UN says more needs to be done in Sri Lanka

The United Nations (UN) says more needs to be done in Sri Lanka to win the confidence of the families of victims of enforced disappearances.

United Nations Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said that the UN stands in solidarity with the victims and families of victims of enforced disappearances, and continues to encourage the authorities to take steps to urgently determine the fate or whereabouts of victims, provide reparations, and bring perpetrators to justice.

She expressed these views in a message to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Hamdy said that she has met with many families of the missing from across Sri Lanka.

“For them, the uncertainty as to the fate of a loved one continues to be a painful reality that is raw and fresh. They relentlessly ask for answers to the whereabouts of their loved ones. Without answers, they suffer every day, wavering between hope and despair. In their search for truth and justice, they too have often been victimised,” she said.

She also noted that by signing the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) in 2015, Sri Lanka took a first step in that direction, recognising the right of families to know the truth regarding the circumstances of the enforced disappearance, the progress and results of the investigation, and the fate of the disappeared person.

The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) was another such step in the right direction and the ?List of Complaints and Information Regarding Missing and Disappeared Persons? received and published by the OMP offered a useful baseline against which to measure progress in clarifying cases.

However she said more needs to be done to win the confidence of the families of victims and provide credible processes for addressing their grievances in accordance with international standards. (Colombo Gazette)