The call coincided with the release of a major report by OHCHR, which highlighted the need for the government to acknowledge the involvement of state security forces and issue a public apology.
From the 1970s to 2009, Sri Lanka witnessed widespread enforced disappearances, mainly committed by the national army and associated paramilitary groups.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also participated in kidnappings, which according to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances constitute enforced disappearances.
The OHCHR noted that despite some official steps by successive governments, such as ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and establishing the Secretariat for Disappeared Persons and the Secretariat for Reparations, “there is substantial progress towards comprehensively resolving individual cases.” I did. It remains limited.”
continuing pain
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk highlighted the continued suffering of families waiting for information about their loved ones.
“This report is a reminder that all Sri Lankans who have been forcibly disappeared must never be forgotten. Their families and those who care for them have waited a long time. They have the right to know the truth.”x
Nearly 15 years after the end of the civil war and decades since the first disappearances, Sri Lankan authorities continue to fail to hold accountable for these violations.
“We must take responsibility. “If we are to have any chance of success, we need institutional reforms for reconciliation,” the Turkish Prime Minister said.
Being harassed and intimidated
The report outlined the wide-ranging psychological, social and economic impacts on families, especially women, who primarily earn a living in difficult working conditions, including risks of sexual harassment and exploitation.
Many women seeking information about missing loved ones have faced harassment, threats, and violence from security forces.
One woman spoke of threats from the military and police, highlighting the dangers faced by those advocating for missing people.
Families still waiting
According to the OHCHR, states have a clear obligation under international law to address cases of enforced disappearance, which remains a continuing violation until clarification is made.
But many families still lack answers. One man testified before the National Commission about his missing son:
“Two weeks passed, two months passed, two years passed. Now it’s been 32 years and I’m still waiting.”
