Tamil activists hold protest rally in Lanka

Tamil political and civil society groups in Sri Lanka hold a protest rally on Wednesday, highlighting the grievances being faced by the community in the island nation. According to the organisers, the rally saw a huge participation, despite police obtaining a court order to stop it. 

The three-day protest march started from Pottuvil town in the eastern Amparai district and it would end at Polikandy in the northern Jaffna district on February 6. 

The protest aims at highlighting several issues being faced by the Tamil community in Lanka. 

The protesters allege that lands owned by Tamils are being grabbed and Tamil areas are being systematically populated with the majority Sinhala community since the military conflict ended in 2009 in Lanka. 

They also claim that Tamil political prisoners continue to languish in jails under the prevention of terrorism laws. 

Members of Lanka's main Tamil party -- Tamil National Alliance (TNA) -- said the court order was served on politicians, preventing them from taking part in the peaceful protest march. 

They alleged that while protests are being allowed to take place in the Sinhala majority south of the island, Tamils in the north and east are being discriminated.

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