plans by the government to change the demography of the traditional Tamil heartland by settling majority Sinhalese there and taking over private lands.

Sri Lanka marks its 73th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule on Thursday.

The approximately 500-km march from the east to the north, which Tamils consider their homelands, is to end Saturday, The Associated Press reported

Relatives of missing people have also started a fast to mark Independence Day.

The protests come after Sri Lanka rejected a report by UN human rights high commissioner Michelle Bachelet, who called for “international action to ensure justice for international crimes” allegedly committed during the 26-year civil war.