Claiming that 14,500 people have disappeared in the country since 1980, the Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms M.U.M. Ali Sabry said that it is through the existing mechanisms that justice should be served to them and their families.
Speaking during an event in view of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances that falls tomorrow (30), in Colombo, he said: “Since 1980, 14,500 people have disappeared. We should provide answers to their families through existing mechanisms to ensure justice for missing persons. Unfortunately, some individuals exploit the plight of these disappeared persons for political purposes. It is essential to understand that Sri Lankans, regardless of whether they are from the North or the South, are all citizens of the same nation, and that the existing issues should not be manipulated to serve the interests of different groups.”
Ali Sabry also said that everyone should understand that the country cannot move forward without heeding the voice of those who are in a distressful situation due to the disappearance of their relatives, adding that the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) has been assigned a significant role with regard to the matter.
“By establishing the Office for Truth and Reconciliation, the missing people will be given further opportunities to receive justice. We appreciate the technical support provided by the international community for our affairs, but they shouldn’t influence our internal affairs.”
The issue of missing persons in Sri Lanka began mainly due to the nearly 30-year internal conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which ended in 2009.
Since the 1980s, thousands of people, including civilians, journalists, activists, and security personnel, have gone missing, leaving their families without answers.
The Government has set up bodies like the OMP to address the issue, but progress has been slow, and there are ongoing calls for justice from both local and international groups.
(themorning.lk)
